Filed under Creativity, Decorating Ideas
I’m trying to get our yard ready for the winter, but Mother Nature isn’t cooperating well. It’s been cold, then warms up and is rainy, then back again. It’s rainy today, and we have storms that might be severe tomorrow. Fingers crossed we come though the next batch of storms in one piece.
I keep listening to the news about the awful tornado damage and lost lives in so many states recently. It’s heartrending. My irritation about it not being comfortable to work out in the yard is selfish and I’m embarrassed.
Wish me luck on trying to keep my head on straight and my mouth firmly shut.
Filed under Challenges, Gardening, Mother Nature
Dani Ives – Wool “Painting” – article by Hidreley, BoredPanda.com
I’ve always been thankful that my mom started teaching me to read when I announced, in the middle of our living room, looking around at my dad reading a book on Geology, my mom working the New York Times crossword puzzle, and my brother reading a comic book, “I wish to HELL I could read.”
Thankfully, she didn’t wash my mouth out with soap or punish me. She started to teach me so I could share in the love of reading – something I would love the rest of my life.
I became a teacher, then got my master’s degree as a reading specialist, taught in the public school system on the North side of town for eight years, then started my own reading clinic. I consider reading one of the greatest joys there is in this life. A way to broaden your horizons, learn new things as long as you would like, escape from problems or cares if you need to, or just be entertained. What a joy!
We have books in almost every room in our home. There are never too many books as far as I’m concerned. We donate some several times a year to our local library to help them with their fundraisers, always managing to bring home a sack from the sales.
I hope that you, too, are surrounded by books that stir your imagination.
Filed under Reading is FUNdamental
It’s a beautiful, though chilly morning here. Lots of sunshine.
It’s our son’s 43rd birthday today. I actually wrote to him yesterday, as he is 13 hours ahead of us in Thailand. He had forgotten that it was his birthday! I sent silly pictures, such as the one above, and wrote out the Happy Birthday song. We chatted a bit. I told him I thought he should play his guitar and record himself singing Happy Birthday. This is one of the many times I wish he weren’t all the way across the world from us.
This week will actually be most of our Christmas. Thursday I have a massage and will take my therapist’s presents then. Friday is Lunch Bunch and we will exchange presents there. I have several more to deliver around town, but that will be the bulk of it. I’m trying to get Christmas cards in the mail. I love this time of year!
The scared inner child is trying to find the adult in the room. I’m waiting to hear from my doctor what and when the next step is. “One foot in front of the other. Do what needs to be done. Stop being stupid.” (Not only am I a wimp, I talk to myself. )
We’re going to run errands now. I hope you have a great Monday.
Filed under Friendship, holidays, Thoughts on a ________
Filed under Creativity
Filed under Caroline Gregson Willow Sculpture, sculpture
“Here come bad news talking this and that (Yeah)
Well give me all you got, don’t hold back (Yeah)
Well I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine (Yeah)
No offence to you don’t waste your time” ~ “Happy” ~ Pharrell Williams
I received some scary news through the medical portal on a test I took recently. I’m a wimp, so I essentially decided my life was over, started worrying about my husband (he doesn’t know what day it is half the time, what our schedule is, etc. – he has a wife to worry about the details.) I cried, couldn’t sleep, stayed up half the night…
I finally decided to tell my two best friends via email. I’m very lucky to have two such great people who care about me. Both got back to me right away with care and support, plus some much-needed guidance.
My doctor’s office will probably contact me this coming week with what the next step is. I’m much calmer than I was. Although I’m a wimp and would rather just stick my head in the sand and go on in ignorance, acting as if I were immortal, I need to be an adult. I want to be here to help my husband – even wanting to be here to fuss at him when it’s needed.
Filed under Attitude, Challenges, Changes, character-building exercises
There are no words today after seeing the devastation and heartbreak Mother Nature wrought last night over Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee. I’m grateful we weren’t hit, but we keep learning more and more about the lives that were lost, the people left behind, and the terrible destruction.
My heart goes out to everyone. Words don’t help at a time like this, but I care.
Filed under Mother Nature
This isn’t really a picture of the “Ladies of Lunch Bunch,” but it shows the spirit. We met as usual today, except one of us wasn’t there. Kay fell yesterday and was checked out at the hospital before coming home last night. She had called to tell me she wasn’t going to be there today.
I don’t know the details of what was found, but they did allow her to go home. This morning I called and she was in pretty bad shape. She was dizzy and nauseous. She has her husband and niece there with her, and she was waiting for her local doctor to call and tell her if he thought she should go back to the hospital. I don’t know any more details than that. She said she would keep me in the loop of what was happening.
It was good to catch up with Linda and Patty, but the worry was underlying everything. We won’t be able to settle down until we know how Kay is and what is being done to help her. She didn’t tell me anything was broken, so I’m assuming she was mainly shook up and probably sore from the fall. I want to know the why of the dizziness and nausea. She only weighs 98 lbs right now. As feisty a lady as you would ever want to know, so it’s doubly disturbing for this to happen to her.
So, all appendages are crossed for her recovery. We need our friend back.
________
We are having an amazingly warm day today with a cold front and rain forecast for this afternoon and evening. I gathered what is probably the last of our flowers to bring inside.
When we came home from Lunch Bunch, we found that Abby had decided that the buffet was a great spot to sleep. Amber, our 95-pound yellow lab, climbed up in my roll-around office chair with me this morning, almost causing us to both end up on the floor. She likes to make me laugh. Right before we went to Lunch Bunch, I sat on the sofa to talk to my husband, and Amber took that as an invitation to join me. She walked right up and sat beside me, crawling into my lap and licking me as if she were allowed on the furniture!
Final thought – I discovered a singer named Andreas Kummert. I think he’s from Germany. He has such a distinctive style and voice. I could listen to him for hours.
Enjoy your Friday.
Filed under Family, Friendship, Thoughts on a ________, video
Filed under Nick Bibby, sculpture
I pre-ordered the paperback version of “Forgotten in Death,” the 53rd book in the Eve Dallas, “In Death Series” by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) a long time ago. It will be released the 28th of this month. The 54th book, “Abandoned in Death” will come out in hard back in February of 2022. I will pre-order the paperback of that one, as well.
As I always do, I’m enjoying re-reading the previous books in preparation for diving into the latest for me. I’m on book # 26 – “Memory in Death” now, fully immersed in Eve Dallas’ world, full of dead people that Eve stands for, determined to get justice for each one regardless of the cost to herself. The continuing love story of Eve and the billionaire Roarke is a classic for a reason. The characters are strong, real, quirky, and addicting.
Nora Roberts’ books have helped me through some difficult times. I love to dive into the situations she has created, get to know the characters, fully engrossed in the story.
I have several favorite authors, and my book collection is one of my most prized possessions.
I’m rich in books.
“Take time to indulge yourself every once in awhile. You deserve it!”
“Don’t be afraid to try something different.”
“Take naps whenever you can.”
“Get into mischief.”
“Be yourself. It doesn’t matter if you don’t fit in!”
“Give hugs.”
Filed under Amazing Animals, Christine Cummings Ceramics, sculpture
Filed under metal art
We honor the good people who died at Pearl Harbor 80 years ago today. My father-in-law served in WWII, but didn’t have to fight, as such. He worked on keeping ships working, and so was safe from harm. My father couldn’t serve, although he told me he would have liked to help in some way. They wouldn’t allow him to sign up because one of his arms and hand were deformed from an accident when he was three years old.
I just started my new dishwasher for the first time! I read the little booklet that came with it, warning me not to stick my wet finger in a light socket and then turn on the power, but very little real information. They basically said, ‘choose your settings and run.’ Gee, thanks.
I pushed ‘on’, then ‘normal’, then ‘start.’ Then closed the door. The magic red light from the test yesterday shone on the floor, showing the power was on. Then I put my hear really close to the door and heard the water start. Woo HOO!
I have no idea how long the cycle takes. I’ll probably have to check it later, just to be sure it’s on, (this is now a habit) but it will probably work as it is supposed to without my encouragement or cheers. I’ll be happy when I can see that the load is actually clean later.
We went to Yeager’s and got three sizes of compression fittings to replace the one my husband removed from the second hose under the sink that turned out to be for the ice maker. He had to fight with it, but thinks it is good now. So we have a second thing to hope for – that we get new ice! My husband was adamant that he didn’t want an ice maker when we bought our fridge several years ago. He finally yielded when we couldn’t find any without them. :0) Now he is frantic to get the ice maker working again. He uses it every day, several times a day.
I am being a good girl and drinking my daily glass of green tea as I type this. I would never choose this as a drink, but it isn’t bad. I found one that is made by the Arizona people people who make the peach iced tea my husband likes. Both are ‘0 Sugar.’ I don’t know if it will actually help me dissolve the plaque in my carotid arteries and help prevent more, but I’m game.
I’m having a quiet, relaxing day today. I hope you are well, too.
creativeartworksblog 