Closing Time

Imagine my shock this weekend when someone told me they thought the women's clothing store Coldwater Creek was CLOSING!  I just couldn't believe it but I received an email this morning from CC and it is true.  Oh my goodness I am heartsick as this is one of the main places I buy my clothes.  Where am I to shop now.  It was the only reason I went to the mall a few times a year.  

I guess I HAVE to go to the store sometime SOON and see what is on sale.  Sob.

This and That

 Look what is in my garden.  I started these babies early, like March 17 and now I already have tomatoes.  Hopefully the squirrels, rabbits and birds LEAVE THEM ALONE!

This weekend I boogied out early for the cabin for the Memorial Day Weekend and spent a bit of time painting.  It was great fun.  

Remember the squirrel I painted...well, I posted it on Facebook before it was finished and one of the cabinite people jumped on it immediately.  I finished it and sent her an email with the picture.  She loved it still and wanted it.  When I delivered Mr. Squirrel on Thursday she admitted that she didn't even know what size it was but loved it.  

Later the next couple of days I received an email of where Mr. Squirrel found his place in her home.  

And look at the top, that is another of my paintings, one of my first.  It's Afton's Sunflower.  

While there delivering the art she asked what I was working on right now and I immediately showed her on my phone the sweet turtle doves.  She LOVED it and said she might have to have it too. 

Then yesterday afternoon she emailed me again and has commissioned me to paint her sweet Arnie.  Arnie was her late husbands dog that had been dumped around the cabins like 15 years ago.  This boy is close to the end of his very lucky life.  He had multiple seizures a day, diabetes and is just old but very much loved.  So I will try and capture him on canvas.

En plein air Painting

Since we were going to be at the cabin this Memorial Day weekend I just knew I had to try my hand at en plein air painting.  

Day 1 - I got up about 5:30 and had my car loaded and ready to head to the creek by about 6:15, ready to watch the sunrise and paint.  I'm also trying to be more impressionistic in my style and it is quite freeing.

Day 2 (today) - I didn't up as early as Day 1 mainly because I knew there would not be a real sunrise.  I toyed with the thought of not even trying it again but I had The Hubby bring up my regular French easel and more brushes and paints so I had to.  I'm kind of happy with what happened here although I ended up wearing more of the green paint than went on the canvas.  I flipped a fully loaded brush on my clean shirt.  NOTE:  wear painting shirt when painting, not good clothes!

Vacation, Painting, and Condoms

I know I've been missing for a couple of weeks now but all is good.  A bout with the tummy but all is well. 

The Hubby was away for 8 days and nights to Australia and so I was very busy with the office, but everything ran smoothly at work.  It was a trip with a friend for "DANCE."  Yes, I wrote dance.  There was some kind of competition and workshop stuff in Brisbane and on a lark they went.  You see it is hard for both of us to go away together.  We have done it but it can be a problem with the office running smoothly, so we will vacation separately.  

He had a great time as was seen in this snapshot.  Just look at that smile.

Great sunset.  His favorite kind of photo. 

This photo he sent surprised him.  He didn't really know what to say.  Funny huh!

While he was a way and in between work I did get some painting done.  This little guy I finished and when I posted even the unfinished one on FaceBook it sold IMMEDIATELY!  I deliver it today.

I also finished these sweet little guys.  I am in love with this painting and it just came together.  I was in the "zone" that day.   

Love Is In The Air

Yesterday before art class I noticed through the bathroom window sitting on the fence in the sprinking rain these sweet doves.  Perfect picture don't you think.  Anyway I hurridly went to find my camera and went snapping away.  I didn't have anything to paint until I saw them.  S.....

class began this way...

I'm trying to be a bit looser and this is what I have so far.  I had to quit as the darn thing was so wet but so far, I like it.

This is a bad photo but then I tried this on a small 5x7.  Love the way it turned out.

Next it was on to this handsome guy.  Decided to stop and head home.  Back to it this weekend I hope.

Happy Mother's Day

My Momma

Granny - her momma

Greatgranny - her momma

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Peaceful

I am bound and determined that today will be peaceful and without drama.  It's is Saturday and the day before Mother's Day.  I also forgot this week that Tuesday would have been Momma and Daddy's 59th wedding anniversary.  All the stuff that has been going on it just slipped my mind and I kind of think Daddy's because he never said a word.

The new word on all that has happened is that the heart institute place did not have the insurance right, that since he has he own insurance it is a Medicare replacement.  What, I am so confused because the other hospital place filed through his Medicare.  They will have to re-request through the insurance to okay his test, 3 months after his heart attack.  GOOD GRIEF.  I sent an email to Sis and Bro saying that we have to have a family meeting to clarify it all and Sis to explain because insurance is what she does.....deep breath.  In, out, in, out....where's my easel!

Bad Day Part 2

Yesterday I forgot to tell you how my day really got started in the shower.  While reaching for the 16 oz. bottle of shampoo it slipped out of my fingers and onto my left foot.  So now I have a matching set of foot injuries.  

But on to the rest of the story that was BAD DAY yesterday.  Oh and I have to say that to make all the appointments go smoothly I originally had my monthly facial/massage scheduled for Thursday, yesterday, so that was totally skipped.  But I digress.  It was set up that Bro would take Daddy to his echocardiogram of which the place called me to get insurance cards and then try to ding Daddy to pay up front, right.  Also, shifted the scheduling to allow for my GYN appointment that at the last minute was rescheduled.  Originally, this was all set up around making the GYN appointment and so The Hubby had to find another ride to the airport for his little trip, right.  Since I was not taking Daddy and Bro was I was expecting a report about how the test went but what I got was Bro telling me that there was not a test because Daddy's primary doctor did not order/refer test.  WHAT!!!!!  What was all the insurance crap and money up front crap and phone calls and the office WHEN I called to schedule telling me they had the doctor referral.  OH MY CRAP!  

Wait...this gets better.

Since I was not taking The Hubby to the airport the wife of the guy he is traveling with is taking them.  I take him to their house and kiss and hug goodbye, wave and I'm on my way home for a few days of me time.  I swing by and pick up a burger and plan on not leaving the house for a few days, painting and preparing high school reunion stuff.  Funny how all of a sudden plans change.  My phone rings and it's The Hubby.  They CANCELLED all flights to Dallas because of the storms in Dallas.  So they, The Hubby, his traveling buddy and his wife are all coming to our house to cook a steak and figure out what they are going to do.  This also means they missed their connecting 16 hour flight that all has to be rebooked.  K...I've already moved into comfy clothes, snuggled in to watch TV and veg but okay.  So now I have company and we're cooking and both guys are frantically trying to rebook and figure out how all of this is going to work out.  

Today, my plan was to sleep in and as you might figure out did not happen as it is 4 am when I awoke.  My mind is whirring with all of this crap.  My plan was to paint this morning but instead it is to chew out some butt of someone in a medical office, or two.  My plan was to have a nice Friday night of watching Netflix movies, but instead will have dinner at the traveling buddy's house where there will probably be dance practicing, of which I HATE!  Funny how my plans always get jacked up so badly.  Stay tuned as I'm sure there may be a Bad Day part 3.  I sincerely hope not. 

Bad Day

Yesterday was horrible, just horrible!  I started my day as usual; up, coffee, eat protein, exercise, shower and then to the office.  Except in between shower and then to the office I had a phone call.  It was from the StFHS about Daddy's health claim.  I had called them Monday to give them Daddy's health card info so they could run it yet again to cover that dang $1300 bill they keep saying he owes.  I mean the guy has Medicare and private health insurance, he should not have anything out of his pocket yet we are still dealing with something that happened in September of last year.  We realized that they were not using his private health insurance as the secondary.  Anyway, I called them Monday and thought it would be handled.  So this morning the guy, Joey, told me that Daddy's health insurance said that his health insurance was not in effect in September when he had his stroke that it didn't start until February this year.  WHAT!  He has had constant health insurance with the same company since Momma died, eight years ago.  I then sent an email pleading with my sister to help with this crap because she works for the insurance company and this is what she does but instead she just sent me a text back just saying, "you need to call ***Health Insurance." That was all, no help, nothing just you do it.  Good grief.  I decided I would deal with this later, like another day.

Then after lunch my phone rings and it's Daddy's doctor office, his old doctor that is no longer practicing because he has cancer but Daddy is still with the system and the new doc he sees is part of the group.  They call and they need to see Daddy's insurance cards before his echocardiogram tomorrow that brother is taking him to.  They need the cards "TODAY!"  So, guess what I do, I jump in my car and go to Daddy's to get the cards take them to the office.  I live in Tulsa and Daddy lives in Broken Arrow so it is a small trek for me.  I go to Daddy's and he is not there.  CRAP.  I wait and finally he shows up.  He has been to his friend Jay's to visit.  I get the cards, copy them for my files and then I take off to the doc's office.  I have to admit I am not good remembering to get a person's name and phone number that I talk to.  I know I am bad, bad about that.  Anyway, I go to the office that I have been to before and the doc's name is on the little placard yet this office does not.  I can't find because of course he is no longer in the practice.  I go from floor three to two and find someone who can help, where all his patients are now, yet they are a bit confused about why I'm there.  They get the stuff into his records and then leave.  My cell rings just five minutes later and it's the girl who says that Daddy doesn't have an appointment there.  Then asks if it is at the heart institute, yes I say.  She says they don't have reciprocate info with them but if they call tomorrow she will fax the stuff.  I said well, brother will be with Daddy tomorrow and will have all his info and cards.  I don't care it is in the system...or is it.  Then back to Daddy's and I call the other health system that is dealing with his September stay in the hospital and realize that I've given them the wrong insurance info.  Fix that problem and they will refile...hope it works this time.

Is my day done, oh no not at all.  

I run back to the office and wrap up what I was doing there and then head home for a nice drink and relax.  I am home no longer than 5 minutes when my cell rings and it's Daddy and he is upset.  He wants to know if the heart institute has called me.  I said no, why.  He said that they want their money upfront before tomorrow for his procedure and the guy was apparently was not nice to Daddy and he was not nice back.  He was so upset.  It's funny that brother and I just talked about that.  That they will try that tactic first thing but you don't have to fall for that and we WON'T!  I told Daddy that brother would take care of it tomorrow and not too worry.  I hang up, lay the phone down and then my cell rings.  I think it's the heart institute and so I don't answer it.  Then the house phone rings and I let it ring.  Then my phone starts again.  Great, I answer it.  Let me first tell you that tomorrow was a problem for me in scheduling because I had a GYN appointment for three months and I NEED to go in then they scheduled Daddy's echocardiogram on that day at close to the same time and then The Hubby is taking a small trip and needs to get to the airport at the same time.  So scheduling was tricky.  I got bro to take Daddy to the doc, The Hubby had a ride and I could make my appointment though sad to not see The Hubby off.  Now back to the ringing phone.  I answer the third ringing batch and it was my GYN doctor office and the meek girl said they needed to reschedule my appointment to June 10.  I WAS NOT NICE to the poor girl.  I was so angry that I could tell my blood pressure was up, up, up and I wanted to cry.  I mean I have been trying to make it all work and I put out fires all day long and then this.  The good thing is that I will get to take The Hubby to the airport and see him off, but I'm still PISSED OFF!  

Family Drama

I guess that I have sat long enough reading old blogs posts that I have cooled down.  My morning started not in a good way.  My dad is still having the problem with the hospital sending him a bill for his stay in September for the stroke.  We have determined that the hospital did not recognize that he had a secondary insurance and they were supposed to rerun it, apparantly they had not done.  I called them again on Monday and talked to a very nice guy who took my, Daddy's, info and said he would look into it.  This morning I received another call from another very nice guy who tells me that Daddy's insurance was not enforce when he was in the hospital in September and in fact did not take effect until February this year.  REALLY.  Daddy has had the same insurance since Mom died, 8 YEARS AGO!  Good grief.  I was pretty hot but told the guy I would have to check into it. 

This is not what I am angry at really.  I am angry at my sister.  I guess I need to to quit expecting any, ANY help from here when it comes to our father.  I emailed her, PLEADING that I need help with this insurance bog I'm in.  I ask help with her because she is in the industry and she works for the dang company!  She also knows how to navigate all of it and frankly, I just don't have time right this minute.  I am so frustrated by her unwillingness to be of any kind of assitance in dealing with our father.  I just don't get it.  I am really pissed at her right now, really pissed.