Monday 8-19-2024

shoutask_shop

It stormed again overnight and we lost power for a bit. I didn’t realize it until later, when I woke up and saw the bedside clock flashing. I thought it was a bit past the time I usually wake, so jumped up to get dressed. When I got in the bathroom, though, it looked really dark outside. I checked my watch that was with my clothes and it was just a bit past 4am. SIGH. I tried to go back to bed, but was awake every hour and couldn’t make my watch light up. (When you hit anything other than the light button, the readings go wonky and I was in no shape to work on that. )

I checked with Lynn, my sweet massage therapist and friend. They got a generator, but have public power now. So the worst seems to be over for now. It’s rainy now, but the rain is supposed to stop this afternoon. Then we’ll gather and take down our trash and see if we have mail. That’s it for outside today, unless we have to spend time picking up clusters of leaves and branches and stuff on the driveway. I really hope we can mainly ignore it.

I got a good start on a new wood-burned piece yesterday. I had a great time, but I really need to start cleaning up my art room, one area at a time. It looks like a bomb went off up there. I have my little area on the drafting table where I’m working – the one area of ‘calm’ in a disaster area. Maybe I can get started on THAT a bit while I’m up there…

I hope that things are good where you are today.

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I’m Smiling/Crying at This

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Gift

Coasters – ModernPastime.com

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Beautiful Pottery

JoppaMTNPottery on Etsy

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Cat Leonard Art

Cat Leonard Art @catleonardart on X

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Mug Wisdom 7

Love Art USA Outfit
ThreadHeads.com
Zazzle

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Sunday 8-18-2024

crochettiky.com

Shout-out to Lynn, my magnificent massage therapist and her family who lost power during the last, sudden storm we had a couple of nights ago and are still without power. She said they may have to go until Monday or more without power, due to downed power lines and POLES close to her house. Her husband had gone to borrow a generator so that they could plug in their fridge plus maybe a couple of fans. With all the watches and warnings we are under during the summer, we didn’t even hear about the possibility of rain this time.

*Speaking of power, we just lost OURS for a few seconds. Just suddenly, while I was typing, everything shut down. It came back on, thankfully, and we don’t hear our generator running, so it seems to be public power. Wonder if this is caused by all the work probably being done to restore power to so many good folks.

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This is the story of my weight this week. I’m finally half a pound away from being 35 pounds down. Do you think I might make it this time? Fingers crossed.
sent to me by my good friend, Cathy.

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I’m still avoiding looking at our driveway. It’s my extremely adult reaction to the possibility we might be in for a big clean up after the storm. The Amazon delivery guy remarked on the stuff in our driveway when he came up yesterday. I’m excusing the fact I haven’t checked it out because he said he didn’t have any trouble getting up the driveway. Fingers crossed about the driveway, too.

Things are quiet around here so far this morning. My husband is thinking he’ll mow if the ground dries up enough during the day. I’m thinking I may get up to my art room today.

I hope you are safe and dry. May power be restored to those waiting.

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Before and After

Chair Table – Before
Chair Table – After – One View
Chair Table – After – 2nd View

I am definitely in the running for ‘worst-housekeeper-on-the-planet’ and I’ll continue to show you – embarrassing though it is – examples. I’m not ‘dirty,’ but I tend to do a lot of stuff at once, like reading several books at the same time, and the ‘stuff’ piles up.

Most of the things on my chair table actually belonged elsewhere and had gravitated to the table over a period of time. I’ve also won championship stars for ‘IGNORING’ and ‘PROCRASTINATION,’ two things that aid and abet my ‘worst housekeeper’ title.

Every once in a while the chaos finally gets on my nerves and I decide something is my project for the day. Right now I’m amazed at how much SPACE I have on my table. Monster Cat even looked at me in amazement when she walked around on it last night, big-eyed, obviously wondering where everything went.

SO – today I bask in the glow of having a pristine table beside my chair in the living room, and will choose from a myriad of other candidates for my cleaning out-cleaning off-re-organizing efforts.

SO MANY CHOICES – SO LITTLE TIME OR ENERGY… :0)

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The Cyclops Effect

I finished reading this book yesterday. The Cyclops Effect is written by CJ Williams, a husband and wife team. I don’t read a lot of science fiction, but my husband practically insisted I would like it. HE. WAS. RIGHT!

Asha loses her eye in a car accident. This is replaced with an implant by a gifted surgeon/inventor. She discovers that the implant does more than even the surgeon expects, making it possible for her to SEE the Internet inside her brain and react with it.

The plot is well written and action-packed. In fact, I told my husband I had to take a break from time to time to ‘rest’ and let what I had read settle a bit before continuing. I read it in two days, though, completely drawn to the story and the characters, wanting to find out what happened.

I highly recommend this if you enjoy strong women characters and complex situations written in a way that allows you to follow, even if you’re not a science fiction aficionado or techie.

I’m going to look at their other books now.

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Jury Duty

Insperity

My husband and I are a weird couple. We agree on little (we don’t even use the same salt) and to say it makes life together interesting is quite an understatement.

The latest example of that is my husband got a jury duty summons in the mail last week. He WANTS to do it. “I” REALLY don’t.

I wrote down on my desk calendar that he is supposed to appear at the court house in Greenwood at 9am on September 5th. I left the filling out of the two-page form to him.

He actually filled it out and we mailed it back. He gave MY phone number for any communication since he won’t answer his phone, only using it to get the occasional code when he is online.

I’m secretly hoping that the form he filled out will indicate that he might not be the best candidate, though he won’t admit to any health problems (Type II diabetes, 2 strokes, high blood pressure, etc.) He also will not admit having to go to the bathroom urgently or taking several naps daily because he doesn’t sleep well at night.

The reason he wants to do this is that he wants to throw a wrench in the system. He will listen to what is presented, make up his own mind, and then vote that way, dying on his sword if he has to. He would love to be the only vote that keeps a person from being convicted, or making it so the person IS convicted when the rest of the jury wants to let the person go. He loves being perverse and has great confidence in his ability to judge. He won’t tell the truth when asked questions that he knows would cause them to knock him off their list of jurors. It should be interesting.

I really have no room to talk, though. I was called for jury duty YEARS ago here in Greenwood. I sat through two days of routine court stuff. Finally they asked me directly if I would follow the judge’s instructions. I said honestly that I would if they made sense to me. Otherwise, no. Then they asked point blank, if I believed in the judicial system. I answered, again honestly, that I thought it was MEANT to insure fairness, but that it failed miserably in practice, and that I had little faith in it.

I was then invited to leave, and I guess they not only marked my name off the list, but probably BURNED it off. They haven’t contacted me since. I’m definitely not what they are looking for. :0)

SO – two attitudes about serving on a jury. What do you bet my husband sails through with flying colors and is chosen to serve on a jury?

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The Hole is Growing

VinePair

I tried to get up to my art room yesterday, but ended up trying to find Jet (aka Monster Cat) OUTSIDE. I looked and looked inside, but couldn’t find her. When I asked my husband, he said, off-handedly, that she MIGHT be outside, since he found the door from the utility room to the garage standing wide open.

I quit listening at that point and ran outside to walk around and around the house, calling for Jet, getting more and more upset as I searched.

Finally, the third time around, she was at the steps in the garage. I brought her in, checked to make sure she was okay, and gave her some food in her bathroom. I then read my husband the riot act, and went into the office to try to calm down before poisoning his dinner.

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Interesting Day 8-17-2024

Quora

Right now it’s 77 degrees and quite dark and rainy. This is a huge relief this morning, so I’m grinning as I type. Bring it!

Shutterstock

However, we got SO much rain overnight, with accompanying thunder, that we’re under both a ‘flood warning,’ and a ‘flash flood warning’ until around lunchtime.

To round things out, once the rain stops today, we’re under an ‘intense heat warning,’ with a heat index of up to 115 until 9pm this evening. It could be REALLY interesting if snow were added to the forecast for the day…

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Had to Share

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Mug Wisdom 6

Pinterest
TheSnarkyShop.com

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Test Result

Coasters – ModernPastime.com

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CUTE Crocheted Critters

Ildiko Struning – IlDikko Crochet Patterns

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Suggestion from Mark Twain

I don’t want to BRAG, but I am now championship level on this particular skill. I can do it without conscious thought, with my eyes closed, as if it were nothing. Just in CASE you were thinking of challenging me, think about reconsidering tomorrow, or the next day… :0)

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Not Fit for Man Nor Beast

Actual temperature forecast to be 101 this afternoon with a heat index of 110 to 115. Too hot for old folks to be outside, for sure. We are letting Amber out over and over. She goes outside, takes one look, and barks to come back inside. I guess as long as she has several chances to do what she needs to out there, all will be well.

There is just too much heat and not enough water to do justice to my tomato plants. The main plants have some green tomatoes, but also dead parts of the plants and the tomatoes are not ripening. I’m beginning to think I’ll have to pull them out for the season, but my husband doesn’t want me to pull the plug yet. As you can see in the pic above, my tomato sucker plants aren’t doing well, either. I have ONE plant that seems to be okay, so there is still hope.

Today’s cleaning and organizing project is the table beside my recliner. I’m embarrassed to show it to you, but you already KNOW I’m a slob and the worse housekeeper EVER.

Between my cramming it with more and more ‘stuff,’ and Monster Cat walking all over it trying to sample my drinks and chew cords, it’s a mess. I’m going to see if I can relocate at least half of what is currently on there. Wish me luck?

I also found a recipe for keto fried chicken. We haven’t had fried chicken in at LEAST 3 or 4 years, so I’m excited to try this one. It uses avocado oil and the coating is almond flour, so I’m hopeful it’ll be good. The recipe is from Arman Liew of The Big Man’s World. Fingers crossed.

Oh, an update on my excitement regarding low carb ice cream – after further research, opinions seem to differ on what constitutes ‘low carb.’ The one I had found, “Breyer’s Carb Smart” actually has 16 carbs per serving plus has 4 grams of sugar. Since my limit on carbs for the day is 20 or under, this won’t be included in my diet for the foreseeable future. Oh, well. When I reach my goal – if I still have teeth – I’ll splurge and try some. :0)

I’ve been dreaming of a new wood-burned and painted piece that I’ll try to get started today. It’s funny, though, to be ‘tired,’ from painting all night. My sleeping self couldn’t decide whether to use alcohol inks or paint it with acrylics –

Enjoy this wonderful day.

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An Etsy Shop I Like

I found NiceHandmadeLT on Etsy yesterday and wanted to share some of their creations with you.

They have a very eclectic shop and I think their work is wonderful.

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Mug Wisdom 5

Cute But Rude

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Homey Creatures

Homey Creatures – Etsy

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Losin’ It

DepositPhotos

Yesterday my husband went with me for my haircut, since he wanted to get a large banana shake. We got to the salon, only to find out my haircut is supposed to be TODAY. I’m losing it.

I always use the appointment card to write it down on my desk calendar, enter it on my computer calendar, and add it to my kitchen wipe-off calendar. All were in agreement, and all were wrong. :0(

I asked Michael if he would give me a call if he happened to find my brain lying around anywhere. It’s not as sharp as it might have been in the past, but it’s better than nothing.

So – my search for Breyer’s Smart Carb Ice Cream at the local grocery was a bust, as well. They carried the brand, but not the Carb Smart. I’ll check at Walmart the next time we go there.

We will leave in a bit to try again on the haircut and banana shake. Hopefully, we’ll have better luck today.

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Heat index is supposed to be 113 for our area. I’m beginning to feel as if I’m a frog in a big pot of water. Needless to say, I won’t be dancing around the yard much today.

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This is my latest wood burning effort, listed on HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy.

Shout-out to Cathy, who is having a medical test today. May the test be smooth and the results good, Sweet Lady.

Make this a good day.

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Mug Wisdom 4

Cute But Rude
InterceptInternational.store
Passing Leap-Etsy

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Are You One of the Fraction?

sent to me by my friend, Marsha

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Christie Norman – Other Art

I’ve shown you Christie’s hand painted lighted glass bottles lately. I also love her paintings –

Christie Norman

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Wednesday 8-14-2024

Jan Bryan-Hunt – Leanin-Tree

My husband is feeling antsy this morning, so he’ll go with me to my haircut and a couple of errands this morning.

I’ll check my tomato plants when we get home, get ‘Bacon-wrapped Cheesy Chicken’ by Suzanne Ryan of Simply Keto ready to put in the oven for our dinner tonight, and then work on the painting part of my latest wood burned sign.

I had a really nice chat with our son online yesterday. He’s excited about several difficult projects he and his friend are working on lately, any one of which could make them a lot of money – something that’s always handy. He’s enjoying life and feeling good, so I couldn’t ask for more.

Monster Cat actually walked up my front and curled up on my shoulder in the recliner to sleep for a few minutes last night – another first.

Our wonderful bug spray guy sprayed for everything excluding snakes and elephants yesterday. I told him about our sudden gnat population and he pulled a spray can out of his truck just for that. He explained it as a kind of ‘sticky spray’ (as far as the gnats are concerned.) The gnats are attracted, but can’t leave. Sounds great to me. I forgot to ask him about walruses… :0)

I’m trying to tackle at least one area daily that I’ve been ignoring and clean it thoroughly. Yesterday it was vacuuming a grate we installed low in the wall in the living room. We put in a fan years ago between the two rooms that pulls warm air out of the office and blows it into the living room, increasing good air flow. The grate gets full of dust, dirt, and dog hair, but it’s in the corner, kind of hidden from view unless you actually GO into the corner. Yesterday I finally gave it the attention it’s due and took care of it. While I had the handheld vacuum with brush attachment out, I also cleaned the one on the wall high up in the kitchen.

I wish you a Wonderful Wednesday, full of alliteration and joy.

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Definition

Snaccident-Vintage Market Eugene-Etsy

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Christie Norman Lighted Bottles 2

Christie Norman Lighted Painted Glass Bottles

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Berit Hildre Sculpture 2

Berit Hildre Sculpture

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Mug Wisdom 3

Designs by Linda Nee
Etsy – (I have this one ordered for my husband.)
Heart and Willow Prints

I’m wondering what it says about us that so much of our culture is reflected by sayings on mugs and t-shirts…

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Tuesday 8-13-2024

Ruth Josephson-Pinterest

Everything in me melts when I look at the image above. I’m not sure who the artist is, but I thank Ruth Josephson for putting it on Pinterest.

The rain is gone for the foreseeable future, replaced by ‘Intense Heat Warnings’ again. (Heat index of 108 today.) We’ll probably be living under those the rest of the summer. I’ll try to do yard work in the mornings and encourage my husband to do the mowing as late in the evening as possible. I’m thankful for our good air conditioning!

This afternoon the wonderful bug spray man comes to spray for every kind of bug possible, plus the dreaded centipedes and scorpions that have found their way into the house in the past. I don’t think the spray covers snakes (we found the shed skin of one in the well house), though I’ve asked him to spray for EVERYTHING, including elephants, inside and out.

This time we have lots of annoying gnats. I found a stuff at Walmart yesterday that is supposed to kill them ‘on contact,’ but it’s difficult-to-impossible to spray them when they’re trying to climb into my coffee cup without getting the spray into my coffee… I’m cleaning extra well, starting in the kitchen and working my way out, removing things from counters and then spraying the ‘stuff’ on the counters and wiping them down carefully. The spray says it’s safe around children and pets, so I’m hoping that’s true.

Yesterday was the first day of school. My husband decided he wanted to go grocery shopping when the rain stopped yesterday afternoon. We almost got stuck trying to get to town, with lots and lots of “Mommy Traffic” at the two schools on the road between us and town, backed way up from the closer school to us all the way to the end of the road and around the corner on the larger highway, waiting to turn in. I suggested we take the long way around on the way home, but of course my husband scoffed.

We DID get stuck a couple of years ago with stock still traffic in both directions. I was afraid we would end up in the slammer with my husband throwing a fit and threatening to simply run INTO the car in front of us and try to push the whole line ahead so he could reach the road where we could bypass the problem. I wrote a letter to the school, pointing out the problem, emphasizing emergency vehicles wouldn’t have been able to get through, either. The schools decided to change the start and end time on one of the schools, allowing an easing of the problem. We still avoid the area at those times, since my husband is such a nut. Thankfully, by the time we had replenished our groceries and were on the way home, the traffic was manageable.

I’m almost finished with the wood burning part of a new sign. I’ll try to get that done today so I can start the painting part.

Enjoy your Tuesday.

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