"Eye" Don't Know.

Last year, I taught my oldest son what it means to play hooky from school or work.  I can't even begin to count how many times over the course of the last year that I have been getting ready for work in the morning only to be asked if today is the day I would play hooky and stay home with him to do something extraordinary.  Each request shaved a little chunk off my heart thinking to myself about this precious time we have while our children are young and how we spend so much of it trying to make a living.  Thursday of last week was the day I could finally tell him that both his dad and I were playing hooky, and, boy, was he ecstatic!

I was finally able to teach the kids the fine art of skipping out on work on a beautiful fall day.  One thing our family is really good at is taking snowy and cold days off of work, but we often do not take the time to enjoy days when the weather is nice.  Fortunately, school had fall break, so we made a break for the Henry Doorly Zoo in combination with my follow-up exam at Truhlsen Eye Clinic at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.  (And, my eyes did not get dilated this time, so my husband couldn't trick me out of going to Spaghetti Works due to traffic concerns.)  I soccer-mommed super hard in our borrowed minivan all day--w
eaving in and out of traffic, circling the block several times for a perfect parking spot, telling the kids to quiet down so I could focus on driving downtown, and accelerating quickly at stop lights to give the impression that I was doing a burn-out to win back some cool points.  I hadn't been to the zoo in 20 years, and I am glad I got to experience it for a second time with my boys at a young age.  It was quite a day.  We started at the aquarium and the boys were literally running from exhibit to exhibit in awe of the entire experience.  No major meltdowns, but we did have a little soldier drop trou(sers) in the middle of a group of site-seers on the Pelican Lake Bridge for a potty break.  Attention spans were just long enough to get a general look at each animal throughout the entire excursion.  Exception was giving to the lone tiger that was out in the Asian Highlands as he was the primary animal that our youngest wanted to see.  Luke would not take his eyes off the tiger, even for a photo, because he thought the tiger would be able to get through the fence if he wasn't watching.  The overall expanse of the zoo and the amount of manpower it takes to maintain, winterize, and care for each animal is almost beyond comprehension.  It is pretty incredible to have such a fantastic resource right in our backyard, and it is worth at least one day of playing hooky to go see it in your lifetime!

Checking out the Tiger

You might be wondering about the results of my eye examination as well.  The good news is that my optical nerves have experienced a 15-20% reduction in swelling since June.  I am on the right track with medication.  I did make a point to ask the pros at Truhlsen what is causing the swelling behind my eyes and the eyes of at least four other people I know.  The simple answer was, "I don't know."  I had to chuckle because my three year old's favorite answer to any question right now is, "I don't know."  "What did you have for lunch today?" "I don't know." "Where did you put your water bottle?" "I don't know." "Who colored all over the wall in the garage with sidewalk chalk?" "Logan did it."  He has an answer for everything, even if the answer is, "I don't know."  A simple answer that is endearing in tone and annoying in reality!

As a follow up, I asked if the Med Center is doing research to see why such an insurgence of this particular problem is occurring in women my age, and the answer to that was, "People like you are all we see all day long.  We don't know if there is an increase in cases or not. We are just here to treat the problem."  Not the answer I wanted.  It is slightly unnerving to me that such an influx of women in my own circle are experiencing this problem.  The doctors attribute some of the cause to the increased use of Retin A, retinol, or retinoid in cosmetic products.  It is a common anti-aging treatment that is an ingredient in a number of products.  Unfortunately, putting it on your skin results in an absorption into your body that is far higher than if you simply ate the product and digested it normally.  Your skin is the largest organ and is not designed to filter out bad juju like your intestinal track.  That's your tiny tidbit of scientific advice for today.  Ditch the Retin gals, or suffer the consequences later.


So, that was our fun for the fall in addition to the ongoing harvest and real estate hi-jinks.  A little R&R is just what the doctor ordered when the stars aligned for this appointment and fall break.  Get out of the office, play hooky, and make the most of what you have.  Life isn't all real estate and roses, but we can sure make it fun while it lasts.  Welcome Home.

A Few Dry Days

I needed to take a moment this morning to thank everybody for their kind words and prayers as I underwent follow-up tests last week for my late April eye exam.  Several of you took time to check-in personally and for that, I am very grateful!  I culminated last week's events by undergoing a spinal tap to measure the pressure of my spinal fluid and take some samples for analysis.  Essentially, they attached me to a tire pressure gauge to see if my head was going to explode.  Fortunately, I won't be splattering up anybody's walls anytime soon.  The best news is that I do NOT have a brain tumor as was suspected.  I also have not been in any pain or discomfort (except the anxiety).  The bad news is that we are still in search of a cause for the pressure surrounding the nerves in my eyes (which is a significant indicator of a tumor and increased spinal fluid pressure).  I have been referred to the eye gurus at the Med Center and will be visiting them next month for further testing.  Thanks for giving me a couple of days to get through the preliminary tests and ease my worst fears.

For now, we are back to business as usual.  I am trying to get used to my glasses, which has been a struggle, especially when a certain 2-year-old always wants to smear his smudgy fingers on them!  How is it that a $6 pair of sunglasses from the local dollar store can fit perfectly, but I have to be constantly adjusting a custom pair of Kate Spades? My apologies to all of my friends who have been wearing glasses for years.  I now feel your pain and will be eternally empathetic!

If things are meant to be a certain way in life, I would have to say that all of this has played out favorably considering that the rains came last week when I needed some help from my family with driving, child care, and appointments.  The few dry days we have had this week has kept everybody on their toes planting corn and beans, fertilizing, and spraying.  I'm not much for running the heavy equipment these days, but I can provide ground support for the hoard of hungry children my family has produced in the last several years.  Each one is good for about 30-60 minutes in the tractor, but that is about all the longer we can keep them in one place unless they are asleep.  Good thing there are chores to do, baby kittens to harass, sand piles to play in, and Big Wheels to race.  A head count every ten minutes gives assurance nobody has snuck off to try to make the golf cart do a Tokyo drift. 

Rest assured, I haven't quit my day/night/weekend job.  The real estate market is still very active in and around Wayne, and it has been exciting to meet new people moving to town as well as help past clients make new transitions.  I'm so glad I'm able to have my cake and eat it too when it comes to helping out at the farm...even if it means we have supper at 9:30 p.m. followed by temper tantrum filled mornings because I didn't have time to wash the only two pairs of short pants that my 6-year-old will wear (even though he has 14 to pick from).  Two more days of school and then summer "break." (I think we have more scheduling issues and plans for June than we have had for any other month this year!  Looks like I better go buy a couple more pairs of "slick" shorts so I don't have to do laundry every other day!  You know, because the pockets on jean shorts hurt your bottom when you have to sit on them. Kindergarten logic.)

Thanks again for the many kindnesses shown to me and my family as we power through the stages of life.  Life might not be all real estate and roses, but we have much to be thankful for, little to complain about, and a whole lot to look forward to.  Welcome Home.

Big & Little Brothers

Any successful person will tell you that a strong support team is essential to their achievements.  In my case, a strong support team is essential to my survival and my sanity.  I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by a network of very talented people.  The ones I lean on the most include my family members.  For example, I have a little brother, Dale, who can fix anything.  Car broke down on the side of the road?  He can get you towed home and then have you back up and running the same day.  Have a plumbing leak?  He'll bring some PEX tubing and fittings over and have you doing a load of laundry in minutes.  Need a light fixture installed?  He has a roll of electrical wire on hand to get you going. Need a tree trimmed for a closing?  Here he comes with his bucket truck.  Those who know him, know he's always willing to lend a hand when a project needs done.

The guy is as handy as they come.  Even though he is my little brother, he has taught me a thing or two.  I guess it's payback for all the proofreading and school work I helped him with during grade school and college.  (Not to mention, dressing him up like the little sister I so desperately wanted a time or two!)

Then, there's my big brother, Tom.  Have a tax question?  He'll have an answer for you in minutes flat.  If not, he'll be doing the research to get you the answer.  This guy has more information stored in his head that you could write into the entire tax code each year.  Want to depreciate something?  Although his answer is usually a firm "no," you can rest assured that he didn't miss the legitimate items that can indeed be depreciated.  He is coming off of a hectic tax season filled with new tax code.  In fact, even the IRS encouraged the American public to file an extension because they didn't have all of the information out to preparers in a timely fashion.  There are two things in life you don't mess with: the Federal Government and Tom Hansen, CPA. 

(Speaking of which, my mom asked me the other day if I had my book work all up to date for my accounting appointment this year.  After a brief pause and some quick calculations I determined I am about 13 months behind on bookkeeping. "Give me three solid nights of nothing else to do, and I'll have it knocked out," I told her.  She laughed and simply said, "Good luck. Don't make your brother angry."  Bookkeeping is the curse of the small business owner.  I enjoy doing it, but finding the time can be the real challenge.  Just ask Tom.)  

With National Siblings Day being last week, I thought it worthy of a post to toot my horn about my brothers.  They can walk you through a engine diagram in nothing flat or talk you into a major purchase to keep the tax man at bay.  Life isn't all real estate and roses, so we have our moments just like any family does.  As long as you don't show up unexpectedly while we are working on a major project where we all want to be the boss, you probably won't see that side of us too often.  Welcome Home.

'Til the Cows Come Home

The first week in January means that it is time to start the migration of the Hansen cow herd towards the home place from their winter feeding grounds.  This three mile trek over pasture and county roads requires a minimum of five off-road trail vehicles, a lead tractor and hayrack, and two grandmas (one to watch the littlest cowkids and another to stop traffic when we get the herd out on the road).  It's quite a production, and one that I haven't missed in many years. Here's why:

"Phase One of Annual Herd Migration complete: Three mile drive thru rough terrain. Mud made it inside the vehicle. Touch and go for a few seconds there. Maxed out cool points with the kids again. Tiny cowboys and cowgirl yelling between steel horses giggling about the anatomical differences between bulls and cows. Herd will get used to their nonstop banter just as humans have. In all the commotion, three whitetails stumbled into the action. What a sight! Herd secure. City Slickers home from the ranch."

Working our way across the section

Make sure the window is up before you go mud running!

Three whitetail deer decided to see what all of the fuss was about. It was fortunate I got to share this quiet moment with my oldest son as we waited for the rest of the gang to get the herd moved to our position.

Billy Crystal should be jealous of this yearly undertaking.  Unfortunately, in all these years, we still haven't found Curly's Gold (that's a '90s movie reference for those of you who don't remember)!  We do get the Karsky Family out of town for extra assistance, and with all the littles around these days, we adults have to keep our sweet talk for the bosses rated PG.  The weather was nice the Saturday we moved the herd, and we had some trouble getting the cows rounded up and through the first gate to start our journey.  Believe it or not, livestock actually moves more willingly when the weather is poor.  They felt good, but once they figured out where they were going, they didn't cause any problems. 

This is a therapeutic undertaking for me.  The farm has always been my sanctuary. A necessary haven  to restore the balance of my introverted personality with the demands of a sales career.  Coming down from the rush of the holidays and an extraordinarily busy December market, it was a chance to spend a morning doing something a little out of the ordinary.  There is something to be revered about a Nebraska sunrise, fog in the valleys, and frost on the fence posts.  Just me and my family, a few close friends, the smell of burnt clutch and scorched exhaust, and the cows. Each doing a little part while working as one cohesive unit, doing what we have always done, 'til the cows come home.

Onto new feeding grounds for a few weeks.

I'll admit, I don't get much time anymore to really spend with the herd.  I used to know every cow...her demeanor, her tag number, her given name.  Some of that has gotten away from me as the pressures of a full-time career and family have taken precedence.  My herd has shifted to one made of people.  I don't regret that shift, but I do love a chance to look over the cow herd once in a while. Like people, each head of livestock has its own personality.  Over time, you learn to look for those wild-eyed heifers who like to keep their head up in the air.  They will be the first to spoil a good day.  These spirited cows aren't loyal, and they can ruin your taste for the whole business if you let them.  Eventually, you find that the best way to deal with a cow like this is to haul her to market, but not before she breaks down some of your fences.  While mending fences, you learn how to look for the signs next time and protect yourself before another one jumps over your brand new shiny gate and makes an oversized U-joint out of it.

Those wild-eyed heifer types give you new respect for those cows who have paid their dues and methodically plod at the back of the main herd as they make the trek home.  Those are the stubborn bosses who are upwards of 20 years old and might have even been a part of the study group for your Neihardt Honors Colloquium at Wayne State College. There is a lot to learn from the wherewithal of those old cows.  They have endured because they produce good calves, give good milk, and weather the storms successfully.  Once the heart of the herd, they are the bloodlines to all the younger stock.  Those old girls have a hard time keeping up, but they have played a vital role in the overall success of the herd.

Knowing where the two extremes lie makes it easier to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with the rest of the herd.  It is safe to say that if they do their part, I will do mine, and all will be rewarded with greener pastures in the end.  There are many correlations that can be made between that cow herd and my human herd so long as you don't get all sensitive on me and take offense to the comparison.  Farm life taught me how to take care of my human herd.  If you put your trust in me, I'll do my very best for you right up 'til the cows come home.  After all, what fun would life be if it was all just real estate and roses?  Welcome Home.

Free Labor

As childless newlyweds, my husband and I might be a bit naive about what it takes to raise children.  About a month and a half ago, we had the opportunity to have a sleepover with the newest addition to our family, our 9 year old step-nephew, Anthony.  We soon learned how much energy it takes to keep up with a 9 year old.  I figured since everything was so "boring" at our house, the best thing to do would be to work outside in the yard and catch up on some fertilizing and weeding.  Anthony was excited by the idea of fertilizing the lawn once he saw the fertilizer spreader.  I was excited to have some free child labor helping around the house.

We filled the hopper up with granules, placed it in the start position and showed him how to operate the trigger to release the granules.  Little did I know that he didn't let the trigger go after the lesson was over, so the rotary spreader filled with granules, which were spread in a heap at the starting point.  The damage did not show up until about 2 weeks later when I noticed the grass was burning a strange circular pattern.  I thought the aliens had landed and were producing some mysterious lawn circles.  Burned spots showed up here and there on the edges of the front lawn, but nothing appeared in the back lawn.  My husband and I had fertilized the back lawn because Anthony soon grew tired of this "hard job."  He was mad because we hadn't disclosed how "hard" it would be prior to him taking the controls of the spreader.  However, the puzzle pieces soon fell together.  The burn spots were all in a circular pattern and all in areas where Anthony had stopped to take a break from manually propelling the spreader forward.  Exhibit A represents the consequences of free child labor.  Be careful about the rate of application for nitrogen based lawn fertilizer products.  "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" (English Translation-Burns, 1785).  Welcome Home.

Exhibit A: Mysterious lawn circles appeared a couple of weeks after fertilizing.

The Meaning of "Home"

This past weekend was a proud moment for the Hansen family.  My great uncle, Dale M. Hansen, was honored for his service during WWII at a special ceremony organized by the American Legion Riders on Sunday at the Wisner, NE cemetery.  The following is the citation he received upon being awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 1946:

Medal of Honor citation of Private Dale M. Hansen, USMC (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 200):

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 May 1945. Cool and courageous in combat, Private Hansen unhesitatingly took the initiative during a critical stage of the action and, armed with a rocket launcher, crawled to an exposed position where he attacked and destroyed a strategically located hostile pillbox. With his weapon subsequently destroyed by enemy fire, he seized a rifle and continued his one-man assault. Reaching the crest of a ridge, he leaped across, opened fire on six Japanese and killed four before his rifle jammed. Attacked by the remaining two Japanese, he beat them off with the butt of his rifle and then climbed back to cover. Promptly returning with another weapon and supply of grenades, he fearlessly advanced, destroyed a strong mortar position and annihilated eight more of the enemy. In the forefront of battle throughout this bitterly waged engagement, Private Hansen, by his indomitable determination, bold tactics and complete disregard of all personal danger, contributed essentially to the success of his company's mission and to the ultimate capture of this fiercely defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His great personal valor in the face of extreme peril reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service."

From the riders to the flags to the reception afterwards, it was quite a spectacular event to witness.  My husband and I had the privilege of offering our home as a gathering place for not only our family, but the riders who gave their time and talents to a soldier and a family they had never met.  The experience was humbling.  Without a doubt, it made me proud to be a part of this ceremony, and it made me proud to be able to offer our home to those who gave so much to my family.  If only for a little while, everybody was able to come together, cool down, and visit with family and friends whom they had not seen in ages.  It was a wonderful experience, and I only hope that you have such memories to share with your family in your own home.  Welcome Home.

A Tribute

I've been absent from the blogging scene for a few weeks due to some drastic changes that have occurred in our lives.  My grandfather passed away on March 26th after a short battle with cancer and emergency surgery.  In many respects, the timing was not good, but then again, it never is when you lose a loved one.  In the midst of everything, we are still working slowly on the house.  I must commend everybody who has helped us during the past few weeks and who has provided understanding during the times when Tim and I couldn't be there to give our assistance.  Particularly, the Karpet Shop of Norfolk for finishing our tile work and carpeting, Doescher Appliance of Wayne for installing and moving our appliances, Discount Furniture of Wayne for delivering our living room and bedroom furniture that has been stored in their warehouse for 3 months, and Russ Loberg Electric of Wisner for putting the finishing touches on the wiring.  It was a relief to know that I could trust these folks to handle the work without us being present, and it was nice to come home to the finished product after the long days prior to and following the funeral.

This house is my tribute to Grandpa and the many things he taught his grandchildren throughout the years.  The day after grandpa died, we installed a flag pole in our front yard in his memory.  He was always proud of his country and the service he and his older brother, Dale, had given it during World War II.  Dale was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for valiant actions on Okinawa just days before he was killed in action by a sniper.  My younger brother is also named after him.  Grandpa taught us the meaning of service, valor and honor.

My grandfather was bit of a perfectionist, and I must admit that I inherited the same gene (much to my husband's dismay).  With the remaining cement from setting the flag pole, we also fixed broken section of the curb that borders the street running north of our house.  Grandpa couldn't stand it when his curbs had chunks of broken cement missing out of them, and my dad, brothers, and I spent a few Saturdays helping him replace portions where the snow plow or a car tire got a little too close.  I am thankful that he taught me and my brothers how to do this task.  He instilled a sense of pride for owning your own property and keeping it in good shape. 

Grandpa told me several times after we purchased the home that he was coming down to see it after we were finished with the remodeling.  He insisted on waiting until we were done because he didn't want to "bother" us.  He understood that we were busy, and he always felt like he was in the way if we were in the middle of a project.  I would always laugh when he interjected about the way something "should be done" versus the way we were going to do it.  He liked to share his knowledge, and he enjoyed being able to have a say in what was happening. We should have made a point to have him visit sooner.

As I've said many times before, a house is more than shelter.  It is a place of great memories and good times with family and friends.  Don't put off those visits from loved ones because you feel like you don't have the time or things aren't in the order you want them.  All they care about is seeing you.  I know that Grandpa is proud of how far we have come with our house and in some way, he is talking to us to make sure we are doing things right.  We wouldn't have it any other way.  Welcome Home.