Saying Goodbye

Yesterday I attended a memorial/funeral service.  Daddy's bestie, Jay passed away February 1 but because of Covid they had to wait to schedule his service until February 27.  It was a sweet, short, simple service.  Jay was Navy in his early years so they had the color guard there, two of them.  Since it was in a church there wasn't the full regalia that is sometimes a part but they did walk to the front of the room, saluted and taps played.  That ALWAYS gets me, so tears formed.  Then they took the folded flag off of the mock coffin (he was interred that morning) and unfolded the flag, turning it to the room to show then they slowly folded the flag again, saluted again, then walked the flag to Dino (Jay's son) and handed it to him, saluting again.  It was simple and beautiful and of course, tears.  

This family goes back in my memories to the very beginning.  Momma, Daddy, Jay and Helen always got together to play cards, pinochle.  Dino I think was my brother's age and their daughter was my sister's or younger.  The parents would play cards until very late in the night so they would put down pallets for us to go to sleep then be taken home later.  I can remember making tents with the sheets and one time Dino kissed me, my very first kiss.  Oh gosh, I always had a crush on Dino, think deep down I still do, but really he's more a brother to me.   The very first tattoo I ever saw was on Big Jay's arm.  I was fascinated by it and probably never saw another one until I was well into adulthood.  

Yesterday when I walked in the building the very first person I saw was Dino.  Even though we were masked I recognized him immediately and he said, "Hi Beautiful!"  Oh goodness, I can't lie, my heart fluttered a bit, but really it was love for a good guy, for a good family.  Big Jay had a giant heart to anyone he met always hugging and kissing you on the mouth, even my Daddy every time they parted.  It was so sweet.  Sadly that kissing is probably what took Jay's life because he died from complications of Covid.  I've known several people that have had Covid and survived but he's the first person that I knew who passed away.  Breaks my heart.  

The service went on with a heartfelt message from one of Dino's best friends then a scripture and a slide show.  Goodness, those photos took me back to the young years, the Jay that is so vivid in my memory and his wife Helen.  She was a beauty.  Helen passed away shortly before Momma from COPD, like Momma.  (DAMN smoking!)  There was one photo that showed Daddy, Jay, Dino, my brother, my EX-brother-in-law, and another guy, the bowling team.  Gosh, more tears.  My mask was getting soggy because I didn't have a tissue.  After that I wanted to say goodbye to Dino and waited my turn.  He grabbed me in a bear hug and started sniffling.  I told him to please keep in touch because we are family.  He then did the Big Jay thing and kissed me full on the mouth, of course with masks on...LOL.  

Goodbye Jay

Goodbye Daddy

Goodbye Momma

Goodbye Helen

 

NOT Wordless Wednesday

I finished this painting yesterday.  I had started it on Saturday, actually signed it but I was not happy with it.  I woke up yesterday morning and knew exactly what was wrong.  It was one tone, not enough light or dark.  It was boring so I set up and started working on it again and finally my eyes were happy.  I call it:

"One Wish"

9x12 oil

After I got that finished it was lunch time.  I settled down with lunch, my soaps and hopefully a little nap when The Hubby called to say my car was done!  WHAT!  It wasn't supposed to be done till Wednesday or Thursday.  He was on his way to pick me up to get the car.  Ditch the TV and nap and I was out the door.  Of course on the way there The Hubby threw in, "There are several checks that came in the mail."  Well, CRAP.  So after I got my car I went to the office to do a little work.

Last night we went out to dinner.  He wanted to go to one of our local places, The Bros. Houligan for Tim's T-bone Tuesday.  We like the original location of the two but once we were ordering we were informed they only do the T-bones at the other location.  RATS.  The Hubby had to settle for a ribeye and I had the catfish!!!  During the dinner discussion I told him I was going to the studio today.  I had not been in there for nearly 3 weeks and now that I had a car and my office work was done I WAS GOING TO THE STUDIO!!!  

We have been trying to replace our hot tub for months now but there were none to be had because of Covid.  Finally last week one came in and he set it up to be delivered to arrive TODAY!  Oh my how I miss my hot tub.  He's been getting the electric all ready for days now and getting the old disconnected and ready to be hauled away, it leaks.  Last night when we got home, after dinner, after the dinner talk, he said for me to let him know when they come to deliver the hot tub....wait WHAT!  I reminded him that I was not going to be here I had planned on going to the studio, remember.  Do you need me to stay home, yet again.  OMG, after weeks of snow, ice and no car I needed to get out.  He got huffy and said no, but of course now I feel guilty, just a little bit.  

I'm going to the studio today!!!

The past couple of weeks have also been a hit on my art confidence, yet again.  I keep funding these organizations with entering and keep getting turned down.  There are always a plethora of Red-X's and I am so over it but I am bound and determined to get something green, sometime.  I will keep trying but it really hurts.  On Facebook there are artist after artist that are joyously espousing the good news they got accepted to OPA or IA, they got their notice.  It really makes me want to cry, really does, but again, I will carry on.

 

Sunday Grumbles

 Well, well, well, the great thaw of 2021 has begun.  Today is 2-21-21.  You know March is just around the corner and SPRING!!!!!  OMG, I can't wait.  Also, being March I have to sign up for Medicare.  Not looking forward to delving into all that. 

I've been busy at home painting as you can see and quite successfully too.  THAT feels really good.  Hopefully this next week, wait, maybe the next week I will be back in the studio.  I'm taking my car in for the body work tomorrow and they said it will take 3 days, so I will be without wheels for those 3 days, stuck at home, again like the PAST TWO WEEKS!  Yes I will have The Hubby to take me into the office if needed and in fact I will drive there tomorrow and then we will drop off my car and then back to the office to catch up on over a weeks worth of mail and catch-up stuff.  I'm good with that.  

A little bit of a kerfuffle her this morning.  Actually it started yesterday morning when I asked The Hubby if he wanted me to cook him breakfast.  I do it a lot on Saturday mornings, especially at the cabin but of course we are not at the cabin and may not be for a few weeks.  Because of the big freeze, there is no water there.  Anyway, I offered, but he said no, because he was going to go to the flea market.  Well, okay then, maybe tomorrow (Sunday).  It is Sunday morning and frankly, I DON'T WANT to cook this morning.  I have cooked every single meal lately as I  ALWAYS do and I don't want to cook this morning.  Last night when I was cooking chicken and noodles and he was an arm chair cook telling me to not put too much chicken in like last time, and don't overdo adding the  noodles...blah, blah, blah!  Yup, pissed me off.  AND after dinner he piped off that I made too much chicken noodles.  I can not win here.  I said, "well, because you come home for lunch EVERY SINGLE DAY I have to have something for you to eat.  You constantly text me to ask if there's anything for lunch and here you go, CHICKEN AND NOODLES for lunch!"  DUDE!  Do you not see a pattern here and a frustration. 

GOOD GRIEF!  He is cooking breakfast, or at least trying to cook breakfast.  He has come in here no less than three times to ask questions, "Where's the good butter."  "Where's the hash browns."  "Don't we have biscuits."  It might have been easier if I had just done it myself'!

"After the Floods-Rebirth"

9x12 oil

"Sunday Drive"

12x16  oil

Friday night we also had lots of company. The Grand-girls came, one stayed for the entire weekend.  Oh GOSH, how much I love these babies.  The are my night and day, my all encompassing love.  I fixed 3-way (Mini had marinara and pasta -vegan) and my floors were totally cleaned up by sweet Clayton.  There was a slight accident because we have a toddler wondering around the house but that is to be expected.  She is all over the place and all of a sudden she stopped by the wine bottle area and pulled out two bottles of my red wine out and of course they were heavy.  Both crashed down, one broke all around her bare feet and the scream was terrifying.  I was worried about a large cut or broken toe but it wasn't too bad.  She had a few little surface slices on the bottoms of her feet, not even a tint of blood, thank goodness.  Poor baby, scared her to death and us adults.  It's just the curiosity of a toddler and you have to be on top of them constantly.  The Hubby said we needed to baby proof the house and I agree on the under cabinet stuff but I'm not going to completely put everything up.  They never learn to respect any house they are in if you do not teach them the limits of what not to touch.  I never childproofed after Snicklefritz or even my own girls (except for CHEMICALS!)  Anyway she is fine and full on spaghetti here and we had the most wonderful time.  Snicklefritz is a great, big cousin, carting Mini around and playing with her.  I know she wanted to have just me for the weekend, you can sometimes see the green-eyed monster briefly but in reality she LOVES her cousin and an evening of fun for all is perfect.  

Fire and Ice

Of course I'm still not budging out of the house with all this snow and ice underneath but The Hubby can't sit home.  He went into the office and we have two guys working.  These photos are from across the street from our business where Marshall Brewing and Tap Room is, and next door (buildings are  attached) is a little office supply.  This little old man we have watched through our windows for several years has this business.  He pulls up in front nearly everyday and goes in and you can see shelf after shelf of old office supplies.  He doesn't have a store front but delivers I guess to old customers.  Well what he told one of the owners of Marshall's yesterday is that he had some frozen pipes and he set up some space heaters and would be back and forth during the day to check on them.  I guess he didn't make it back in time and the whole place went up in smoke.

Nearly all day long multiple fire trucks and fire-people worked and worked in the frigid conditions to contain the fire and NOT let it spread to Marshall's.

It was quite the scene and at times on our cameras all you saw was smoke.  Eventually the roof collapsed.  You can't help but feel sorry for the little old guy and his tiny business that is literally toast.  I so hope he has insurance.  I know Marshall's does and so far all they have is water and smoke damage.  I'm sure the insurance companies will play the game and he will be subrogated in this incident.  Just tragic, BUT no one was hurt.

Now on our side of the street, let's just say FROZEN is more a reality.

Snow was piled up in the front of the building and it literally froze the front door.  I'm certainly glad I am NOT in there because we would not be able to keep the stone building warm enough for me.  The Hubby said this photo was Monday, that yesterday it was even more frozen!

Luckily I have absolutely no reason to venture into the office until next week sometime.  I WAS going to take my car in on Monday to the body shop to get the hit and run thing fixed but as I've stated, not driving.  Hopefully Monday I will be able to get it in and then will be without a car for 3 days.  Next week should be okay and The Hubby can drive me around if needed.  

Snow World

I just wanted to bring you a piece of NO SNOW!  I took this photo from our car with my phone last spring or summer on our way to the cabin.  I want, NEED that kind of weather to come SOON!  Right now we are literally knee deep in snow as is a good part of the country.  Oh goodness, it so cold out there, pretty, but cold.  Of course The Hubby won't stay home and I don't see any of the employees trying to go into work at this point, but he CAN'T SIT HOME another day without going in to "WORK!"  Again, I don't see how he is going to navigate retirement if he can't just stay home during a bad snowstorm.  

Our poor little Clayton this morning went out his doggy door this morning but because it is so very cold and slippery by his door he could not get back inside, kept falling back.  The Hubby said he finally just sat down in the snow.  The Hubby got down on his knees and opened the door, reaching outside and grabbing poor Clayton.  It was just too cold and he would have been dead pretty quick just sitting there with the wind chill -22 or something like that.  SCARY!  I told The Hubby to turn it off, that I would keep an eye out on Clayton and let him out the sliding door.  It is too cold for this little guy especially with his arthritis issues.  I would have been very afraid if he had gone out at night or while we weren't home, we would have found him dead by his door.  Oh makes my heart hurt for our little guy.  Watch out for your pets, no animal or person should be out in this stuff.

Ice, Ice Baby

Ice, Ice Baby...in more ways than one.

I believe I've actually used that title before.  Our weather this past week was an absolute ice rink out there.  Yesterday I was extremely apprehensive about driving but I HAD TO!  The day before, Thursday, The Hubby took me to the office to do payroll and just trying to get in the door was nerve-wracking.  Absolute ICE out there and I do not need to break my hip or knee or any other bone in my body.  We then took a drive to south Tulsa to check out where I had to drive to yesterday.  You see, my guy was having a bit of minor surgery and there was no canceling it, absolutely NO CANCELING it, in his mind.  At first he was going to have me drive his very large truck, Dodge Ram pickup but after driving to the place I realized that the main roads were just fine.  It was the side roads that were hell.  Once home I decided I could drive my car and that is what we did.  

Do you see The Hubby's eyes in the photo, how droopy his eyelids are.  Since Thanksgiving for some reason they started getting worse to the point that the girls were concerned as I was.  The eyelids were swollen and puffy and when he looked at you it almost looked like he was cross-eyed trying to look under the droop.  Trust me that photo was a good look.  They got worse and worse to the point I didn't see how he could maneuver through the day.  He went to his eye doctor, nothing wrong.  He went to the dermatologist, nothing, except that his skin was irritated and she gave him some cream, but he couldn't use on his eyes.  I suspect that since he quit using Dove Soap all over his body, face too and started using Dial anti-bacterial soap that he had irritated his skin which enhanced the puffiness and redness.  So, yesterday he had an eyelid lift, all covered on his Medicare, BECAUSE he couldn't see!  There is a lot of icing going on outside and inside this house this weekend.  He's really not in too much pain, thank goodness and is doing what he was told to do.  They are bruised and a different kind of puffy.  I'm feeding and getting him to TAKE IT EASY, which is not something he does well. In fact, he got so bored last night he started cleaning out the front hall closet.  GOOD GRIEF!  Retirement is going to drive him crazy.  

Plus with all this ice outside and having it clear up enough to drive we will have a snowstorm starting tomorrow and then again on Wednesday.  I really, REALLY hate winter and hope I can stay busy enough to welcome spring soon, very soon.  Here's to being cooped up in the house with a workaholic husband!

 

Where Oh Where Has My Summer Gone

 Have I EVER written how much I hate, HATE winter!!!  I bring to you SPRING/SUMMER in Oklahoma, my favorite time of year. 

This morning here is ice, a thin sheet of ice everywhere and it has been that way since Monday.  Plus the temperatures are more than below freezing and have been all week long.  Surprisingly, I am not feeling the cold as much this year and that is weird.

I did go to the office yesterday, but today, NOT BUDGING!  I'm supposed to get a pedicure today but again, NOT BUDGING!

This is what I dream of, bare feet, sitting on my wonderful screened porch, listening to the birds and feeling the warmth of the day.

Speaking of getting a pedicure...I almost forgot this little tidbit on my brand new car, just barely a year old.  Monday I went to lunch with The Hubby leaving my car at the office.  When we returned we were pulling up and noticed our youngest in her car next to mine.  She was talking to her hubby telling him about "my car!"  When she pulled up she noticed a huge scrape on my lower back left side panel.  It was very low and I never even saw it before.  There was scraped black paint on my car, someone had HIT MY CAR!  There is no telling when it happened and I know of only two places it could have happened, at the studio and where I get my nails done.  I never get out and go into any store except those two places.  The office is secure, in a gated parking lot with mostly only our guys.  The studio is a possibility but more than likely it happened where I get my pedicure.  The parking there is dicey and they are next door to a medical marijuana place.  Plus several of the clients of the pedicure place are extremely elderly and have rather large cars...AND CAN'T PARK WORTH A WHIT!  I can almost guarantee that is where it happened.  Well, The Hubby and I jumped into my car and ran down the street where our body guy is (we have a lot of vehicles) to get an estimate, $850 to repair my car.  I haven't had my first oil change yet because I haven't been able to put even close to 5,000 miles on the thing.  Pisses me off to no end but it is what it is.

I am SOoooooo over Winter this week.  It wouldn't be so bad IF I had my paint brushes but I took them to the studio because I needed my newer brushes there.  Now I have nothing to paint with.  CRAP!

I guess I could clean out my pantry, but I really don't want to do that.  I could work on purging my cookbooks and maybe I will.  Or, maybe I'll just read a book.  Oh gosh, I hate being cooped up here without being able to paint.  

Speaking of good books, I just finished one for my book club (we zoom) called "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michele Richardson.  What a great book.  My mother would have loved this book.  I think it's classified as historical fiction about the Kentucky Pack Horse Library service in the 1930's and the Blue's of Kentucky.  Look the blue people of Kentucky up, talk about interesting.  I mean the ending was a bit predictable but it was a really good read.  

Clayton (and more)

This guy, this puppy, our little baby, Clayton has had rough time, once again.

How can you NOT love that face...

First he had that connective tissue tumor on his hip we had removed.

Then it appeared on his leg which we had the tumor removed twice, then...

he had to finally lose the leg.  He is such a tough cookie and has rallied through amazingly.

The day we got him (here) was the best day ever.  He has so enriched our lives and cannot imagine not having him with us.

That happy little guy has gone through so many surgeries and yesterday he had to endure one more and it will be the last.  We will not put him through that again, because he has cancer, bad cancer, melanoma.  In his mouth what we thought was an abscess from his nasty teeth and the smell turned out to be a rapidly spreading melanoma cancer beside his tongue.  When I took him to the vet yesterday as a walk-in the Dr. Poteet took one look and said that has got to come out ASAP and he immediately gave him a pre-anesthetic and whisked him away.  The tumor had grown massively in less than two weeks and had to go.  Dr. Poteet said he would call between 6-7 and we could pick him up.  We waited and finally after I was getting all relaxed, about 7:30, he called and said Clayton was ready to be picked up.  I rushed to the vet and the poor guy, oh the poor guy.  Dr. Poteet showed me the tumor (BLECH) and said he would send it off to pathology but he was pretty sure it was melanoma and that it was highly unlikely that he got it all.  Where it was located there was not much skin left to suture up so he had to suture it to part of the back side of his tongue, (again BLECH!)  His poor tongue was so swollen he couldn't close his mouth.  I was sent home with antibiotic and a syringe to give him water and possibly some broth because he wasn't too sure he could lap.  Oh boy, this is going to be fun.  He slept fairly well but about 3:30 he started crying and I jumped up and took him outside and he pottied pretty quick.  Back in I tried the water and the antibiotic and that went down fairly well.  I cradled him until he went back to sleep and then put him in his bed.  It's going to be a long few days to get him feeling better but we love him and will do what we need to do to make him comfortable and then wait.  Wait for him to heal and wait to see if it starts growing back, then we will ease his suffering at that point.  He is 14 years old and he has been the best dog ever.  We love him so much.  Say a doggie prayer please.

On another note, Monday evening Daddy's best friend since childhood, Jay passed away.  I had a feeling he wouldn't last long after Daddy died.  Jay and Daddy we so close and every time they left each other Jay would say "I love you bud" and they would hug and kiss each other.  They were so very close.  It's funny that I had the need to text his son Dino a couple of days ago but got busy and just didn't.  Dino sent me a text yesterday morning that he had passed.  He had gotten over Covid but then developed pneumonia and just couldn't fight it.  They had a friendship that was so strong and it was fitting they passed so close in time.