Woodburning Progress

Lowes

I’m finally making a bit of progress on my efforts to do woodburning in my art room. I’m working on a couple of things at the moment – a little owl on a small piece of wood and a larger wooden plaque.

It’s fun, but I’m still a bit intimidated by the whole process. I found that the special gloves I ordered that were stretchy and pretty comfortable – with only the first two fingers and thumb covered – didn’t really do the job. After only a very few minutes, I was feeling the heat and had to stop. I finally got some pretty used-up leather gloves that I had in the shop and cut them up in the same manner as the stretchy ones. They are more cumbersome, but they seem to protect my fingers and hand better. I’ll continue to use those.

Learning to use the various tips in the kit will take a long time. I’m only using two basic ones so far – one for outlining and lettering and the other for shading. I’m moving very slowly because I have little clue what I’m doing.

There are lots of people online doing woodburning via lasers and computers. They are doing some really nice things, but it’s a question of buying or writing computer programs that guide the lasers. My husband and I have done things like this in our shop, with metal, using computer-guided CNC equipment. It’s fun, but I don’t consider it very creative or real art. We do our mailbox decorations like this. I would rather try to do the woodburning myself, creating things manually.

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It’s Friday 4-5-2024

Brook Noel Art via @Urbanartist2 on X
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I’m down 23.6 pounds – closer to my interim 5-pound goal. I’m doing my 30 minutes of old lady stretching yoga each day. I’m going to add exercise for my arms with 5 pound weights on M-W-F and a few minutes on the elliptical trainer T-Th-S. It would be nice to see a good difference by the end of April.

American Montessori Society

My sweet veggie plants are still doing well despite the wild changes in temperatures. I just watered everything, and I’ll take some pics tomorrow to share with you. I also plan to harvest some lettuce!

We had to re-install one of Amber’s gates last night. We’ve been keeping her on the tiles since her tummy hasn’t been completely reliable lately. It doesn’t happen often, but we try to at least make sure her food has settled after feeding her before we let her into the carpeted area. Now she has started routing around for more food in the kitchen. I’m careful about not leaving anything on the counters or island, having learned the hard way that she will eat anything she can find. Last night I heard something and found her with her front feet on the counter in the kitchen licking the counter!  So we re-installed the gate between the dining area/kitchen and the utility room. 

I learned this morning that with the new gate I have to plan ahead to get out into the garage without incident. I managed to have the utility room gate open while trying to also open the door to the garage. Amber wanted out and Abby wanted in at the same time. It was a mess. I ended up shutting the door to the garage, closing the gate, then starting over on going out. When I finished, I related my ‘lesson’ to my husband, hoping to save him from experiencing the same thing.

Freepik

I’m still having bad dreams about trying to help my husband after Amber pulled him down into the brick planter on the 30th. I was really freaked out that I couldn’t get the blood to stop, and then we spent all night in the ER getting him the help he needed. In my dreams I continue to rush around frantically trying to gather what I needed to help him. We HAVE 1st aid kits, but they tended toward snake bite kits, etc., and I was rushing around upstairs and down, trying to find things to help us.

I have now ordered several things online in order to create two bins of wound care supplies – one for upstairs and the other downstairs, gathering the things I would have liked to have, or have more of. I’ve received some of the things I ordered, and I think I’ll receive the rest of them today. We’re going to get two bins with lids that I can label, distributing the things I ordered into them. Having them organized, where I can grab them quickly and have more of might be needed to at least get us to the ER intact will help me sleep better. Hopefully, I won’t need them.

I wish you a wonderful Friday.

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Let’s Dance!

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This Melts My Heart

@cutigs1 on X

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David Zinn Fix

“Blockhead Beagle”
“Griselda can keep your coffee warm indefinitely, but getting it back will cost you a cruller.”
“Ronan and Pete want to borrow a compass.”
“Well, at least someone is excited to see snow.”
“Yet another terrible lizard thwarted by the teething of the shrew.”

David Zinn

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Dorky Dogs 7

Dorky Dogs – Liucija Adomaite – BoredPanda.com

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Agathe Moisden Mosaics

I’m awe-struck in regard to Agathe Moisden’s creativity and skill. I love the fact that she seems to have used slate as a background, making the mosaics really pop. She also seems to have used glue, rather than the more traditional cement-type bonding stuff, so you can see the slate in the middle of the images, rather than it looking like one piece on a black background.

Agathe Moisden Mosaics

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Thursday Thoughts 4-4-2024

“A Little Light For You” – Boo -@333too3 on X

Things are quiet so far this morning. My husband slept in and is just now trying to rise and shine. :0)

Britannica

I’m starting to get excited about the eclipse Monday – since we’re supposed to be in the path where we can see the total eclipse – though the weather forecast said it will be partly cloudy with rain coming before and after the actual eclipse, and they don’t know if it will be too cloudy to see it or not. Frustrating! Whatever happens, I’ll be outside to see what there is to see. We have our special glasses and my camera ready to grab.

I hope you are well and happy today.

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Need a Boost?

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Beautiful Paintings

Dmitry Oleyn via @Urbanartist2 on X
c melliott paintings – via @Urbanartist2 on X
“Zinnia Bouquet 1” – Vivienne Dupont
Beth Robertson Fiddes – @Beth_RobertsonF on X
Erika Kocsi – @kocsi_erika on X
Erika Kocsi – @kocsi_erika on X

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It’s Done

Enis Yavuz-Unsplash.com

We have always changed from snow tires to regular tires and back again ourselves in our shop. We had snow tires mounted on wheels so that it’s just a case of taking the current wheels with tires off and putting on the other set, already on wheels. It has always been laborious, but quite doable.

Now we have had to admit (my husband more grudgingly than I) that now that we are older than dirt, it’s better to let the people set up to do this do it for us, rather than struggle to do it ourselves.

To be completely honest, it took the TWO of us to get each tire into the back of our truck this morning. By the time we got the four regular tires into the bed of the truck and found the lug nuts and special one lug nut and wrench addition needed to put it on each tire, we were both a bit short of breath.

I took my Kindle so that I could read while I waited, but didn’t actually use it for more than a few minutes. There was a constant ‘show’ going on with people coming in and out and things happening all around, so I put my Kindle away and just watched what was going on.

I only had to wait about half an hour for them to get to our truck. The changeover went quickly and they only charged us $32.50 for the job.

When I got back home, I got our mail and dragged the empty trash can back up to where it lives without falling on my head. (I’m trying to train myself to put my phone in my pocket so that if I fall, I can call for help.)

We managed to get the snow tires OUT of the truck and stored – with their lug nuts – in the shop until probably November.

As we drove from the shop to the house, my husband asked, “Do you really think it’s a good idea to have this job done for us, when we could do it ourselves?” My answer – an enthusiastic, “YES!!!!”

HOORAY!

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Tires Off, Tires On

Quick note – going to pack up the truck and get our snow tires off and our regular tires on at the tire place this morning.

Used to do this ourselves, and finally had to admit it was too much for us. My husband still feels upset when we do this, but he’ll just have to learn that he has plenty of company with people getting older all around him and he isn’t immune.

I’ll write when I get back.

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Robyn Abrams Mosaic Art

Robyn Abrams Mosaic Art

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Animal Portraits from Wood

Laney of PineandBirch.com is so good she has a waiting list to order a portrait. I found her yesterday on Pinterest and went to the website. I was blown away. She does ‘batches’ of work to go on Etsy and lets her followers know. It’s all sold and on its way to its new owners in a flash and then the site is ’empty’ until the next batch.

Photo taken with Focos

Laney – PineandBirch.com

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You Only Had ONE Job…10

Quarter to Three Forums-Besuchen

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We Made It!

The forecast severe weather apparently mostly missed us last night and I’m really grateful. The gusty winds were enough not only to dislodge parts of the sheets I put over the three planters, but BREAK the clothespins!

The hail missed us, thank goodness. I don’t know how much rain we got. I’m washing the sheets this morning, since our local forecast is a cold front moving through and freezing temperatures Wednesday and Thursday mornings. UGH.

I was really happy to see that our sweet veggie plants seem to be okay. I’m going to start harvesting some lettuce leaves to add to our salads.

And finally, here is the azalea I couldn’t cover up. :0)

My stubborn husband insisted that he mow the yard yesterday, even though he’s only two days out from the all-night visit to the ER. He did it, with me nervously monitoring – even complimenting me when he came in, saying I did a good job of making his job easier with the weed whacker. Even though his picture is beside the words “Stubborn” and “Obstinate” in the dictionary, he’s definitely a keeper.

We’ll do our errands, but hopefully will enjoy a quiet day, otherwise. I hope that you are well and having a really nice day.

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Let’s Hear It for the Cats!

Greg Beecham Studio – “A Cautious Step-Bobcat” – @gregbeechamart On X
Gregorio Catarino – @gregcatarino1 on X
Megan Elizabeth-Artist – @MeganArtUK on X
Boo- @333too3 on X
“Pure Joy” – Gregorio Catarino – @gregcatarino1 on X
Sarah Eden Portraits – “First Watch” -@EdenPortraits on X

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Dorky Dogs 6

Dorky Dogs – Liucija Adomaite – BoredPanda.com

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Ceramics I Love

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Yannick Ibanez Juniot – Pinterest

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April Fool’s Day 2024

My mom
My dad

The first I remember about April Fool’s Day was my dad playing pranks on his family and friends. He had an unstoppable sense of humor. You just couldn’t be around him with smirking, smiling, or downright laughing out loud at his stories and antics.

My mom told us that when they agreed to marry, my dad wanted to get married on April Fool’s Day. She just stared at him, saying, “I’m not fooling!” (They married on April 3, 1942).

____________________

Ernst Heating and Cooling

We have a geothermal heating and cooling system similar to this. Ours wasn’t put in when we built the house, but they were able to install the system for us several years ago. We took advantage of a service with AirPro Heat and Air, our service company, to have a tech come out twice a year to check everything over inside and out, change our filters, fix problems, etc. The tech is here now, making sure all is good before we do much changing from heating to cooling.

Unsplash

I’m going to have to take sheets out and cover up my garden plants before dinner, due to a forecast for possibly severe thunderstorms tonight – with rain, large hail, damaging gusty winds, possible tornadoes, and flying hair balls.

I’m HOPING (1) we don’t get the “severe” – just the rain, and (2) the sheets I put up protect the veggie plants. And (3) that the other plants in the planters around the house survive and aren’t beaten to death, like the azalea above.

I wish you a safe and happy April Fool’s Day.

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Accountability

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I’ve been logging in at MyFitnessPal.com daily for 40 days, trying to be more mindful of what I’m eating, my exercise, my water drinking, etc. I’ve been following the keto eating plan for approximately half that time.

I’ve decided to make myself accountable once a month to keep my head on straight and stay on my way to many goals. I don’t have any particular goals on weight and measurements. I need to lose my lard – a lot of it – but I’m making mini-goals in 5-pound-increments to keep it doable in my mind. I’m trying to practice my yoga daily for half an hour, adding working in the yard outside, or heavy days of cleaning inside, lately, or future plans of using my elliptical machine in the garage when I can, or adding exercises with dumbbells to add strength, all in an effort to be stronger, more flexible, with better balance, less apt to fall.

Toward these goals, I am down 23 pounds since my heaviest. I have two pounds to go to meet my latest 5-pounds-lard-off goal.

February yoga practice
March yoga practice

Today I measured, since I have finished a full month of daily yoga in March plus another several days starting in February. (Can you tell that the sparkly stars on my calendar are a big motivator for me?)

Measuring shows a loss of .3 inches from my hips and a loss 1.5 inches from my waist.

So, bit by bit I’m making some slow progress. (I have to tell you that last night my husband and I were so grateful that we were still alive, relatively in one piece, and relatively healthy that we ‘celebrated’ with a dish of no- sugar-added vanilla ice cream. My husband added some fruit to his and I added some chocolate syrup to mine. This will be the last celebration for the foreseeable future. :0) )

I am now promising myself (and you) that I will report progress – I hope – again at the end of April.

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You Only Had ONE Job…9

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Doggo Portraits – Just Beautiful

Pinky – Paul Miller Wildlife Art – @Paulmillerart on X
Bonita – Paul Miller Wildlife Art – @Paulmillerart on X
Basil – David Salter Art – @Davidjsalter on X
Freddie – David Salter Art – @Davidjsalter on X
Oscar – Megan Elizabeth – Artist – @MeganArtUK on X
Peter Hogarth – @peterhogarth55 on X
Rupert – Sue Hewson – Artist @srh_sue on X
Sarah Eden Portraits – @EdenPortraits on X
Steve – Angie Wallace Fine Art – @AngieWithLove on X

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Aftermath

This is the aftermath of man vs dog, or trying to take our 97 pound yellow lab, Amber, out for her last outing of the day on the leash. We have now agreed to simply let her out, tell her to “hurry up” and hope if she finds something interesting, she’ll come back in a reasonable length of time.

My husband is pretty comfortable this morning, and actually was able to sleep in the bed without hurting himself. I don’t have to do any extra laundry this morning, either, a really nice thing.

We go to get the stitches out in 10 days time. We can do this at our local clinic. I’ll call tomorrow and see if I can make an appt for that.

We hope for a quiet, calm day today.

Blue Water Vinyl and Gifts

I wish you a happy day filled with hope.

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ER

Amber went out with my husband for her last outing of the night about 1:30 this morning. At about 2:00am my husband woke me, asking for my help.

To make the story shorter, Amber saw something, reacted, caught my husband not paying close enough attention, and pulled him down and into one of our brick planters.

He was bleeding in several places and didn’t know if he had broken or dislocated his finger. I tried to clean him up, but couldn’t get the bleeding under control behind his left ear. His finger was also hurting badly, so we ended up in the ER in Fort Smith.

We left about 5:30 after x-rays and CT scans, plus 6 stitches behind his left ear covered by bandages and vet wrap, a ‘re-located’ pinkie finger, with him seriously out of patience and wanting to get home.

We slept in our recliners from 6 to 9. I talked to our son via conference call this morning, catching him up and letting him know we are the worse for wear but will rest and heal.

I will spend the day washing all the bloody clothes, towels, washcloths, carpeted stair steps and other places, and trying to get our medical supplies back where they belong.

Scary, exhausting time. Amber has on her innocent face and can’t see what all the hubbub is about.

I’ll talk to you again tomorrow. Take care.

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Happy Good Friday

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You Had ONE Job…8

Know Your Meme-Besuchen

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Playing With Your Food – Again

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SomeGuy

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Angie Wallace Fine Art

Charlie
Quidam

Angie Wallace Fine Art – @AngieWithLove on X

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Sonia Lera Preston Art

Spring Dance

Sonia Lera Preston – @Sonia_L_Preston on X

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Doorstop

Alamy

This is similar to the phone system that replaced our land line years ago. We have ‘stations’ all over the house, upstairs and down. Now it has died a sudden death and will probably act much as a doorstop.

A friend called us recently and said he couldn’t hear us, though we could hear HIM fine. Then, I got a call yesterday with the same problem. We took our system base and one phone to the local AT&T store, but they said no one had techs anymore and that we would have to call AT&T about the problem. I did, spending a lot of time, but getting no result, other than an offer to send me a link to the phones they sell.

After a lot of debate, we decided to just leave things as they are, using the phone to continue to use the program we added that screens calls, making people push # or something similar, if they’re a real person and not selling anything, before the phone rings to get our attention. That has saved us a lot of grief over the years. It will also still allow anyone making it through the answering machine part to leave a message. I can then call them back on my cell phone and let them know that number is no longer good.

I then spent most of the rest of the day going to important websites, including utilities and other services, looking at profiles, changing the phone listed there where applicable. I THINK I informed everyone, but will call folks who leave a message on the old phone to let them know as they happen.

luke’s right hand-boredpanda.com

Spending the afternoon like that means I did NOT get to do my yoga practice yesterday. I will do one session this morning, and another this afternoon, in an effort to make up for that.

We are enjoying a beautiful weekend, with warming temperatures, heading into the Easter weekend.

I hope you are doing well.

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