Made by Steve- Etsy – UK
Meenakshee D
Mount Branson Pottery School
Monthly Archives: September 2026
Sons and Mothers – College
Shady – @PlanetPositive on Substack – Emmanuel Etika
Filed under kindness
Wednesday 9-30-2026
R.G. Ryan – RGRyan777 on X
I’m still groaning and smiling.
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You’ll be happy to hear that I have decided to quite whining about the Ugly American – UNLESS he does something so egregious I can’t ignore it. People pointed out – rightly – that I was giving him too much power over me, my walking time on the treadmill at the gym, and my emotions. ENOUGH.
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Women’s Health
Shout-out to Murray, one of my favorite people in all the world, who is celebrating a birthday today. I wish I could be there to hug her neck, but she knows I’m wishing her FUN, FOOD, and FEELINGS of joy today.
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Women’s Health
Shout-out to my dear friend, Carla. We texted first thing this morning. I told her what Harvey announced to me when we visited with him yesterday – that she drove from the States to Thailand in our former Honda truck with a trailer attached to pack up his stuff and take it back to Tulsa – a place we haven’t lived for over 50 years. To top THAT amazing feat off, he said they slept together! I congratulated her on being able to drive a truck to Thailand, and then chided her for “sleeping with my husband.” We’ve been friends for 100 years. I asked her to TELL me the NEXT time she does something like this, and got her promise to come visit ME if she does…. 🤣🤪 It was good to laugh together.
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I will head to the cafe soon. So far, we’re having lovely weather here – sunshine and no rain. I have one sketch base painted and ready for me to add details, with a couple of others in my head I’d like to try.
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Brian surprised me a while ago with a treat and some lemonade. SO DELICIOUS! DECADENT! He thinks of nice ways to make me feel pampered. I just love being so spoiled. 🤗
We are closing out September. It brings back memories of me as a kid trick-or-treating at the end of October with a group of my friends before the world changed and parents had to be super cautious. The group of us would go to the next neighborhood over which had lots of kind people who enjoyed the holiday, decorated their homes, turned on their porch lights to welcome us, and handed us all kind of goodies. We had so much fun. We didn’t come home until our big candy bags were unable to hold one more thing, or our boundless energy finally gave out. We would arrive home, candy-smeared, smiling, tired faces, ready to eat more, but admonished that it was more than time for bedtime baths and sleep. We made our costumes each year, planning way ahead and gathering or making the key items needed to show who we were ‘going as.’ I’m very happy I lived in a time when kids had that kind of freedom and joy.
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Filed under Thoughts on a ________
You Had ONE Job to Do…
BoredPanda.com – Kornelija Viecaite and Denis Krotovas
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor
Tuesday 9-29-2026
@slhoffman23 – “The Fine Art of Winging It” – Substack
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I have had a varied day today.
It started out with Ugly American not only being at the gym, but right beside me on the treadmill. He put his phone on the treadmill screen, then constantly messed with either the phone or the treadmill the entire time. It was more than distracting. I’m really trying not to get hostile and blow him out of the water, but it’s hard. Brian was referring to him as my ‘gym buddy’ on the way home, smiling.
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Our visit with Harvey was really challenging today. He didn’t know who I was, but was bragging about sharing his bed with one of my long time friends from Arkansas. He thought Brian was his brother, Bill. Harvey made no sense whatsoever the whole time we there there today. He insisted we turn off the air conditioner, take all the pillows off the bed, and kept talking about going home – though one time that was Tulsa, where we haven’t lived for over 50 years, another time that was a lake in Georgia, another time that was AR, but clearly didn’t realize we no longer had the shop there. Brian brought him an orange drink, which he drank. He bought him two really expensive magazines, but Harvey just told us to store them so we would have them when we left. We told his nurse that she needed to watch for him trying to ‘flee,’ and explained why the pillows and covers were off the bed. It was a depressing visit. I’m not even sure he was glad to see us today.
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I wore my new tee to visit Harvey. I just love the design and workmanship on it.
I had a great time at the cafe today. When I got there this afternoon, there was a ‘reserved’ sign on my favorite spot, so I started toward the back. My favorite server stopped me, indicating he had put that there for ME!
Can you believe it? I felt so special! I had a good time sketching. I finished one and started a second.
Here is the one I finished –
This man with the cart stopped in front of a shop, went in, and came out with an armful of ‘stuff’ he added to the cart. From the look of things, I THINK he’s gathering recyclables. It was obvious that he walks miles down the street, gathering things, then takes his cart, and then comes back for more. Enterprising, hard-working man. I just hope he has a tarp to protect his ‘finds’ for when the rain starts to come down…”
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I had another power blip overnight, so I was having to turn my air filters on again, reboot my computer, etc. first thing this morning. It’s been rainy here, but we haven’t had the awful flooding that Bangkok is experiencing.
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Purr.in.ink
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Ceramic Tile Art
I’m amazed how ceramic tile art has evolved since I first discovered it several years ago. Each person now seems to look at the whole idea of what they are trying to do differently, and I couldn’t be more excited about it!
Cbetnaha Xanpynnnha
Cho Rising Detail
Time to Loosen Up
Indian Hills Community Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor
Monday 9-28-2026
Dave Mottram – @dmott70 on Substack
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Oh, the joy of it!!! I KNEW it!! 20 minutes into my walk at the gym and Ugly American came in, armed with his phone, talking loudly to someone and already making his way to the end of the gym and back. I was sitting on the bench, waiting for Brian to finish. He passed me, looked at me and said, “Good morning.” I mumbled it back. I’m afraid he lives here and I’ll have to deal with this the best way I can.
Otherwise, though, I increased the incline on the treadmill and burned more calories than usual, so he’s good for SOMETHING…
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I had a good session of old lady yoga stretches just before starting this. I took a good, long time, really breathing into the stretches. It amazes me that I can be so stiff when first getting down on my mat, and how my body finally ‘lets go’ a bit as I breathe after getting into a position.
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I was going to tell you that the weather people were wrong about the rain, but as I was typing, the rain started. It isn’t a hard storm now, though, just a quiet rain. It’s starting to pelt against some of my windows now, though, so I’ll keep an eye out for leaks. Last night I had a power blip and spent a good amount of time resetting my air filters, one clock, my TV, and my computer. (That was why I only wrote two posts yesterday.) It was only a blip, though, and didn’t ruin my evening – just took some doing to get everything up and running again.
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I’m looking forward to spending time at the cafe this afternoon. I have a couple of ideas for sketches to start.
Chrysti Enden
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
The Art of Sofia Palika – 2
Filed under Watercolors I Love
Sunday 9-27-2026
Bob Callahan – @bobcallahan on Substack
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I’m having a really late start on writing posts for the blog because I had such a wonderful day.
1st, Ugly American was NOT at the gym. All was peaceful.
I spent time at the cafe. The owner (or the owner’s wife – I’m not sure which) apparently had my favorite server text her when I arrived. She came running out of the hotel, waved at me through the window, and came inside to give me a container of fresh blackberries. We had a nice chat. Her mom is going to have cataract surgery next month and was concerned about it. I have had that and was able to reassure her it was a routine procedure now and that her mom, who was frightened, need not be, and would be delighted with the results. She thanked me profusely for the information.
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Here are my latest painted sketches –
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When I got home from the cafe, Brian texted me, asking if I wanted to go to the open air mall. We spent about an hour there. It was wonderful. I just love that place. If we spent days there, we still wouldn’t see all they have to offer. We had a really delicious fruit ‘shake’ from all kinds of fruit. It was called, “Anti-
Aging,” but I think that ship has already sailed. Regardless, it was wonderful. Brian bought me a tee shirt with hand embroidery of a cat and flowers. I simply fell in love with it AND the sweet woman who was delighted by how pleased I was with her work. Brian is going to wash it for me in his clothes washer before I wear it. I’ll take a picture of it when I have it on. We took a tuk-tuk (open air car) in both directions. It was the perfect afternoon for that and being outside walking around.
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Brian thought we needed to replace the walkie talkies we have been using in case of emergency. The sound was staticky and the battery was reminding us to recharge way sooner than it used to. Today we have new ones which have great sound. They can be programmed to turn themselves on and recharge the battery for an hour each day so that you don’t have to do anything at all. Yea!
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I wrote an article for Substack this afternoon as a follow up from the one I wrote on my weight loss. This one is called, “100 Pounds – 95 Inches Down – Now What? Mindset – Maintenance – Meals – Movement”
This is the picture Brian took of me this morning.
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Papery and Ink
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Awe-Inspiring Photos
Alan H – @alan678.bsky.social
Jos Buurmans – NewZealand
tree of life – Maje Baker – @majebaker-substack – unable to verify source
Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography
Sianna Lipson Art
Sianna Lipson Art – “The Casual Artist” – @thecasualartist on Substack
Filed under drawings
Saturday 9-26-2026
Tracy Chrest – @tracychrest989204 on Substack
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I just got back from a nice couple of hours at the cafe, drinking an iced latte by the front window (yes! I got “my spot!”) sketching. It is really a wonderful way for me to relax and concentrate on getting something down on paper. All my worries fall away for a while and my biggest problem is the perspective on a bench or the eyes on the monkey… 😁 🖌️
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We visited with my husband, Harvey, at the nursing home this morning. He was comfortable, interested in several things, and made almost no sense at all. He is still talking about taking all the sketches down from the Happy Wall and putting them up on the cork board in the shop. (The fact that the shop is in Arkansas, doesn’t belong to us anymore, and never had a corkboard are just ‘details.’) He wants us to get him a Phillips screwdriver and a light he can have installed by the maintenance staff there on his headboard. (The fact that he HAS no headboard was a point of contention until we took a picture. We got him a reading light that he can put around his neck with adjustable tubes with lights on the ends that have two levels of brightness. I got it out and showed it to him again.
He seemed to be happy we were there. He wanted Brian to get him a subscription to “How It Works” magazine. The fact that he might be interested in this makes sense. We will go back to the place we got the one “How It Works” magazine we got for him almost a year ago and see if we can get more. From one visit to the next, though, he may change his mind, so we won’t try for a subscription yet. He wanted a pizza, so Brian ordered him one after we left. The nurse sent us a video of him enjoying it. We’re going to try to get the staff to include him on at least one meal a day of what everyone else is eating, now that he is able to eat French fries and pizza without choking. We’re hoping they can cut back on the nasal tube feedings at some point. He wasn’t having to wear an oxygen cannula today!
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Ugly American was NOT at the gym this morning. I’m afraid to hope that this means his ‘visit’ is over and he has gone back to the States. I’m afraid he’s just toying with me.
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The weather was odd today. It was raining when I got up this morning, but stopped just before we headed for the gym. Then the sun came out strongly. It rained again while I was at the cafe. It makes it a bit difficult to figure out how to time things. I’m just going with the flow now and carrying my rain gear.
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Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Groan, Giggle and Snort Time
Vince, the Sign Guy – Indian Hills Community Signs
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor
Natalie Eslick Art – 2
Filed under drawings
Friday 9-25-2026
Pamela Schifano – @pammypoo on Substack
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I’ve had my usual wonderful Friday – gym, breakfast with Brian, and massage this morning. The cafe in the afternoon. Good weather.
The only thing that wasn’t stellar was that Ugly American showed up 20 minutes into my walk on the treadmill at the gym this morning. He came in with his phone blasting music. He finally turned it off, only to start talking to someone in a loud voice as he walked up and down the length of the gym. Such a lovely man…
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Here are my latest painted sketches –
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At the cafe today, my favorite server brought my iced latte, wrapped in a brown napkin, as usual, but with this addition –
I don’t speak Thai and he doesn’t speak English, and yet he goes out of his way to do something nice like this. Isn’t he amazing?
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Happily, last night Brian fixed my problem of not being able to watch YouTube on my TV. It turns out that the automatic update we thought we had set up didn’t work for some reason. We updated the software and everything was peachy again. I got to watch my music videos and was happy as a clam. Yea, Brian!!!!
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Yesterday Shanfan Huang, whose art I have featured several times on the blog, contacted me, asking me if I would change the posts to list the entire address for her Substack account. I went back and made the changes on the posts involved, but I wanted to make sure that you have the information from me here in case you would like to go to Substack to see more. Her full Subtack address is substack.com/@shanfanhuang
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Filed under Thoughts on a ________
The Art of Kelli McNichols
Kelli McNichols Art – @kellimcnicholsart on Substack
She also has an ETSY shop where you can purchase her artwork on greeting cards!
Filed under Watercolors I Love
Thursday 9-24-2026
I think this is stunning.
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I’ve changed the sheets on my bed, gathered trash, and put out fresh towels, so I’m mostly ready for my housekeeper to come tomorrow. I got cash this morning to leave for her and to take for my massage, so I’m pretty well set.
I had a good session at the gym this morning. UA was not there. Sweet Thai man was. Our friend we see often was there for a little while, so it was a nice time. No rain. Today is water bottle exercises. I’ll try to get those done before I leave for the cafe – otherwise I come up with an excuse too many times and put it off… I’m starting to get back into a couple of exercise videos by the Australian senior exercise expert I’ve told you about before. I’ll go into a bit more detail soon so, if you’re interested, you’ll have at least one link to good exercises that will make you stronger. If you have a minute, a shout-out to my friend, Sheila Murrey, who has a “shorts” video showing her ‘dancing with froggy.’ (She liked a frog I wood-burned and painted when I still had my Etsy shop in the States. Froggy has a wonderful home now. 🤗 🐸)
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I officially have to admit that I’m addicted to watching/listening to music on YouTube before bed each night. When I’ve done the prep for the next day, I really like doing this to wind down and hopefully get sleepy enough to go right to sleep when I go to bed since I need to get up early the next morning.
I figured out that I am addicted because either my Internet, my TV or both were having problems last night and I wasn’t able to watch. SHRIEK! I didn’t actually, except internally, but I felt that way. I ended up reading, but I really wanted to see some videos Brian told me about that showed Japanese otters being cute (plus the latest season of The Voice). Hopefully, all will be working correctly this evening or my normally sunny personality might develop a cloud or two…
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Here is my latest finished sketch –
I’m working on one I started yesterday, plus I have several ideas I’d like to get started on soon.
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I published a new article on Substack yesterday, called, “Buddhism in Chiang Mai – Shrines – Spirit Houses – My Sketches”
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If you haven’t checked out Substack, I wanted to tell you how much I’m enjoying it. There are some really good writers on there, incredible artists and photographers, and real people who are sharing experiences and feelings, rather than focusing on politics or trying to sway your opinion about anything in one way or another. I find this very refreshing and spend more and more time checking more things out.
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H. Jacksen Brown – Mylissa Genaro
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Carol Ann Webster Art
Stitched Botanicals on Paper
Carol Ann Webster. @carolannwebster on Substack
I’ve never seen this type of art before and I’m really intrigued at the cleverness and creativity. Her artwork now encompasses using scraps and things you might find around the house to create very personal artwork that will mean the world to you. She offers online courses to teach you her techniques, materials suggested, ideas, and more. I have provided the link above so you can see what you’ll learn to create. I will share more of her work at a later date.
Filed under Embroidery/Sewing Art
“Antidote to Problems”
BoredPanda.com – Jonas Grinevicius and Mantas Kacerausas
Filed under Bright Ideas
Wednesday 9-23-2026
This was posted a bit late, but it IS the official beginning of fall, and I love it so much I wanted to share it.
Lady Caroline – @a lady’s substack
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Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird – Chiang Mai – Instagram
Brian and I were on our way home from the gym yesterday and saw what looked like a hummingbird drinking nectar from a whole row of long red blossomed flowers. We stopped and admired him for a minute or two. I had read before that Thailand doesn’t have hummingbirds, as such, but have Sunbirds and a moth that imitates the hovering of a hummingbird.
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Speaking of the gym, we saw Ugly American jogging ahead of us as we walked. I thought, ‘Oh, no.’ but he didn’t come into the gym today. Later Brian told me he had his phone out and that he seemed to be watching a movie where a lady was screaming. (One reason to be happy I don’t wear my hearing aids to the gym!) I can’t believe the stupidity of a guy running in public down a street with the sounds of someone screaming coming from him.
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I have a normal, wonderful day today. Rain chances are low today. The sun is shining brightly now and it is already feeling quite warm. I’m enjoying my J.D. Robb, “Fury in Death” book, but I’m limiting myself to one chapter a day in order to get other things done. 📖
As I told you, the puzzle is coming along extremely slowly, but I AM making a bit of progress. Meanwhile, this colorful guy is brightening up one side of my living area with his gorgeous body.
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I’m looking forward to going to the cafe this afternoon. I have one sketch in process, and a couple I would like to get started. I’m having such a good time with this!
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Marieke Luiten
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Shanfan Huang Art – 2
Filed under Watercolors I Love
Tuesday 9-22-2026
Pamela Schifano – @pammypoo on Substack – The Daily Inspo
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Today’s visit with Harvey was like we were on a roller coaster emotion-wise. On the good side, his blood oxygen was good, so they removed the oxygen nasal tube for the first time in several weeks. He had asked his nurse to help him send a video to Brian, asking for a pizza. While he was asking him, he also told Brian he loved him. His nurse sent a video later of Harvey actually eating a slice of pizza without help and without choking. He was totally confused about time today. When we went in, he was complaining because he couldn’t get his watch to say “December.” We discovered that for some reason, he really thought that was the date. I showed him my watch and Brian showed him his, and Harvey finally calmed down. He didn’t know what year it was, thought he was 90, and that his birthday was in December. He actually knew who I was today and told me he loved me. He went on and on, though, about inappropriate, actually pornographic stuff. SO – some good, some not so good. He was comfortable. He was glad to see us.
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I had a good time at the cafe this afternoon. I had found a photo on the net provided by Arthur David Spota – @adaspota.bsky.social – of an abandoned movie theater in Dresden, Germany. It really struck me, so I tried to draw it.
I was finishing up the details when a couple came up to me. They were very complimentary about my efforts, and I told them they made my day.
Here’s the painted sketch –
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I slept well last night and went to the gym this morning. Just at the end of my walk on the treadmill, the Ugly American came in. I was sitting on the bench waiting for Brian to finish. The man came in, tripped on the door sill, causing me to smile (inside.) He didn’t fall. He passed me and said, “Good morning.” It’s in my upbringing to be civil, so I said it back, gritting my teeth. And so it goes.
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We had one of my favorite dinners last night. It’s a burrito with chicken, salad, nuts, and cranberries, plus some kind of dressing. It’s absolutely delicious. It’s really too large, though, for a meal, and Brian really doesn’t like leftovers, so we won’t have it often.
It’s official – I’m down 100 pounds and a little over 94 inches now. I’m officially into maintenance now, just trying to keep my good eating habits, but allowing myself to branch out a bit, and concentrating on building strength, flexibility and stamina.
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A lady on Substack thinks I should write a book about my impressions of Thailand and include my sketches. I’m just going to concentrate on writing articles for Substack at this point and see what the reaction is.
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I have met another lady on Substack lately who just left Chiang Mai to go home to her native Australia. Apparently, she loves Chiang Mai, has been here several times and knows a whole lot more about than I do. She plans to come back in April and maybe we can arrange to meet!
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www.bykateeelford.com – C.K. Tice
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Praiseworthy Pitchers – 2
GiftedPottery.com
Suzanne Crane Ceramics – Artist – Arful Home
Linda Embrey Neubauer
Filed under ceramics
Brilliant Designs – 2
“Brilliant Designs” – boredpanda.com – Adelaide May Ross and Mantas Kacerauskas
Filed under Bright Ideas
Monday 9-21-2026
Michael Forrest – @michaelforrestlmt on Substack
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I didn’t sleep well last night – just couldn’t turn my brain off – so opted out of the gym this morning. When we shared breakfast, Brian confirmed that Ugly American was there. He was in the gym when Brian arrived, so apparently he got a card, or got the one he had fixed. I’m happy that I pictured him being frustrated that I wasn’t there for him to drive me crazy. 🤪
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It’s raining now, but it’s NOT coming in my windows. I get up and check to see if there are any problems, but it looks like the ‘bucket and towel brigade’ of the last rainy season is officially not needed anymore. HOORAY! Update – I just took my clothes to the laundry, and when I came back, the sun was shining brightly and there was no rain at all. It will probably be an on and off pouring rain kind of days today.
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The only errand I have is taking a load of clothes to the laundry in just a minute. I plan to go to the cafe to sketch this afternoon, but hopefully it won’t be pouring then.
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Here is my latest painted sketch –
I saw this photo by Kaitlin M. on Substack. She said the frog’s name was “Bob,” so when I fell in love with him, I labeled the painting.
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Since I didn’t get to the gym this morning, I’ll do my water bottle exercises this morning. If I have the time and energy, I’ll also fit in my yoga stretches before I go to the cafe. If not, I’ll do them between the cafe and dinner. 💪🏻
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I wish I could tell you that I’m making good progress on the chameleon jigsaw puzzle and my guitar practice and singing, but they are both a hard slog at this point. I still include them for a bit in my day, but the singing frog is beginning to think she will croak of old age before the chameleon lives.
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Pic-Collage – Shoub Koh
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Louise Peterson Great Dane Sculptor
“Chickadee”
“Dog Days”
“Downward Dog”
“Fetching”
“Watchdog”
“High Four”
Louise Peterson – Animal Sculptor
Filed under Louise Peterson Sculptor
Praiseworthy Pitchers
Bridget Hauser – Sunset Canyon Pottery
Coastal Carolina Pottery – Christine O’Connell
Etsy – no longer available
Etsy – no longer available
Etsy – no longer available
My mouth waters when I see these. I have no legitimate USE for them now, but I want them anyway…
Filed under ceramics