Thursday Thoughts

Good Thursday morning all.

Man when I finally do get some rest I can NOT wake up.  On Monday night I drifted off to sleep and within 30 minutes I was awake for three hours so my total sleep time was about three hours.  UGH!  This meant painting day (Tuesday) I was a  bit sluggish but I managed to make it without a nap and not really feel tired.  This morning, I woke up, or at least tried to wake up, at regular time.  I just could NOT get my eyes open at 4:45.  I finally made myself wake up at 6:30 just as The Hubby was leaving.  I decided it was ponytail day and wash my face day even though I have a bachelorette party to attend tonight.  It's a pool party so I'm good.  

Last night was book club but just as I was getting ready to leave B2 sent me a text asking if I saw on Facebook about a daughter of a friend on mine, that is in our book club.  NO I DID NOT!  Egads, I knew Donna was not coming but assumed she was not coming because she was at her daughter's to play with the brand new granddaughter.  Well, she was not coming because she HAS to babysit.  Her daughter, Jacq is having her first chemo today.  WHAT WHAT WHAT.  Oh no no no no no.  Jackie was one of our youngest best friends in high school, her mother, my friend was her government teacher and now book club friend.  Anyway J was pregnant, due in May but in March was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  Friends she was 7 months pregnant.  Anyway, I guess they did nothing until May, after the baby came when it was upgraded to stage 2 and today, July 14 she starts chemotherapy, with a 2 month old baby.  Oh my heart aches for them all.  She did say that prognosis is good and as I did some reading on the diagnosis there have been some major steps to have a good outcome with it.  I hope so and will keep the positive thoughts going on for Donna, Jackie and sweet Cora.  

Pianos and NO SLEEP

Oh we are a HAPPY kiddo aren't we.  As I said yesterday, she is with us all weekend and about halfway through yesterday I happened to walk by the dining room and realized I had FORGOTTEN something.  A few weeks ago I had ordered her a baby toy piano and it was still in the box, waiting for her to come and help me open it.  We got to the business of pulling it out of the box with some assembly required and voila we have a toy baby grand piano just right for Snicklefritz.  She loves it and all day long as she played she would detour in the front room and I could hear her tinkling the ivories.  She has decided it shall stay at my house and that is okay.  The little music book and color-coded strip will help in teaching her!  

It has been a fun weekend but frankly guys I'm bushed this morning.  She woke up in the middle of the night last night when I had only been asleep, deep asleep for about and hour and a half screaming and crying.  I was so deep asleep that her crying was in my dream and it took me a minute to realize it was REAL!  I jumped out of bed realizing that I had again shed my pajamas (hate pajamas even in my sleep) but not enough time to put anything on, and rushed to her.  During the crying I thought I heard a thud and was afraid she had fallen out of the BIG BED hence the screaming cry, but as I opened the door I realized it was just her feet hitting the floor as she climbed down from the bed.  I rushed to her and she was crying she had to go to the bathroom.  I quickly felt of the pajamas, DRY and helped her to the bathroom.  She was sobbing and I was afraid I would not get her back to sleep.  She went to the bathroom and that made me have to go and through her sobbing and me peeing she said, "Put your clothes on!"   GOOD GRIEF, even in the low light that seemed to bother her.  As she headed back to her bed, still sobbing I grabbed my nightgown and tried to help her into bed but that seemed to make it worse.  Little Miss Independent does NOT want help most of the time.  So her sobbing and me waiting she climbed back onto the bed and I tucked her back in.  She was back asleep in a matter of minutes.  Probably wasn't even awake enough to realize all of it.  Then about 3:30 I had to get up to empty said bladder again, then back asleep.  Again at 5:30 I was jolted awake by moaning and, "No, No, No."  The Hubby jumped up and ran into her bedroom but I knew she was having a bad dream and not awake, but he didn't realize it.  She did the same thing yesterday morning.  He tip-toed to her bedside and then back to bed assured she was still asleep.  I said, "Bad dream," to which he replied, "How did you know." I told him she had done it yesterday.  So back to sleep he went and she and me, well, here I am AWAKE!  My FitBit says I have had three and a half hours of actual sleep.  Figures.  So NAP TIME for me today.  

The good thing yesterday is my room is DONE, DONE, DONE!  Oh there are a few little corners of stuff to get out for the flea market next week or the office but it is cleared out and ready for my company.  The Hubby came in yesterday and I proudly said, "Looky!" He said, "Are you almost done!" WHAT!!!!  I guess he thought I would get rid of everything but this is MY ROOM and I like MY SPACE!  Ooooooooooooo!!!!!

Sleep, What's That

It's called Sleepless in Tulsa!  Oh good grief, I went to bed and slipped off to sleep-land about 9:15 last night, then about 10:20 the bladder dinged my bell.  So off to empty said bladder and then drift off to sleep again.  This time Clayton decided to wake me because his little blanket was on the floor and he was chilly, time about 11:15.  I was then wide awake and so decided to watch some more television.  The Hubby was catching Zzzz's on the couch so I had the bed to myself and the TV.  I started watching Alaska State Troopers.  (Did you know that Alaska has five times the suicide rate!  Wow!  They attribute it to the very long nights, cold, no sunshine.)

Still the sleepy bug was not coming back.  RATS!  I had to get some rest for art class and to watch Snicklefritz early in the AM as B is going to be on the early morning show to promote her Alliday Show this weekend.  I soon heard The Hubby fidgeting and heading back to bed but I was NOT going back to sleep and I knew if the snoring started I would not be able to sleep.  So I opted to head for the couch to maybe get in the zone again.  Clayton just had to follow so it was me and him on the loveseat.  I was sooooo wide awake.  So me, Clayton, loveseat and the Alaska State Troopers were a thing until 2 am.  My alarm goes off at 4:45 am.  This is going to be a very, VERY long day.  

To top off all this sleep deprivation Friday we discovered that our recirculating pump that sends instant hot water to the back of the house had a leak under the house.  We think it was caught quickly but there was still a little water under the house.  The conundrum was that the copper pipe was right next to the furnace and in the wall.  Luckily the wall was not affected, BUT, The Hubby thought that to get to the pipe we were going to have to RIP OUT my pantry!  I was NOT on board for that and was fighting this proposition.  I told him he could cut a hole, NOT rip out the shelves.  GOOD GRIEF, I am having people here next week.  So cut a hole it was, maybe, so I emptied several areas of stuff and now my dining room is my pantry.  If I had not stopped The Hubby though he was going to go ahead and cut holes Sunday afternoon.  I said absolutely not without the plumber taking a look at it first.  So The Hubby called our plumber and he said, "DO NOT CUT TILL HE LOOKS AT IT." Yeah, I love him!  The result Monday afternoon is NO HOLE in my wall.  They were able to fix through the furnace plenum, which meant no heat for a couple of days, but with the weather being fairly nice I was okay with that.  For now though the instant hot water is disconnected.  Who knew that there were problems with the concept with disintegrating pipes from the constant hot water in the bends.  You can Google it.  Who knew.  We have other options like timers and all but hey, didn't have it when I grew up so I'm okay without it, just as long as I have NO HOLE in my pantry wall.

A Saturday Ramble

Wow, it's Saturday morning, 5:56 a.m. and I am AWAKE!  I could have slept in but NOOOOoooo, my mind just would not let me.  Of course Clayton is awake at five to eat. so up I am then the mind just goes and goes and goes.  Oh well I thought, I might as well just get up and get a head start on some painting this morning.  Besides, The Hubby said last night that if I got up early enough we could go out for breakfast.  I LOVE to eat breakfast out, one of my favorite things to do.  I think the rain is stopping today, finally.  I really need to check my garden but the ground is just to squishy to even step out in the yard.  I did have some baby cucumbers and tomatoes but they may be gone at this point.  This next week they are saying SUNSHINE!  I'm stoked for sure.  

Thursday will be the beginning of the last year to live in my 50's...I will turn 59 years old.  Every year since I turned 50 when my birthday rolls around I immediately think, "It's been 9 years since Gail died.  It's been 9 years since our sweet dog died.  It's been 9 years since Momma died." I can't seem to get past the devastation the year I turned 50.  I'm not as sad anymore, thank goodness.  It seems to just be a momentary thought.  I have surely moved on to celebrate better things like my painting, which I get great joy out of.  I also have Rio to make my days brighter.  She is the sunshine in my life.  I have moved on to much better thoughts and happier times but there is still that brief flash of a thought each year.  

On the subject of painting, I have completed several commission works this week and am quite proud of them.  

Catch of the Day (commission) SOLD

Sophie (SOLD)

Contemplation

Lucy (work in progress)

Oh, and we went shopping!  The Hubby has one aunt left, Aunt Bette.  She is 83 years old and the lone sibling left of his father (there were 3).  She is a darling lady and a few weeks ago had a horrible stroke but seems to be doing very well.  Anyway, she told this story to The Hubby several years ago about his dad and he wanted to do something special for her because of the story.  It goes like this:  She was much younger than his dad and one day she told her parents there were these really snazzy cowboy boots she wanted.  The were all the rage in the day with cute dresses.  Her parents said absolutely not, they were not appropriate for young girls.  When her brother, The Hubby's father, heard the story he bought her a cute pair of boots and sent them to her anyway, said she should have them.  They were too small but she never told him and wore them blisters and all because of the love that went with the gift.  The Hubby wanted to find her a snazzy pair of cowboy boots so we went shopping.  I have been wanting to go for sometime to find myself another pair and since my birthday was this week....well, I got a pair too.  And since Aunt Bette and I wear the same size I got to try on lots of boots!  I loved these kind of gray, brown and black pair!  We found a cut pair for Aunt Bette with turquoise on them and they are in the mail as of yesterday!  Can't wait for her to open the package! 

Dreamland

I can't believe it but for the past two nights now I have slept, slept like a baby!  Dreams and sleep, awwwwww, I feel great this morning, actually I'm a bit groggy with SLEEP!  It is  a wonderful feeling rested.  

(OLD pictures)

I don't know for sure if it's the weather change or just that my body is doing it, but one thing I did change was meds.  No, not sleep meds, but several months ago a friend was talking about her blood pressure medicine, the same one I take, and she said that she started taking it at night because of fluttering heart when she took it in the morning.  So I started taking mine at night too.  Well, a couple of nights ago I went back to the morning regimen and think THAT may be the key.  I know it's only been a couple of nights but so far so good.  This being said I have always had the sleep issues.  When a young I didn't sleep well either, being the only one awake in the house for hours and hours and hours.  Let's just say my mother didn't like doors shut in the house and Sis and my bedroom was RIGHT NEXT to my parents room....no more explanation needed.  

Here's to SLEEP!

Random 5 Friday

Random 5 Friday.  I'm seem to only be able to do this lately as far as writing goes, but that is okay.

1.  Missing a lot of exercise days with my trainer and I'm not sure exactly why.  There are several reasons:  sickness, allergies, sleeping, work, just getting bored with it.  I don't know if I need to add more or less or what but I do know that the sleep thing is getting more priority.

2.  Spring is kind dragging it's feet getting here because on Tuesday I was FREEZING and Wednesday when I dressed for the chilly I was BURNING up.  It's time to layer I guess.  Spring storms have been threatening all week so we now go into tornado watching season.

3.  Getting excited to spend a whole week at the cabin, all by myself.  I did it a couple of years ago and it was THE BEST!  I'm not sure when it will happen yet because I have to wait for Bri's classes to end because I watch Rio.  Soon, very soon!

4.  Farmer's Markets start up around here this weekend and since we're staying in town, think I may have to venture to one.  Maybe Bri and Rio and I will go.  I have a cute little shopping cart and will bring my camera for possible painting shots.  Bring on the veggies!

5.  Do they still make "Paint-By-Number" projects?  I was just looking at the one my momma did as a child and the thought occurred to me.

Round Whatever

It's round whatever in the snow episodes here in Oklahoma and the rest of the country.  Even though Tuesday is my day to not work at the office,  I HAD to go in.  So I bundled up my art supplies for class later, lunch for me and The Hubby and went in to do a bit of work.  Good thing because my desk was knee deep with invoicing and two days of mail.  I didn't pay any bills but I did get the invoicing done and a couple of quotes for The Hubby and a deposit and then I was off to class.  I wasn't sure anyone would be there but I called Ziegler's and they said Ross was there!!!!

So off I went.

I got lucky that the front room class was not in attendance and got a front door parking spot to haul my supplies in.  This is the view from their windows. 

By the end of the two hour class it was nearly gone and slushy.  Now we have the winds blowing in to bring the temps and wind chill down, down, down!

In fact, I am writing this very early this Wednesday morning, 3:07 AM.  I woke up about 1:30 and had to pea which sometimes gets my mind whirring, which it did.  I could NOT go back to sleep not matter how hard I tried.  So after over an hour of tossing and turning, here I am writing on my blog.  The Oklahoma winds are NOT helping either. 

Accomplished more sky on the large commission project!  Week three done.  I hope to have it completed by the end of February or first week of March.

Sleep, Elusive Yet Again

OH MY GOSH....sleep was so illusive last night.  I have so much on my mind and it didn't help that I watched a most wonderful film on PBS called "Blood Brother".  I just happened on it as I channel surfed and could not stop watching.  It's a program called IndependentLens on PBS.  I can't seem to find when it will run again but you must, MUST watch it.  It's about two friends, one a film maker and another, Rocky.  Rocky is kind of a lost soul but travels to India where he signs up to work at an AIDS hostel where children live who have AIDS.  It was sad, inspiring, beautiful, sweet, made me cry and drop my jaw.  Of course it is an award winning film and rightfully so.  What can I say, watching this film did little to help me sleep.  

I tossed and turned and dreamed and then would wake up and think about the film, then the HUGE art project I am to begin today.  That has got me a bit freaked out.  Then I had kind of a bit of a scary dream that I got a phone call from some lady that works for a trash service and she had my Daddy in her office way north of Tulsa sitting because his car was broken down and he was confused.  Okay, THAT freaked me out and then I started worrying about Daddy and today I will call him.  I didn't go see him yesterday or the weekend and I guess I feel guilty but hopefully I do have a brother and sis that check on him.!?

So, yes I am up, EARLY, as I have to go to the office and get a bit of work done before I go to art class to start said project.  I am concerned that it will be in the way in our art class but I need to do it there for the tutoring help that Ross can give me as this is the BIGGEST thing I have ever done.  NERVOUS!!!!!

Sleepless In Tulsa

I just read over my post from yesterday and sadly my grammar was horrible.  Good grief, I really need to make sure of what I am posting before I put it out there.

I was awake at 2:30 this morning.  Yes, my eyes opened, I had to pee, and the heat had not been turned down....HOT, HOT, HOT!  I tossed and turned and by 3:30 I gave up and turned the Kindle on and read a bit.  Then I hear The Hubby, who had fallen asleep on the couch rustling around in the kitchen taking his fiber he forgot.  I knew he was heading to the bed.  He snuggled in with Clayton by his side and I was still wide-eyed.  Finally, listening to his snoring, about 4:15 I turned the Kindle off and dosed off to sleep.  6 AM and I was awake again as Clayton was whining to get up and go outside and then eat his breakfast.  That was okay as I needed to be up because today is a big day.  I will be at The Garden Trug today with my art.  I have to be there at 9 to set up and then back again for an Artist Reception from 1-3.  Then tomorrow back again when they close to pick up my art, hopefully less of it.  If you are in need of a beautiful painting, come on by and visit me and just look or purchase!!!!! 

Random 5 Friday

I think I may have done this yesterday but here we go again!  It's another Random 5 Friday.  Why not join in!

1. Oatmeal...yum it is good!  I'm adding it back to the diet along with the bacon I eat in the mornings.  Not at the same time.  I plan on adding it every other day.  
2. Why can't I sleep past 5 am in the mornings anymore.  It's kind of frustrating really.  I want to sleep in but my body starts giving me problems and so I'm up.  The carpel tunnel in both of my hands, my bladder and then the mind starts firing up and I'm awake!  I can't even stay up late at night, the majority of the time.  It's all I can do to stay awake for the 10 o'clock news and weather.  That is probably why I am up early huh!  Oh well, I will go with the flow.  At least I can get stuff done in the mornings, my most productive time of the day.
3. Coffee, do you drink it.  It's funny that when I was in my teens I just detested the taste of it but loved to smell it.  My parents would drink it at all times of the day and in the evenings they would have a cup while watching TV.  We kids knew how to fix it for them and it was great fun to prepare and take it to them.  Daddy liked two sugars and Momma liked it black.  Aww, the smell was delicious but YUCK!  Grandma used to have coffee candies that I loved and wished coffee tasted like it.  Then, in 1979, I was pregnant with our first child, daughter, and The Hubby would fix his coffee and the smell again tempted me.  I again tasted it and wow, YUM!  Oh my goodness, I craved the stuff but knew that it was probably not good for me.  So to protect the baby I would buy decaffeinated coffee and replace the regular coffee, he never knew and I got to have my cup of coffee a day.  After that I loved it and still love it.  
4. Cold weather, snow, sleet, ice, I HATE IT ALL!  No I will never, EVER live in Colorado or go snow skiing.  I am an beach baby!  I love the sun and hot and blue and green and COLOR!
5. Lost in my car.  I have a necklace that I have worn for YEARS and everything is very special on it.  
   
   Over the years I have added a few things there.  The first (in the center) is a sapphire with a diamond on top.  The diamond was from my first wedding ring, not first marriage, same marriage, it was just that we kind of upgraded my wedding ring especially after I wore the band completely in two.  Then The Hubby gave me an amethyst with a diamond for my birthday and another with an emerald with a diamond.  I couldn't decide which to wear so they all reside around my neck.  Several years ago, before Mom died I found a tiny baby ring in one of her jewelry boxes and she informed me it was my baby ring from my favorite aunt and uncle, my great aunt and uncle to be exact.  So the ring was added.  I've replaced the chains many times and recently had to have it repaired when Rio accidentally caught it and it went flying.  It has broken many times but I have always found the jewels and ring.  Yesterday I was in my car and the seat belt had shifted up and I reached up to pull it down and caught the chain and "PLING" everything went flying.  I have found all except the most important one, the sapphire and my wedding diamond.  Oh, I am very upset about it and I will continue to look but sad for sure.  

Happy New Year!

Well, well, well, it is officially 2014!  I can't believe it.  When I graduated high school in 1974, 40 years ago (blech-bad taste in my mouth), I never in my wildest dreams understand that I would be alive in the 2000's let alone 2014!  I'm OLD!  EEK!  Not really but when you see the numbers....shivers!

Last night we kept little Rio for New Year's Eve, while her parents hosted a party.  She was good except for trying, yet again, to get her down for bedtime.  Before she came though I spent about 30 minutes of some quiet time with a nice cup of hot tea to relax because I knew I would be busy, and indeed I was, gladly.

Bedtime was a bit rough but she was down at 8 and I soon followed knowing she had a tendency to wake up fitful.  Again I was write because at 12:30 she was awake and not happy.  It was only an hour ordeal :( but she was back asleep but I wasn't.  My mind kept me tossing and turning till about 3 when I finally drifted only to jolted awake at 4 am.  So up we were and she was quite happy, as was I when she giggled at me.  Awww, the joy of a grandbabies!  I will nap later!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Granny Fail

ME

I am a granny fail.  Last night we were to keep Rio overnight and everything seemed to be going great until bedtime.  I think the bad stuff started earlier in the day at the office.  I was trying to put her down for her nap and usually it is no problem.  I pick her up pat a few times and then she is asleep.  Yesterday she wanted her momma and cried and cried and sobbed and sobbed until Briana had to come in and take over.   

Rio and Vera

So then they brought her over about dinner time and as it turned out we went next door for a holiday drink with the neighbors and I took her over to show off.  She was so sweet and sat in my lap for about 20 minutes eating cheese and being adorable.  I left before The Hubby to feed her and get her ready for bed.  Dinner was a great success with squash, cottage cheese and dried pears.  She did a lot of walking around and around the house and every time she got close to her bedroom with the sound machine on and lights low she would cry.  I had an inkling that something was not right with that.  I then began the routine for bedtime.  We brushed her teeth, changed the diaper, lotioned, pajamas and read her little "Good Night Moon" book.  Bottle and sound machine on but WOW, nothing to do with closing the eyes.  She started to nod off until Clayton pushed open the door and cried to get on the bed where we were sitting.  RATS!  Then it was on, the crying and sobbing and screaming and squirming.  I spent 15 minutes with that and was wrung out.  I could not stand for her to be so upset, my heart was breaking.  She was so upset with the crying and she was doing the hiccuping thing.  We went into the living room and I sent a text to Briana that I didn't think it was going to work.  She said she would come get her but I should persist, that eventually she would give it up.  I guess I just am not tough enough anymore.  I could not stand to see the usually happy Rio so upset.  The Hubby said, "Why did you do that.  Just let her cry!" Oh gosh, I just have lost my confidence in childcare but I think it's a combination of things.  I didn't want to have Rio not like being at Granny's and not like her room.  (I have got to clean out the guest room - paintings to the ceiling.)  I caved and had to be rescued.  I think too I don't want to rock the routine that B&B have set up for Rio but maybe I need to do Granny rules at Granny's house.  This has got to be fixed as we are going to try this again on New Year's Eve and there is no calling to be rescued.  It is definitely an all-nighter as they are having a huge party.  I need to get the easy flow of getting her down again.  I don't want to be a Granny Failure.  

Kale and Red Wine

This morning is rough.  Rough because yesterday I fixed a fabulous veggie soup with lots of kale and chipotles in adobo sauce.  It was hot and spicy and very yummy.  The rough part is the add on of last night.  We went out to dinner with some of our neighbors to the local Platt College restaurant called Foundations.  Honestly, we've had better food there before but it was great fun to spend time laughing and visiting with the wonderful neighbors.  On top of the spicy soup filled with kale was a lot of red wine, in fact, I'm still a bit tipsy this morning.  That, along with the kale rich spicy soup, well, let's just say I'm not going too far away from the house this morning.  I had planned on staying in bed this morning as I don't have anywhere to go today but of course my bladder and Clayton's bladder was having none of that.  So up and moving (literally) I am this morning.  I think I will go back to bed in a bit.

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!

Life and Death

Yesterday was my relax day, or so I thought.  I had a fabulous massage and facial but all I could do was think and be tense.  Lots of stuff rolling around in my noggin that caused me to not enjoy as much.  B&B2 are having so much trouble with little Rio this past week.  Today she is 5 months old and all of a sudden the sleeping thing is a problem.  She naps just fine but when they go to put her in her crib she wakes shortly and starts SCREAMING!  They can't figure it out, except I suspect the little bugger has discovered that if she screams she gets picked up and taken to her parents bed to sleep very nice and snuggily.  I have always said they are smarter than we are and my best guess is just that.  I feel so bad for them but hey, we've all gone through this stuff with the little ones, haven't we.  They will get through.  I can't wait to call them this morning because they were going to try to employ a bit of tough love to break this cycle before it becomes a huge monster.  Good luck!

With all the baby goings on they are also dealing with one of their beloved kitty's Pimmy dying.  Pimmy has some kind of kidney disease or cancer and she is just on the edge of leaving her happy little home forever.  B&B2 have given her a wonderful life being as she was a rescue from Street Cats, where B has volunteered since she was out of college.  I think Pimmy is 12 or 13 years old and is a real sweetie.  So there they are dealing with a 5 month old that won't sleep and a dying cat.   The stress is making them a puddle of tears and stress lately.  Luckily, they know it will all be a temporary phase and Rio will sleep and Pimmy will be at peace soon.

On top of all of this we get the news yesterday that our right hand man, Ben, his wife Jamie has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  We knew that they had been going to tons of doctors visits and they had suspected this but the confirmation was yesterday and it is very bad.  She has it in both ovaries and it has moved to her stomach, so far.  Tuesday they will do surgery to remove the ovaries and to see where else it has moved to then she will start chemo.  This just breaks my heart because Jamie is the nicest person in the world and so is Ben.  They are real jewels and I can't make heads or tails out of them having to deal with this.  Yesterday when Ben leaned over the desk area to tell B and myself then walked outside, I turned to B to see tears just rolling.  She is on the edge with all of this and lack of sleep is taking a toll.  I remember when my little ones put me through this, B in particular, my momma was there to help, to let me sleep.  Thank goodness the other half, B2 has been a wonderful, a great partner to understand and be there.  I try to be there too.  They will survive and sleep will again be a part of their lives, someday!  At least Rio is not sick, she is just wanting her momma.

I'm not much of a prayer kind of person at all but I do pass all of this on to our old church prayer chain, just in case.  There are others much better at sending out the goodness to those in need than I am.  I also send out to my friends here to pray, meditate, just send out the goodness for Ben and Jamie in the horrible time of need in their lives.  My heart is breaking for them.  We have here the beginnings of a wonderful life in little Rio and the end of a sweet little furry life in Pimmy and then the unknown of a life future in sweet Jamie.

Sweet Sounds

Last night I again woke up about 2 a.m. This is really getting old.  I am sleeping very soundly and then I'm just awake.  The eyes open wide and the mind is racing.  It's not even hot flashes that are rousing me out of my slumber, I JUST WAKE UP!  I don't mind laying there for a bit and drifting back into dreamland but the problem is when The Hubby is rattling the walls with his own Sleepytown Noises.  It's not really even a snore, at least as bad as my Dad used to do, it's noise.  Many years ago The Hubby had a test to find out he had sleep apnea so he had surgery.  Then he had his uvula lasered off and his deviated septum fixed.  It was great because he finally started dreaming again and YEA the snoring stopped.  He could peel the paint off the walls snorer and it ceased.  Fast forward to now and he is again making sounds when he sleeps.  Saying all of this, therein lies my problem of trying to get back to sleep yet again.  The "sounds" he makes.  I jiggle the bed, I nudge, flip-flop in the bed, anything to try and make him shift.

As I was laying there last night trying all the maneuvers to get him to stop I had the thought that it would certainly be very quiet without his sweet sounds.  I don't think I would like the silence either.  I guess I have grown to love the sweet sounds that are rolling around the bedroom walls every night from The Hubby snoring.

Alarm Clock Woes

Good early morning.  This is the second time in as many days that The Hubby and I have NOT heard the alarm.  I don't know if it's the changing weather, our exhaustion, The Hubby actually working in the field or just excitement of the upcoming birth of grandbaby.  We have just been sleeping in and I told him that I believe our bodies are trying to tell us something.  TAKE A BREAK!  I'm sorry that I've missed workout but it is what it is.

Baby is still keeping herself hidden away in B's tummy so we wait but she's probably just not cooked enough.  The excitement is almost overwhelming.  She will be here when she is ready!

Monday I missed yet again the portrait drawing class.  It was the third class but I had only been to the first one.  Monday mornings and B not working, that means I have to be at the office so it was interfering with that and I was NOT going to give up the art class with Ross on Tuesday's.  So something had to give and since I was not happy with the class anyway, well it had to go.  Class Tuesday was awesome.  I was out of projects but told Ross I wanted to try something new, pastels.  Actually, I still have the pastel set that my parents gave me at age 14 so I dug them out and told him that is what I wanted to do.  What FUN!!!!!

It's not finished, that will have to be tackled in next Monday's class, but what fun I had.   

A Crying Dog

I have been up since 3 AM this morning.  I went to bed at a little after 10 and for some reason was jolted awake at 3.  Sometimes that happens and I can't explain it.  I suspect that it was the sound of Clayton crying.  A has been home for a week and this morning will head back to California, her other home.  She went out late last night to see an old friend that had just got to town and I knew she would be in late.  When my startled awakening happened, the living room lights were still on and I was concerned that A was still out and I know she has a very early flight.  Well, those thoughts only pushed the awake button in me and I just had to get up to investigate.  The first thing I noticed was the bedroom door closed.  Whew, that meant she was home and in bed.  That was a relief, so I went to the living room and turned off the lights and shuffled back to bed with the intention of falling asleep again.  No sooner did my head hit the pillow than I thought I heard Clayton.  Wait, I remember, he was asleep in his little bed, not with us.  Well, then I got concerned that he was having a dream or was in pain or something.  I again got up and looked in his bed, nothing.  He was not there.  Hmmm, well, I guessed he was in bed with us and I just couldn't find him in the dark.  Back to my pillow and there it was again, the whine.  I got up, closed the bedroom door, turned on the hall light and opened the guest bedroom door.  There was Clayton laying on A's bed crying.  He wanted us, our bed, his usual resting spot at night.  She must have taken him to bed with her when she came in.  I know what he was crying about though.  That little guy loves to sleep under the covers and when he can't get under the covers he cries, he's cold.  That is exactly what he did when I put him on our bed.  He burrowed under his little blanket and drifted right off to sleep.  Do you think he's spoiled!  Now I'm left with being AWAKE at 4:23 AM writing a blog post.  Something is very wrong with this picture here!

Sleep, Flowers and Friends

Good Saturday morning all. It's a beautiful sun shining morning, a bit nippy, and the call of rain is imminent later this evening. We have definitely had some rest last night.  After an evening at Harri & Jimbo's cabin next door, and a drink or two, back along the stone walkway and to bed for me.  I climbed into the fresh sheet bed ready to do a bit of reading at 8:30 but the eyes were not cooperating and I was nestled in and out at 8:40.  Clayton just couldn't get comfy and tried to wake us at 3:30, thinking it was time for his breakfast.  NOT!  A quick trip to the great cold outdoors and back to bed where we didn't arise until 8:30 this morning.  That would be nearly 12 hours of sleep!  Boy, did I need that.  A few more days of some rest like that and I should be ready for getting back to exercise in a week or so, I hope. 

I took some snapshots from our small cabin yard...

I feel very lucky that my clematis' are coming up after The Hubby decided that the ring they are in should be burned out from the leaves last fall.  I was so mad at him because they come back on the old wood.   Imagine my surprise yesterday when we arrived and found these!

As I took my short stroll out in the yard I found that my flowering almond is in full bloom.  Looks a bit like a peony doesn't it.  One of my favorite shrubs...but,

the flowers are very tiny on the stems. 

Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday