Life Update

Sunday, 7 weeks out from surgery I went to the grocery store. You might think, "So What!" But, since the Covid pandemic AND the hip pain I wasn't physically able to walk in the store. It has been over 3 years since I actually set foot in a grocery store. It was honestly scary because of ALL that has happened the past few years. I walked in and was thrilled to see fresh veggies I could touch and pick on my own. It was almost sensory overload to see all the stuff, all bright, shiny and fresh. I've relied on others for 3 years to pick my groceries and now I can do it all by myself. So exciting! I feel like my life can begin again. This was a huge step in my life.

I also drove to the cabin and was planning on staying by myself for the first time in probably 9 months. We have to go downstairs to the garage basement to turn on and off the water, hot water heater and a couple of breakers and I could not do that, BUT now I can! The Hubby ended up coming later that night because his dance plans were canceled. It was a nice weekend hanging with friends and reading. The weekend before the entire family came to the cabin. Both weekends were fabulous.

See the big black dog, that is Vance and his sidekick beside him is Vinnie.  This past weekend sweet crazy Vance had a terrible accident.  Friday afternoon Snicklefritz was at her friends for a sleepover and her daddy had driven to OKC for the night to play music with friends.  That left Bri alone with the dogs.  It was feeding time and Vance is absolutely crazy dog when it is food time.  He was outside and was running to the sliding glass door for dinner, jumping up and hitting the glass as usual but the glass in the door was very old and not safety glass.  

Luckily Bri was out of the splash of splintering and flying glass as was Vinnie and the cats.  But poor Vance was not.  His back leg was sliced very deep, cutting a large vein.  Bri said there was glass and blood everywhere, kitchen, down the hallway, it was a miracle she was not hit.  She called her hubby who in turn called their friend and ANGEL!  She called everyone else to come HELP!!! Vance is a huge and heavy dog.  The Angel showed up at her door very quickly with an armload of towels and helped her to get Vance in the back of his pickup truck with her holding him and they were off to the emergency vet.  Over $700 later he had surgery to stop the bleeding.

The Angel!

Sadly the stupid expensive emergency vet did not do what he was going to do during surgery, put in a drain.  So when they woke the next morning the bleeding was still happening and they had to load Vance in yet another car to go to THEIR regular vet and he had another surgery to put in the drain.  

This poor guy does not understand why he has to stay in his kennel for the next couple of weeks.  He's a wild and crazy guy and a puppy, yes he's a puppy, so this has been very trying.  

The Angel just so happens to be in the construction business, specifically windows!  So he was quick to be able to get the plywood to fix the door and is getting them prices for a very expensive thing that was not in their plans.  Who knew that these old houses had those plate glass doors like that but now I know and they know.  I told her she needs to contact their homeowners insurance and see if they will pay for it all.  

One another note I've been going through my music.  

I REALLY have a problem, I LOVE music, so I own tons of CD's. For years I've purchased CD's & taken the covers & CD's out of the cases to put in CD books. The attic had boxes full of the cases & I felt it time to reunite cases with CD's. I've spent countless hours sorting & searching to accomplish that task while healing. But now I've found that I have about 50 CD's & no cases & about 40 cases with no CD's. Think I might need to have "someone" visit the attic again. I've taken the music to my studio because that is where I listen to it while I paint. Think I need to purge some of the CD's because I can't figure out WHY in the world I bought some of them. I like every kind of music from classical to heavy metal. The only kind I DO NOT like is country. Occasionally I will hear a song I like but that doesn't happen often.

I've taken it all to the studio because that is where I listen to music. I'm also purging a ton of them, like Dixie Chicks. Why in the heck do I have 3 of their CD's. Yuck.

A Couple of Things

This little guy. The weekend we realized that he was doing his weird licking thing and had a bad smell coming from his mouth again.  When he yawned on Sunday I saw that under his tongue was the tumor, back again for round two.  It wasn't as large as the last one that hung out of his mouth but it was definitely back.  Monday morning I called Dr. P and he said bring him in first thing yesterday and they would get it again.  I was scared all weekend thinking that we were just going to hear it was time to let him go but the vet said let's go for it.  So yesterday he got in there and it wasn't near as big but it was affecting two teeth that were loose and falling out and he pulled them along with taking the tumor again.  Dr. P said he is losing more tongue this time too.  I was afraid Clayton wouldn't be able to eat but last night he went in and drank out of his bowl and lapped up some very wet canned food.  That was encouraging.  He was on his pallet on the floor in the living room about 12:30 when I heard him cry.  I jumped up and went in there to check on him, took him outside to potty then put him in bed with us.  That is what he wanted.  He plopped right down and never moved all night long.  Between The Hubby snoring and Clayton snoring, well, sleep was a bit lacking but that's okay, I'll catch up.  At least he's home and we have him for a bit longer.  Dr. P also said that he x-rayed his lungs expecting that the melanoma had spread but they were clear and all the nodules in his neck are too.  That is good.  

I also visited with a friend yesterday talking about all that is going on, especially with me and she proceeded to say I wasn't depressed as much as she was.  She is going through some stuff with family too but she really negated my feelings and that honestly made me very mad.  How dare she say I wasn't depressed.  REALLY!  How does she know what is on my mind that is affecting me in my everyday life.  I know I'm not bad depressed but I am feeling those feelings again and they will get better, I feel that, but don't brush off my feelings like they don't matter.  Good grief.  I've had a rough year, WE'VE all had a rough year compounded with the loss of Daddy, my health (pain), work, and all I'm going through, I have a right to feel what I feel.  Pissed me off.  

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.

My Year In Review...

What a huge year we've all had around here.  I guess first things first, the new granddaughter.  Oh my what a blessing.  I was there for the birth and that absolutely made my life.  It was truly magical.  And to be able to be there for the birth I had to conquer a fear and FLY BY MYSELF!  That was such a big thing for me but I knew I had to do it and I can't wait to go again.

The little miss is now 3 months old and I cannot believe how time flies.  She is growing like a weed. 

This weekend they will fly into town so everyone else in the family and friends will get to meet the new addition.  Plus I will be able to get a photo of both of my beautiful granddaughters, TOGETHER!  I'm truly blessed.  

It's been a busy year with work and my new profession, art.  I've taken a couple of workshops and continued to enter in some national shows.  One of my goals was to finally be juried into one and guess what, it happened twice!  

My "Morning Glories" juried into the Allied Artist show that was held in the Salmangundi Club!  THAT was a big deal.  Then... 

I found out that "Pink Is The New Black" juried into the Arkansas national show.   

Of course I didn't win anything but getting in was awesome and gets my name out there.  

I then started on a self-portrait path.  It's still there but my drive has slowed down on it.  I'm hoping to get them finished by September for a show in the Broken Arrow Historical Museum.  

On a sad note was the passing of one of our dear art friends, Charlotte.  It was sudden and a huge shock that rocked everyone's world, including mine.  She was a mother figure and a friend so it hit me on all sides, taking me to memories of Gail dying and my mother.  So to help with the saddness I again turned to my art that pulled me out out of the darkness once before.   

" Remembering Charlotte"

Now Christmas is here and the New Year is upon us, 2020.  Hard to believe it's going to be 2020.  Boggles the mind for sure.  It's been a really nice quiet Christmas season, although rushed and busy, yet calm.  The Hubby and I really didn't buy anything for each other, we never really do but I did get him a book and a sweater.  He got me a new fireplace built in the screened porch at the cabin that I've been wanting for years.  Plus I'm getting a new car this next week when it arrives.  He was concerned that I didn't have anything under the tree to unwrap but I told him that was okay, but I would like to have a new parakeet.  He went shopping and we now have Frenchie in our living room entertaining us.  Plus he did have a card under the tree for me.  OMG, I almost cried, it was truly beautiful and today I got flowers for no reason.  He is really a thoughtful guy, most of the time...LOL...

Next month we celebrate 44 years of marriage...WOW! 

Summer Fun

Sunrise, sunset, slowly go the years...

It has been a whirlwind of nearly two weeks celebrating and spending much needed family time with THE ENTIRE FAMILY!  My happy place with my most happy family rushed off to the cabin for the annual fireworks show and incredible sunsets.   

First, a quick update on Clayton.  He is doing so well and hopefully the bandages will come off today.  He's spinning for his dinner and has been caught jumping up on the furniture, sometimes not successfully.  Our little guy is on the mend.  He has been playing with his doggy friends Mondo and Vinny which was a great joyful surprise.  He is eating and sleeping like a champ.  I think we will have him around for a few more wonderful years.  

As I said before Af and Nick drove in from LA for a visit and a baby shower for the new munchkin that arrives in October. 

All the girls are here.  Three generations in attendance.

Time spent with their goofball dad... 

My wonderful, WONDERFUL girls!!!!!

Then, we as an entire family unit, scooted off to the cabin to enjoy the annual fireworks show (I don't enjoy anymore after The Hubby's fireworks accident several years ago!)  I was in charge of the four-legged friends, Clayton, Mondo and Vinny since the big guys have a bit of fear with fireworks.

We lounged...

We ate... 

We laughed and had a most wonderful time before the tribe grows by one in a few short months. 

My summer is complete.

Life Update in General

 We have company this week...

She, hubby and BABY are here.  They're here for a couple of weeks for just plain visiting and a baby shower for the "little baby girl."  I got to feel her bumping around and that's always such a fantastic feeling.  Makes me just plain giddy. 

They made their way from California driving and met up in Sante Fe with B and B2, and Snicklefritz.  They went a few days  early for their family vacation.  So, that being said they had to farm out their white lab, Vinny and I was responsible for going to their house everyday to feed and love on the grandkitty, ZeeBe.  He's a giant of a yellow tabby and was very lovey back.  But the Big Dog, Mondo, our favorite granddog, got to come stay with us and our sweet Clayton.  They love each other but of course Clayton was gone a lot because he was back and forth with the vet to take care of his wound.  

But, in the mornings when we let Mondo out it was an act of congress to get him back in.  He preferred to stay out and so we did.  He LOVED to dig a small hole in my flowerbeds and sleep all day long and with the weather fantastic, we just left him.  

Can you see him...

There that handsome boy is.  Love this guy.

This little guy has been styling different colored dressings for about 2 weeks now and by Monday he may be RELEASED from this daily, and now every other day trip to the vet.  He is healing so well and getting around like nobody's business.  His appetite is back, he can come in his doggy door, not out yet, and sleeps better than ever.

With all the coming and going happening I took a brief evening off to go and see one of my favorite authors speak.

Elin Hilderbrand, author of the recent "Summer of '69," of which I read this past weekend.  It's a great book and I highly recommend it.

 

Also some quick strokes of paint on canvas was in order.  I finished these two recently and they have been big hits on Facebook.

"Morning Glories" 9x12 oil on linen panel 

"Plethora of Pansies" 9x12 oil on linen panel 

Then I went to see pastel artist Jude Tolar demo at one of my art groups and this was her set up.  I quickly snapped a photo and started it in the studio. 

 

I think it will be really nice.

Short Update

He WAS home but yesterday had to go back because the drainage and infection.  

It's still going to be a long road to recovery.  He seems to be getting the hop down and was very excited yesterday to have a treat, until the rush back to the vet.  He will be there for a few days, hopefully not long.