Happy (cough-cough-cough) Thanksgiving

Good GRIEF, The Hubby is sick yet again!  He has his third cold of the year this morning.  I am so steering clear of him.  I told him no kissing, no TOUCHING of any kind.  I do NOT need to get sick again  I also told him that HE is the one bringing all this crap home from his dancing classes.  I don't go anywhere to be around people in general, he surely does.  Grrrrrrrr.

I've been playing around in watercolor again with great success.  

There are several watercolorists on Instagram who do these little wreaths and it inspired me to tackle some on my own.  I see a whole LINE of Christmas cards next year and in fact I've been approached by several where to buy them.  ETSY here I come!  Just need to perfect the designs a bit more.

I can see whole seasons, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Summer, Spring...the list can go on.

Retirement?

I started this post about our health around here and realized that you did not want to know about all that.  I'll just say achoo, hack, run to bathroom and leave it at that.  

This retirement thing is weird, just REALLY WEIRD.  Not me so to speak, I've got it down, it's The Hubby.  He's here all day long, sitting in his chair, all day long.  Granted he's been sick this week, but he's here and it's just weird to see him do that.  I think because I've only seen him go, go, go our entire married life and he's taking it easy.  I didn't think he could do it.  I don't mind but he's HERE!  

The photo above was taken at the Tulsa Garden Center's Wine and Roses fundraiser a couple of weeks ago.  I thought it was a great photo of us and lately I've HATED every photo I've had taken of me the past few years.

And The Hits Just Keep Coming

I SWEAR TO GOD this family, and I mean ALL OF US, can't catch a break...ARGHHHHHH

Sunday afternoon Min and her Daddy took my car to OKC to hopefully bring Max and his Momma home, today.   So I am the one carless now.

It was just what the doctor ordered for all of us, Min to see her Momma and little brother and me getting some much needed rest as I'm still hacking and not feeling my best.  They got to see Cousins Jack & DeeDee, who they stayed with so much this past year during all this.  Min was so excited to see them, they are like another set of grandparents for her.  Then she and her Momma went for a mani/pedi, her first.  Suddenly Min's eye started swelling and not feeling great.  

Off to the ER as they were in the vicinity (LOL).

This little girl has pink eye.  Hmmm, her granddad has had an eye infection too.  They didn't classify his as pink eye but I bet it was from his cold.  I think it was basically a cold in the eye, now she has it.  What this might cause is a delay in letting them come home, riding in the same car together...ARGHHHHHH!  

On a good note, this little guy is MORE than ready to come home.  Max is just doing wonderfully well, his infection is gone and they've even scheduled him for the next surgery, the Glenn, August 3!  Then we get to start the childcare thing all over again.  I NEED this next month to be childcare free for me to rest and get healed.  I NEED them to be able to get another car so I have mine back.  We NEED to get this stupid limb off our house, Thursday is the target date, again.  I NEED to have everything start moving again, forward.  I NEED to get back to my studio and my oil paints.  I NEED this family to start getting some good news.  

(Oh, yesterday Bri's car has started having issues so it's in the shop and The Hubby is her driver today, taking her to work and bringing Snicklefritz here for me to watch.  Snicklefritz doesn't have camp this week so she is my sidekick with no car.  Tonight she is having a friend stay the night with us too! Should be fun, giggling 10 year olds!!!) 

Life is really full.

Look at that face and sitting up and all.  Can't wait to snuggle him.

Still Reeling

Memories

My eyes popped open about 5 this morning and I was immediately thinking about Dana.  Tomorrow will be day 7 since she left this earth and goodness I do miss her.  It's funny that as much as I was always angry with her, when we were children I loved he wholeheartedly and feel like a hole has been opened in my heart.  My brother texted me on Friday just to check in, he's feeling it too.  I told him it felt like we had amputated an arm.  It's a weird feeling to know you can't call her or text her anymore.  You won't hear her awful rants you hated anymore, now I miss.  Dana was who she was unapologetically.  She really was an open book, no holds bar kind of person.  I feel like crying at any second and when I see my brother on Sunday the dam may break open.  We are having a small family get together at their house Sunday afternoon to just be family and remember.  I look forward to seeing family, yet dread seeing family.  It's weird.  

We are still in a bit of a holding pattern with our family drama.  Still have a huge tree limb on our house, hopefully to be removed on Thursday.  They are still without cars, sort of, and are driving my car to OKC because it is reliable.  Luckily they have friends that have lent them two cars for town driving.  We didn't want them to drive them to OKC as we don't know the cars and transporting babies, just want them all safe.  Supposedly, Max is to be released tomorrow (Tuesday) but we've heard that before.  He is doing great, giggles, laughing out loud, trying to roll over and even attempting the crawling stance.  He needs to come home, NOW!  They need to get some semblance of normalcy back into their lives, so do we.  

We escaped to the cabin this weekend, a much needed escape.  We have both been so very sick that we were in great need of peace and quiet to heal.  Last night is the first night I did not cough all through the night.  We have been sick for 3 solid weeks, I think catching a couple of different bugs or what had been floating around in our house that was filled to the brim people.  

Today I have a brighter outlook as the house was empty and quiet.  Baby Max is hopefully coming home.  Lives are getting back to a sort of normal.  

Max & Min

Well, this week took a turn.  First of all, Tuesday evening I took Snicklefritz to see The Lion King.  We went to dinner at In The Raw, hers and my favorite, then it was off to the show.  We really had a great time.  The next day they had to take Max to OKC to have his Gtube changed out.  There was a leak or something.  It was to be a quick turn around thing but it has turned into much more.  

Look ma, no oxygen thingy...sometimes!

Hence, we have had Min since Wednesday and with the AWESOME help of Snicklefritz it has been manageable.

Honestly she's been a lot of fun and probably would be better but someone is sick here.  Actually The Hubby has been sick and eventually went to minor emergency.  He has bronchitis.  That is hard to shake, I know as I had asthmatic bronchitis over 30 years ago and it took 2 years to beat it, and I'm NOT asthmatic!  Yes he is sick but yesterday morning about 1:30 in the AM I was jolted out of sleep by, "Granny, GRanny, GRAnny, GRANNY!!!!!"  I have never jumped up out of bed so fast.  Good LORD....I ran in there to her saying someone shut her door.  GOOD GRIEF!  I left the door open and told her to go back to sleep.  Surprisingly she did till about 6:30.  But that jump out of bed I realized my throat was sore and felt weird.  I was getting sick too.  DAMMIT!  I still have it this morning but after a cup of coffee and breakfast it is better.  I have a frog voice too.  I thought it might be strep but really doesn't feel streppy, feels viral something.  Even if I could go to the doctor I don't think an antibiotic would even be needed.  So we will see what tomorrow brings.  Don't feel too bad, just wrung out by a busy 3 year old.  I am sleeping good too which is important.  

This and That Tales of My Life and Others

Good morning all.  It's a wet morning so I am not moving out of the house until a bit later in the day.  Monday I went to the office to make a deposit and was extremely concerned when I went to the drive thru at the bank to find it closed, hmmm.  I thought, well the bank is having a lot of construction going on in the main bank maybe that has something to do with it.  So I drove to the next location at Utica Square and drove up to find a lot of red closed lights.  WHAT!  Ahhh, the other bank you are faced towards the windows and I can't read the signs, but this location you drive up beside and for some reason I didn't realize it was a bank holiday.  Well, crap.  So home I went with the deposit to take to the bank yesterday but forgot I was keeping Snicklefritz over night and most of the day.  So, this morning it is to the bank, after the rains have passed.  

The Hubby is sick.  This little dumplin' is sick.   Her momma is sick.  Funny thing is I'm not sick, neither is her daddy.  All have been tested, multiple of times and it is not Covid but a very, VERY nasty head cold.  I certainly hope the contagious thing is not slow and I get hit next week or something.  Ugh.  

Snicklefritz and I had great fun watching TV, chatting, playing Connect-4, Old Maid and Uno.  Some good one-on-one time.  Plus homemade macaroni and cheese, which she devoured.

This hip thing.  I'm honestly at a point now that I am almost immobile most of the time.  If I have to get up to go to the restroom I really think hard if I really need to get up.  I make sure that if I have to walk around that I get a lot of stuff done while I'm up because it is painful just standing or sitting down.  I've had two initial meetings with two different hip doctors of both basically told me I'm too fat and I've taken that and lost 20 pounds.  So I decided it is time, time to get the damn thing replaced.  I put in a message to the 2nd doctor but honestly my heart was not happy about "him,"  I kind of want a woman.  Maybe a woman won't have the "manly" attitude about FAT women.  I waited and waited since last week for a response back from the portal, crickets, absolute crickets.  So I took the bull by the horns and starting looking for another, yet a third opinion and a woman.  I found at Tulsa Bone and Joint, two ladies that do hips.  I chose a younger one who I hope will be more in tune with the new ways of hip replacement, I put in a request and yesterday received a phone call and made the appointment for Monday.  I'm actually excited.  They even have their own little hospital and like to do them kind of like out patient.  That is very appealing to me.  And wouldn't you know the other doctors office called not more than 30 minutes AFTER I made that appointment.  Tell you what, I'm going to the appointment and if I am not happy or she shoos me away I will call "the guy" and make that appointment.  Gosh, I'm scared but in too much pain and limited movement to not do this now.  It is time and I will have to work out the logistics at work the best I can.

LIFE'S UPS AND DOWNS

Good morning all.  It's been a few since I've posted.  What can I tell you, I've been busy. Between work (end of the month, 1st of the month stuff), painting, watching granddaughters, doctor appointments and Daddy stuff life has been busy.

We did scoot off to the cabin for a bit of R&R and the entire place is glorious.  I just makes my heart sing to be there and away from LIFE!

Summer is nearing the end and I want to soak up all I can of the green and warmth before fall and cold hit.  If I've not said before I HATE THE COLD!

I believe these sweet purple flowers are called Lady Thumbs and were full of bees, wasps and tons of butterflies.

My entire body just hurts when it's cold, but I do look forward to using the new outdoor fireplace at the cabin a lot this fall.  

In town this week we had a bit of rain and these clouds I captured stepping out of my car at the office.  Just splendid aren't they, and all of these photos may become a painting in the future.

I did manage to finish these two this week but it was mostly go in for 30 minutes and dab and run.  It has not been easy to complete a painting lately.  My time has been so ragged and I will explain in a bit.

"Summer Harvest" 10x30 oil on gallery wrap

"Trapped" 18x24 oil on linen (self portrait)

Now this guy.  My Daddy.  He's had a busy few weeks.  His nephews wife, Vickie, came to visit.  His nephew passed away a couple of years ago.  Right after Momma died Daddy went to visit them in Arizona where his half-sister Dee lived with Dennis and Vickie.  Daddy stayed for 6 months with them and LOVED every minute of it.  Vickie took great care of him, even though he ended up in the hospital with pneumonia while there!  Anyway, Vickie decided to do a cross-country vacation in her RV, by herself to visit friends and Daddy and the family was on her agenda.  I can't say I was too happy that she would be staying with him but it is what it is and Daddy was too excited to have her visit.  After her visit and she was on her way Daddy fell last weekend.  She was already in Texas but he called her, not my brother, sister or I.  He finally called my brother who went over and checked on him.  He was fine except a bark on his arm.  She proceeded to question our care of him.  Truly, he has been just fine until about a week ago.  I have thought he looked a bit jaundice and brother took him to the doctor and he has hepatitis A!!!  Good grief.  Would probably not be a problem because you get over it with no meds BUT, Daddy has cirrhosis of the liver.  The doctor did say he need to drink water, lots of water and I guarantee he is not doing that.  In fact Daddy has a new addiction, Pepsi.  He grew up with Pepsi being a staple in his household and he has reverted to drinking gallons of it.  I'm sure that is not helping his liver.

Dehydration can lead to memory issues and confusion and now Daddy is having some of that and he fell again last night.  He knew that my sis and I were out of town but who did he call, ME!  I called my brother and he ran over to check on Daddy.  We are not too sure if we should respond to these phone calls because he told brother yesterday, before the fall, that he had fallen in the bathroom but when brother questioned it he said, "well, I almost fell."  He exaggerates a lot, cries wolf so we are leary of the dire phone calls.  

Today is my turn to go over and check on him.  Honestly, I'm so afraid to even walk in the door, afraid he will be gone or in such trouble I will have to call 911.  He told my sister last week that he would not let Carla, me put him in a nursing home again.  Oh boy, that last time it WASN'T ME, it was the doctor, I had nothing to do with it but in his mind I'm the bad guy.  In fact, every time he has been in the nursing home/skilled nursing care was the doctors call, NOT ME!  Frankly, he can't even afford to be in a nursing home.  I'm not sure what we can do for him.  The doctor might be able to order home health care, we hope.  If he can make it to Wednesday, his next doctor appointment we pray that is what happens at this point.  Not sure what we are going to be able to do.  I've been tossing and turning most of the night and am weary in my mind with worry with all the stuff we need to do, can do, can't do, what to do, etc.  It is endless worry and I feel my blood pressure going up as I type.  

After the ordeal with mother and being with her as she gasped her last breath, saying my name, I just want to RUN AWAY and hide.  I don't want to do this again.  It took me three years to get over the depression that hung like a black cloud over me after mother died.  I just feel on the edge of breaking down right now.  I'm holding it all back because I'm afraid I won't be able to get hold of myself.  Losing a parent, especially a belligerent parent is rough.  Plus I worry what we would do money wise, what to do with his kitty, the house, etc.  His Susie cat I always said I would take but I'm not going to.  I hope we will be able to get her into Street Cats and find her a great home.  I just can't take her.  We already have Clayton and he's beginning to be a handful with his age, peeing issues, and when we are away from him he has separation anxiety issues lately.  

There is so much going on and with Covid hanging over us too it's going to be tough how we handle all this.  If you read this please, PLEASE say some prayers, send good vibes, anything that we muddle through this journey.  

 

Part 2 of Aaaachooo

Yes we are still battling the head cold but mine is soooo much better, in fact this was the easiest cold I've ever had.  They Hubby is still in the throws of  the drainage and coughing up from his chest.  That is usually me.  When I first started coming down with this thing The Hubby said that we didn't have any cold medicine yet when I looked on my side of the medicine chest I found an unopened box of Umcka Care.  It said it cuts the lifespan of colds down.  I was on board and immediately opened and down the hatch it went.  It's an herbal extract and I so sold on the benefits.  In fact my doctor this morning said he has heard of it and the benefits of it working!!!  I'm going to purchase another bottle or two of it and make The Hubby use it.  We've also been using the Mucinex which works wonders too.  Unfortunately, Snicklefritz came down with it Christmas morning along with her mother.  Dang it.  Also, when we went to my Daddy's for Christmas breakfast my brother is in the final states of Type A Flu (he's on the CDC list and he even had a flu shot), my niece has been sick and her momma, my SIL.  None of us wanted to even get close to Daddy.  Tis the season to hack, blow and sneeze I guess.  

The good news is that I am almost over it and when I went to the doctor this morning to have my thyroid checked again my weight was down, slightly, even at Christmas time, and my blood pressure was normal!!!!!  This is the second time it has been in the good range!!!  He was very pleased and so am I.  

More Paint Play

Saturday...yes it is time to play in the paint stuff yet again.  Last weekend I painted some pretty in pink kind and immediately sold them on Facebook.  Decided to try my hand at the first two on Monday and the last one this morning.  The first two are watercolor and pen.  

This morning I did this with watercolor, pastels, pen, markers.  I'm kind of diggin' it.   

Started another but suddenly I developed a headache and it's promising to be a migraine possibly or I'm getting sick like B and The Hubby....YIKES!  I certainly hope not because they have been icky sick with a summer cold.  

Life In General

Last week was the official spring break in this area, but this week was spring break from my art class.  So what happened is that I DID NOT even pick up a paint brush this week.  What I did, was instead of class on Tuesday, was to clean out junk corners around the house.  I'm hopefully going to host an art group here the first week of June to coincide with the art workshop with Daniel Keys so I have to have it spit-spot.  The kitchen had a corner by the phone that seemed to catch all the junk.  I'm sure we all have those kinds of places around a phone area.  I trashed tons of stuff.  I also spent time cleaning out my closet a couple of weeks ago and that entailed my dresser drawers, which I don't really keep anything in that I wear.  I tossed out so much stuff, except for all the half slips I have.  You never know when you will need a good slip (I'm old school!)  Goodwill looked forward to see me coming last week.  This week was part of the guest bedroom.

I say part because the guest room is where old paintings go to gather dust, ones that do not have a home :( 

They are still gathering dust as of yet.  

I cleaned out the top drawer of the dresser there and goodness it took me an hour.  There was still a key from our previous house from 10 years ago!  I absolutely forgot to address the bottom two drawers because, well, I don't know.  That will be next.  While doing the top, I found packets and packets of buttons, you know the ones.  The ones that come with new clothes, just one button in each.  I opened each and every packet I found and filled an entire dish with buttons.  Kind of neat but the blue one baffled me as I don't typically wear blue.  Not sure where it came from.  

I have lots more to clean out, including those bottom drawers and to find homes for the paintings but that also hinges on cleaning out the other bedroom - AKA...my home art studio.  That room is just a pile of mess, a hoarders dream really.  The rest of my house is pretty organized but this room, EGADS!  Hopefully, when I get it uncovered that is where the extra paintings go, or SOLD to someone else's home.  Also to answer the question about some of the paintings, my girls have tons of my stuff to the point they say, "ENOUGH"!  But I'm sure they will get more in the future.

Some have asked about the cabin, yes we still have it for sale but it has not sold.  It's for sale by owner, no realtor, and sometimes that takes longer.  We have had many lookers, just lookers, curious to see what we have done inside and that's okay.  Frankly, right now if it sells great, if it doesn't sell then great.  We have been so busy with stuff in town that we aren't there as much as we used to.  Maybe spring will change that attitude and we will be there more, I just don't know.  I will miss it when it's gone, sure but then I can enjoy my yard in town more.  

The Snicklefritz has yet again been sick.  Last weekend you could see it in her eyes that she was just not right and sure enough on Sunday afternoon she spiked a 102 degree temperature.  That kiddo just can't seem to get a break.  The fever didn't last long and I watched her at her home on Monday while her mother taught school but she had a nasty cough and horrible sore throat on top of it and by afternoon the temp was creeping up again to about 99 degrees.  So I met her mom at the pediatrician that afternoon.  She had no strep, thank goodness and the doc seemed to think allergies but I don't that explains the fever but I did agree with the allergy in part.  I think it was viral and allergies together.  That being said, this little one has again gone a week without school and I've watched her most of the week, except for Tuesday.  On Tuesday her daddy had to venture home to Okemah for his uncle's funeral so he took her with him.  She had a grand time hugging her Grandpa Richard and petting her beloved horse, Cowboy.  (I will have to paint this picture!)  The stupid wind though seemed to aggravate her cough or the next couple of days, hello allergies!   

We kept her Friday night (last night) so her parental units could go out with friends to celebrate mutual husband birthdays.  I was worried she would cough all night but she slept, well, like a baby all night long.  She is a joy to have around and really no problem.  You just get worn out by being "ON" all the time for a 3 year old but I LOVE IT!

Catching Up

I'm finally trying to catch up here with everyone.  It's been a week of painting and I've been quite happy with that.  Since it was spring break and I didn't have anything planned on Thursday I painted in class Tuesday and Thursday!  I'm working on this little jewel, hopefully for a wedding present since it is her window!

This weekend we got away back to the cabin finally.  It's been a couple of weeks since we have been able to go and as it turns out it will be another two weeks before we are back.  B and Snicklefritz got to come for the night too which was great fun.  

Friday at the office I was able to give her her new frilly dress and she LOVED twirling in it, or spin, as she calls it.

The Hubby, aka, Granddad got some worms and took her fishing.  She had a great time even though they didn't even get a nibble. 

So, they spent time on the slide!

WHEEEEEE! 

Also time spent trying on cowgirl hats as she addressed them. 

It was a nice weekend although we knew she was not 100%.  Just knew that something was coming as you can see in her eyes.  Sure enough when we got home today her momma sent me a text and she has a 102 fever.  Poor baby just can't seem to stay well. 

I am IN LOVE with this photo, her and her buddy, Mondo!

Spring...Well, Maybe

 This weekend we scooted off to the cabin for an absolutely glorious time of most EXCELLENT weather.  When we got there I immediately saw that the Carolina Jasmine was popping and just behind it were my daffodils. 

How exciting.  In fact the weather was so great that we even slept with our bedroom window open all night long.  

This past week Snicklefritz was finally feeling better and I decided that she needed to spend the night on Tuesday since I was going to watch her all day Wednesday.  Also, her parents were meeting with there money guy and wanted to finally get a Valentine's date.  We had a great time and she was in bed by 7:30!

Sadly, feeling better didn't last.  She started complaining again about her ears and finally back at school on Thursday her parents were called as she was projectile vomiting.  So a day at home on Friday and then Sunday morning another run to urgent care.  Double ear infections are now plaguing our little dumpling.   By afternoon her temperature soared to 104.5 with 105 being the cut off to again rush to the hospital ER.  She just can't seem to get well.  I think maybe spring has sprung and she may be experiencing some allergy drainage that is affected her ears.  

Hopefully this week she will finally get well.  

A Painting We Will Go, A Painting We Will Go, Hi Ho The Derrio, A Painting We Will Go

Finally, I am feeling better.  I am still hacking and blowing but I'm finally getting over this dang crud.  Snicklefritz is too, thank goodness.  I've avoided visiting Daddy for at least 3 weeks but plan on paying him a visit on tomorrow and have lunch with my favorite mother-in-law.  I have been enjoying some good times on a few canvas's so I thought I would share.

This cow is from Panama.  My cousin took the photo and I pleaded with her to paint it.  I've wanted to paint a cow for awhile so here we go.

First go around with paint...let dry...

Second go around and I am LOVING it.   Next week background.

So had to let Mrs. Cow dry and started this one.  I took the photo with my phone at a Valentine's dinner dance Friday night.  It turned out awesome and even my instructor was amazed. 

Now roses, they are a different kind of beast to paint but I am game to tackle them.  Ross (my instructor), when I asked where to start (after sketching it on the canvas) offered, "THE ROSES." Yeah, right, so off we go...

Next week more table, background, stems and glass.