Egg Sandwiches, Paperwork and A Beautiful Day

Hello Good People!
I had company for lunch. My sister Susan showed up unexpectedly around 3 this afternoon. She's feeling a bit lost these days. Her husband passed away back in April and she's feeling the solitude these days much more than usual. She mentioned she was going to go to town for groceries cause she was hungry. I was hungry too so I invited her to stay for an egg sandwich and bit more conversation.
After we devoured our sandwiches she sat in the overstuffed chair in the livingroom with Doob on her lap. Doob isn't a social butterfly by any means! Most folks don't even know I have that third cat cause she hides in the bedroom when people come along. Doob likes Susan though and she didn't hestitate to climb right up in her lap and settle in for a good petting and some easedropping on our conversation. We didn't really talk about much of anything. Susan says Ma is feeling better today. She was sick the day before yesterday with a stomach bug of some sort. I saw Ma the day before yesterday when she came over with Monte and Elaine for them to unload their trailer full of their stuff that they are storing in my burned house until their new house is ready for them in P-burg. She seemed fine then. Susan tells me Linda was sick that day as well. They must of eaten something somewhere that didn't agree with them. It's good that Ma is feeling better though. She's not a spring chicken anymore even if she thinks she is!
I have paperwork that needs to be taken to Pburg in the moring. It was actually supposed to be there today but the bank has to fill out some paperwork that goes with my paperwork and they couldn't get it done till in the morning. So the folks in Pburg are just going to have to wait for it till then. One would think I would have had all that paperwork ready cause every January it is due again. I lollagagged around and didn't get all the stuff together that I needed to get together in time to have it back to them when they wanted it. I don't think one day is going to make a lot of difference in the outcome of it all though. Last December I was over a week late in getting the paperwork in. I had documents to copy for this paperwork and my copier ran out of ink before I was done doing that so I'll have to finish that up in the morning as well.
Fred has been outside most of the day and I've had both the front door and the back door standing wide open! It was almost 60 degrees outside today. The house needed a good airing out and it was a perfect day for it. Now that the sun is on its descent for the day, the temps are dropping and both the doors have been closed. I haven't been outside yet today.
Later...in about an hour I'll be headed to town to sit with the girls for the evening. That will be fun. It always is. Allison didn't call to say she wanted me to bring some art stuff along so I'll leave it at home tonight. I don't really feel like doing anything arty tonight anyway. I finished up one of the little books I've been working on and the other is all but done...just waiting on the glue to dry so I can bind it. Those need to go in the mail tomorrow along with three sets of chunky pages. I hope the trees and the snowmen (especially) make it to their destinations on time. The Star Trek pages aren't really on a schedule...they shoud have been mailed weeks ago! The girl getting them will be happy to see them finally arrive in her mail box.
I've been very unorganized here of late with mail art. I can't seem to get back into the flow of things where it is concerned. I have a couple of altered envelopes that need to be done and mailed off as well. Didn't even realize I owed them till I went through my stack of index cards yesterday and found it there. Those won't take anytime to do though and they too will go in the mail in the morning. Maybe I should take those to town with me tonight and do them while watching TV with the girls.
All in all it has been a fantastic day despite the fact that I didn't hit the sheets till 6:30 this morning! I stayed up all night playing games on this wretched machine. I got up at 1:30 this afternoon and have been on the go since then!
I shall talk to you all again tomorrow or the next day....
You all have a marvelous Monday evening and make sure you get your hugs for the day! I'll be collecting mine in about an hour! :)
Peace
831

Saturday Morning...early

Christmas has come and gone. I am still thinking of the reason for the season though... That is not something we should think of only when the calendar reads December.
My house was full of little boys on Christmas Day. Between the four boys, 12 adults and that silly Fred dog, there was little room for moving about easily. A good time was had by all though! Christmas Dinner was had next door at Susan's house. We all traipsed to my house to open presents here after dinner. Before dinner we all went to Ma's house to open presents there. And right after dinner at Susan's we opened presents there as well. I won't go into detail as to all the presents I got. My people really love me! I always get more presents than anyone else. I think that is cause I am so easy please. Not cause I'm so loveable, though I am loveable too.:)
I'm drinking coffee out of one of my favorite gifts right now. It's a very large black mug with pretty gold swirls around the rim of the mug. It came with a saucer as well. RJ and Terah gave it to me. RW and Lou gave me a Crop-a-dile that I absolutely LOVE! It's a very useful tool for making little books. It will help me greatly in my art endeavors. Ma gave me many presents (she does every year for all her children-she has 9 of them!). I like the silver bracelet and the antique elephant match holder very much. My sister Susan gave me a mechanical antique elephant bank that is just too cool! It works for me in two areas! I collect both elephants and coin banks. She also gave me lots of other things as well. Sister Linda gave me an incense burner kit that consists of a tiny ceramic elephant to hold the stick incenses. I love it~!
Fred got a BIG beef knuckle bone from RJ and Terah. He got to play with RW and Lou's boys all day Christmas Day. He was a happy camper.
I am in need of a new keyboard! This one refuses to type right. The keys keep sticking and I have to keep backspacing to get all the letters to show up. Thss hat it looks like fI don't backspace occasionall. That is kind of hard to read~!
I have mail to prepare for mailing and beings this keyboard is beinga bear even after I've banged it on thedesktop to clear it out, I'm going to leave ou all now with hopes for a splendid Saturday!
Peace
831

Donna Has Learned a Thing or Two Tonight!

And then maybe she hasn't learned as much as she had hoped to brag about....

I'm trying to add a link back to Jesse's blog for the award he gave me. It can't be done as far as I can tell. I'm sure it's got nothing to do with this wretched machine and everything to do with my technological difeciencies!
Thanks for the award, Jesse and as soon as I figure out those danged links...I'll add the pictures of the awards and link back to you, my friend! Bear with me, please.

It has been a learning day for sure! I did figure out how to add a list to the blog sidebar. Yeah! That surprised me to no end that it actually worked. This PC and me, we don't always see eye to eye. This wretched machine makes things so very difficult sometimes. I guess I shouldn't have wanted more than one gadget this evening... Check out all the books I've read thus far this year. I might get one more added to the list... all depends on how crazy it gets around here between now and the 31st.

I went to the bowling alley this evening with the girls and their mama and papa. I can't bowl. For various reasons I can't bowl.
1. I can't pick up a bowling ball and actually toss it down the lane for one. It's physically impossible for me to do that without hurting myself quite badly.
2. Even when I could pick up a bowling ball and toss it down the alley, I couldn't hit the pins at the end of the lane in a consistent manner. I hated bowling then cause I was no good at it and I doubt I would be any better at it now even if I could attempt it.
3. Bowling balls are only good for yard art in my experience with dealing effectively with the damn things. (Though they do come in many lovely colors... the better which to adorn your yard!)
I had a good time at the bowling alley despite the fact I don't bowl. It's not really a spectator sport unless spectators make it so. I tried my best to enjoy the view. I did laugh a time or two so it wasn't so very dull at all. Strikes bring out the animal in some people. I saw chicken dances, heard whoops of joy and saw terrible faces made when a ball didn't go quite where the thrower had intended. I did have a good time!
I didn't really sit with the girls...again someone forgot to call me and tell me the plans had changed. Had I known the girls were going to the bowling alley tonight I wouldn't have bothered to get dressed and go to town. I could have gone to Hays with RJ earlier today. I'm not really complaining ... I just wish I weren't so forgettable when it comes to changed plans, that I am a part of, and no one bothers to tell me the plans have changed. It's kinda rude. It hurts my feelings cause I am sure I should be thought much higher of. It wasn't all lost though. I made the best of the situation and I got supper for my trouble of getting out in the cold. It was only 11 degrees F when I left the house at 6:15 p.m. The meatloaf was good. I can't make a meatloaf to save my soul so I never pass it up from someone who does know how to make a decent one. There were green beans and mac and cheese to go with it too. Green beans are my favorite veggie next to brussel sprouts.
I'll be heading back to town tomorrow evening to deliver presents to them all. I don't know why this is such a sore spot for me, but it is. There are four of them. I give EACH of them a gift every Christmas. Four gifts carefully thought out and given with love. I get one gift and its chosen by only one of them. Should I feel let down about that? It's the same way with Birthdays... I give each of them a birthday present every year and I only get one present on my birthday. They have all been known to forget my birthday and run out and get me something cause they think it is necessary. I don't know... I probably make more of it than I should. The only time I really think about this is this time of year. It's when I'm wrapping four presents knowing I'm only going to be unwrapping one, I guess? I don't know. I just know it doesn't sit right with me. I also know how selfish it sounds and I don't want you all to think I'm just in it for the pressies. I'm not. It goes a lot deeper than just Christmas gifts... I feel I give more to this friendship sometimes than I get out of it. I love these people. I have loved them since I first met them. They have many good qualities and their gift giving regime is the only thing that really bothers me where they are concerned. Well, that and they forget to tell me when plans have changed. That doesn't bother me near as much as the present thing though. I just don't know. I'm not going to worry about it, not today.
I did get my present from the lady of the house. She's the one who chooses the presents. It's a nice thoughtful gift. Now all I need is someone to rub that foot lotion on my feet after I use the foot soak and the scrubber stuff that came with it! I can't easily reach my own feet because of my back right now. I play hell putting on my socks everyday! I also got a new bath poofy, two small candles in a nice little tin and a great big hot chocolate mug. I'm gonna use the mug on my painting table for some utensils that won't fit easily in my brush caddy.
I still have to wrap their presents. I do hope they like what they're getting. I give to them because I do love them, not because I want lots of presents for myself. I got more stuff now than one person really needs. I'll get a 'Merry Christmas' from each of them and that will be enough. I'm only human and we humans have a few failings. One of mine is that I get to feeling sorry for myself sometimes and I try to blame that on others when in reality I am the only who can change any situation in my own life.
I have to go to bed. It's a quarter to two in the morning and Christmas is the day after tomorrow. You all wouldn't believe all that I still must accomplish before then! I won't go into detail cause that would just take away from my beauty sleep! So....
Go get yourself a hug or two ( I got two of them today! :) Nice tight hugs, full of feeling!). I shall come yak at you all probably the day after Christmas. I'm gonna be way too busy till after then to get back in here to talk to you good people.
Merry Christmas and God Bless you all!
Peace
831

And Now it's Friday

And Friday is almost done and over with.

Ignore yesterday's post. zo means nothing to anyone, not even me! I was going to write out a post yesterday but things came up when I first started the post and all that got out was 'zo'. I didn't have my fingers on the keyboard in the right position and I hit the wrong button somewhere and the post got posted. Then Susan honked her horn in the driveway and I was out of here to go have coffee with her in town. I forgot all about doing a post on the blog once I got back home. Yes. I was somewhat spacey yesterday! It happens.

RJ and Terah were here about an hour ago on their way home from Ness City. The had called earlier to see if I needed anything from Wally World while they were there. They brought Fred a bag of food and me a bottle of coffee creamer. They're both good kids!

They were telling me about their trip to Ness City. They took I-70 to Wakeeney from Hays and from there to Ness City. Somewhere in that stretch of snow covered interstate a FedEx truck pulling two trailers had somehow crashed. They said the cab of the truck and its engine were already on a flatbed trailer and the two trailers were in the median of the highway. Both trailers pretty mangled. I've no idea about the driver's condition. I am in hopes the person is fine after this ordeal. Two trailers can carry a lot of packages! Looks like there will be some late deliveries from that batch.

I don't have much excitement to talk about today. Those bitterly cold temperatures I told you all about the other day didn't come to be. Ma isn't always right any more than the weather gurus are sometimes. It did pour down freezing rain last night and then it snowed on top of that. It is indeed very cold outside though. Fred goes out and does his business and wants right back in the house, no lollagagging around for him! Billy went out this morning for about an hour and he'd had enough. Both of those critters like to go outside during the day for longer stretches of time than they went this morning. I took Fred to town with me in early afternoon. The roads were icy, but the sky was clear. It was actually a very nice looking day out there so long as you weren't out there in it! The picture I've shown you today is what it looks like out there. That picture was actually taken two winters ago but that's about how much snow is on the ground right now. The scenery is a bit different as there's now a rock garden between those two trees but you get the picture anyway. That's my front yard. The house you see is my burned house. RJ said he heard there was to be more freezing rain tonight. Guess we shall see.

It is more like morning to me than being 10 o'clock at night as I haven't been awake for very long. I'm trying desperately to turn my sleep pattern around so I can awake for Christmas Day. I don't know how well that is going to work though. I've been staying up later and later each day so I can get that turned around. I went to sleep around 2 this afternoon and was awake by 8:30 when the kids got here. I'm kinda bummed out these days. Spend way too much time alone it seems. Only I can change that though so I'll not whine at you good people!

I have presents to wrap this evening so I'm going to call this post done and get on with that!

Here's hoping that wherever you are, you are warm, safe, in the company of those you love and that you're happy today! I truly won't complain about my own situation!

Give and get your hugs .... we all need some every now and then!

Almost forgot..... it is official!!!! I have a grandbaby on the way! Due on the 4th of July. I'll keep you all updated!

Peace

831

zo

Wednesday's Ramblings

Hello Good Readers! And you not-so-good readers as well! :)

It's cold in the land of Kansas! My weather guru....a.k.a. Ma.....says it is supposed to get down to -10F either tonight or tomorrow night. Brrrrrr~!

Water has been restored. I was without it for almost four days! The water pipes froze up and it took forever to get the water flowing again! I've left the space heater on under the house to prevent another freezing of the pipes. The kitchen was a harzardous zone what with all the dirty dishes sitting around for four days. I was somewhat of a hazardous zone too without a shower for two days running. All that and more has been remedied with Ma's help. Laundry is now washing and a shower is in my very near future!
RJ did his best to get the water flowing again. He worked out in the cold, under the house putting the insulation back up that the plumber didn't bother to do even though he said he'd be back the next day to do. That was a couple months ago when we weren't worried about the pipes freezing up and didn't really give it another thought until there was no water coming out of the faucets. It was one of those "OMG we forgot to fix the insulation! No wonder we've no water!" kinda moments. Had the pipes burst from freezing, the plumber would have gotten a call and I'd have had some free fixing of my pipes cause it would have been his fault cause he didn't put the insulation back where he found it when he checked for the water leak. He didn't even find the cause of the water leak. RJ did. RJ fixed it too. But all is alright cause the water pipes didn't burst, thankfully! What a mess that would have been! RJ put heat tape and foam insulating rods on all the pipes under the house and I do believe the problem is now solved.
The Christmas tree is up and all decorated as of tonight. It's been up and with most of the decorations on it since Friday. Brenton and I put more little red balls on it the day before yesterday and then tonight Ma and I put the rest of the little red balls on it and a hundred plastic ice cicles as well. It looks really pretty! Now all that's left to do with it is go out to the shed and retrieve the angel that's sitting on top of a box in the west room out there.
We have snow on the ground. (And everything else as well.) It was so pretty Tuesday morning when the sun came up. The snow was pristine...not a mark in it till I let Fred out for his morning constitutional and he tracked all over the field between my house and Susan's. It snowed roughly two inches...not sure what the official amount was...I'm just going by what I saw out there...eyeballing it if you will. Wasn't a whole lot of snow but enough to let one know it did indeed do so! I really wish the camera was working! I'd love to show you all pictures of my space on this giant ball we call home. It has been bitterly cold since Saturday. And it doesn't appear as if the warmth of summer is going to return anytime soon either! I prefer the warmth of summer over the cold of winter. The older I get, the worse winter is to endure for this old body of mine!
And speaking of that... my back and hip are still bothering me. Not as badly. I haven't found my cane but it's OK cause I haven't really needed it too badly in the last few days. I sleep alot-which isn't really anything unusal for me-but I really wish I could change around the nights and days again. I'm up all night, sleep all day. Like a danged bear hibernating. I haven't been in my van to go anywhere since Friday. It's still sitting out by the backdoor instead of out front in the driveway where it should be. I've not needed to go anywhere since Friday. There was no sitting with the girls on Monday cause they had a ballgame over in Logan. I was asked if I'd like to go to Logan but no one called me on Monday to arrange if I was gonna go or not, so I didn't go. It's probably best I didn't go cause sitting on those bleachers would have done my back absolutely no good at all and I'd hurt worse than I do already.
I have had lots of company even though I haven't gone out to see anyone. Ma comes most days just to make sure I'm still alive and kicking and to see if I need anything. RJ was here four days in a row. Three of them to try to get water restored. Terah came with him one of those days and Brenton came with him another of those days.
It is official!!! I am going to be a grandma! The baby is due on the 4th of July. There is a possibility Terah could have twins. That is just a guess though... that's not official. I say there is a possibility because twins do run in RJ's father's family. RJ's grandma is a twin and there are other twins from his dad's side of the family. We will just have to wait and see on that. It is good news! Doc says all should go well. Brenton tells me he wants a little sister. I'm hoping for him a little sister as well.
I did something last night that I haven't actively done since 19 August 1999. I chewed off a fingernail. Some would say, well that's not such a big deal. But to me, it is a big deal! It means my life is way too full of stress at the moment! I used to chew those things down to nubs. If you're wondering how I can remember the exact date that I stopped doing that, it is because of the circumstances that led to stopping that habit. And that's what it is. A habit. I won't be chewing off anymore of them though cause I'm aware I did it and I don't like one little bit how that particular finger now appears compared to the rest of them! It's an ugly thing now. It will grow back though in due time. What I should do is clip the rest of them quite short so they all grow back at the same rate instead of having that short one and the rest of them long. I'll think on that and perhaps that is exactly what I will do.
I've been busy with artwork at night. What else is there to do when you've no water and everyone else is asleep, snug in their beds? It keeps me out of trouble so it's all good. Well, the artwork isn't all good but the time is well spent. I made four ATCs, two Chunky pages and finished two little books last night. I did some cleaning in the deskroom the night before last and spent hours playing word racer on yahoo games. I made 17 little books (we are talking tiny books here) on Sunday evening. Time goes by too fast somedays and I haven't a clue what I've done for the days not accounted for here. Surely it wasn't anything too awfully productive... I did read in my book one night this week. A book called The Shelters of Stone by Jean M. Auel. Fourth in a series of five. I won't start The Plains of Passage till after Christmas has come and gone.
Tomorrow I have got to get busy and make cookies. First I have to fire up that van and head to town for the ingredients I will need to make cookies. Ma said she'd come over and help me make cookies if I wanted her to. I like to bake cookies so I think I'll just make it a solo endeavor.
While cookies are making I'll be wrapping presents as well. They are strung out all over my bedroom still.
I'll be scanning all the pages and ATCs I've made over the last week here later this evening. I'll show you what's come out of the muse tomorrow...or maybe later after the scanning gets done.
Right now though... I need to get busy.
You all have a fantastic Thursday. Get you some holiday hugs. Give more than you take! I shall yak at you another day!
Peace
831

Picture Saturday

Water lilies done in colored pencil on watercolor paper. ATC

Jars Of Clay done with a woodburning tool on thin cork. ATC

Jackson Jester- done in Sharpies on cardstock. The jester is separate from the backing. He has been cut out, colored with Sharpies and then glued onto the backing which is also cardstock. ATC

Kiss Me Quick- done in graphite pencil on watercolor paper. I've been told this looks like Ben Stiller. It very well could be him. I'm not familiar with the man myself but I found the photograph this is drawn from in a magazine. I paid no attention to who it was though. ATC

I See You- Black gel inki pen on cardstock. Zentangle. ATC

Kansas donein acrylics on watercolor paper. ATC

Fritz done in acrylics on watercolor paper. ATC

Hubert done in acrylics on watercolor paper. ATC

Harriet done in black sharpie on cardstock. ATC

Goliath Beetle done in fine point Sharpie on cardstock. ATC

The Gunslinger done colored pencil and sharpie on cardstock. ATC

Elizabeth done in chalk and acrylics on watercolor paper. ATC

Frieda Kahlo done in pencil on sketch paper with cardstock backing. ATC

Beverly done in fine point sharpie on cardstock. ATC

Fall Tree done in acrylics on watercolor paper. ATC

Barry Manilow done in pencil on sketch paper with cardstock backing. ATC

Ava done in sharpie on cardstock. ATC

Audrey Hepburn done in pencil on charcoal paper. ATC

Hello Good People!

I thought I'd show you some drawings and paintings today. All of them are mine. Please don't use them without permission. If you would like to use one of them for some reason, please shoot me off an email and I'll gladly consider your request. Thanks!

I've been drawing since I could pick up a crayon but painting hasn't been happening quite that long. I started on acrylics about 15 years ago. One would think that after 15 years of painting I would have hundreds of paintings to my credit. I don't. I don't have hundreds of drawings either but both have been added to since last November in greater numbers than ever before. All the pieces you see here are ATCs. Artist Trading Cards. They are 2.5x3.5 inches each. I like the small canvas that ATCs give me.

Since I discovered ATCs last November, I have branched out from paintings and drawings to include collage as well. I like the small canvas for collages also, but like 4x4s (which are 4 inches square) even better for collage. I'll show you all a boatload of collages in a future post.

I've been working on collages today. I am almost finished with my sister Linda's christmas book. It is called I Love My Cat. She does love cats! All the pictures are freehand cut cats with other embellishments added. She's getting a ten page book with actually 20 pages of my cats. I hope she likes it. I've spent a good number of hours on it. I started it way before Halloween. As soon as the last four pages dry I will bind it as well.

I also finished Allison's handmade book. It has a purple sunflower painted on the front cover. That's what she wanted! Iaim to please! :) Her sister's book is almost done. It will be done tomorrow. I'm waiting for the strings to dry and the fish to dry. I'll show you all a picture of both the books after I scan them tomorrow. I'm really proud of the fish book. I used US cancelled stamps (Liberty Bell Stamps) for the fish's scales and sandpaper for his fins, tail and head. It looks really cool! Sara wanted an abstract fish on the cover of her book. This fish fits that bill! :)

Needless to say I have been a busy girl today! Christmas is going to be here before I am ready! I still have two bowls to paint decorations on. I think they will both have cats on them. And I have another little book to make for Aunt Sherry. I need to call her tomorrow, forgot to do it today, and what her favorite color is. I have the covers and the paper already cut, just need to do the artwork and bind the book.

I have gone through the closet to see what I have for gifts for everyone I am giving gifts to. I have them all strung out in my bedroom on the book shelves, the dressers and on the floor in piles of who they go to. I still have no idea what I am giving to my mother! I know I'm giving her one of my little handmade bowls but I need to find a few other things...maybe a batch of cookies in that antique footed bowl I found in the dumpster at City Hall last weekend after an auction? I haven't decided yet. Something in that bowl though.

My friend Helena has a recipe for microwave caramel popcorn. I need to call her tomorrow too and get that recipe from her.

The weather is turning for the worse this coming week is what the weather gurus are telling me. I am not ready for ice and snow in abundance but whether I am ready or not, here it comes! Saturday's high is predicted to be only 15F. That is COLD! I am going to have dress in layers when I get dressed in the morning. I am a cold blooded old thing as it is and the weather turning colder only makes me colder! I am sitting here shivering even though I have plenty of clothes on. Even got my warm housecoat on!

It is 3 a.m. and I am cooking spaghetti! I'm not only cold, I'm very hungry too! All that artwork and I forgot to eat supper. I ate at about 4 p.m. but that's been quite a few hours ago. Time for some sustenance! I made spaghetti sauce to go over some spaghetti squash I cooked a few days ago. I'll have the rest of the sauce over noodles in the next day or two.

I got my Christmas Tree put up on Thursday with Ma's help. It would have never got up without her help. I was going to put only red ornaments on the tree but I grabbed the wrong box when I hobbled out to the shed and decided the ornaments that generally go on the little tree, which I could not locate, would work just fine for the big tree. I still have ornaments to put on it and I need to go get the angel that goes on top of the tree out of the shed where I sat her down and promptly forgot her.

All the critters are doing fine. Doob just keeps getting wider! She's a chunk of a cat! I don't think she's over weight, she's just big! She's in an uproar with me right now. I am dog sitting for Pug, RJ and Terah's little dog. Doob hates the dog she has to live with, Fred, and having another one in the house just upsets her routine all to hell! She has to take time out of her naps to whoop Pug just cause Pug is in sight! Miss Blue isn't real happy about another dog in the house either though. Billy could care less. He and Pug were playing in the front yard this afternoon. He would let Pug chase him up the elm tree and then when Pug lost interest in standing there with her head pointed heavenward, Billy would come down and chase her. Those cats may have to just get used to having Pug around though cause I think I am going to keep her. The kids don't really have time to have a dog and she does like coming to my house and the kids said I could keep her if I wanted to. Fred needs a buddy anyway. Gives him something to do!

It is not official yet----but... three pregnancy tests have come up postive and I think I have a grandbaby on the way! I won't say anymore about this till Terah goes to the doctor and confirms the diagnosis. She has had trouble in the past carrying a baby to term and I want to make certain this child is actually growing. Any prayers you can offer up would be greatly appreciated. I intend to offer up quite a few myself. I'm excited to have a grandbaby. Even though I already have five grandsons, they are not my sons' biological children. That in no way means I love them less...there is goodness in a child regardless who it actually belongs to in a biological sense... I am excited though!

And with that pending news I am out of here for a day or two. I'm sure I'm going to be one busy girl for the next few days.

Peace!

831

Naveen Andrews in Pencil and A Lost Post

Hello Good People!

I did indeed lose a post yesterday. Thanks to that son of mine! He wanted to get on the pc when he got here and I said to him: "Open a new page!" He didn't. He went to another page from the page where I write my commentary to post it on this blog. All was lost! Not to worry though! :) I'll just start over today.

There is Naveen Andrews at the beginning of the post. I tried to show you that pencil drawing yesterday but you already know the story of why that didn't happen. This drawing used to be about 5 by 9 inches or so...I cut it down to ATC size a few months ago and traded it off for another ATC. I like to do pencil drawings of people but I know there is a lot of room for improvement in my portraits of others as well.

I'll be painting later this afternoon. I have another book to finish as well. Just need to punch holes in the blank paper that will be the body of the book and then bind it. The covers are already done.

I have been dog sitting for Pug since yesterday. Her people went off to Hutchinson and they asked me to keep an eye on her. She's a good little dog and she isn't a bit of trouble. Though she did do her business on the livingroom carpet in SIX different spots yesterday when I left her and Fred home alone, inside the house for four hours. I let them both out to do their business before I left them in the house for that long. And come to think of it... they really weren't in the house for that long...It was cold and windy out yesterday and that is why I made them stay in. Fred opened the backdoor sometime while I was gone and they both got out. It was cold as all get out in the house, the furnace running at top speed. I had said to my traveling companion that I hoped the stupid Fred dog hadn't opened that back door. He knows how to do it! He's done it before. And low and behold...that door was indeed standing wide open when we pulled into the drive. And there was Pug at the backdoor and Fred barking his fool head off, running towards the car as though he were happy as could be to be seeing us again! So I had messes to pick up when I got home from my travels.

It isn't nearly as cold out today. There was snow on the ground when I got up yesterday morning and the wind blew like crazy all day and night. No snow out there now and it's quite sunny and warm. The dogs both just came in from being outside for over two hours. Both of them asleep on the sofa as I speak! I need to walk over to the mailbox across the highway sometime today. My hip is killing me still. It's my sciatic nerve that is causing all this pain and making it so difficult to walk about. I'm unsure just what to do to make this pain go away. Pain meds don't help much. Sitting isn't good. Standing isn't good. Walking is really not good. Laying down isn't good. If I had wings to fly, that might work! I'm dealing with it as best I can.

The fibro is in an uproar as well and it isn't only my hip that is painful today. My arms hurt like crazy as well. Least I don't have a headache...yet. That could change at any moment. Fibro is a very odd disease. The symptoms change from one moment to another sometimes. I will have pain in one spot and the next moment it will be another spot and the first spot is no longer painful. The sciatic nerve pain is a constant though and it's got to be checked out by a doctor soon. I tried to find my cane yesterday. I thought it was hanging on the inside doorknob of the deskroom door but it's not there. I looked in the closet in the spare room, in the closet in my room. I don't know where it could be. I sometimes need it and now is one of those times! I'll keep hunting for it.

I don't really have anything especially entertaining to talk about today so I'll leave you now with hopes that your day is a good one filled with love!

Peace
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No News Is Good News, Fowl Play at the Convience Store and I'm Tired

Hello All!
My back is still giving me trouble but it is much better.
No news is good news cause sometimes that's just how it works out. I expected a call from a friend, but I never got a call. There was no indication a call was forthcoming, I just thought it might be...all is well on that front though as far as I know. I won't lose any sleep over it but I do wish the friend would at least call and let me know all is well.
Fowl play at the convience store? Strangest thing I've seen in a long time! I pulled into 1st Stop this afternoon and to my suprise and the suprise of my passengers, there in the parking lot was a little black hen walking around like she owned the place. I went inside to make my purchases and said to the girl behind the counter, "Did you know you have a chicken running around in the parking lot?" She says, "That's our store mascot. Someone dumped her off here about nine months ago. We feed her everyday." Then she handed my son a handful of catfood and told him to toss it down on the sidewalk out front and the hen would help herself. I've been in that store at least once a week all year long and I don't recall there ever being a chicken around anytime I was there. This store is in the middle of town, right on the highway. Granted, Stockton ain't a very big town, but still. A chicken as a store mascot? And she eats catfood? Strange, strange, strange! She is a pretty little hen, seemed to be quite content. I wonder though, where does she stay when the weather gets nasty? Cold? They don't appear to have a shelter of anykind for her but there are some rather large evergreen trees out behind the store so perhaps she roosts there? I really don't know. It was quite a sight to me to find a banty hen running around the parking lot this afternoon. I will now look for her everytime I go there.
I'm tired cause I didn't go to bed till 5:30 this morning cause I stayed up all night finishing book number three in the Earth's Childrens Series by Jean M. Auel. The Mammoth Hunters was an excellent book! At a little after 8 Evelyn came over and hollered for Fred to come get his dog biscuit like she does every morning and woke me up when she opened up the front door hollering, "Freddy! Freddy! Come get your bone!" Freddy was fast asleep on the floor in my bedroom at the time. Then at around 8:30 RJ showed and barged through the front door waking me up again. It is now 2 p.m. and I'm running on about 2.5 hrs of sleep.
I am going to take a nap and then finish the laundry I started yesterday. Only one more load to go! Yeah! Then I am going to start the fourth book of the series--Shelters of Stone. I have not read all that one. The previous three I had read years ago but they were still like new books, especially The Mammoth Hunters. There are five books in the series.
I just wanted to tell you all about the chicken in the convience store parking lot. How many convience stores have a chicken running around in the parking lot, I wonder? Not many, I'm betting! Leave it to the Stockonites!!!
I have to make a few little books later today as well. Christmas is approaching fast! I need to go through the mounds in the closet and see what I have and what I need for gifts this year. Two bowls are painted sans their decorations and one is still naked. I did make seven gifts the other day so that's done. I need to go out to the closeline and snag some clothespins off it to make a few more of those things to have enough for everyone I want to give one to. I also have a chunky book to finish putting together, but that can wait a couple days or so. I'll need it on Monday to give to Allison so she can give it to her mama for Christmas. She did most of the artwork in that little book.
I got another message in a bottle in the mail the other day. Filled to the brim with art goodies. Also contained in that water bottle was a very nice ATC! Good things do come in my mailbox! I'm still waiting on some things from Finland though...I thing the post office is holding them hostage somewhere along their route. It has been a couple months since they should have been sent. I need to check on them with the girl they are coming from. I hate it when mailart goes missing! Luckily I have only had that happen to one envelope that I sent out into the hands of the postal system. I'm still wondering, after almost six months where the devil those three ATCs have landed. They sure didn't make it to Wisconsin!
I have five things ready to be mailed to various parts of the world. Three postcards and two letters with ATCs inside the envies. One of them should have been mailed the week of Thanksgiving but the van wasn't working then and I had no easy way to get to town to mail any of those. Tomorrow I will make a trip to the post office and remedy that situation.
I got my first Christmas card from a real person today. I hadn't heard from my friend Cherri for a long time! She never forgets me at Christmas though. Never! I got a Christmas card from a corporation last week but I don't count them. They aren't very personal. Day before yesterday I got a postcard from South Africa. I'm hoping to get a lot of postcards this coming year from all over the world! I'll be sending them far and near as well.
Alrighty! I'm done yakking at you all for the time being! I need some sleep. A nap is in order!
You all have a fantastic Thursday and keep smiling at all you meet today. Get you some hugs from those you love! I got mine for the day! :)
Peace
831

I feel like pastels today.
Actually I hurt like a big dog today! My back feels like it's been kicked by a mule! I know what it feels like to be kicked by a mule and that is what my back feels like right above my right hip. I've no idea what the devil I did to it. It's been this way since Friday. That is part of the reason I haven't been here to talk to you good people! I couldn't sit in my chair in front of this wretched machine. I didn't get much of anything done in the last three days. Read a lot. That's about it. Layed around and read my book. Read two books. Finished Clan of the Cave Bear and immediately picked up Valley of Horses. I finished it yesterday morning and I'm fixing to read the next one in the series...The Mammoth Hunters. I have read all three of these books previously but it's been years since that happened. The last two in the series- Shelters of Stone and The Plains of Passage will be totally new to me. Be forewarned that when that reading commenses...I will not be here to talk to you all for a few days.
Jesse gave me a couple of awards the other day. Thank you, Jesse. Now if I could figure out how to put them up here and link back to who needs to be linked back to I'd be doing great! I really don't know how to do either of those things though. Perhaps one of you could enlighten me?
Thanksgiving was a stellar day! We all stayed close to home. We had turkey and dressing, no mashed potatoes or gravy cause no one made any. We also had shepard's pie and a beef pot pie that sister Susan made. It was all yummy! Ma baked the turkey and dressing cause she says it just isn't Thanksgiving without it. There were lots of desserts as well. I made peach jello with peaches, peanut butter cookies and a walnut chocolate cake. The guinea pigs approved whole heartedly about that cake. There was also pumpkin crisp, apple pie and pumpkin pie to be had. I'm still eating on the peanut butter cookies and the walnut cake. Which is fine with me. That cake went wonderful with coffee this morning!
Fred pigged out on scrappings from out plates and the turkey bones. He's a happy canine. Scooter got a few scraps as well and he too is a happy little canine. The felines weren't so lucky. They got no scraps. Just because they did not need any scraps.
My scanner has gone wacko. I tried to scan some artwork earlier today but something went wrong and I now have the remnants of the window that opens to control the scanner still sitting at the bottom of the screen, along with two other windows that pop up to tell me I have emails coming in for MSN and Yahoo. I've no idea how to get rid of them. Will have to talk to Terah about that.
Good news!!!!! My van is now fixed and operational. It needed a new alternator. YEAH! Now I can go wherever I want and not have to ask anyone to take me there. The van has been fixed for two days now and I've not gone anywhere. I will be going this evening though. Going to town to sit with the girls. I don't think there are any games of anykind tonight so I won't be missing out on that.
It doesn't seem possible December has already rolled around again! Am I ready for Christmas, you ask? No. Not anywhere near ready actually. I'll be staying up late tonight to work on some little books and those bowls that have to be finished.
Looks as though I'm back in the swing of things for the time being. I shall show you all some artwork again when I get that scanner working. Until then...
Be good to one another. Smile. And go get yourself some hugs!
Peace
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