a good week

This truly has been a good week, slow, but good.  First, a majority of the Midwest was able to catch a rain shower at the beginning of the week.   It is amazing what a few tenths of rain will do for the lawn, the crops, and even the soul.  Before Monday's storm it had been almost two weeks time since Iowa or Nebraska received rain.  One of the things I love about thunderstorms is lying in bed listening to the rain on the window and distant roll of thunder.  What I do not enjoy is waking up to water dripping from my ceiling to my bathroom floor because it was raining so hard!!!  But in this case, I guess you have to take the good with the bad.  

Because of the absence of rain over the past weeks, the yield outlook for the Midwest corn crop has really begun to drop.  This predicted drop in yields will present problems to both crop and livestock growers across the US and will eventually trickle down to the consumer with another hike in grocery prices.  But I am done dwelling on this depressing fact, because this post is about a good week, and good things in life....so I'm done.

Second, I learned how to fab the front half of a pork carcass this week.  Growing up in Iowa, land of the oink, it was definitely something I needed to check off my meat science bucket list.  It made the morning go by quickly and I even got to try out my new knives!!  

Third, The Fort (the western store in Lincoln) is having their annual tent sale.  Boots, jeans, shirts, tack, and every western goodie imaginable is on sale.  Did I say just on sale??  I mean on CRAZY sale!!  A bunch of fellow grad students are planning to travel down to the store this afternoon; and all I have to say is good thing I got paid yesterday.

Fourth & Final, this whole week I have been planning for an epic weekend with family and friends!!!  It starts on Friday night with a bon fire at Chasen's house and making preparations  for our busy Saturday.  Saturday is the day (I hope) that I find that magical wedding dress.  We start the morning off with an appointment at 10 am, and another appointment at 1.  I am hoping to share mimosa's and homemade scones during our search, yum!!  Hopefully after a successful morning we will then head up to Ames to cheer on the Cyclones at their first game of 2011.  Planning for these events has been quite exhausting, so I can just imagine what I am going to feel like on Saturday night.  Then Sunday morning we are off to look at homes for sale (yes very exciting!!!) and maybe squeeze a boat outing in there somewhere....if we can.  Anyway, I am starting to think I better live by the motto: "you can sleep when your dead."