Thursday, October 11, 2007

Update long overdue

I've been completely crazy busy: 50-plus hour weeks, meetings every night, weekend stuff, etc. Sorry I haven't updated, but I'm pleased to announce the Eckert household has stepped into the 21st century. Since last week, we now have a phone line, a laptop AND internet service. I'm still working on the new computer, but hopefully I'll be updating more often and even putting up a few pictures, if our dial up can handle it.

We're still reviewing resumes and have gotten some promising ones, so I'm hoping we will hire soon. I've been thinking some about the editor job, and I just don't know that it's for me. It just doesn't in to my long term goals, which are to raise my (hopefully expanding in the next few years) family, be a good mom and wife and an active part of the farm. These last few weeks have taught me that its impossible to give one 100% without neglecting the other.

On a happier, not so deep note, Nate started combining today, so he's all excited. Until something breaks then he'll be crabby. Jacob's babysitter had surgery yesterday, so he's home with me this afternoon. We had a substitute babysitter, and he seemed to get along great with her. I guess it helped she had a kitty.

I've been cooking a lot lately, much to Nate's delight. Strangely it usually helps me relax, even though it means I have to grocery shop for more than just frozen pizzas and hamburger helper.

This weekend I have a few photo assignments but will mostly be around home. Next weekend we're heading to Racine for Nate's cousin's wedding. Yay for a roadtrip and getting away from work!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Welcome to my crazy life

Sorry I got behind, but this time I have a good reason. My boss announced a week ago Monday he is resigning. That means I am stepping up to his job (for now) and running the newspaper on my own for the next few weeks. We're hiring, if anyone is looking for a job. I'll post more on the subject later.

Here's my column from 9/12

This weekend marked the start of our corn silage harvest. Despite the stresses of getting all the crops in I think this is Nate’s favorite time of year. We also had a house guest this weekend, Nate’s fraternity brother, Nick. He comes to visit twice a year just to drive tractor: once in the spring for tillage and once in the fall for chopping corn.

Since I had no assignments for the weekend I assumed the role as head of the cook shanty, among other things. Nate and I invited his parents over for dinner Thursday night, our first dinner guests in the new house. After conferencing with Nate’s mom we decided I would take care of lunches Saturday and Sunday and she would make dinner Saturday. Friday evening marked my third trip to the grocery store for the week. I had already paged through my favorite cookbook for some ideas. Although I would cook two meals I planned three so I would have choices.

I slept in Saturday morning with Jacob, but was up in time to give the house a good cleaning and make chicken stew with cornbread dumplings for lunch. I clipped the edge of my fingernail off slicing carrots, but luckily it didn’t bleed much. A Snoopy Band-Aid had me back at the cutting board to finish lunch. Part way through I also found out Nate’s little brother would join us so I threw some extra broth and veggies in the pot. Nick asked for seconds so I figured it must be successful. Later Nate and discussed how much he liked my cooking and decided it must be because he’s a single guy who lives alone, probably on a diet of microwave dinners and frozen pizza.

I got out of cooking supper since Nate’s mom whipped up some lasagna for the crew. While Nate and Nick were out for some boy time that evening I stuck a beef roast in the crock pot for the following day. Sunday I got up early and made eggs for the boys before sending them back out into the fields. I roused Jacob and ran a few errands. I got home just in time to get lunch served and was greeted by the aroma of roast beef and herbs as I walked in. I shredded the beef, which fell right apart as I lifted it from the pot, and served it on huge kaiser rolls with chips and baked beans. Nick stuck around later than planned, so it was a good thing I had a third meal planned. The pasta dish took less than an hour total to make and bake. Nick seemed to like that too. I sent a big bowl of cherry tomatoes from the garden with him for the ride home. The best part of all the cooking this weekend is we’ll have leftovers for the whole week.

On a side note we finally heard from my sister this weekend who left to join the Air Force a few weeks back. She seems to be doing well and even taught me a great new word: Volun-told.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Painful to watch

Anyone else see Britney on the VMAs? I was channel surfing Sunday night around 8 p.m. and saw it was coming on, so I watched. It was like a car wreck. I was appalled and disgusted at the same time but couldn't turn it off. I'm not sure what was the worst part: the lazy, sloppy dance moves, the haphazard, careless lip syncing or revealing costume on her jiggly, untoned body.

Here's my advice for her. Grow up. Put some clothes on. Show me you can sing.