Stroke World

Thought I would update on life around here.  This guy, yes this guy, my Daddy had another little TIA (stroke) last Saturday.  It wasn't bad but it pushed the surgery part of his life.  Yesterday he had a stent put in to hopefully stop these episodes so he can continue with his life.  Yesterday was another all day affair at the hospital, waiting and waiting and waiting.  All went well.  I don't know if he will go home or rehab or skilled nursing.  It's the world of "We'll let you know an hour before we need to transfer!" We boarded his little kitty and had her de-wormed and the vet loves her as does everyone else.  She is a sweet little kitty kat.  

I did take time out for a little fun with my book club on Wednesday night.  We went to Amelia's in downtown Tulsa.  Ohhhhh, so yummy and a really pretty restaurant.  This salad was delicious.  We read the book The Dry by Jane Harper, a really good murder mystery.  We don't really discuss the books to indepth but have a great time visiting and supporting each other.  It's a group of women I put together from my pool of friends and they have bonded very nicely.   

(I may have to paint this)

On another note my sweet Snicklefritz will begin school on Monday morning.  Yup, Pre-K will be her world Monday thru Friday so our time spent together will be limited I think for awhile.  She is growing up so very fast.

Frankenstein Dog

Hey Kids!  Yup, I'm still around, but it is nothing but painting lately...well, I lied, there is more.  I've signed a few and am gearing up for some fall shows and hopefully, my painting buddy and I can get a 2 women show.  I'm in a black and white phase and that probably will be my "theme" for my part of the show, if we can get it together soon.  I have to tell you the new studio, Studio 3 is AWESOME!  My painting buddy Linda and I work very well together and it is a joy to be there and focus on my art.  

We've had some weather here lately too with tornado's.  About 6 days ago in the middle of the night some business areas of Tulsa were hit with an F2 tornado that did some mighty damage. Luckily no one was killed but lots of people are going to be hurt work wise.  It's funny that we were awakened by this incredible wind and stuff flying around and loud bangs (The Hubby said were transformers blowing).  We didn't get damage but it started forming around our area and the winds were incredible.  We were lucky.

Our poor little buddy, our Frankenstein doggy, has had some surgery.  He had a tumor on his hip about the size of a baseball and one on his leg about the size of a ping-pong ball that needed to be removed.  I actually set him up for the surgery a few months ago but chickened out and what happened is they grew lots bigger so I had to purposely let little Clayton be hurt.  Poor guy was in such pain when we brought him home but he's doing quite well.  The tumors are called connective tissue tumors and we are waiting on the pathology right now.  Good news PLEASE!  There is possibly a chance they will grow back but it's a wait and see game.  I'm just glad he came through surgery because of his older age.  He's about 12 and older dogs it can be a bit risky.  

Again life rolls on around here.  I've been trying to juggle work and painting and life in general.  Work has been a struggle because a few things have popped up that require my full attention.  One of our guys got a pretty nasty owey that may require surgery but he's still working.  That all means WORKMAN'S COMP forms that have to be filled out and go EVERY which way.  Plus summer it the season to do licensing for various counties, cities around and that has been challenging for one of our guys as his renewal's got caught in the middle of our office move and neglected to be renewed.  All is well with it though as a few weeks of back and forth in the mail and phone calls it has been resolved.  

Then The Hubby's aunt passed away.  Aunt Bette was the last of his direct line to his father, she was his father's sister.  So trips to Texas for the funeral.  

Oh and I forgot to inform that my heart and vascular testing went very well.  I got all high marks and can rest easy with it all.  Plus the blood pressure is good, probably because I'm PAINTING!  

Daddy's various testing has revealed that he has microscoptic colitis.  The medicine unfortunately is $300 for a month and he can't afford that.  It's somehow caught in a black hole between medicare and his supplemental health insurance.  CRAP.  He refused to get it so it's back in the doctor's court to figure out how to fix it without costing him an arm and a leg.  He will also be having surgery on his neck, a stint, angio-something, which he doesn't want but HAS TO HAVE to avoid another stroke.  The next one could be devastating and we just can't have that DADDY!  Stubborn, STUBBORN man.  His cat has fleas and worms so when he has the surgery we will board the cat and BOMB THE HELL out of his house, AGAIN!  

Snicklefritz and the Sneeze Monster (and more)

  What a fantastic sunset last night.  I was driving home from another high school class monthly get together, the long drive (explain in a sec), and as I was waiting for the light, THIS was my view!  I just couldn't capture it correctly because of the driving and the lights and all.

The long drive home.  Well last night, and tonight The Hubby and I are watching Snicklefritz.  I said yes we would love to have her spend a couple of nights, but, there was a stipulation.  I had the class thing I had to go to so I said The Hubby would be responsible!  Snicklefritz was thrilled to spend time with her Granddad .  I took the long way home last night because when I left the house I gave The Hubby his marching orders for the evening and he assured me he would carry them out.  

Dinner - spaghetti and blueberries (they ate them ALL)

No bath

brush teeth

read book 

bed between 7:30 - 8:00 pm

I arrived home about 9 pm, walked into the door to hear The Wizard of Oz playing on the television.  OH GOOD GRIEF!  That is one of The Hubby's favorite movies, especially to share with the kiddos.  He decided to share it with the 4 year old.  I just KNEW that we were going to have a night of nightmares as she has had a couple of nights in a row of them.  Then she was STILL UP!  I came in and questioned his reasoning for this behavior, knowing full well that he would probably do something like this. LOL!  He quickly said her bath water was run and I reminded him she didn't need a bath, especially at 9pm.  Just teeth, book, sleep.  We finished the movie and she said it was a bit scary.  OH NO!  But, she knew it was about over because of the good music and she was okay with that.  We got teeth brushed, ready for bed and I told The Hubby he was to read her at least one book because it was so late.  They did and he tucked her into bed but she wasn't staying down.  First was a light cry that she was missing her momma.  I told her she had stayed with me many times and that it would be okay.  She was good.  Back to bed.  Then I hear her rummaging around in her room making all kinds of racket.  I went in to find that she was trying to build a fort.   I try and rationalize with her the importance that she go straight to sleep and that fort building would happen tomorrow.  She finally accepted that and I knew she was dead tired.  I was going to tuck her in but she insisted that she could do it herself but she wanted the big light on.  She sometimes wants it along with her night light and I was fine with that.  I usually turn it off later when she is fast asleep.  

This morning it is 7:14 and she is still asleep, no nightmares, not up to potty in the middle of the night, just sweet dreams.  

This week has been tons and tons of doctor appointments for me and Daddy.  He went to the gastro doctor and next week will have a colonoscopy to try and figure out his horrible diarrhea that has plagued him for months.  I hope it is nothing.  

Me, I had a bone density test Monday, results not in yet.  Then Tuesday I had all kinds of vascular and cardio tests done and all were great.  There were a couple of things to watch but no worry.

Also, Wednesday was the 11th anniversary of the passing of Momma.  After the gastro doctor, Bro took Daddy to see Momma's grave.  I hate do that kind of thing as does Bro, but Daddy loves to go and he insisted Bro take him. 

I spent Sunday moving into my new studio.  My car has been loaded down a couple of times and by Monday morning I could hardly get out of bed because of my back.  Monday I sorted and sorted stuff and tried to organize.  I have two easels but didn't have my table to even paint.  My partner in the space, Linda has it so, SO set up.  It is awesome and she even had paintings hung but I was still in boxes.  Sunday I sent The Hubby to buy me a shelf and he assembled it for me.  I think I only need one, at least for now.  In my room at home I wanted to also use that white bookshelf, but that meant emptying it out, which caused a HUGE mess in my room.  Yes a lot of the canvas, art supplies and easels are gone but I now have to put that room in some kind of order.  So while I'm watching Snicklefritz for the next couple of days, she and I will organize and clean that room.  I'm also going to take the big table that is in there to the studio space to use for drawing and watercolor stuff.  The trick is to get it out of the room.  I actually can put it in my car but it is heavy and I have to move a ton out of the way to maneuver it out of the doorway.  The Hubby did have my taboret table moved down from the work studio and delivered to my NEW STUDIO! on Wednesday!  

I did get to go and actually paint on Thursday morning.  It was quiet, no phones, no sound.  I usually like a bit of music or a book playing but it was awesome to have the quiet.  

I set this up in the art workshop in Arkansas at the Jeff Legg workshop but barely got it sketched and he never even saw it or came by.  I just took a photo of the set up I did and left thinking I would do it later.  Well, this is what I did yesterday morning.  The photo is really bad and smoky looking.  The background is darker and looks richer.  I really like what I've done and hopefully Monday I will finish it.   

Sunday Morning Update

 Good Sunday morning.  I of course could not sleep in as the bladder is used to being up at 5 am, along with Clayton and his tummy.  So here I sit at 7am, up for two hours now.  Oh well.  

Isn't this a lovely view of my crepe myrtle outside my bathroom window.  I love the blues and white and green and it might just find it's way onto my canvas.

Painting this week I finished this sweet gem.  It's called "Elaina" and the bathing beauty is the granddaughter of a friend of mine.  I saw the photo on Facebook and asked her mother if I could paint it, of course I took out some stuff and added some stuff.  It turned out cute and I think I will put it in a show in the fall.  If it doesn't sell I will give it to her momma.

Next on the easel is this one.  I took this photo where I get my hair cut a couple of weeks ago and just KNEW it would be a beautiful painting.  I prepped a 24x24 gallery wrapped canvas and began.  The most important thing was getting the background started but I think I will probably do more on the background eventually.  I drew the thing next because this has to be pretty exact to make it perfect.

This is what I have so far and I am LOVING it!  I think it is going to be stunning when I am done and too will be in a show.  There is a lot more to do and I will take my time to make it as perfect as I possibly can along with trying to move into the new studio.   

Also on the agenda this week was getting Daddy a new chair.  That guy is so very hard on chairs and the last one didn't last long.  He just wears them out because it's where he spends most of his time.  Monday I had a few minutes and I went shopping after putting it off for weeks.  I knew he didn't want a rocker or any of the fancy-schmancy things that recliners have and he DID want a Lazy Boy with leather.  I sat in a few and this was won me over.  It was quick and sweet and EXPENSIVE but it's for my Daddy.

They delivered it on Thursday and I do believe he is extremely happy.  He told me yesterday that his butt is happy!  Also on that chore was to get rid of the old nasty one and the other nasty one that replaced the other old nasty one that was on the back porch that he WOULD NOT let the delivery guys take away.  He also had a huge big screen TV that BLEW UP sitting in the living room that had to go.  I enlisted the help of the unemployed nephew that is in need of money to load up the unwanted nasty's and take them to the dump.  Of course, it was at a price.  The dump had a $25 fee and I was willing and I paid the nephew $100 to take on the task.  It was worth it for me to have it all hauled away AND to keep this old guy from complaining which he is absolutely king of.  

He seemed very frail when I went over yesterday.  He's had the diarrhea happening again and it really takes a toll on him.  It is NOT C-Diff but don't know what's causing it.  He actually has an appointment with the gastric doctor on Wednesday and hopefully they get it figured out.  Then in a few weeks he goes to the neuro doc about the blockage in his neck and then probably surgery.  

Tomorrow I start some tests.  I'm having a bone density test then Tuesday it's the carotid artery and vascular/heart testing done.  My doctor has all of his patients do this and I thought why not, what if they do find something, would it be so bad.  I could get it fixed before something tragic happens.  It's all precautionary stuff.  I really hate getting old. 

A Little Snicklefritz and I HAVE NEWS!

 Happy photos of Snicklefritz and ME!  

She has had a very busy summer with swim lessons, zoo camp and this week more swim and dance lessons.  Plus she and her Momma took a small 3 day trip to OKC to visit museums, visit friends and family and to let her Momma give a talk to the Oklahoma City Modern Quilt Guild.

She is growing so, SO very fast, soon to turn 5 and in August will officially start Pre-K!  Wow!

Now the NEWS

That said door leads to my NEW STUDIO, art studio actually.  

When I started painting in 2009 my "studio" has been in the house in a guest bedroom.  I also have one set up at the office, but I don't paint there often.  One of the reasons is that at the office there are phone calls, deliveries (my studio is upstairs...operative word STAIRS!)  The constant interruption is maddening.  You just get started and in the zone then the phone rings or the deliveries begin.  At home, I like painting at home, but the room is getting full, and I am easily distracted by laundry, dishes, usual household duties and the occasional hubby popping in all times of the day.  Again, distraction.  

In a perfect world I have a dream to own a building where there can be studio spaces for a few friends (renters) and class space then gallery space.  I want a gallery.  The problem is The Hubby is just not cooperating in that idea.  I found a building I wanted but he is not in the market to get another loan, ever.  He hates owing money and because we have he building loan that has about another year on it he is ADAMANT about it.  I had a problem with that thinking because I guarantee if he finds another "building" or money making opportunity with real estate he will want me on board, like always in his plans.  That may not happen again!  That's enough...on to the good news.

My friend, my painting friend Linda and I found an opportunity to lease a space with another artist, Gil, and it was affordable and we JUMPED with both feet.  It's actually close to the house, has enough space for three of us and both people are super, SUPER nice.  I paint with Linda a couple of days a week anyway and we have great fun.  It's wonderful to have her feedback and help because she is a superb artist, as is Gil.  We are in the process of moving stuff in in this HOT July summer, slow and steady.  PLUS we have teaching (that is Linda's department), and we can have ART SHOWS!!!  Maybe Christmas time we will be have a big one!  Look for the announcement.  I will have pic's when we get all set up.  

Toodles my friends!

Time for Change

This week I squeezed in a moment for a bit of change in my life.  I thought it was time to rethink the hairstyle.  I've been growing it long, long, long for since last summer and then in September I made the decision that gray I would be, so that was happening too.  What was the result was long hair I really enjoyed but two-toned hair, blond on the bottom and lots of not necessarily gray but white on top.

BEFORE...

AFTER: 

There's still blonde but not as much and the girl told me to get some "purple" shampoo and it will ashen the blonde to blend better with the white.  I think I like it but may go shorter next time, in a few weeks.  The Hubby actually thought I would go shorter.

I TOTALLY Forgot

Oh My Gracious Gert...I TOTALLY FORGOT that June 29, 2006 was the very first time I wrote on this blog, 11 years ago.  It was called "BORED AT MY DESK" and was all about the impending loss of my mother and the recent loss of my best friend Gail and our sweet little dog.  Thursday was the anniversary and it just slipped past me.  Time flies as life rolls on that is for sure.  There have been lots more losses, ups and downs, and many joys since that day, but I'm still here, still trugging on with my words to share.  I hope you have enjoyed, laughed and cried with me on my journey of life.  I don't post as often but will continue to try and be here as often as I can.  Happy Blogging my friends!

White Pants Saga

Since about the age of 13 to 60 I have not worn white pants or white dresses, successfully.  

We lived four very long blocks from the junior high and I walked back and forth to school every single day.  This trek was down Main Street, the main artery of the small town I lived in.  One day I wore a really sweet white dress to school and felt so pretty.  I had art for my 6th hour and after class I gathered my things and proceeded to walk home, like every other day.  Sometimes the senior high boys would honk and it was quite flattering, this day was another one of those days.  I reached our front door and went in to change into some play clothes but when I took my beautiful white dress off I saw to my horror a HUGE bloody stain on the entire backside of my dress.  Yes, Mother Nature left her nasty calling card all over the back of my dress and I walked down the main street of my town with it on there, not knowing the honks and probably laughter was aimed at me.  I was HORRIFIED!

White was usually NOT in my wardrobe after that point, except maybe my cream colored wedding dress!  You see, I'm a denim, blue jeans kind of gal and have even requested to be buried in them!  I LOVE blue jeans.  Since my complete hysterectomy last year I thought, hey, white pants!  So a couple of weeks ago I bought a cute pair of white Capri jeans and yesterday I wore them.  I felt so pretty, stylish and cool in the cute ensemble.  I dressed, gathered my purse, IPad, phone and headed to the office where usually no one sees me but that's okay because I felt good.  I slid into the drivers seat and looked down in my lap and on the top of my thigh there were brownish specks on the pants.  CRAP!  I thought well, there must have been a flaw in the fabric, but it was okay, it was small and my long linen shirt covered it.  At the office I went to the bathroom and when I pulled my pants down I discovered a huge swipe of a blood stain in the front tummy part.  DAMN IT!  I realized that one of my many red moles on my leg had been scraped or something and it bled over my new white pants.  Luckily again the shirt covered it but DAMN IT!  

Then last night I had a couple of art girlfriends over for drinks and a summer dinner.  We had a great time, 5 hours of chatting!  I headed to bed later that night and took my pants off to find that on the back side of the pants, in view was another stain of some kind, probably red wine.  CRAP! 

I AM NOT GIVING UP!  I WILL wear white pants again, after I bleach, de-stain, whatever.  I am just so hard on clothes.  

 

Oh My GOODNESS!  I am exhausted, physically and mentally.  These back to back workshops were almost overload, but it is DONE!

This one is a portrait 4 day workshop with Romel de la Torre.   

Day 1

We watch him paint in the mornings then... 

It's our turn...EEK! 

Goodness, I wiped this thing off at least 4 times before I even could get started. 

This is Paola from Columbia. 

Never got past the block-in.  We used a limited Zorn palette of black, cadmium red, yellow ochre and titanium white.  You can make a lot of colors you don't really realize, even green!  (HINT: Black is made from burnt umber and ultramarine blue, so yellow ochre and black make GREEN!)

Day 2

This sweet girl, Ama, is from South Africa.

Romel is quite amazing. 

Then it was our turn to try and make Ama look like a girl...I struggle with that. Such a beautiful girl.

Not great, but not bad either. 

Day 3 and 4 is the lovely Christina. 

Romel is quite fun to watch and full of helpful lessons on this journey.

He finished today.

A close up of the face, ABSOLUTELY LOVELY!

Now it was our turn.  This was my view.

Man-o-man, this thing was HORRIBLE and when I got in this morning I tried to fix it, but it just got worse and worse and I WIPED it off, twice.

I actually walked out early this afternoon with the canvas blank.  After the past two weeks of intense workshops I was DONE!  My head was throbbing.  Hopefully I will attempt on my own, sometime, after some rest!  All in all it was an awesome couple of weeks and my mind is just bursting with info.