I’m not feeling as much of a slob today as I have been.
Yesterday I finally finished the vacuuming – including whisk-brooming the stairs, then sneezed repeatedly for about half an hour before I could then vacuum the foyer beside the stairs. :0)
Today I’m changing sheets and doing the laundry. One would AL-most miss the fact that I’m a slob.
I’m trying to get upstairs to my art room today to start playing with trying to etch wooden earrings. I have in my head designs I’ll make with the Dremel etching tool and then stain and varnish the wood on the earrings. I haven’t seen any earrings like this, but I don’t know if it’s because no one else likes the idea or…
I’m still smiling because Malou, a thoroughly appealing and very talented singer, won The Voice of Germany this season. Something about the way she sings draws me in, makes me hang on every word, and makes me FEEL. I’m really happy for her, and hope she enjoys a bright future. NOW, if I can just get Huntley as winner of The Voice in the U.S., I won’t be able to wipe the grin off my face all winter.
I told you that I’m trying to learn to etch glassware. I finished a project lately and I’m going to now switch to wood. I can use my Dremel tool with lots of different surfaces, and I’m having fun experimenting and trying to get the feel of the tool.
I’m going to look on YouTube and see if there are videos demonstrating etching on wood. My brain is playing with etched, stained, and varnished designs on my wooden earrings.
This photo gives you an idea of what our group looks like when we have Lunch Bunch on Fridays at the Pizza Barn in Greenwood.
I’m afraid our Fridays together are winding down due to some health, transportation, and other issues. Since we’ve been doing this every Friday possible for over 25 years, this will cause withdrawal issues.
My husband and I have swung by The Pizza Barn every Friday, but have been stood up several weeks in a row with no one else showing up. The biggest problem is that our friends aren’t good about using their phones, either, so not only do they not let us know they aren’t coming, they don’t answer their phones, or aren’t set up to leave messages, or say they don’t get the ones I can leave. It’s like throwing bottles in the ocean, using carrier pigeons, smoke signals, and the like.
Yesterday, though, Patty texted me that Linda’s son, Jeff, was here from Florida and he would be bringing Linda to Lunch Bunch. AND, when we got there, Bud and Kay were there, too. AND, after a few minutes, their neighbor showed up to join us. It was a lovely, noisy group with lots of laughs, good food, hugs, and more. Really good for the soul.
We have already agreed to come for a gift exchange on the 22nd, but I’m not sure if anyone will be there this coming Friday or after the gift exchange. We’ll keep swinging by…
Just a quick note that today and tomorrow (Sat., Dec. 9th, and Sun., Dec. 10th) are the last days you can order my hand-painted Christmas cards this year. 6 cards (5×7) and envelopes to a package. $19.99 for the package with free shipping to the contiguous U.S.
I had a text on my phone this morning that Linda’s son, Jeff, from Florida, is here and will be bringing her to Lunch Bunch. HOOOORAAAAAAY! It’ll be great to see both of them. I don’t know yet about Kay and Bud, but haven’t heard from them.
The big storm that was forecast for the weekend is breezing past us today. We’ll only have some spotty showers and some colder temperatures, rather than the wind, rain, possible snow, and flying hairballs previously predicted. I’m not complaining AT ALL! :0) I MAY be able to get outside and work in some planters this afternoon. Win/win.
Huntley
I’m newly in love. His name is Huntley and I’m hoping he will be the winner of The Voice soon. I think his voice and style are distinctive and I love to watch and listen. I hope you like him, too.
depositphotos
Yesterday I got my exercise for the day vacuuming. It usually isn’t that strenuous, but I noticed that the vacuum hadn’t been getting under the furniture in our bedroom the way I would like, and so took a whisk broom up there. I started using it and was APPALLED at all the ‘stuff’ that came from under the front edge of my husband’s armoire, my bureau, and close up to our bed and built-in bookshelves. I vacuumed after that and was thoroughly pooped when I finished.
I have always loved the LOOK of snow. I love seeing big, fat, flakes coming down like being in your own, personal snow globe. I enjoy being out in the yard for a few minutes, enjoying the spectacle of the snow, the way a blanket of it changes the look of everything, muffling sound. As much as I like to be in it, I love coming inside FROM it.
Arkansas does not do winter well. We have ICE. Thin ice. Thick ice. Black ice. Slick ice. TOO MUCH ICE. Usually we have ice and THEN the snow, making it almost impossible to drive safely. And even if YOU are able to move around safely, you get creamed by someone ELSE who CAN’T…
Our driveway is 650+ feet of ‘steep.’ When it’s icy, it’s very possible you can end up across the road, over the barbed wire fence, and in the pasture beyond. The ice brings down the trees on either side of our driveway, bending them over into the driveway, many times breaking them off. One winter in 2001, we were stuck up on the top of our ridge line for 14 days. No public power. No public water (thank goodness for our well). And days and days worth of chain-sawing before my husband and I could clear it enough to drive down.
We get ‘serious’ about getting ready for winter around here. We have our snow tires on the truck now (the first time we’ve taken them in to the experts to have them put on, rather than doing it ourselves.) We’ve unhooked and drained the irrigation systems in the yard. We’ve turned on the automatic electric heater in the well house. (Later we’ll light the propane-powered pilot light for more serious heat in there.) We’ve opened a couple of cabinets where our plumbing froze in the house once. (We now have an automatic electric heater in the cabinet in the utility room bathroom.) We’ve brought in wood for our wood-burning fireplace, we’ve lit the pilot light for the propane-powered heating system in the shop. We’ve drained our mower and other gasoline-powered things for the winter. The bed has our electric blanket on it and the heavier comforter. We have heat pads in our recliners and our nice throws to go over us. :0)
Since many times we’re stuck up here when the snow has melted elsewhere, we try to stay stocked up on food, water, and other supplies. We can’t get down the driveway, but no one could come UP, either, so we’re serious about having what we need to last a couple of weeks or so.
Another thing I really do like about winter is snow people. We don’t often get the good kind of snow – or enough – to create snowmen, but I LOVE seeing the creativity of people. We once caused trouble for my parents by creating a man and a woman who were a bit ‘too true to life and over-abundant in parts’ in their front yard. My husband still laughs like a loon over that. :0) Meanwhile, I collect pictures of snow people I think are wonderful, and I’ll share them with you through the season.
Jimmy Conover-Unsplash.com
We’ll enjoy our comfort foods, hot chocolate, snuggle-y sweaters, and a fire in the fireplace from time to time, not because we need the heat, but because we love the ‘feel’ of it. Happy winter!
Whether you call it ‘quilling,’ or ‘paper sculpture,’ I think it’s amazing. The merging of the two creates simply stunning 3-D art, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the talent I’m seeing. I wish that the people who show it on Pinterest would take the time and effort to give the names of the artists so that I could share them with you. We’ll just have to be content drooling over their work.
My glassware etching project is finally finished. I’m beginning to get a feel for the Dremel and the new diamond bits now, and my brain is busy thinking of things I can try to make for my Etsy site.
The redo of my Etsy site is ongoing, but the main thrust is done for now. I’m reading articles on suggestions for more and will do the ones I can figure out ASAP.
Our weather is still good, with the high due to be 60 this afternoon, but ice and snow are a possibility this Saturday and Sunday! I’m not ready for this!
I’m eagerly awaiting delivery of the latest paperback, “Payback in Death” in the J.D. Robb series. It is released Dec 26th, so I’m hoping for delivery soon after that. I finished rereading my whole collection yesterday and started a Grisham book last night.
We’re leaving in about half an hour to do errands. I have a boring list of to-do’s that I really should get to today (:0)).
I hope that you are having a pleasant day wherever you are today, and can schedule some fun in.
There are several artists who do beautiful work with pebbles or stones. Some even convey emotions with their work. Erzsebet Sziljka brings even more, combining painting and story telling with the emotion. This is truly an art form when she is at the helm.
It’s sunny and 39 here right now. Not really THAT cold, but it sure SEEMS like it. The fact that the weather folks are saying we might get ice or snow this coming weekend adds to the feeling.
Chef John’s Buttermilk Biscuits – AllRecipes.com
At my husband’s request, I’m going to make some more biscuits today. I’ve only done it once before, but they were edible, and my husband really enjoyed eating some with butter and jelly, so he asked last night.
MakeMyLake – Etsy.com
I’m coming to the end of my glass etching project. I’ve learned a ton and finally found the etching tool I can use the most comfortably. Last night I found a diamond bit that worked well for me. I’m starting to get a feel for it now and look forward to using the etcher/engraver on other things in the future. I think the sample above done by MakeMyLake on Etsy is really pretty.
There is 17 pounds less of me this morning. A good start. Here’s to making it to 20 off.
I hope that you’re enjoying a really nice Tuesday.
I just texted, called, and sent carrier pigeons to all those involved, and it LOOKS like the Lunch Bunch group will do our regular Christmas gift exchange on the 22nd! Trying to reach people has become a real challenge, so I was surprised and delighted to be able to contact everyone this morning.
Sadly, it looks like Lunch Bunch – a really special event for every Friday for over 25 years now – seems to be coming to an end. My husband and I go every Friday, but have been stood up so many times lately it’s starting to get on our nerves – mostly because if LB isn’t going to meet, we would really prefer to eat a late breakfast at The Dari, but the timing is wrong for that. Time will tell, but our Christmas celebration may be the end of it.
_____________
Otherwise, we just finished driving our trash down to the bottom of the driveway for pickup tomorrow. Since we were driving down, we got our mail and changed our mailbox decoration. This is “Pepe Le Pew and Penelope.”
This afternoon I’ll start packing the elephant ear planter full of leaves. I’ll do this every day until I can get a good, thick blanket over the plants. I also plan to work on the glassware etching.
“Reading In The Library” – Peter Walters via @GregCatarino1 on X
I’ve been enjoying re-reading my collection of J.D. Robb’s (Nora Roberts) In Death series in preparation for reading the latest ones in paperback.
Right now I’m re-reading Desperation in Death, #55 in the series. I have the paperback of Encore in Death waiting and will get Payback in Death at the end of this month or the beginning of next month. The newest hardback, Random in Death, will be released in at the end of January 2024. I’ll have to wait until that one is released in paperback to get it.
I’ve been doing five main things lately – working in the yard, trying to etch glassware, revamping my Etsy site, listening to music, and reading. This makes for some super nice days and evenings and I’m feeling quite spoiled. I’m THINKING about adding more housework and exercise to the mix, but am only doing the minimum on housework (I’m a slob) and only my yoga stretching on the exercises so far. Maybe I’ll do better when I’ve finished reading my new wealth of books…
This is what used to be the iris planter. It’s now weeded and ready for tomatoes in the spring.
This is the second tomato planter.
And I’ll plant spinach and lettuce in this planter. All three are filled with Mel’s Mix.
This is where some of the iris plants ended up.
This is a tall planter beside the front porch.
And this one is in the front yard, to the other side of the front porch.
I also cut the elephant ear plants down as far as I could. I’m starting to cram as many leaves as I can get in that planter between now and the first real freeze, with all appendages crossed that it will be enough to protect them until they hopefully start shooting leaves up again in the spring.
Imagine my shock that I’m NOT aging gracefully. I’m doing it with some resentment, dragging my feet, gritching, and gnashing my teeth. Changes bother me more and more. I’m tired of ‘rolling with it,’ ‘adapting,’ etc. My latest gripe is companies that are changing the way they are paid.
One example is our water bill. It used to be that I wrote and mailed a check. I did this with everything else, so that was fine. Then I was paying everything online through my bank EXCEPT the water bill, for which I wrote almost the ONLY check I wrote each month. They are finally allowing online payments, but they must be done through their payment thingie, which charges you an extra $2.25 to use the service and you have to enter all your information each time, like you never used it before. UGH.
I was cleaning out my gmail this morning and ‘newly’ discovered some emails saying my insurance bills are due. (They sent these in November and the bills aren’t due until the middle of December.) We always get a slew of bills from our company in December, putting me off my Christmas spirit a bit, but I’ve gotten used to it. When I saw them, though, and we haven’t received the paper bills yet, it got my attention.
Maybe they won’t send the paper bills this time. They’re due the 12th, and I haven’t gotten anything in the mail. I went online to check, but then had trouble (imagine that) getting logged on. I went through my notes and was reminded that I had to sign up for a ‘new’ account with new agent in our regular company, and so had a different user name and password now. I logged in and discovered that they were now doing everything online.
To make a long rant a bit shorter, I went ahead and paid the premiums, and then had to go looking for the paperwork that should accompany the bills for our records. I found and printed them. I’ve never met the new agent and now the company seems to have gone all digital, so I may NEVER meet him.
Now that I’ve overcome yet another change, I’ll probably get the paper bills in the coming week…
I’m feeling a bit smug because I FINALLY had a thoroughly productive day yesterday after several sloth days.
Gardener’s Path
I dug out all of the iris from a planter in the back and redistributed them to planters in the front. I need to finish weeding the back planter today in preparation for using it in the spring for tomatoes. I’m moving my raised bed, square foot garden activities to the side yard planters this spring, limiting the garden to lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes. Besides weeding, I’ll do clean up from yesterday, plus work on the planter in the front that has our elephant ear plants.
I tried my new Dremel last night. It’s a rechargeable cordless model, so I had to charge it for over two hours before using it. It came with only one bit, but I was able to use one of my other diamond bits, putting it in myself with no problem! The design of the Dremel allows me to use it pretty comfortably. It’s also much quieter, so I don’t grate my teeth while using it. I think this one will work beautifully, allowing me to finish the glassware. I’m already thinking of other projects for the Dremel. :0)
My husband has been grousing because the turkey is gone. I cooked another turkey breast yesterday, and told my husband dinner tonight will be turkey sandwiches. He’s been smiling ever since.
I also finished the first round of totally revamping my Etsy site. This includes creating a banner, new logo, lowering prices, then renaming the items so they will supposedly show up better when people are putting in search terms as they shop. This is a work in progress, and I’m just getting a good start on things I see others are doing.
Since we’re having stellar weather and our high is supposed to be in the 60s this afternoon, I’m hoping to have another productive day. I hope that YOU do, too; OR that you do something FUN. After all, it’s Sunday!
A short while ago I finished most of the major revamp of my Etsy site. Of course, there is ALWAYS more, or another good idea I can try. I’m still trying to figure out how to offer deals on multiple purchases, for example, but the main reorganizing is finished.
I just came in from the first session outside. I have all the iris plants out of one planter in the back, and am now relocating them in the front. This may take more than a day, because my back is already reminding me that I’m not a spring chicken anymore, but I’m making progress. I’m trying to get outside each afternoon that the weather is cooperative and get SOMETHING done.
When I finish my outside stuff for the day, I plan to try out the new Dremel and see if I can do any good with it. Fingers crossed on THAT.
It’s gray and raw and 46 outside right now, so I’m using the morning to work on my Etsy shop and write blog posts. I’m HOPING that it will, in fact, get to the forecast 58 degrees this afternoon.
Gardener’s Path
I’d like to pull the iris out of one of our brick planters in the back and distribute them in two other planters in the front. This will free up the back planter for a downsized square foot planter garden in the spring. My plan at the moment is to use an 8 foot brick planter for lettuce and spinach and two other square brick planters for tomatoes. All already have Mel’s Mix in them and will be ready for planting.
My husband insisted that I buy a Dremel glass etcher at Walmart yesterday. If it doesn’t clearly show how to change the bits, I’ll try to call the company. The new one will allow me to continue my work on the glassware today. The one I got from our shop is too large for the work I’m doing. My hands are strained just trying to hold it, much less trying to do anything with it. Fingers are crossed that this one will work for me.
I Should Be Mopping the Floor…
My To-Do List is beyond daunting at this point. I TRIED to feel good about doing one thing from the list each day, but the list is growing exponentially and I just feel guilty about all the things I SHOULD be doing. I may just throw it out and start a new one, listing the things I NEED to do THIS WEEK…
I hope that you’re having a nice Saturday, doing something that brings you joy.
I’m now down almost 17 lbs from my heaviest. My newest goal is to make 20 off.
I’m trying to eat NO added sugar and as little as possible with prepared foods. I’m trying to read labels carefully and mainly only eat the sugar in fruit.
I am still putting a bit of salt on a hard-boiled egg at lunch, but I’m adding no salt to the food on my plate otherwise. I’m trying to add as little as possible when I cook, and trying to buy low salt varieties when I can, reading labels again carefully.
I’m eating lunch and dinner and trying not to eat in-between meals or before bedtime. I’m trying to watch my portions carefully.
I’m trying to do my yoga stretching every afternoon for half an hour or so.
My eyeballs are floating because I’m trying to drink more water. :0)
SO – one day at a time. One meal at a time. Slow, steady weight loss and improving my lifestyle so the changes become habits.
creativeartworksblog 