We’re home from the doc. I have Flu A plus bronchitis. My husband has Flu A plus pneumonia. He will have another chest x-ray in two weeks. We are both on antibiotics now. We feel awful and will sleep as much as we can until further notice. I’m rescheduling things as much as possible. Will be back when I can.
Still Sick
We weren’t able to get help Saturday. We’re still a mess. We’re planning to try to be at the walk in clinic at our regular doc’s office at 7:30 tomorrow.
Filed under Uncategorized
We are Sick
Thursday I woke up with a cough an aches. Friday my husband did the same. Today the two of us together are not worth shooting.
We drove to an urgent care in Ft. Smith at 7 this morning, only to find out that there was only one doctor, there would be at least a two hour wait, and that they would probably want chest x-rays and were not set up for that. The man at the counter told us about another urgent care that was also open at 8, so we headed there. To indicate how bad my husband felt, he asked ME to drive.
We got to the second place only to find that they would’t be open for another hour. That was my husband’s breaking point. He demanded we go home. We both fell into our recliners and are just now waking up again.
I will try to fix us some soup. Just wanted to let you know what was happening around here.
Filed under taking care of yourself
Search
I finished this raccoon yesterday and listed it in my Etsy shop. If I start to feel better, I’ll see what trouble I can get into in my art room this afternoon or evening. :0)
_____________
I called the store where we bought the fridge just a minute ago to ask what they suggested on getting the transparent plastic film off the stainless steel. The man who answered was very nice. He said he didn’t have any magic bullet, but that HE started at the outer corners and pulled inward toward the center of the fridge. He also suggested that we use the Allen wrench that came with the fridge to take off a handle on one side and see if that helped. These suggestions, plus continued use of the hair dryer, might yield some good results.
The throat spray I’m using to numb the back of my throat seems to be working better today than it was yesterday. I’m not in as much discomfort. I took aspirin and used the spray this morning. Hopefully, if I can arrange a bunch of rest during the day and sleep better tonight, I’ll be my usual sassy self soon!
I’m hoping that I can report still more progress on my computer tomorrow, plus progress in whatever is leaking on the second floor.
Hang in there!
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Beautiful Bird Photos
“A heart without dreams is like a bird without feathers.” — Suzy Kassem
“Every bird, every tree, every flower reminds me what a blessing and privilege it is just to be alive.” — Marty Rubin
“Wherever there are birds, there is hope.” ― Mehmet Murat Ildan
“If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down.” – Anonymous
Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography
This is What I Call a Path – 4
Filed under Decorating Ideas
Friday 1-31-2025
This little guy made me smile.
_______
This has been a super challenging month for us. First we studied our finances and decided to order a new computer for me. My husband of course wanted to build me one, rather than get one that was essentially ready to use. We’re closing in on being able to do the switch from the old to the new very soon.
Second, my side of our air mattress failed. We had to buy a new bed. It will be delivered February 26th. Until then, I’m sleeping in my recliner, on the sofa, or in the guest room.
Third, our ice maker on the fridge died. That resulted ‘somehow’ in the freezer below failing, as well. The tech came and went yesterday, unable to fix it, can’t get parts for it or a new ice maker. So we drove to Ft. Smith, to Jarry’s Appliances, and bought one that is much like the one we have loved here since 2006. To our astonishment, it could be delivered yesterday after 4pm. Then she called, asking if they could come in 30 minutes! We had eaten a quick lunch and then I cleaned out the failed fridge, stashing everything either in the pantry fridge or the pantry shelves. The delivery came, the guys took the old fridge, and then the clean up began. I had to mop the floor because the old fridge had been harboring water from the ice maker, I guess. Then we moved the stashed food to the new fridge.
We are still trying to get a plastic transparent coating off the stainless steel. We’re tackling it with a hair dryer, but I’ll call the lady at the store this morning and see if there is some better method.
Finally, when we were leaving to go look for a fridge, we saw a water stain on the living room ceiling. :0( I called our plumber and he will be here sometime today to see if he can find and fix whatever is leaking on the 2nd floor. And then, we’ll need to do something about the stain…
I am hopeful that nothing MORE will happen. I thought the saying was, ‘bad things happen in 3’s….’ We’ve had more than our share.
To add injury to insult, I have a sore throat now. I’m not running a fever, but I feel as if I’ve been run over by a truck. I’ve been taking aspirin and spraying the back of my throat with a ‘soothing spray’ that is supposed to numb the soreness. I’m also sucking on sore throat lozenges. I’m resting as much as I can, hoping I can throw this off. I really can’t remember the last time I had sore throat or flu-type symptoms. I didn’t need this. :0(
Enough griping. The good things are –
- The computer changeover is almost finished. I’ll have a new faster computer with Windows 11 and won’t have to worry about Microsoft not supporting my operating system. Once I learn to deal with the things that are different, I should be a very happy camper.
- We are in the position, with a lot of juggling and decision-making, to HANDLE the failing of things all around us. We’re slogging through, getting new things installed or scheduled, old things taken away.
- The rain yesterday was RAIN – not winter stuff that would have snowed us in again.
- I think if I can rest enough, I will feel better soon from the sore throat.
- I have a warm, mostly dry house, the plumber will be here today, so that fix will be handled in time, as well.
- My husband and I are pulling together in all this, helping each other make the decisions, balance the load, handle the details.
I hope that you are able to handle whatever is happening in your world in a way that makes your life better. I wish you strength, resolve, and a supporting hand.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Triumph and Relief
I have told you that our son lives across the world from us. We communicate daily via a chat program he set up for us, plus a conference call program. This allows me the illusion that he is NOT across the world from us, but only a message away. We chat daily – sometimes several times a day.
We’re setting up my new computer and I wanted to get the chat program on it. I had a real problem, though, in that my current computer gave me a message that the chat program wanted to “verify it’s you.” To do that, I was supposed to give it my username and password. I did, and it tried to send a confirmation email to the address – but that address is no longer active. I tried to change it, but it wouldn’t let me. AAAAAAACK!
I left a message for our son about the problem. Thankfully, he sent an email inviting me to sign up using the new computer. I used the new computer to follow the directions and finally got it working.
Our son helped me change the user name and password. He wanted me to display a picture with my account. We haven’t been able to move my pictures to the new computer yet, so I looked at what was available so far. In an old picture group, there was a picture of my husband and me, sharing a chair in my parent’s home back in the 60s when we were dating. I used that. Our son LOVED the pic. Apparently, he hadn’t seen that one before. He sent a smiling emoji and said he thought “we ought to go steady.” I replied, “we did, and over 55 years later….” It was a fun memory.
I then was able to move the program to the browser I use for that, so we’re all set. (We will tackle what we need to do to enable the conference calls later. We need to enable camera and microphone, and who knows how we do that.)
I am feeling triumphant that we were able to get this done this morning. Things are looking up.
I got a call a while ago from the tech, saying he was on his way… Fingers crossed about the ice maker.
Filed under Cause for Celebration, Challenges, Changes, character-building exercises
More Rugs as an Art Form
Filed under Decorating Ideas
Thursday 1-30-2025
The appliance technician is due here between 8 and 9 this morning. Fingers crossed that he can repair the ice maker, order parts to fix it, or order a new one for us, rather than our having to buy a new refrigerator. I am having my husband handle the service call for many reasons. Fingers crossed things go well.
__________
This is our weather map this morning. If you look right in the center, you’ll see Fort Smith. Greenwood is just south and east of there. We’re due for 2 to 4 inches of rain before the rain stops and are under a flood watch. We’re on top of our ridge line, so we don’t have to worry about flooding, but the tech may have trouble getting through Greenwood. I am glad it’s RAIN, rather than sleet, freezing rain, ice, or snow.
____________
I finished the raccoon wood burned and painted piece last night. I’ll post a pic of it later today or tomorrow.
I hope that your day is wonderful. “Arise, Go Forth, and Conquer!”
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Beautiful Drawings
Filed under drawings
Purple Flowers
“Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower.”– John Harrigan
“Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” – John Lennon
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”– Frances Hodgson Burnett
“Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Filed under Favorite Quotes, Favorite Things
Wednesday 1-29-2025
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, a bit exhausted, but hopeful that things will be getting better reasonably soon.
We’ve had an avalanche of ‘things’ to deal with – trying to get my new computer set up, having to buy a new bed due to the failure of my side of our air bed, and worry about the possibility of having to buy a new fridge. Money has been flying in all directions and things are a bit stressful.
BUT –
The set up of my computer is progressing, inch by painful inch, thanks to the relentless work of my husband who keeps at things and finally figures something out, rather than tossing the whole computer out the window – at least figuratively – if I were dealing with this by myself. I stay and work with my husband as long as my nerves can take it, and then I excuse myself to go do something else for awhile, over and over during the day.
We drove to Fort Smith yesterday morning so we were at the Sleep Number Bed place when they first opened. 45 minutes later we had ordered a bed. That’s the good part. The poorer part is that the soonest they can deliver it, set it up, and take the old one away is February 26th. So I slept in my recliner part of the night and on the sofa the rest of the night last night. I feel lucky that I have a choice of doing that or sleeping in the guest room until we get the new bed.
Tomorrow the appliance tech comes to see if our ice maker in our fridge can be fixed. Since my husband is very opinionated on the subject, I have asked HIM to handle the service call. I will simply write the service call check and we’ll decide what we need to do. I really hope we don’t have to buy another fridge.
SO – computer/bed/fridge and the money flies. We are having to scramble a bit to handle all this, but thankfully, we will be able to.
I used one of my ‘step-aways’ from work on the computer yesterday to listen to some music and work on the raccoon in my art room. He may be almost finished. I’ll decide today. It’s been fun to concentrate on trying-to- make-him-look-like-a-raccoon instead of all the REAL WORLD stuff around here. :0)
I need to get some exercise in, too. I haven’t done any since we started trying to set up the computer. My regular routine has gotten lost in the demands of everything else.
I hope that your days have been filled with fun and interesting things.
Groaner
Indian Hills Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Indian Hills Signs, punny
Gorgeous Gourd Art
Filed under Gorgeous Gourd Art
Tuesday 1-28-2025
Yesterday went by in a blur for me. The morning went well. We did our errands, had our dental cleaning and exam appointments, ate lunch out at a place we hadn’t been for at least a couple of years, and then came home.
We fought with setting up my new computer some more, making some progress. Last night my side of the air-mattress-type bed we have developed a serious leak. I ended up sleeping in a ‘hole’ almost directly on the board that supports the mattress. We have replaced the air pump and repaired another leak, and we’ve had the mattress since 2006, so we’re going to go to Ft. Smith today to see about replacing it. We’ll shop to replenish grocery supplies on the way home from there.
The tech who MAY be able to repair the ice maker in our fridge is due here Thursday. Fingers crossed that he can repair what we have.
The past few weeks have been pretty stressful, so I’m feeling lucky that I have things I can do to ‘take me away’ mentally and emotionally for a bit. I will make a point of taking breaks and restoring equanimity when I feel the need. Money is flying in all directions with little choice, so I’m looking forward to things calming down in the very near future. Fingers crossed.
Hope your day is calm and happy.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Love to Laugh
Indian Hills Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy
I grew up surrounded by humor. My dad was quite creative, starting and running a one-man advertising agency in Tulsa, Oklahoma, winning advertising awards and becoming a bit famous in some circles.
He taught my brother and I to appreciate all forms of humor. He would drive me nuts asking, “What’s funny about that?” throughout the day. He told stories that had funny endings, or told so that you could picture the action so strongly you rolled on the floor with laughter. He drew funny or clever pictures. He constantly made jokes, made puns, played with the English language. He was sarcastic, snide, and one of the most caring people I’ve ever known.
He used humor as a protection against hard things in life and taught us to do the same. To this day, if I can stand back and see the humor in a situation, it calms me down, makes me smile, and allows me to handle things better. I miss him so much, but I can almost FEEL him looking down at me, saying, “Lighten up, Lin.”
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Indian Hills Signs, punny
Amazing Chainsaw Art
Filed under Chainsaw Art, When Wood Comes Alive
Monday 1-27-2025
It’s 30 degrees F. right now, but the forecast is for 51 this afternoon with sunshine. WOO HOOOOO! I like it.
___________
Our truck bed is all packed. I put the donation bags for the Veterans Thrift Store in the back yesterday and added the trash bags this morning that we’re taking down as we leave. I will call the thrift store in about half an hour to make sure they’re open and accepting donations today so we don’t get any bad surprises. We go for our semi-annual teeth cleaning after the donation.
___________
I’m a wuss about going to the dentist. I still have bad dreams the night before. I probably would be toothless by now if it weren’t for a promise I made to my husband years ago. He loved to ride his motorcycle then, but kept riding it without his helmet. It wasn’t against the law, but it really worried me. He finally said he would promise to always wear his helmet if I would go with him to the dentist every six months. He no longer rides his motorcycle, so doesn’t have to honor his promise, but my promise is still active.
My mom died of oral cancer several years ago. My wonderful dental hygienist checks me for oral cancer first thing so that I can relax a bit more during the rest of the exam and cleaning.
____________
The work on getting my new computer setup continues with slow, but steady progress. I think we have most of the hardest things done now. One more big thing that I know of, and then it’s a matter of transferring data. I’m taking my time on this, trying to be SURE all is good and tested on the new computer before we make the changeover.
_____________
I haven’t been up to my art room in a couple of days. I started a raccoon, but he remains on my drafting table, waiting for attention.
I hope that your day is filled with sunshine and hope.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
You Only Had ONE Job…13
“Epic Fails” – BoredPanda.com – Greta Jaruseviciute, Jonas Zvillus and Rokas Laurinavicius
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, You Only Had ONE Job To Do
Dreams – Fantasies 5
Delightful Drawings
Filed under drawings
Sunday 1-26-2025
Happy Sunday morning! We are happily back to normal winter weather here in Arkansas, and I couldn’t be more grateful. It’s supposed to get to 51 here today. We may get some rain, but nothing that will freeze. HOORAY! :0)
__________
I’m a bit closer to my current interim weight loss goal this morning. I found a snack that I can eat without guilt – Tillamook Country Smoker Zero Sugar Original Smoked Sausages. 0 grams carbohydrates. 0 sugar. Gluten Free. It’s a bit high in sodium, but I’m not worried about it. I’ll try it today.
____________
We are making slow progress on my new computer. The hardware is all in. The computer is working. Windows 11 is installed. The computer now recognizes that it is connected to the Internet. My husband is trying to get things set up and is duplicating a few basic things from my current computer to the new one. It is making him fight for every inch, but he is determined to get it all set up. I keep trying to get him to actually enjoy the project, since we aren’t in a hurry, but he has always tackled stuff like this as if his life depended on it. It’s just in his DNA. I’m trying to give him space, not make TOO many stupid suggestions, and celebrate the wins with him.
__________
Tomorrow morning is when we have a LOT of stuff to do. I’m going to put our Veterans Thrift Store donation (twelve 13-gallon bags of clothes, shoes, etc.) into the back of the truck this evening. Tomorrow we’ll gather our trash and drive it down to the bottom of the driveway as we go. I’ll drag the trash can down to the road, fill it up, then check for mail before we go.
We’ll drive to Ft. Smith and leave our donation, then drive across town to our dental cleaning appointments. Then we come home for a late lunch.
I’m delighted that my husband is being cooperative about needing to take the truck, rather than drive the Corvette, a thing he usually insists on when we go to Ft. Smith. We may get to the dentist without my having my hair scared off by his driving. :0)
____________
I am trying to learn how to make special ‘pins’ to display on Pinterest to promote things from my Etsy shop. It’s complicated, and so I get overwhelmed pretty quickly, but I think it’s definitely worth learning to do. I’m trying to figure out how to do it a bit at a time, get the software I need to do the pins, resize my pictures to meet the standards, and then follow the directions. If I can get ONE pin done successfully, then I will be able to create more from time to time, hopefully increasing the traffic to my Etsy shop.
_____________
I wrote a post last week about wonderful fairy flowerpot decorations that Walmart offered. After a comment from one of my wonderful readers, I went online and actually ordered two of them. Happily, I’ll get one the first week in Feb, and the second one the following week. I’m so excited to receive them!
________________
I hope you make this a fabulous Sunday.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Our Indian Hills Visit
Indian Hills Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Indian Hills Signs, punny
More Glorious Watercolor
“I would like to paint as the bird sings.” – Claude Monet
“Painting from nature is not copying the object: it is realizing one’s sensations” – Paul Cezanne
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” – Edgar Degas
“All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites.” – Marc Chagall
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” – Georgia O’Keeffe
Filed under Watercolors I Love
“Rug” As An Art Form?
I’ve always loved area rugs, loving the way they can tie a room together, add color, and more; but THESE simply blew my mind. I guess it’s like anything else. You ask someone to ‘design a rug,’ and talented people will knock your head off with their vision and creativity. These rugs become the focal point of wherever they are. I think they’re magnificent.
Filed under Decorating Ideas
Saturday 1-25-2025
I hope you’re feeling great this morning. I started to turn over in the bed and then looked at the clock, startled to find it was already time to get up. I’m trying to wake up fully now with my coffee beside me.
My husband finished putting the computer hardware together yesterday and Windows 11 is installed. We’ve run into a snag in that the computer isn’t recognizing it is connected to our Internet. I’m emphasizing that we are NOT in a hurry and for my husband not to feel that he’s in the middle of a “death struggle” trying to get it to work. He reminded me he’s ALWAYS been like that…
_____________
I finished this in my art room last night and will list it on HandmadeHavenbyLinda this morning under “Hand Wood-Burned Gifts.” I also started a raccoon. :0)
______________
The “closet/bureau/guest-room-closet clean-out” project is finished! I ended up filling twelve 13-gallon bags full of clothes and shoes that we’ll donate to the Veterans Thrift Shop Monday morning. I feel good that (1) I will pass on a lot of things someone else might be able to wear and enjoy, (2) that I found so many things that are now too large for me to wear! :0), and (3) that, although I really hate to try on clothes, particularly when they turn out to be STILL too small (these were limited to the next size down in jeans), I got the project done, doing a session each day, not giving up until I finished – a character-building exercise for sure.
_______________
I hate this time of year because I’m the one who gets us ready to take our tax stuff to our CPA for processing. I used to really stress out. Now it’s just a big annoyance. I converted to spreadsheets that I keep on my computer. I make myself process our tax stuff at the end of each month now, so that I can finish up the spreadsheets quickly at the end of the year and gather the supporting documents.
Our CPA sends us an organizing booklet each January. I groan when I see it, because it still means a lot of hassle required. I’ll get started on the booklet today. Sigh. :0/
I hope you don’t have to go to work today and that you make this an enjoyable day, with at least a smile or two.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
creativeartworksblog 