Thursday, December 31, 2009

December 31, 2009

December 31, 2009, Blog entry

I have been missing in action for a spell. Had to open up Santa’s workshop, card making shop, and bakery. All are closed now and maybe I will have some time to do things on the computer again.

Never again do I want to even contemplate the number 8. Seems nearly everything I had to do ended up in making 8 of the critters, which I found boring after the first two. My daughter bought material for me to make her grandmother, my mom, some new placemats and napkins. I got the fabric and made them reversible. Made 8 of those and they were in solid colors. Then, the napkins were in a print to match each side and made 8 of them for each side. Still time left so I made 8 coasters that had an absorbent material inside each one. That was two sets of 8. On Christmas Eve I made myself go back to the machine and with the material that was left over, I made two hot pads for the table, one to match each napkin and coaster.

Another bright idea I had was to make the great-granddaughter a fleece blanket out of LSU material and a hat to match. Looked like an easy thing to make, but I had to cut out two of them, cut 7” from each corner, and then cut into the material every inch up 7”. The pattern said it was a “no sew” thing, but I believe it would have been easier to just sew around the thing. Once all of these “fingers” were cut, I had to take matching pieces from each of the two sides and tie them in a knot. Boring!!! I pulled a cap pattern off the net that was adorable and made the hat. Well, when it was finished, it would only have fit a tennis ball or maybe even a golf ball. Back to the city for more fleece and this time I just cut what I imagined was a hat that would fit her head. I sewed a deep cuff to they could pull it down over her ears in the cold weather. I won’t be guilty of another “no sew” anything.

I always give a check to the kids, my parents, and the grandchildren so they can either get what they want or put my money with some other they may get to purchase something they wanted and didn’t get. Instead of that impersonal check, I decided to make scrapbook paper covered cardboard wallets. I cut a notch in each side, folded the bills, and tied them into the center of the wallet. I used Velcro to secure the part that folds over onto the top and then put a sparkly sticker on the front. I had to make 11 of those. Everyone seemed to like them although the Velcro did tear loose from the paper since I didn’t tell them to carefully open the wallets. For the two younger grands I made money trees. I accordion folded 80 one dollar bills and stuck them into a Styrofoam cone with florist’s pins and stuck a glittered pick in the top. It looked so sparse that I started to go to the bank and get more money, but then I would have had to increase everyone’s money so it would come out fair. I told Bill that I couldn’t cut the top out of the cone because it would look stupid. He suggested cutting some of the bottom of the cone. Duh!!! Why didn’t I think of that? They ended up being way too cute. I bought some picks with red glittered berries and silk leaves on them and tore them all apart and stuck each berry all around the tree. Their mother said, “Oh, you can’t take the money out of the tree. We need to save them to put out as decorations next year.” Again, Bill suggested she give them what money was on the tree and that way she can keep them and they will still get their money.

Another 8 that I made, and won’t do ever again, is take a Mason jar and make it into a button jar/mending kit for each family. I found little mending kits with threads, needles, tiny scissors, a few buttons and thimble at the dollar store and put that inside each jar. Then I had to cut some large circles out of fabric and some smaller ones. Hand gathering material takes way too long, but there wasn’t any other way I could think to do that. Each jar lid had to be stuffed with fiberfill and sewn tightly to the lid. Next, I used fabric glue and attached fabric to cardboard circles, then stuck those to the round, puffy, pincushion top. They turned out very cute, but 8 were just a bit too many to make. Oh, I stuck pins in the top of the pincushion as well.

For Zoey I wanted these little bell bracelets children in Thailand wear on their ankles and you can find them when they walk out of a room, when they are toddling. The best price I could find on the net was $45 and shipping and I just wouldn’t pay that. I decided I could make her some out of jingle bells and cording. Easy to do, but then to make them adjustable I needed to tie square knots. I have tied probably 5 million of them in my lifetime back when macramé was the thing. I had a hard time doing it. I could sit on the back porch and visualize how to do it and then come inside and would mess up. I made three of them and if her mom likes them, then I have the stuff to make her some more colors of them. She has taken 11 steps alone now and it won’t be long before she will be everywhere and I am sure into everything.

Next, I thought it would be nice to make candy and cookies to share with the neighbors. It started out with me deciding to make my son some white chocolate covered pretzels, which is something he loves. From there I went to fudge, Martha Washington’s, cow patties, a carrot cake, and White Christmas meringues. No, I didn’t make just one batch of each. I made two of each. I have shared with the neighbors and took a lot to my parents, but there is still some left and for some reason or other, when I walk past the table, this magnetic force makes my hand shoot into a container and come out with chocolate calories. I ran out of time and energy before I made the cookies I wanted, but had I made them first, nothing else would have gotten made. I will make my Cosi Ducci cookies when all of this other stuff is gone.

We opened gifts with my daughter’s family on Christmas Eve this year since all of us went on Christmas down to Alexandria to my parent’s home for Christmas day. My dad is almost 90 and mama is 84 and who knows how many more Christmases we will have with them. Two of my brothers with their children and grandchildren were there, one brother dropped in later after spending Christmas with his wife’s people, a SIL’s mother was there, my daughter and her husband, my parents, and Bill and I. It was a very enjoyable day, but I was happy to get home to my quiet house.

On Monday we drove to Conway, Arkansas, to have Christmas with my son and his family. His oldest son and his wife stopped by early on Christmas Eve to exchange gifts as he was called back to work. We had a really nice time with our son’s family and of course enjoyed the grandchildren, who we don’t get to see regularly now that they have moved. Instead of going on the 6 lane through Little Rock, we took a longer scenic route through the mountains which added probably a bit over an hour to the trip, but I would have had a panic or anxiety attack had I had to drive on that crazy freeway. Nice sunny trip up there, but misted on us on the way home. Just thankful it was pouring down rain.

Our friends we usually spend New Year’s Eve have gone to Mississippi to see grandchildren, Melyssa is tied up tonight, and our other friends have gone to the casino for the night. Guess we will ring in the New Year just us two.

I am sure health wise this next year will be better for me as unless it is an emergency, I won’t have to have any surgeries. My doctor wants to do my shoulders, but I told him after this last knee surgery with the infection afterwards, wild horses couldn’t drag me into a hospital unless it was life or death. No way. Nada. No!!!

They say what you are doing on New Year’s Eve you will be doing all year long. Well, I just sat here and paid all of my bills that have come in and I hope the new year brings something a bit more interesting than that. J Wishing all of you the best in 2010. Please pray for those in need, who are ill, and for our soldiers who are keeping this country free.

Happy New Year, 2010!!!!

Later

Saturday, December 5, 2009

December 4, 2009

It has been a few days since I last posted. Lots going on, like staying on the computer reading other people's blogs and reading emails. I think maybe I am addicted to blog hopping and visuals of neat things. I am definitely a visual person.

We had a tiny bit of snow this afternoon here in NW Louisiana. What a surprise. Nothing stuck. It is cold out there and is supposed to get down to 29 degrees tonight. Snow is nice if people are used to it like when we lived in Denver. They have the equipment and people know how to drive in it. Down here, the road crews don't have a clue and people definitely don't know how to drive in it. I don't think we will be building any snow people this year.

The other thing about the cold is when it ices over. We lose power and it is dark, very dark. I have a flashlight next to my desk, one by the bed, one by where I sit at the eating bar, and there are others all over the house. If we didn't have them, we would be knocking ourselves out running into furniture and walls. Definitely not my idea of fun. However, we bought a generator for those times and at least we won't lose the food in our freezers like we have done in the past.

Our son drove down from his home in Conway to Grand Cane to wrap his pipes. They are already wrapped, but it has been a few years since they were done and he was worried that the wrapping might be deteriorating. Plus, it is a way to get to hunt that illusive giant deer roaming his woods. Two jumped out in front of us on the way home tonight - Bambi and his dad. At least they didn't want a piece of our truck like they did my cousin's car the other night. Those things can ruin a ride.

My daughter stopped by this afternoon and brought me part of my Christmas present. She wanted me to have it to wear to any parties I have this time of year. She also bought me a beautiful white scarf to dress up the cranberry jacket she bought for me. She is one thoughtful child. I checked my planner to see when our retired teachers luncheon is so I could wear it and it was yesterday. Day late and a dollar short. I do have one other thing on tap and of course Christmas day. Now, in the South, we usually are wearing shorts on that day, but I am ready if it is cold. Lovely gift and I love it.

My time seems to be spent running back and forth to Shreveport to the chiropractor with my back and shoulders. I am finally getting some relief from the pain. I still find myself going to pick up something heavy and then I remember why I mustn't do that. I told my doctor that he could come home with me if he would bring that table I told you about in an earlier post - the one that seems to have the 18 wheeler rim in it that runs up and down your spine. I need one of those planted here at my house. Surely would save a lot of gasoline.

I found another Christmas gift for Bill and Zoey. I think the tea set will have to wait a bit, but she will have it when she is old enough to drink from a cup. I believe in being prepared. :-)

Ellie Mae, Emily Anna's dog, came back to Louisiana with my son. She will use the potty outside, but still loves to wet the floor. My grandson had enough of that and sent her back to his sister. She and Pepper were a sight before another grandson picked her up. She is a tea cup Yorkie and he is a Lab mix. They chased each other all over the house while she was waiting on her taxi cab - Terrell Thomas's truck to drive her back to my daughter's house. She is cute, but I don't want to get attached to another dog after losing my dear Bisquit two weeks ago. Still too fresh a memory of him around here.

I am trying to find a way to get Bill to do something to at least finish my kitchen addition. First, I was going to buy a hutch, but then I wouldn't have a work area. Nex, I thought about putting my old school desk out there and building bookcases above it. Then I wouldn't have the cupboard space I need. Today I thought about putting the desk out there again, but in the corner and purchasing cupboards that you put together like I did in the little dining room. I can't remember where I bought them, but I think it was either from the Sears or J C Penney's catalog and I don't even think they have catalogs now. I will have to check that out. It would be as cheap as purchasing the lumber to build a set of cabinets. For now, they can be open ones, but eventually I want glass doors on it whatever I get. Decisions, decisions.

We have made plans to spend Christmas day with my parents at their home and I hope my brothers and their families will be there. I just hate it when families get scattered and it is neigh onto impossible to get everyone together in one place at the same time. Life was much simpler before the grandchildren grew up.

Today I began sewing the 8 placemats for my mother's Christmas gift from my daughter. I had cut them out the other day, but hadn't the time to start sewing. All of them have been sewn and need to be turned and top stitched - they are reversible. Then I will have two sets of napkins to make for each side. I bought some felt kind of material for stuffing because I think I have enough fabric left to make coasters to match. If there is still some left, then I am going to make some napkin rings. My mother uses cloth napkins and placemats for every meal. She loves it. I like paper plates and paper napkins. I think I do that because I have always been rebellious.

Bill got up the outside lights and it really looks nice. Last year after Christmas I bought a deer and two doe that are lighted. They are supposed to raise and lower their heads, but maybe they were on sale because they just stand there. Better than not having them. Once I can find the hanger, I can get the wreath up and the house will look nice. I have a fake pot of poinsettias on the table and that is the extent of the inside decorations. I don't mind doing it, but taking it down is what I hate. One year I still had the tree up at Valentine's Day and my dad asked me if I was going to leave it up until Easter. He should have never said that because to show him I could, I did leave it up until Easter. I guess you could say I am hard headed and stubborn.

Yesterday while I was in the city I got some LSU fleece and am going to make Zoey a blanket and hat. They gave me a free pattern that shows you how to make the blanket without sewing it. You just clip so far into the fabric and tie knots from both sides. I will also sew some knot things throughout the blanket to keep the two sides together. There was the cutest "bat" hat I found on the net and I will make it out of the same fleece and on the "bat" ears you tie ribbons - purple and gold, of course.

I ordered crisp money from the bank to make "money trees" for the two youngest grandchildren. I plan to say in their cards that I had PaPa look all over the yard and he could only find two of them and cut them down just for them. I also ordered crisp money and will make paper wallets and put the money in them for the older grandchildren and children. Plan to do that for my parent too.

For Bill I found a soft sided toolbox several months ago and yesterday I got him a new set of screw drivers. He ruined one of his putting my new sewing table together. Boy is that a wonderful table. It has a grid printed on top that has measurements on it. Nice when you want to cut things out. The machine has its own spot and this little door opens and a leg drops out and my serger has a little shelf all of its own to sit on. Now I won't have to take the machine down or the serger. Just cover them and they will be ready for the next project.

My sweet uncle is still in the hospital in South Carolina and is waiting on a room at a neighboring hospital that has in-house rehab. I understand he is making the nurses laugh. He is such a funny man and can make you roll in the floor laughing. Their only child is with them and is taking his mom back and forth to the hospital. They have made a decision to go into an assisted living arrangement as soon as my uncle regains his strength. Both of them are almost 90 and my cousin lives in Florida and can't get to them fast enough if they need him. If only they weren't 1000 miles away I could do something to help. The only thing I have ever hated about living n Louisiana is it is so far from all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I have missed so much by not living close to them. Out of 8 children, there are only 4 of them left. Best relatives anyone could ask for. My brothers and I really missed the closeness of the family by only getting two weeks each summer with our only cousins.

I see that is is late and I have a lot of sewing to do tomorrow. Guess I will have to wind this down and will see ya'll later.

Monday, November 23, 2009

November 23, 2009

Be Choosy About Your Friends

I always thought I needed to have girlfriends. Some I needed to have a steady diet of because I guess they validated my being. I have found that I am happy being my own guide and not having to depend on what someone that I care about really thinks about me. Never in a hundred years would I believe I had it in my power to be happy with myself without someone else’s approval.

I needed someone to raise my children with who faced some of the same situations as I faced trying to be the best of mothers. Someone to share a coke with. Someone to shop with. Someone to travel with to events we both enjoyed. I needed someone to laugh with, cry with, share secrets with.

There have been friends who I have lost whom I might have tried harder to keep. I have had friends who used me and I am sure I used them. I don’t think either of is consciously used each other, but maybe we did since the friendships have gone by the wayside. Some of the friends I made when I was younger weren’t good for me. I am easily influenced and made mistakes in judgment by having them as friends.

There have been friends who I know now I must have forced the friendship by being the one to suggest we do things together and maybe that isn’t want they wanted to do. I had friends who I pursued with much more fervor than they did for our friendship to remain intact. Some friends must have been bored and were a friend to me to ease that boredom and have something to do.

I have had friends who did more for me than I did for them both emotionally and financially. Maybe when you can’t keep up with the gifting that goes along with friendships, the friendship dies a natural death. Maybe one of us grows emotionally and leaves the other one behind. I haven’t completely figured that one out yet.

I have had friends who depended on me more than I could give. I am sure I have depended on friends more than they could take. There have been friends who probably think that I have let them down, but it wasn’t intentionally done. I have had friends who I have hurt and been hurt by. I have intentionally hurt some friends because I was hurt and struck back in an unkind way. I regret that I acted so immaturely, but I was immature at the time.

There have been friends in the different ages of my life that I have drifted away from because one or the other of us moved. There were friends from work, but when jobs changed and you weren’t in close proximity to them anymore, the friendship withered and died. I don’t believe they weren’t friendships and dear ones at the time, but circumstances changed things. Sometime our children drifted apart and we no longer had so much in common.

I have learned now that many of those, who at the time I thought were going to be friends until death, were really acquaintances who had a lot of commonalities with me at the time, but not enough to sustain the friendship over time. Our ships set different courses and they have sailed off in a different direction. It would be nice to reconnect someday with some of them. The wonderful thing about the Internet is that a lot of friends have reconnected if only briefly. It was easy with some to catch up with forty years between us in a matter of a few emails. Our tastes seem to have a way of changing.

Now the friends I have seem to be the ones I went to grammar and high school with. I think those friendships were forged in steel and our paths keep crossing at different stages of our lives. I have lost friends to death and that is heart breaking. At my age, that will happen more and more and all you can do is remember the fun times you had when you were friends.

I have few close friends now, but don’t look at that as something terrible. The friends I have now bring me joy, have faith in me, encourage me to do and be my best, to be creative. We laugh at the same things and cry as only women can do. My friendships are deeper now and less shallow as the ones I had when I was younger.

At my age, time is against having friends who aren’t what I consider real. There just isn’t time to waste on breadth and not depth. I like to think I am a genuine person and expect the same from the people I associate with. I don’t have time to play around the edges of the sandbox. Time is ticking.

My heart has been broken to the place that it isn’t mended completely by the loss of friends. I wonder where things went astray. I think deep down inside of me I know, but I will never really know what went wrong with some of them. You think you know someone to the core and you find out that you really didn’t know them like you thought you did. There have been friendships that have been extended that should have been ended so both parties could get on with life without regrets.

Via the internet, I have made some wonderful friends. People who share some of the same ideals I do. Women who like doing the things I do. That we haven’t physically met doesn’t make a difference. I have been fortunate though in making international friends who have put themselves out to come to visit me and friends who live in the states who have done the same. It is like we have known each other forever. Maybe we get along so well because we aren’t around each other all the time. My grandmother used to say to me, “Familiarity breeds contempt,” and I think she was really on to something. If we aren’t physically around someone very much, then we see mostly the good and not the warts. Possibly that is a Pollyanna attitude, but it seems to explain why these friendships come about and endure.

It really matters now who I surround myself with. I need those who I can encourage and those who can encourage me. I need truthfulness by me at all times. I don’t need to hear something just because it is the nice thing to say to me. I need honesty. That is something I have preached to my children and all of the kids I taught – be honest, truthful, and never steal from another person. I don’t mean to say if someone’s dress or hair looks terrible I need to tell them, but I don’t need to tell them they look lovely either when they don’t.

I want someone who will cheer me up when I am down. Someone who will be there if I need them day or night and they can expect the same in return. I want to be there to support my friends when they are down and need lifting up. I want to matter to someone. I want someone near me who is happy when I do well and who can help me out when I don’t do so well. I want to be that kind of friend too.

Most women don’t realize the power they have to lift or to crush. Women need to be mindful of just how much power they have over the ones that you love – your children, husband’s view of you from your friend’s perspective, you parents. Women, myself included, need to wield that power carefully because they don’t know what effect they have on the people you care about. As women, we need to be kind and caring and if we can’t get the same in return from those who we believe are some kind of friend, then we need to shuck them and find someone where caring and kindness are utmost to them too. If no one around fits the bill, then enjoy your own company and devote yourself to what makes you happy and certainly do for your family first. If we can make ourselves happy, then we can go about making others happy. If there is a flaw we have that we aren’t happy within ourselves, then we will never be able to be that true friend to anyone else.

What kind of friend are you?

Friday, November 20, 2009

November 20, 2009

(In reply to an email from my SIL about Brian Dettmer's art)

Would you believe I have been looking at his work lately? I found him by following links from blogs, which is now my "job." Bill asks me what I am doing and I tell him going to work each day. He just laughs. I don't know why he laughs as since retirement I get up each day and go straight to my work desk and begin my daylong job of
internetting. I just don't get paid for my work these days. Maybe that is why he laughs. Blink. Blink. No pay, no real job.

This guy never cuts the pages out of his books. He finds the pictures he wants and then using glue, puts the pages together so that he can use the
scalpel to cut away what he doesn't want. For about a nano second I wanted to go to Goodwill and buy one encyclopedia or dictionary and give it a try, but my brain said it just didn't have the go power to even go buy the book. I guess I will just have to wonder now if it would have been possible for me to do a piece like this. :-)

Moving things around to put up a new sewing table in the spare room that will allow me to keep my machine and
serger up all the time, I guess I picked up something too heavy. I couldn't sleep but fitfully Sunday and Monday nights, but knew I had to do something. My ortho surgeon had already told me that my problem is inoperable since it would involve plates and screws which he said would give me more problems than any pain I have. Of course, it wasn't him trying to sit up to get out of bed and by the hardest, doing so. Plus, he didn't have wet panties by the time he got to the potty from not being able to hold his bladder and use the muscles necessary to achieve a sitting up position. Why I was getting this room ready is another entire posting that I hope I don't forget to share with you one of these days.

My friend, Karen, goes to a
chiro in Shreveport that she swears by. I used to go to one a lot in Alexandria in my 20s, but when I moved from there to Denver I never went again. I called Karen's doctor and he could see me by the time I could get to the city. This is one cool doctor. He wears plaid flannel shirts to the office with his docker-type pants. I am sure he has to since his office is set about 2 degrees below Alaska in the winter. I will wear a jacket today.

He said with the bone plugs in my neck and the two new knees he was limited in what he could do, but did have a few tricks up his sleeve. There is this machine he has that you lay on that probably has the part that a tire fits onto an 18 wheeler made of steel and concrete combined. It runs up and down your spine and the tech said they raise the angle each time you come in. It makes you nauseous until you can find the maps on the inside of your eyelids to stare at as it does its magic. This is definitely not a table for whiners, which I am prone to be. This is a table for girls with "big girl" panties on and maybe even two pair at the same time. When the bell dings, the assistant, about the size of Barbie's baby sister, tells you to sit up, which you cannot do. Barbie's baby sister with every ounce of strength she possesses, she probably weighs all of 28 pounds, gives you a hand and you get up thankful that you didn't pull her down on top of you.

You wait. When it is your turn to see good-looking in his flannel shirt with his docker-like pants, he has you sit in this
playlike chair where you are sitting up, but laying face first into the contraption. You have already hears this loud Geiger counter blasting away when you were on the table getting your "massage" done with 18 wheeler metal tire rim and concrete and wondered if he was tazing someone. Now you get to see what the tazing was all about.

He puts some kind of small bar-like thing in his hand, or at least you presume it his his hand since you are sitting face down into this chair thingy. He proceeds to Geiger you in each vertebrae and also does your shoulders, which you have already told him your surgeon wants to replace, but that you refuse to have done as long as the
MRSA virus is alive in this world. Now, this machine is like ten strong men working each joint and it hurts so good that you don't want him to stop and feel like telling him things like, "move it over just a tad to the left/right, down a little, could you turn me over and do my ribs and the tiny riblets across the top of my chest...." you get the picture.

After your time is up there, you get to face a wall that has a large canvas on it that is made of gray felt. Well, that is what it looks like, but I don't know what its purpose is. Could be that once in a while with this next treatment he could
accidentally drop you and you would fall against this wall and with the felt it wouldn't leave too many bruises/lawsuits on you/him. He has you put your right hand on your left shoulder and visa versa, but you remind him that your shoulders need to be replaced and your right hand cannot reach your left shoulder. He then has you put your left hand on your right shoulder and the other hand somewhere in the vicinity of the left shoulder. He gets up behind you, if you were younger you could really get into this since his body parts are touching yours, but at 64 all you can do is wish. He then tells you to relax, right, and all but lifts you off the floor twice in succession without any warning.

You are finished for the day and go and pay only a $5 co-pay. Now, if gasoline weren't what it is, you would ask if you could come to see him multiple times a day, but he suggests he will see you again in two days. Yeah!!!! I get to go back today. Wonder if they will raise that back roller and if they do will I have to concentrate harder on the
roadmaps on the backsides of my eyelids to keep from puking all over his floor and probably on myself as well.

I must say, the back is still hurting, but not quite as badly. I am still finding it hard to get up into a
sitting position from being prone, the washing machine is on double time keeping my unmentionables all nice and clean, but I am looking forward to more torture. I will keep you posted on my progress and let you know if I get straight again or if I will have to live out the rest of my life at a 90 degree angle with a case of Depends near me at all times.

Have a nice day and run get a scalpel, some glue, an old encyclopedia or dictionary and the next time I see you, I want to see a piece of work like Brain's. You might even inspire me to find a
scalpel, glue, and old picture book. However, I will be looking for a book with one picture on each page. That way, I can glue a lot of them together and cut down to the bottom picture. Do you think I will need an Esty shop?

Monday, November 16, 2009

November 16, 2009

Yesterday Bill and I went to Shreveport. I had seen a sewing table in the Jo
Ann's circular that I wanted. There is a place to put your sewing machine and also a place to put your serger. We bought some baskets, lots of baskets, to put on his new bathroom's shelves. I think it will look better if there aren't any doors where the shelving will be. Now all of these baskets match. Some are larger than others. Two of the large ones will fit on a shelf and three of the small ones will fit on a shelf. I am hoping this will keep his bathroom looking neat instead of like a dump.

Today he had to go to the skin doctor and woke me up at 7:30 to see if I knew where his wallet was. I don't even know what his wallet looks like. Blink. He finally found it under the cupboard where he sits at the bar. I guess I will have to start looking into a nursing home for him if it gets any worse. :-) He still cannot find one of the wallets and it has money and a $50 gift card to a fancy place in Bossier that you can't afford to go to unless you have a gift card. Who knows where he has put it.

I am cleaning out the spare bedroom to put my new desk in. That is one heck of a job. I work for 15 minutes and then my back won't take it anymore and I come back here to the computer and sit for a bit. At this rate, I might have it done by next Christmas. It is fun to go into a room that has been abandoned for several years because there are all kinds of treasures you find. I even found part of our friend's Christmas present from last year. As soon as I see them I will have to give it to them as we aren't exchanging gifts this year. They are keeping their money and flying to NYC to see Phantom of the Opera and NYC at Christmastime.

There are two bookshelves in boxes to be put together and a DVD bookcase too. I used to be the one who did all of the construction on things like that, but it is so hard with even new knees to get up off the floor that the fairies will have to come and construct these. I believe I am going to bring them into my bedroom and unload what is in my hutch onto the shelves.

By doing that I can get shelving out in the newest part of my kitchen because at the rate those two new rooms are coming along, I will be dead and gone before the ones that I wanted built ever get done. Should I get lucky and get the shelving and counter tops built before I die, then I can move the hutch into the spare room and take down some shelves I built about ten years ago that are pitiful looking. Just raw wood is what I used and of course they never did get shored up and painted by you know who. I don't know why it is so hard for me to remember that if I want something, then I sure as Sam better do it myself if I don't want to wait until Death's Door swings open for me.

My back is rested again and it is time for another 15 minute session in the room from you know where and it starts with an H.

Later

Friday, November 13, 2009

November 13, 2009

Yesterday was my Friday 13th. So far today has been uneventful.

Our sweet and faithful pet dog, Bisquit, had to be put down. He had a tumor that had been removed last year and it came back. He could no longer get up on his own, but most of the time once we picked him up, he could walk down the stairs and go outside to the bathroom.

We did have to pick him up to get back into the house. He has been back and forth to the vet's for several months and since he was still eating and drinking and able to walk, the vet didn't think he needed to be put down yet. He didn't appear to be in any pain either.

Yesterday, he wanted me to hold him it seemed like for hours and that was so unlike him. He was a very independent dog. He couldn't seem to get comfortable and with that tumor growing like lightning, he had a hard time drinking and wasn't interested in eating.

Bill called our vet and we decided it was time to say goodbye. Just the shot that calms them down before "the shot" took him out. He must have been hanging on by a thread. Needless to say, two grown adults cried like babies. I think since he is the only dog who we ever let into the house made it harder than losing all of our yard dogs over the years. We missed them, but there was something special about Bisquit.

Twice today I thought I heard him "yip" like he did when he wanted you to pick him up to go outside. We are going to miss that little old rat terrier. Once he got down in the back though, he was never the same. He hasn't even been able to wag his tail for a few days.

I just know since God created everything, he must have a special place for dogs in Heaven and one of these days we will see our beloved pets again. They will be whole like everyone else will be.

By sweet little boy dog.

Later

Sunday, November 8, 2009

November 8, 2009

I guess I won't be journaling everyday like I planned to do. Seems life gets in the way of keeping up my journal. Maybe it is because I am trying to get a book ready to make a "real" art journal. I have been cutting pictures out of magazines to put into the journal since I can't draw a straight line. There are tons of wonderful examples of these art journals out there and that is where I have been spending a lot of my time.

Since I had to go to the doctor on Monday and wouldn't be here for a HSN shopping experience I didn't want to miss, I checked the site and was able to order what I wanted a day before the show aired. I have a Cuttlebug and there are several folders that are new and two of them could only be gotten on HSN. I am a happy camper to get these folders.

My cholesterol was high, but I don't remember which it was. My doctor wants me to take some meds and see her in two months to see if the number has gone down. Just when I got my meds down to four from twenty-one a day, I have to add one. Something is going to kill you eventually and I hate that I have to take meds. No one is going to leave Earth alive, so I would rather live each day to the fullest without all of the stupid chemicals in my system. I did discontinue one without permission, but it is for muscle cramps and unless I get some cramps, I am not going to take the meds. Just call me Doctor Jane.

Wednesday I went to Young at Heart at my friend's church in Natchitoches. It is the first Wednesday of each month at noon. They had a great program. Two student actors put on a short play that was darling. The lunch was the traditional turkey dinner. I got to sit across from Doris who used to be the preacher here until she retired. Saw several of my old professors and got a lead on a favorite professor in Arkansas. I wrote him a note, epistle, and hope to hear back from him. It has been years since I have seen him or his wife.

Saw the foot doctor which is necessary if you are diabetic. Ate at the Chinese buffet where they have shrimp done in a gazillion ways. Always a good place to eat.

Melyssa and I went to Alexandria yesterday to see my parents and her daughter-in-law and granddaughter, my great-granddaughter. She is such a delightful little girl. Happy and smiles all the time. She has three teeth now and is pulling up. Won't be long before she is walking. I had found her several cute little outfits. I will get to see them this next week too as they are staying until Lee gets off duty on Tuesday evening. Supper with all of them this Wednesday.

Tomorrow I have to go to the USDA office and judge their essay contest. Then I hope I don't forget to get my oil changed.

There is a baby shower for my friend's daughter on Saturday. I need to make a card and wrap her present. She is going to have a baby girl. The baby should come in November.

Ate supper with Heath on Friday evening and then followed him to his house for a nice visit. He came in by himself to fill the deer feeders and hunt. I don't know when he will be back as he plans to have Thanksgiving and Christmas up in Conway this year.

Guess that is all for the time being. Hope I don't wait so long to come back here.

Later

Monday, October 26, 2009

Boy, when you don't have time to blog, you almost forget to when you do have time. It feels like it has been a month of Sundays since the last blog post. My company left on the same day I left for a weekend down in South Louisiana with some good friends.

We ate out at a neat Cajun place and it was delicious. I learned of Cajun mayonnaise which is mustard, mayonnaise, some red pepper and probably anything else you want to put in it. Tastes great to dip your friend shrimp and fish into.

We got up the next morning and went to the 7 mile long yard sale from Grand Couteau to Arnaudville. It was fun, but as expected, my back gave out on me early on. We went back to my friend's house and ate a delicious chef salad and hit the trail again.

This time, we just went into Grand Couteau and did their main street. I did find some ephemera and my friend also had some that she gave me. Now to get busy on some altered something. :-) We went to the Kitchen Shop and I got Bill some goodies from there which he was tickled with. I love that store. They have added on a dress shop next door. Boy if I were rich, I could drop a bundle there.

That night we had some yummy meatballs in a dark gravy on mashed potatoes and some zucchini croquettes, or it was a fried something with zucchini. Delicious!!!! We also had some zucchini chocolate cake that was scrumptious. I found a recipe and am going to make some of that. Well, I am going to get Bill to make it more than likely.

I left for home early because when I woke up I thought my watch said five after one. I needed my glasses!!! I quickly got up and got the truck packed and when I came back inside, I realized it was only five after eight.

When I went through Alexandria, my parents were at church so I just wrote my mother a note and left her the linens I found at the yard sale that I knew she would be tickled to have.

I have done absolutely nothing but stay on the computer this week wading through all of the mail that was stacked up while my company was here. Of course, that is what I usually do anyway - stay on the computer following links and reading and looking at interesting things.

Today I found site that was cake wrecks that was hilarious. This lady has even written a book about cakes and how horrendous some of them are. The funniest to me are the ones where you call in an order and they write just what you say on top of the cake. One of them said, "Happy Birthday in Lavender." Makes you scratch your head in wonderment. LOL

My daughter and I went to a baby shower today and boy did our friend make a haul. Gorgeous things and she is such a grateful person. They are adopting and are thrilled out of their minds. She is going to make a wonderful mother. I had to laugh when she got things for a baby crib because I bet that baby never sees a crib. I do believe it will be one of those babies that are held all of the time. :-)

Nothing much on the agenda for this week. Kids, grandkids, and great granddaughter are all fine. Have talked to them and wished them all a great week.

Later