It was 62 this morning. I’m beginning to acclimate, in that I got chilled at that temperature. Things are warming up now (‘winter – or the cold season’ here is 50 degrees F. for a low and 85 or so for a high.) but this morning I put on a sweatshirt and wore my slippers in my place because my feet were cold!
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We saw and heard two men arguing on the way to the gym this morning. By the time we got back, one of the men had been arrested. He was yelling at the other man, refused to move for a lady who was trying to clean the area – her job – and other things we don’t know. It’s nice to know that the police responded quickly to the situation, avoiding possibly worse problems. That’s the first time I’ve even heard about anything like this here in Thailand.
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I’ve had a good morning, working on a sketch of a turkey. I’ll post it when it’s finished.
I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point. There are so many details left to handle, plus I want to visit my friends, get packed, etc.
Today will be a bit like Grand Central Station – though in a good way –
Our friends who adopted Amber will be here to get the drafting table in the art room. Lisa wants to choose more art supplies, and they may decide to get the roll top desk. We’re not sure when they are coming. They’ll text us. My friend Carla, who is helping to rehome Jet, may or may not be with them.
Our long time friends Dave and Laufrain said they wanted to come over for a last visit. They will text when they are on their way.
The daughter of one of the Lunch Bunch originals, who is now a good friend, too, is coming to visit around 1:30.
Re the flights – we are leaving Wednesday evening. Our son has put together the most comfortable combination of flights for us. He spent a long time researching what was available. We only want to change planes in safe places. He is arranging that we are as comfortable as possible on each of the four flights. First flight is short – Ft. Smith to DFW. There we go through security and there is a 4 hour layover. The second flight is 14 hours, but we are going Business Class, which I have never even THOUGHT about using, where we can sleep (with a pillow and blanket and reclining seats or ones that may even lie flat.) Not to mention the food and the fact that you get earphones so you can watch a movie or listen to music (which I plan to do.) The third is Doha, Quatar to Bangkok, about 6 hours, also Business Class ( :0) ), and the 4th is Bangkok to Chiang Mai, another shorter flight. 32 hours in all, but arranged to be as comfortable as our son could arrange, with the shortest layover times. Also, we’ll be leaving in the evening from here, and arriving in the afternoon there, also very good.
When I was cleaning out the roll top desk, I FOUND the Medtronic Pacemaker ID Card I need for the flights. I didn’t remember seeing it before, but my brain hasn’t been working at its best lately. So now I don’t have to worry about the one I ordered online getting here soon enough. The medical alert bracelet is supposed to get here tomorrow. It’s not needed as badly, but I’ll be glad to have it.
So people may be coming at different times – or all at the same time in a pile. We’ll be glad to see each and every one of them, and will do the best we can to direct traffic, conduct needed business, and get and give hugs.
We are meeting people who mean the world to us for lunch today. Technically, I guess, Murray is our cousin-in-law, but she is a mentor, friend, and “treasured person,” and she is coming with her smart, talented, kind son John, who we have seen from time to time over the years.
To give you a small idea of why Murray is so special – she had cancer and had to spend time in the hospital receiving chemo as part of her treatment. She got up and rolled her ‘tree’ with her chemo bag down the area, decorating it to look like a Christmas tree, visiting with the others receiving treatment, cheering them up. I’ve never known a kinder, more giving person.
They used to live in Thibodaux, Louisiana, but now live in Fayetteville, Arkansas. They are driving down to Greenwood to meet us at our favorite restaurant this morning.
Murray pointed out that the last time she saw our son, he was eight. He is now 46. :0) I’m trying to remember to take some pics of the group today, so I can share them with my SIL, MaryLou, later today.
This will be – again – a bittersweet event. We have never been able to arrange all the meetings we would have loved to have had over the years. Life gets in the way. We’ve managed to keep our bond strong with letters, phone calls, and messages, and we can continue the emails and phone messages after the move. We just won’t be able to SEE each other and hug their necks after today.
I’m so grateful that they could make the time to drive down here today. We’ll make it a lunch to remember. I have some stuff to give them before they leave. I won’t list details here because Murray reads my blog. :0)
I hope that you make as much time as possible to see the people you love. People are what makes life so rich. The love fills you up and simply spills out. We are lucky to have wonderful relatives and friends.
Today is my birthday. I’m 78. I’m especially happy to celebrate today because I almost didn’t get to celebrate this one. Because of the weird circumstance of being admitted to the ER because of shortness of breath and low blood oxygen, I was in the proper place to have good people there when my heart stopped twice on February 6th, plus the cardiology department who gave me a new lease on life with a temporary, then a permanent pacemaker. So, I’m celebrating today with a super-happy, ear-to-ear grin. If I can find a piece of chocolate cake with chocolate icing, you can bet I’m snarfing it down with pleasure! :0)
Kudoboard
Things are moving at a rapid pace around here on trying to get ready to move to Thailand to be with our son.
Our “emu” planters went to live with some good friends yesterday. They will need a coat of paint and some new googly eyes; but my friend loves them and they’ll have a wonderful home at her house.
I’m still busily canceling things like subscriptions, automatic renewals, automatic orders, etc., plus making lists of things to cancel when we are in Thailand.
We have a busy week ahead, sewing up lots of details, meeting with people, doctor appts, and more, but also have visits with friends scheduled and unscheduled as yet to enjoy.
Our son ordered backpacks for my husband and me to use as carry-ons until we get to Thailand. He will also order a suitcase for each of us, since the only ones we have weigh a ton and are older than he is. The new ones only have to live through one set of flights, so we should be able to get something at a reasonable price. We will each pack one suitcase and the backpack. That’s it. All else we let go.
The auctions may or may not happen while we are here. Our passports should be here in about two weeks, so we’ll be leaving soon after that. I’m concentrating on gathering as much energy as I can for the 23 or so hour trip.
I’m hoping that your life is going well, and that today – especially – you have a good reason to smile.
I’m still smiling after finding this, so I HAD to share.
The Courier-Journal
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS FOR THE YEAR-
Welcome to the end of Daylight Savings Time for the year. If you’re like me, the only clocks that were correct when you awoke this morning were on your computer, and maybe your phone.
I’ve been wandering around since I came downstairs, resetting clocks all over the house. I won’t get the one in our bedroom until later -until we go to bed tonight. The last ones that will be switched are in our vehicles. I’m going to let my husband change the one in the entertainment center and his watch so he’ll feel a part of things. It was interesting to me that my new smart watch was wrong this morning. I got out the manual, and it referred me to the app I now have on my phone. The minute I accessed that, my watch started buzzing on my wrist, syncing with the phone, and the time was corrected! Amazing.
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LINDA’S CRAFTINESS – “See the Good” is one of the wood-burned signs I’ve completed recently. It’s 6″ in diameter and very light weight. Good reminder for yourself or gift to someone you want to encourage. See this and my other wood-burned signs at this link to HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy.
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Bernhardjaeck-pixabay
This is actually a lot lighter than it is outside here right now. We’re due for thunderstorms all day today and tomorrow, with flood warnings and possibly severe weather until Tuesday morning. If the rain continues the way it is now, we might need a rowboat by tomorrow to put the trash out. As least nothing severe now.
I hope you’re safe, warm, and dry the next few days. Take care.
We’re due for another ‘intense heat advisory’ today before we finally have a cold front overnight and tomorrow hopefully breaking the back of the summer. I’ve BEEN ready for fall, so I’m delighted to welcome it with open arms. Happy Fall!!!
Raised Good
I have several wood-burned Christmas ornaments ready to paint. I started on it a bit last night and look forward to playing in my art room today.
I had HOPED that any delivery people would interrupt my exercise efforts, but no luck. We received the dog bed covers I ordered from SlimDogBed on Etsy! I was able to strip off and get ready to throw away the completely worn out covers and replace them with nice, new, colorful, sturdy denim ones.
This is the smaller one in the office.One of the two larger ones – this one in the living room.And the other larger one in the utility room
Amber is all fixed up now, if Monster Cat will allow her to use them. :0)
We’re also looking forward to this evening, watching the Kansas City Chiefs vs the Atlanta Falcons game. We’ll enjoy hot dogs while we watch. (My husband will have regular hot dog buns. I’ll have Mission Net Zero Carb tortillas instead of the buns – and he’ll have potato chips while I have cut up ripe tomatoes from our garden.)
It’s quite rainy-looking outside right now. We may get rain around 2pm today. I say, “MAY” because we were due for some yesterday, but only got very overcast skies for a time and some thunder, but no rain. It would be good if it comes. Update – now the sun has come out…
I hope you’re in the middle of a family-and-friends weekend celebration of Labor Day. We’re having a quiet one, and hopefully will talk with our son on either the chat program or the conference call today or tomorrow.
I just asked my husband if he “missed getting the memo.” I went to the bathroom and was joined by Amber, our 95-pound yellow lab, and Monster Cat (aka Jet). Both were playing and stretching, rubbing up against me over and over, making it a bit difficult to finish what I had gone in there for, since it’s a small space. I really don’t think we could have fit my husband IN there, if he HAD gotten the memo. I love my animals, but a bit less companionship at that time would be nice.
I’m about half finished with my project of editing the items on my Etsy site. They want me to add more pics for a lot of my items, so I’m doing that. I’m all for making changes that might give my stuff more exposure. I’m also continuing work on my two newest wood-burned pieces – ‘cat’ and ‘dog’ signs with pegs for leashes, etc. I’m trying some new techniques, having a great time.
We missed the hoped-for rain yesterday, and then next 10 days are supposed to be a ‘return-to-the-heat’ and dry. UGH.
Yesterday I checked for ripe tomatoes, but found none. I did find and replant some tomato suckers, though. As you can see here, only ONE of the suckers is doing really well. The rest are just hanging on. I’ll keep trying, though. I keep reminding myself that these are all ‘free’ tomato plants, and if just a couple do well, our chance for ripe tomatoes in an extended season increases.
The experiment of planting the elephant ear bulbs has been really interesting. I planted one large bulb in each of three brick planters. One planter in front of the garage has been a good place for several years. I planted the second bulb in a tall, shaded planter to one side of our front porch, hoping it would really spread out and take over the area. The third I planted in a planter at one end of the front yard, in a shaded, fairly protected place.
This is where I’ve planted elephant ears for several years. Usually I have three bulbs in this planter, but the ones I bought are huge, so I decided to see what one bulb in the middle would do. It seems to be happy here and very healthy.
The bulb in the planter to the side of the front porch is doing well, too, although the plant is not nearly as large as the other.
This is the bulb in the protected, shaded planter at one end of the front yard. It has struggled, but is finally gaining a foot hold. The plant is still very small.
Time got away from me yesterday, but I’ll try to get upstairs to my art room today and get started on a new wood burned sign. I’m really enjoying trying to do this. My dreams are full of what I’d like to do in the future, and all I’m learning daily, as far as techniques, what each of the different tips does, and more. Really FUN. :0)
I hope your Sunday is bright, shiny, and full of pleasure.
Jet spent almost an hour behind my husband’s computer monitors yesterday afternoon, just as comfortable as could be while my husband worked. I came in, deciding it was Amber’s turn for more active people time, so put Jet in her bathroom/safe place and brought sweet Amber into the living room/office area.
Amber – 95 pound yellow lab
We may die of old age waiting for armistice between Jet and Amber. Jet is one year and two months old. We know she had one litter of kittens. That’s about all we know of her background, other than the medical history the shelter gave us. She is very curious and affectionate. She is VERY wary of the dog and went on instant alert, my husband said, when I found her and made sure she was on our side of the dog gate before letting Amber into the kitchen and dining area, between the two gates. The cat tower is due to be delivered tomorrow afternoon. We’re hoping she will consider that another escape area as well as a fun place, once we get it up and anchored. ONE. DAY. AT. A. TIME.
We may also die of old age waiting for our driveway repair – due to Mother Nature, not the two good men with whom we’ve contracted for the job. They are experts and know what kind of time they need to do it. The younger man of the father and son team said he would text me the night before they plan to be here. Looking at the weather forecast is what has me NOT holding my breath – fingers crossed for tomorrow…
I hope that your Sunday is beautiful and that you make this a nice day.
Things are starting out quietly here this morning. I actually got some good rest last night, so I’m feeling almost human this morning. My husband is sleeping in.
We plan to run errands today, getting the mail we didn’t yesterday, plus hitting a couple of places for supplies.
Britannica
We will only be going down to the bottom of the driveway tomorrow for mail and to leave our trash for pickup, since our small town expects viewers to arrive for viewing the eclipse. The schools will be closed, too. We have traffic jams twice a day (around schools opening and letting out – hence, the bypass that is being constructed) so – even with the schools closed – if three people come to see the eclipse, we’ll have a mess on our hands… :0)
Our skies are due to be ‘partly cloudy’ which probably means we won’t be able to see much at all here. I’ll be out there with my glasses to see whatever I can see. I have a pair for my husband, too, but he tends to scoff at things such as this, so I don’t know if he’ll join me or not.
Yesterday was a complete wash-out since I had gotten very little sleep. I did a bit in the veggie planters and some cooking, but did not exercise, except to get into and out of my recliner. :0) I’ll make up for that today, doing my yoga and the elliptical.
I’m still patting myself on the head because yesterday I
FINISHED getting our tax stuff together and organized, with spreadsheets printed. (We need to wait for one thing to print and then we can dump this stuff on our CPA).
Added some file folders that I was missing this time to the file drawers where I keep receipts
Started new online spreadsheets for 2024
Listed the information from January on them
Filed everything
Balanced checkbooks
While I’m busy telling you this, I have to also admit that my desk, otherwise, looks like an explosion, AND I’m going to be gathering lots of stuff from upstairs to put in the trash. Sometimes I’m a bit of a hoarder – in the interest of stocking up for getting snowed or iced in, of course – and every once in a while I need to purge. This is one of those times. I’m going to start upstairs in our master bath, since I’ve completely emptied out the area under my lavatory and the area around our toilet for when our plumber will hopefully come in the coming week. My plan is to act like I’m moving and get really serious about what I NEED up there. Wish me luck, please.
WEEK 2 – today marks 2 weeks since my husband fell. Wednesday will be the first time he’s been out since I took him to the orthopedic surgeon. Our driveway is bumpy, so that will probably be painful for him. He really wants to get a haircut, so the trip is necessary for him. He improves each day, thankfully. The surgeon said it will take 10 to 12 weeks for healing.
HAIRCUT – I now feel more confident about leaving him alone for a bit when needed. I have a haircut scheduled the day after his. Plus, I scheduled a much-needed massage for the month.
I hope that the weather where you are is either something you can enjoy, or something you can put up with. It’s rainy here, but I’m reminding myself (1) it’s NOT snowing, and (2) it’s NOT icing, so NO COMPLAINTS, though I said some grumpy words when I took Amber out for her last outing of the night last night. :0)
Our local weather station in Fort Smith is listing 1 degree now, but OUR thermometers are showing 9, so we’re breaking out the swim suits and are preparing to enjoy the balmy weather.
I feel guilty when I whine, so suffice to say this cold is unusual for Arkansas. We’re dripping water so hopefully our water pipes don’t freeze. With snow predicted to start at noon and continue through tomorrow, my articulate comment is “UGH.”
My husband asked if I would make my hamburger casserole, so I’ll do that today. Unbelievably, our dog, Amber, is still shedding at a fantastic rate, so I’ll put vacuuming the tiled areas on the list for today, as well.
I’m planning to spend part of the day in my art room, experimenting and scheming, if not actually trying to produce something with my new wood-burning (pyrography) tools.
Another thing I was forced to notice, since we’re running water in the bathrooms and keeping the cabinet doors open, is that I need to clean out the under-the-cabinet areas in the two half-baths on our first floor. They are embarrassingly jammed full of ‘stuff’ that I’ve been ignoring for far too long. With the doors open, I can’t ignore them now, so that will go on the list for today, too.
I hope that wherever you are today, you are safe and warm, doing something fun with your day.
Yesterday I weed whacked the back and side yard. My husband followed me, blowing the grass off the back sidewalk. The yard looks really nice right now. We would never make any of the ‘beautiful yard’ competitions, but it DOES look like someone lives here now. :0)
Today I’m tackling the brick planter that lives in the ‘niche’ between our screened porch just outside our fireplace on one end of the house. (Yes! There IS a planter under there!)
I converted it from a tomato planter to an iris planter a couple of years ago. Now it looks like something out of a haunted house movie, doesn’t it – long neglected – capable of weird things climbing out of the weeds and Bermuda grass The really amazing thing to me is that all this happened since the end of the spring after the iris bloomed. I’ve been working my way around the yard and this is the last flower planter on my list. I’ll get started on it in a few minutes and see if I can do any good.
Women’s Health
Shout out this morning to Cathy, my good friend in Tulsa, who needs lots of love and strength sent her way to help her with a serious health issue. As you read this, please send a kind thought or two.
Now the “Battle of Lewis vs Bermuda” begins in Greenwood AR. There is no reward involved, but “It don’t make me no nevermind,” and I WILL win…
It’s dark and rainy is supposed to be this way until around 4pm. My husband is happy because he doesn’t have to mow today. :0)
We don’t have any plans today. I’m going to try to cook some kielbasa and veggies for dinner tonight. We usually do this meal on the grill, but the weather hasn’t been cooperative. We’ll see how it does inside.
Otherwise, I’m hoping for a quiet, calm day. Yesterday was challenging. My husband was trying to do something with his computer and phone and was really frustrated, not able to tell me what he was trying to accomplish. I worked with him on and off all day, finally giving up, totally stressed out. Some days are like that, and thankfully, we don’t have them often.
I decided, after writing my first post today, that I would change things up. My husband is taking a nap, so I decided –
The weeding will definitely wait until tomorrow
That I would use the time he is sleeping to my advantage
I hate to cook when I’m tired and stressed, so I have just finished getting the ingredients for a beef stew in the crock pot. It will be ready when we are tonight with no more work on my part :0)
I did a lot of my daily computer stuff, so I’m not now feeling stressed that things are waiting on me.
I have cleared things off my beside-the-computer-table so I won’t have to clear work debris off them, plus my husband can actually put a foot on the table if needed to balance while he’s working without messing any of my things up. I also cleaned off my desk for the same reason, clearing breakables out of the way.
I may be losing the day for my own projects, but I’m feeling a bit more in charge of what we WILL be doing, my part in it, and have made the rest of the day more pleasant for both of us.
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LOOK WHAT I DID!
2″ Hand-painted, light-weight, one-of-a-kind orange multi-color teardrop-shaped wooden dangle earrings. Painted plain orange on the back. Get ready for someone to remark about them or ask where they can get a pair. Answer: they can’t! These are only for YOU. They will need to come look for a different pair. French ear wire with soft marshmallow cushion backs. $13.95 with FREE SHIPPING in the contiguous U.S.
Erica commented on pair she purchased – “Earrings are so lightweight and super cute. They went perfectly with blue outfit for work and really enhanced the look. I got compliments on them too!”
Link to these on Etsy – If you prefer to buy these or other products directly from me, please contact me directly at lindawlewis1@gmail.comand we’ll discuss details.
This last day of April here is sunny and bright – something we have had little of, so it’s really welcome. It finally was dry enough – and my husband was feeling well enough – for him to mow around the house for the first time this season. He has a nice riding mower and he did a great job, so we look reasonably civilized right now :0)
We will have to drive slowly down the driveway soon, stopping for me to hold, and my husband to clip/cut/saw branches that are now hanging down in the driveway on both sides, making it almost like a tunnel to go down or come up. It looks kind of pretty, if you don’t have to worry about the branches scratching your vehicle…
Yesterday was a “2-Star” day because I
Didn’t eat anything in-between meals or add salt to anything, and
Did a 45 minute session of very careful yoga stretches. It’s been awhile since I’ve done my practice, and I was really stiff and sore. (It took over a minute for my back to stop hurting when I just lay down flat on the floor, for example). I find that I’m a hard-head and slow to learn on some things. I’m proving to myself – yet again – how much I need a daily session of stretching and relaxing to feel my best.
I just came in from checking the garden boxes and the tomato plants. All are looking good, and I’ll share pics in another post today.
I hope that this last day of April is a good one for you.
Our son and I just had a nice chat online this morning. I’m so happy that I can reach out and talk to him when I miss him (which is always) and find out what he’s doing, what he’s thinking, send him a pic, etc. We just used the chat program this morning, but we can also use a conference call program when we want.
I fixed salmon fillets with steamed veggies last night for dinner. My husband was quite complimentary about the dinner. I used a recipe from Dr. Oz and his wife for “Lemon and Scallion Salmon.” It’s easy and delicious. I actually cooked 4 fillets and looked for ways to use the leftovers. For some reason, I hadn’t thought of using the salmon to make a tuna-type salad. I’ll do that for our dinner tonight.
I dreamed about several things I want to try in my art room. It’s the first time in quite awhile that I have felt pulled up there. Maybe I can get there soon.
creativeartworksblog 