Travel Time

You know me, or at least some do on this blog, but I am a nervous traveler.  I don't mind flying at all, it's the lead up to it.  Like buying a ticket, checking in, checking your bags, SECURITY (although they could strip me right in front of everybody and I would not make a peep!)  Once I'm in the airport past all the "stuff" I'm fine.  

My oldest, Bri, Snicklefritz and I decided that this spring for spring break that we would travel to LA to visit daughter #2, Afton.  Scary part was buying the tickets, but with Allegient Air we were able to fly non-stop, a HUGE plus in my nervous travel book.

It was also Snicklefritz's first time to fly and she was so excited.  Her face when she realized that the wheels were off the ground and we were FLYING was priceless!

Afton was there to happily pick us up and then jaunt off to a quick vegan lunch.  You see, she and here hubby, Nick are vegan's in veganland, California.  I really don't mind because some of the stuff she fixes for us is quite yum.  Bri is vegetarian also so the food thing for her was easy too, and Snicklefritz doesn't eat much meat at all.

Then a quick stop to Hermosa Beach for Snicklefritz to see the ocean for the very first time.  She had a lot of firsts this past week.  We knew that the chance for beach time was non-existent this trip so this was our only chance.   

We could hardly get her off the sand as she rolled and rolled around in it.  

My girls!

Since we were staying a week we decided to rent an Airbnb.  It was an older apartment/condo kind of thing and Bri loved it, me, not so much.  But it was clean and very close to Afton as she was our ride/taxi driver while out there.  I even had MY first Uber ride.

The courtyard was lovely, really charming. 

After the beach and a 16 mile 1-1/2 hour drive to their place Afton was pooped, as were we and so our new son-in-law, Nick dropped us off back at our Airbnb.

The next day we planned on a trip to Universal Studios and Harry Potter World!  I was apprehensive for the walking but stoked about HPW!

Right off the bat when we entered the whole place we saw this, Scooby Doo and his entourage.  Bri loved, LOVED, LOVED that show as a child.  She had/has a Scooby Doo stuffed dog and watched the show for hours when we first got cable as it was on for like 2 hours a day.  She was beyond excited to see them and was nearly in tears with giddiness!   

Harry Potter World was fabulous. 

We bought a wand, scarves and a stuffed puppet Hedwig for Snicklefritz. 

  Food and drink was had at Three Broomsticks.

Boy was I beat that day.  That evening after dinner at one of their favorite Pho restaurants, Lemon Grass, we dropped Snicklefritz off to spend the night with her Auntie Af and Uncle Nick while we got some R&R.  The next morning we walked across the street to the Panera Bread for much needed coffee and food then Ubered to their place to get the kiddo.

The next day we went to Target to check out maternity clothes, yes, I said MATERNITY  clothes.  We are going to be grandparents again.  Afton and Nick are expecting...

a baby girl. 

We got to find out just before we left for Target. While at Target my niece, who lives in LA now and is a budding photographer came over to take some publicity photos of Nick for his use in his jazz music career.

Then we all went to lunch/dinner to yet another vegan place that the name escapes me right now.  Britt was able to join along and then she snapped the baby announcement photos.  It was good to see her and she is doing so well.  I'm proud of her.  

Oh and on the weather front, unfortunately we had one day of partial sun.  Seems we brought the Oklahoma rain, dreary and cold with us.  In fact, on the way to lunch/dinner it rained so hard and then HAILED!  Afton said she couldn't remember the last it had hailed in California.  

Sadly, the visit was over and we were up at 3:30 AM, yes AM, to jet off back to Oklahoma, which they had had an entire week of fantastic weather.  We got back to RAIN AND COLD AND DREARY!  Good Grief.  

Anyway, we are back and they will come here in June so we can see her growing belly and then in September sometime I will fly out there ALONE, ALL BY MYSELF to help her when baby girl comes.  I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!  

Quietly Living

Dear followers, friends and family.  Yes, I'm still around but life is just marching on and I am keeping my head down and trying not to stumble.  

I've been in the studio creating, creating, creating.  

We've also skipped off to the cabin a few times with little Snicklefritz in tow once.  Sadly, yet happily we have a new back door neighbor there.  My dear friend and her hubby decided that they needed one home, not two, BUT they sold to another friend and he is FANTASTIC!  I miss her dearly, our morning coffee talks and just hanging but life goes on.   

We've had Snicklefritz with us several times and the cabin weekend I introduced her to cinnamon toast.  YUM!  

Back at the homestead she has also spent time with us and her crew.

Her Granddad and she are the best buds and he introduced her to the old cartoon Heykell and Jeykell.

Daddy is doing wonderful and I try to get by to see him and his sweet sidekick, Susie, and pay his bills about every other week.  I was surprised to see one morning that Momma's crocus flowers were in full bloom.  Just made me smile a sad smile in her memory.

I Am Mum On The Subject

Good morning bloggy friends.  I'm enjoying a quiet cold morning at the cabin while The Hubby decided to head back to town for a few things he wanted to do.  He will be back this afternoon, in time for dinner at one of the cabinites.  

I'm in a funk right now.  Some bad stuff has happened that I don't feel comfortable talking about here and some good stuff has happened that I CAN'T talk about just yet here.  So guess I will just post my latest paintings instead.

"Cowboy Matt"

"Stand Alone"

SOLD

"Reflections of Pink"

My Week in Review

Man, my life.  I just can't seem to slow down, but at least I'm productive.  

Yesterday B and I hosted a baby shower for a friends daughter-in-law and the anxiously awaiting due date of Owen, my friends first grandchild.  I created the invites with watercolor and was happy with how they turned out.  

It was really quite easy with everyone bringing most of the food.  I did these very easy caprese bites and ordered yummy cupcakes.   Others brought fruit, banana bread, quiche, juice and I had prosecco.  It was a great success.

There was another little girl there that kept Snicklefritz entertained and Snicklefritz was a great help getting everyone to sign in, where to put there coats and gifts.  She was invaluable and I knew she would be.  Of course Clayton was very happy with all the people and many hands to lend a scratch, especially the little girls.  He LOVES little kiddos and was absolutely exhausted after it was all done. 

I did get a bit of painting done this week and I'm feeling very, VERY good about all of it.  

This beautiful orchid was where I get my pedicure and thought the shadows were awesome.

I changed up the bowl to soft blue as blue plays off of yellow nicely. 

Now I need to let it dry a bit and work on the background before going back to the flowers. 

Then I started this lovely.  The photo belongs to my friend Shirley, of whom the single peony I did the other day.  I saw this on her phone as she was showing me the peony and told her I HAD to have it to attempt to paint.  

So, this week, I started it.  I am having so much fun with it and you know I can leave out as much as I want or leave in all of it.  There is so much to the photo that I have a lot of options. 

Life Back On Track

Finally have a chance to blog this evening.  It's been a busy couple of weeks.  Sadly Af and Nick went back to their life in LA Friday and we took the opportunity to run off to the cabin.  It had been a month since we had been there and we were certainly missing it.  

My babies are just beautiful...Love them so very much.....

A weird thing happened a week before Christmas.  A friend sent me a text saying she left a gift on our front porch.  It was about 10 in the morning and I was going to be home about noon.  I looked on our cameras and saw it sitting in the corner.  We have lots of packages delivered and never, ever have problems.  Anyway, I went home at noon and went to the porch to get the gift to find it gone.  CRAP!  I called The Hubby and told him and he had our tech guy go back on our cameras and see that a "fill-in" lady postal worker was the culprit.  Yes, I know people leave gifts for their postal people but our guy is named Brian and I had just met him a few weeks before.  On camera she rifled the package several times, and I mean several.  She even took stuff out of the bag and looked at it, picked it up and walked to the edge of the porch a couple of times then put it down, walk to the mail truck and drive off.  A bit later on the camera she walked up the side yard and on the porch yet again and again checked out the contents of the bag, picking it up again and again, but this time she walked off with the bag.  

Maybe I can believe that she thought it was for "Brian" but folks, the bag had a high heel on the front, a bracelet inside, dishcloth and this girly ornament hanging on it.  NO WAY! 

We tried to file a complaint but that is easier said than done.  Then I decided to write this note and left it the next day.  It was accusatory for sure but after our break-in last spring I felt violated yet again.  

Later that morning I watched the camera and saw her come on the porch and leave the gift and tape the note back where I left it.  I was so anxious to get home and see the gift.  The bag had truly been woman-handled and the stuff was crammed in it.  She wrote a response on the back saying she didn't need to steal it and that she "thought" it was for our regular carrier, (yeah right).  I'm sorry but she stole the gift and got caught RED-HANDED!  

Painting has been put on the back burner because of the holidays and because a couple days after Af and Nick arrived she came down with a nasty head cold and two days later B and I both came down with it.  The guys not a hint of a cold.  How weird is that.  We're all still trying to fight it off but today I finally headed to the studio.  

These are what I'm working on...

A friend took this photo and wanted to see if I could paint it... 

There's a lot still to do on it but I like it so far.

Then a friend posted this on Facebook and I jumped at the chance to paint it.  She was thrilled I wanted to so we'll see how it goes.

A bit more to go but it feels so good to hold a brush and mix paint.

Almost forgot this little guy.  The day Af and Nick flew in I had to get Clayton into the vet.  He was not well and I feared a urinary tract infection.  Unfortunately, our vet was out sick and they told me I was going to have to find another vet.  YIKES!  It was Friday and the weekend before New Year's, I had to get him looked at.  I was lucky enough to get him into B's vet that is closer and he determined that it might be arthritis.  Really, well okay.  He sent chewable pills home and we started that.  Within a couple of days it was a whole new dog but I can really tell that he has some catches in his get-a-long.  

Happy New Year everyone