Saturday, October 26, 2013

My Week In Review

Guess I have come to blogging once a week instead of every day as of late.  I'm okay with that.  Lots of stuff to pile up and talk about I guess.

The Hubby went out of town Sunday to Tuesday for a guy weekend and I just pulled into myself as I was just not feeling well.  In fact, art class I painted but just didn't feel it.  I am liking what I am working on in this photo.  It's from one of the cabins front porch from this summer.  See the tiny photo on the easel and the big one is the painting.  There will be a corner full of flowers I think next week in class.  
My show at The Canebrake is just about to wrap up and so far as I've heard, nothing has sold, yet.  I guess that is okay as it is nice to at least have it out there, to be in the public eye, name recognition!  

Did I tell you that one of my paintings will be at the Philbrook Festival of Trees!  That is a BIG deal as it is a juried show! 

Rio is now officially a walker.  She's played around with walking for over a month now but Thursday she just preferred walking instead of crawling.  I bought this little chair for her a week ago and took it to the shop.  It may have been too much for her at first as she insisted on sitting on the arms and standing most of the time but with a little persistent "SIT DOWN" she mastered it.  It is a favorite place for her and since I read a lot while watching her, she will get a book and climb in it and pretend to read her book.  So CUTE!

We've had a couple of marriages happen in the family, one good and one not so.  The niece that I have written about here ran off last weekend and got married.  If she doesn't have enough crap going on in her life.  It was a bonehead move on her part.  She needed to get her life going in a better direction before that should have happened but what do I know.  

Another marriage, the BEST, is The Hubby's brother and his partner.  They flew to Manhattan and tied the knot and we could not have been happier.  The have been together for years and years and we love them immensely.  It was the best news and we can't wait to celebrate with them when they return!

Yesterday I was attending a women's financial conference at OSU-Tulsa put on by the Women's CPA something.  No, I am not a CPA but a friend is and it was put on to enlighten women about finance.  One of the sessions was about Obamacare and the whole day could have been on that.  The intense questions and information that was given was very useful, especially for business owners like us.   It was a woman empowering day and I intend on attending again next year.  

While there I received a text from my high school bestie (in the middle) with these photos.  OH MY GOODNESS!  The Three Musketeers we were.  It was Christmas and I think we were at her house.  I have not ever seen these photos.  
LOVE THEM (the photos and the girls).

I posted this on Facebook and the response was about my long hair.  Yes, and it got even longer as I didn't cut it until 1979 (this photo was 1973 probably), just after Bri was born.   
Those were the days weren't they.  This week has been a bit of reminiscences with these photos and movies.  On Sunday night while The Hubby was gone I happened onto American Graffiti and watched it from beginning to end.  I know that was a bit before my time (not by much though) but we still did some of the same stuff.  Mainly draggin' the main strip (Main Street) in our cars, back and forth and back and forth, stopping to chat in parking lots and such.  Takes me back and these photos do too.  I do miss those times, I really do.  It was an age of innocence for me.  

This next week will be full of art, art, art.  Tomorrow I am attending an all day IPad art class that I am kind of excited about.  I have to borrow Bri's IPad as I don't have one.  Monday is a lot of work as The Hubby is invoicing this weekend and then babysitting the little SnickleFritz.  Thursday my show ends and I have to take it down!  But then the whirlwind of Thanksgiving is on the horizon and Af is coming home!!!!!  We also have Bri's Alliday Show the weekend after Thanksgiving of which we will ALL be helping and attending.  I will have more on it later.  

Well, I toodles for now readers.  

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Seasons of Change

 
Seasons change and I'm already missing the wonderful summer.  Even though our summer was not up to the snuff of the famous Oklahoma summers of the past, it was summer. 
Clayton will miss swimming in the creek.  See the little speck there, he and The Hubby love splashing in the creek after the Clayton run in the meadow.   
The deer will be here always but foraging for different kinds of food.  Look at that poor gal.  It's either a tumor or abcess on her jaw.  She's been in our area since she was a meer fawn with it so must be a growth of some kind. 
Of course the summer would not be complete without some of the visiting four-legged woof-woof's.  This one is a new baby and I can't for the life of me remember her name.  Isn't she adorable...think I will HAVE to paint her. 
Gone will be barefeet.  I don't know what it is about my feet but I love to take pictures of them.  If you have a foot fetish...sorry! 
Gone will be red lucious home-grown tomatoes...till next year! 
Time flies too as sweet Rio turned a year and is on to the next birthday.   
She had fun at her 1 year birthday party with her best pal Mondo!   
We now usher in mums, crisp fall air and fires in the fireplace. 
Oh, almost forgot the neighbor pup, Sissy!  Isn't she styling.  Will have to paint her too to go along with her little girl Annie that I painted for Harri a few years ago. 

Last night we hosted a gathering at our cabin of chili and homemade apple pies.  Gosh, I had not made pie crust in a few years.  It's my greatgranny's recipe and so very, very good. 

Chili to warm the insides on the rainy and cold October evening.  A fire in the fireplace and a yummy cocktail of apple cider and caramel vodka!  Yes, that was delicious and Zantac was consumed so I could sleep!

Unbaked... 
baked and in the fridge.  I made two and one was gone in less than 5 minutes.  This one will save for The Hubby's guy getaway tomorrow! 
Lastly, the last of the tomatoes.  I have one plant in the front of the cabin and the thing was loaded with green tomatoes but with a frost warning I quickly picked them last evening.  Think I will have to go off the diet and fry these babies up. 
 
Toodles all.  It's a long post and full of stuff cause I don't when I will get time to do this in the next few weeks. 

Friday, October 18, 2013

I Apologize

I must apologize for not reading and commenting on some of my favorite blogs as of late but my life has been such a whirlwind the only time I read anything is at bedtime lately or listen to a book in the car, much less sit down and read blog posts.  I miss my friends but it is what it is.  Life is barrelling along for me and I don't even have time for my creative side that NEEDS to come out.  I have got to find some time to just stop and express myself.  So this quick note is to apologize to one and all and Please don't give up on me.  I will be back, I promise...don't leave me.  Carla

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Daddy's Home

I couldn't decide how I wanted to start this post so I thought I would plunge right in.  Daddy is home.  Yes, he is finally in his beloved home, sleeping in his beloved bed and sitting in his beloved chair.  But it has not been without a few ups and downs.  Yesterday while I was at the office and watching Rio my phone rang to say Daddy was ready to go home.  Being as it was pouring down rain and I was nearly downtown Tulsa and watching little one and couldn't schlep Daddy, baby, his TV and crap I called my trusty brother to pick him up.  Unfortunately, he was having a horrid day but it was what it was.  So he dropped all he was doing and went to get Daddy.  When he got there the nursing home acted like they had no idea Daddy was going home and they couldn't find anyone to make it HAPPEN!  Daddy was hot and Bro was hot that they didn't know their arse from a hole in the ground.  Finally, about 3 hours later they were walking out the door.  I then got on the texting to my Sis to see if she could go to the store and take Daddy a gallon of milk.  After texting her that Daddy was going home and she responded "Yeah" and "I bet he's happy", suddenly nothing.  I could not  get a response out of her for nothing.  RATS!  By the time I could even think about getting away from the office, and going to the store, then to Broken Arrow, in the pouring down rain, it would be rush hour and after a day of work and watching a very active 1 year old that took a 1 hour nap...NO, NO, NO!  I called my cousin who lives around the corner and he was more than happy to help his uncle and met them at the house with Daddy's milk.  That was the only thing Daddy needed.  Whew, that was done.

I planned to go to the house the next morning, this morning right after my workout about 7 am.  It's not too early for Daddy as he is up anywhere from 3 to 7 anyway.  Well, I pulled up and the house was dark and the paper was still on his porch.  I just turned the car off and decided I would wait for him to wake up.  I figured he was having happy sleep being home.  I texted Bro to tell him I was waiting and he called and we chatted. He told me to go ahead and go on in but I was afraid of scaring Daddy.  I waited until about 7:45 and decided to go in.  I had his basket of clean clothes in my hands and I picked up his paper, stuck my key in the lock and opened the door and yelled it was me (Daddy is about deaf)..........I was greeted with the picture of a full monty of my Daddy!!!!! My first thought was "I'm going blind" ......IIIICKKKKKK!!!!!  He had just gotten out of the shower and was heading to his bedroom for clothes.  His head was down and I realized that he couldn't hear me because his hearing aids were out because of the shower.  Right, he had no idea I was even there.  I put my head down, hollored again and kept walking in towards the kitchen.  I don't know if he heard me but I turned on all the lights and went straight to the kitchen and just waited.  YIKES!

All morning long I had been texting Sister to see if she could get Daddy into the doctor.  Since they go to the same practice I thought, she could do this.  But again, I heard nothing.  So I did the research and got him in on Thursday.  I called Daddy to let him know we had an appointment and he told me that not long after I left his house this morning my niece (Sister's girl) made and appearance to see him.  Normally, that would not be a problem but this 21 year old girl has some issues that have popped up lately and that visit scared me.  She has been locked out of her parents house for stealing and lying and can't hold a job.  She has admitedly confessed on Facebook that she is addicted to drugs and drinks.  She never, NEVER goes to her Papa's by herself to visit.  Daddy said she came in, hugged his neck and immediately went to the counter where Daddy's bulk medicines from the nursing home were all spread out.  She was really looking them all over.  Daddy knows all that is going on with this girl and he told her to get away from the stuff that it was none of her business.  Am I being a worry wart...I think not.  I texted Sis again that Brit visited Daddy and she replied, "She did.  I don't trust her.  I've told Daddy not to trust her." Really.  Then you need to tell her to STAY AWAY!  (Can't believe she replied, FINALLY!)  

Monday, October 14, 2013

Human Becoming

That is the title of our youngest new ALBUM or EP as they call it.  You can download it on Spotify, Amazon, SoundCloud and ITunes.  
On Amazon I had to type in "Human Becoming Sangster" to find it.  Take a listen to our girl, buy the EP!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Sleep is Overated

It is 5 AM...yes I just wrote that down.  Actually, I have been awake since 4:15 but only just started writing here.  Last night we kept little Miss Snicklefritz overnight and she has slept pretty darn well with a whimper about 1 and again about 4:15.  Yes, that is when I gave it up.  When I wake up in the middle of the night the mind immediately starts whirring and I'm awake anywhere from 5 minutes to HOURS!  This week I've had several of those nights.  So the little princess is snoozing and her Granny is wide awake this morning but it's my usual time to get up anyway.  
She slept all through the night basically and that is a wonderful thing.  Her momma is in the process of trying to wean from the breast.  She has dropped the two middle of the day feedings and last night I was to give breast milk in a bottle but she thought that was a game.  Rio kept biting down on the nipple of the bottle and pulling it between her teeth till it popped out splattering milk on her and me.  Oh, that was great fun but I cringed thinking of her momma!  She laughed and giggled until I'd had enough.  At least she got about an ounce down her then I popped in the pacifier and she was out and has been all night.  The picture above she is eating some of her crunchies and occasionally one would fly off as she pulled it out of her little cup and Clayton was happy to retrieve it for his tummy.  She wore herself out crawling around our kitchen island over and over again.  Someday she will walk it but right now she is faster crawling.  She can walk but just not as steady as she would like.
Friday I was recruited to go with her and her momma to the pediatrician for her 12 month well check up.  She did fantastic and is above in her height right now.  It was also a day of SHOTS!  That face was soon transformed into crying and pain.  Poor baby.  She had 5 shots and then a blood test that they do now by government requirement for lead testing.  She also got the first of two for the flu shot.  I am a HUGE proponent of any kind of vaccinations because I've had a lot of the stuff they vaccinate against and it is not fun.  Mumps, measles, chicken pox, with some of the scars to prove it.  With the chicken pox I also have the dark cloud hanging over my head for shingles.  I know it is painful and her poor little arms looked like a war zone with band aids when we walked out the door but she is just fine today and she has never had a reaction or even swelling from the shots, unlike her momma with swelling and redness.  Rio's immunities are fabulous!  Like her mother she has only had a little virus once and a sniffle, once.  

Oh, and I had my flu vaccination this week too.

DADDY UPDATE:  He is doing marvelous and will come home this week!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Work, Daddy and ART!

Guess, I had better give an update.  Sorry I have been missing here but my mind has just not been wanting to write lately.  

Daddy is mending.  He may go home in a few days and be sort of back to normal, except for the driving bit. We have got to find him a new doctor which has caused a problem through this whole ordeal.  His regular doctor has stage 4 pancreatic cancer and won't be coming back and I think Daddy thought he would.  So we have got to go doctor shopping.  Not a good place to be with that but we will make it happen.  We will get through.

Work has been good but a bit crazy with employees.  That can make you a bit nuts too.  We have made it for 34 years and we will make it through.  It's just crazy to run your business plus be in the middle of contruction projects of your own.  It can make you a bit weary as The Hubby can attest to but we will get through.  

The art stuff is rocking along.  We had a kind of reception on Saturday with about 14 of the lake place ladies there for lunch to see my work.  I sent out probably 100 post cards plus marketing on Facebook, my blog(s), emails,  and leaving postcards places.  I hope it works to get people there and SELL!!!  Also good news is one of my paintings was selected to be in the Philbrook Festival of Trees.  It's kind of a big deal because it is a juried show!  How exciting is that!  

Friday, October 04, 2013

The Good, The Bad and The HAPPY BIRTHDAY

This week has been full of, well, stuff.  Sunday we celebrated little Rio's first birthday which was actually on Tuesday.  I can't believe she is a year old and the joy she has brought into our lives.


Monday was also the opening of my month long show at The Canebrake so my friend Christine helped me to hang all of the 30 paintings I have.  It's so very exciting.  I hope I sell!

Then we were also faced with all the health issues for Daddy.  They moved him from the hospital on Tuesday to a skilled nursing care facility (in a nursing home) and he was NOT happy.  Actually, when they came into his hospital room and told him he did not realize he needed rehab and he thought we kids knew nothing about it.  He was HOT I can tell you and let all of the staff know.  But they called me and then calmed him down.  He is still so very weak and they say that they want him to be able to go back home and be independent again but I not so sure.  He still has the memory things going on and needs so much assistance.  It was a small stroke, I don't know how people go home after a bad one.  It's going to be a long road.  We also need to find him a geriatric doctor.  His regular doctor is no more, as he has cancer.  Daddy had not gone to a doctor for over a year.  I think he thought his doctor was going to come back and be just fine and he would wait but this waiting has put us into a situation that we are going to have to find a doctor for him.  Today I have to call the paper and stop his paper for however long this is going to take.  I have to go get his laundry every few days and take it back clean.  Plus, trying to fit all of this going back and forth in with working, watching Rio and trying to paint (my sanity).  So far the painting has all but stopped and I have a commission I need to finish but I just can't get my mind to sit and do it.  

Life goes on and I will carry on as usual.