Brrr, Baby It's Cold Outside

Snow, snow, snow...COLD-COLD-COLD!

Golly, it is bitter outside and just doesn't want to go away.  Gladly though we are safe inside our warm abode unlike so many homeless right now.  I can't imagine if anyone is staying outside with the wind chills in the minus area.  What is so wonderful is that we are here together and I'm not worried about him getting out in it like when we were working.  Nothing, and I mean NOTHING stopped him from work, including any ice or snow.  I'm so happy that he is by my side, and safe, although he couldn't help himself yesterday and just had to go out to check the roads.  He's definitely getting cabin fever and bored.  He's finished a book, a very difficult book and started another one.  I've never, in nearly 48 years of marriage, seen him read so much as he is doing now.  I LOVE IT!  

I've been reading too, finishing the book club selection, The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters.  I loved the book.  I've got a few more started but can't seem to stay focused on reading right now.  So while watching my soaps I've been working hard on the ornaments again.  So far I've done five in the past few weeks.  My goal is to do 100 and if I keep going as fast as I have been I just might achieve it this year (I have 87 now.)  LOL!  I have arthritis in my hands and this keeps them moving.  If I don't used them my fingers get stiff.  

Luckily I also had some oils in my car from a group I've been painting with and was able to do this little gem yesterday.  I think I'll add a few highlights to it but it is basically done and I kind of love it.  Unfortunately I only have 2 more canvases here so may have to revert to the watercolors.  

A Sleeting We Will Go

Ice, Ice, Baby...

Goodness this stupid weather.  First was the morning of my hip surgery and the snow we had to travel through at 5 am to get to the hospital.  Yesterday it was again another iffy drive for my post-op.  It was sleet and a lot of it.  Honestly that drive wasn't as bad but this morning is a lot worse.  In fact we shut down our business because the employees didn't want to drive in (don't blame them.)  It's the same story this morning and will probably be the same tomorrow.  Tomorrow I have to go in though to do payroll.  Hmmm, well we will see.  

Back to my post-op.  We did make it!  So excited to have the stitches OUT and permission to drive, when this stupid ice is gone.  The doc is very pleased with how this new hip looks and me too.  I was disappointed that I have to do out patient.  Really didn't want to but it could last 1-4 weeks so I will be a good patient and get it done. 

Last nights dinner, yes I cooked again, was what I could dig up out of the pantry/freezer since grocery shopping is not happening via hip and weather.  I found frozen shrimp in the freezer and a jar of marinated artichoke hearts.  I googled those ingredients and came up with a shrimp & artichoke bake.  

Shrimp & Artichoke Bake

(What I had:)

Frozen shrimp (about 14)

Small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained & cut up if too big

Red pepper flakes

1 tsp Kerry Gold garlic & herb butter

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 Tbls shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 400°. Saute drained artichoke hearts in non-stick skillet with butter and pepper flakes for about 3-5 minutes. Take out and put in small casserole (I used deep dish pie plate.) Put shrimp in skillet cook till pink turning once, about 3-5 more minutes. When done put on top of artichoke hearts. Top with the mozzarella cheese and parmesan. Bake in oven 10-15 minutes.

I would have loved to serve it with fresh broccoli or spinach but fresh pantry is bare.

It was quite yummy.

It's Nearly HIP DAY!

 

Okay, I need good vibes, prayers, ALL the good luck I can muster for tomorrow.  We have to be in Broken Arrow by 5:30 am for my hip replacement surgery at 7 am.  I have to tell you I'm excited and nervous and anxious.  I can handle all that, BUT, mother nature decided to throw a wrench in the plans.  It is snowing to beat the band right now and they are predicting 4-8 inches.  My gut is absolutely in knots right and I KNOW my blood pressure is up, I feel it.  

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!

 

Snow, Snicklefritz and Crocheting

Snow...SNOW...snow...

This past weekend we jetted away to the cabin, The Hubby, me and Snicklefritz.  She had been out of in-person school 10 days so safe to be around again.  They've yet again gone back to virtual school and I think I heard this morning that will be until the first of  February, so MORE GRANDDAUGHTER TIME!!!  The Hubby was spending the last part of Friday and most of the day Saturday doing a landscape lighting job for one of the cabinites so it was just me and Snicklefritz.  We played Go Fish, Uno and she brushed and styled my hair a multitude of times (I love it.)  Then I told her I wanted to teach her how to crochet.  She's 8 years old and has great dexterity and a great mind so I knew she could get it.  First up was how to tie a slip-knot which she got really quick.  Then it was to a chain.  She chained and chained and chained until it was about 3 feet long...LOL.  I had her pull it out several times to get better and better, practice makes perfect.  Then when I felt she could move on we tackled the single crochet.  Oh it was messy and a bit lopsided but she was getting it for sure.  I was so proud of her and praised her many times.  Her momma said that once home she got frustrated and ripped it all out.  I hope she continues to work on it more.  It just takes practice to really get a feel to how the stitches are supposed to work.  Will have her over again soon and we will take it on again.  I suggested to her Momma that YouTube would have some videos for beginning crochet for children, I was sure.  

The weather forecast called for snow early Sunday morning so we hit the road back to Tulsa a little after 8:30 and it was raining but by the time we were pulling out of the drive the snow was splattering the windshield in huge wet snowflakes.  Before we could get off the back roads it was getting pretty slushy but I knew the highway would be better.  It wasn't much better and we drove slow and careful to get back to town.  OMG, that snow was just stunning to watch.  Of course driving back we were driving right into the blowing stuff.  Looking out at the trees Snicklefritz said, "Granny look how pretty the forest is!"  She was mesmerized.  It was quite beautiful but I want to get home safe and sound.  Normally I would be on pins and needles but you know something I was not scared one tiny bit.  That is really unusual for me.  I seem to have lost a lot of the fear that has always been buried in my gut.  Don't get me wrong, driving on mountainous roads...NO F.....in' way!  Hate those still and they will put me in a panic attack.  I can't even watch videos of driving on them without nearly getting breathless.  YUCK!  But we did get home and it was nice to watch it come down all nice and snug in our warm house. 

Sadly we were without our little Clayton.  When we were loading up the car on Friday afternoon there was something wrong with him.  The Hubby put him in his carrier and as he carried him out to the truck he cried and whined like you wouldn't believe.  We called the vet and they had us bring him in and we left him in their capable hands to see what was going on. 

It was kind of nice not having to constantly have to get up and down to let him in and out all weekend but we sure missed the little guy.  The Hubby picked him up yesterday afternoon.  They wanted to give him a bath first and I suspect it was probably because he fell in his pee or poop.  This tripod leg thing, well, his balance is struggling.  We got him home and he was still crying and now he's all stove-up in his neck.  He keeps having spasms in his neck and back.  I'm sure that one front leg is tired of carrying all the weight and with this cold snap his arthritis is kicking in big time.  I'm not sure they gave him any of his arthritis medicine the whole time he was in there which means we have to let it kick in again.  Last night he whined a bit and couldn't get comfortable in bed, kicking me most of the night.  I got up at 2:30 and took him outside to pee.  I got up at 3:00 and took him outside to pee.  I AM TIRED GUYS!  I'm not meant for an infant anymore.  I dozed back off about 5, just in time for my alarm to go off...  The Hubby put him on our bed again while I was in my chair in the bedroom and when I went to get him off the bed and in the living room (he can't fall off of our very tall bed, it would kill him!) he cried and tried to bite me.  Oh this poor baby is in such pain and he keeps having these spasms that sends him almost standing on his back legs and falling over.  It's hard to watch and I hope by tonight or tomorrow it will be better.  I don't know how much NOT SLEEPING I can take...Today...NAP!  

Random 5 Friday

It's that time again...Random 5 Friday!

1.  Wednesday I made a delicious and low cal dinner.  It really started out as a marinade for a Spicy Roasted Cauliflower but it was suggested in the recipe that the marinade could be used for other veggies or meats...chicken!

EUREKA!  

So I marinated chicken breast in the left over marinade from the cauliflower dish and then grilled the chicken.  SO yummy!

1 Tbls veg oil

1-1/2 cups plain Greek Yogurt

1 lime, zested & juiced

2 Tbls Chili powder

1 Tbls Cumin

1 Tbls garlic powder

1 tsp curry powder (my new FAV!)

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

2.  Finally, FINALLY I got some personal time in front of MY easel at home and finished this beauty.  It's called "Stained Glass." I've been watching some online art classes and am so ready to be creative. 

3.  Massage is good!  Facial is good!  Reflexology is good!  Mani-pedi is good!  Yes, Thursday was the day of me, Queen for the day!  Painting in the morning and then being pampered all day long, now that is what I'm talking about.  Actually, massage is good for you and I do all of these things every 4 weeks!  

4.  While laying around Thursday I began to think about the young me.  Yes, must have been wishful thinking that I could stop time while being pampered.  Anyway, I am in the middle of helping to plan for my 40th class reunion and as usual I start thinking about days past.  I thought about the kind of person I was back in the day.  I think everyone liked me.  I was a likable person and have been told that I was one of the sweetest people they knew back then...awwww.   My question that has crossed my mind many times over the years, especially in the tender-age-years is, why didn't I get asked out more.  Did I give the impression that I was stuck up, was I not popular enough, not cute enough...oh, sometimes it just makes me crazy...have to stop it!  NOW!

5.  I HATE snow...did I say that already.  

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.

Monday Ramblin's

Yup it's doing that nasty snowy cold stuff again.  Rio enjoyed it and actually wore her little boots.  The kid HATES shoes of any kind.  Isn't she just adorable!

Today is my usual day to watch her at the office but with the roads kind of yucky Briana was not comfortable getting a baby out so I went to their house to watch her.  I went in to the office early and got my stuff done then headed over to their house.  It was kind of fun to let her enjoy her home digs.  While there I had lap full of cats with Vera and Sammy and their black lab Mondo was just a sweet gentleman offering his paw for me to pet.  

This is Vera and I may have to paint her.  I am doing an online pet drawing class and this photo is perfect for painting.  

This was just the tip of the snowberg and today it melted off but we are in for another round tomorrow and Thursday and Friday....SNOW I am so over you, pretty or not!

Snow, Snow, Snow

We were just minding our own business at the cabin this weekend when the weather peep's starting ranting about SNOW!  They weren't kidding.  I told The Hubby that I wanted to get up early and head home so I could go see Daddy.  We were on the road by 8:30 but nearly an hour later when we hit Tulsa we were facing this...I never made it to Daddy's.

then about 20 minutes later after we got all snug inside the house I took this photo.  It's even deeper now.  GOOD GRIEF!  Enough already!  There is the threat of more on Tuesday and the end of the week.  Guess I had better keep the snow boots quite handy this week! 

And to think I was sporting these lovely shades just the first of last week.  I am a sad girl now! 

Snow, Snow, Baby

We are again under the influence of SNOW.  It's very pretty and very cold but I'm DONE with it.  It's a good thing it's a weekend and I'm getting a lot done around the house.  Yesterday I cleaned out ONE of my junk closets and took two bags of trash out!  I've cleaned corners and my desk and today, since we are snowed in I could continue, but I think an easel is in my future.  

Yesterday one of our friends, a cabinite, rescued this sweet baby.  They found him along the country roads nearly frozen and starving.  She said he was so cold and frozen that they had to warm him to get him to walk.  I'm sure someone thought he was too old and close to dying so why not just dump him.  How very, very sad.  This cold snap would surely have killed that sweet guy.  P&T are saints when it comes to animals.  They have taken in many unwanted furbabies and I'm sure this sweet gentleman will be a welcome addition to their four-legged family!  I hate people who dump animals!

How can you turn away from that face!

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.  

Selfie

All dressed up for workout this morning and with a little slipping and sliding I headed back into the garage and hit the bike instead.  I'm at least staying the same weight during this holiday season but being stuck inside away from party stuff it has been easy.  Last night was our bank Christmas party and I dolled up with the hair and dress.  Unfortunately I forgot to get a snapshot.  I wore a dress that I had from last Christmas and boy did it fit MUCH better.  Not tight at all and I didn't look like a stuffed sausage.  Felt quite pretty!

This morning the hair still has some pretty so I just brushed, fluffed and sprayed!  Too much washing can do make my hair weirdly dry yet oily.  Can't explain it.   

A Splash of Paint

During this extended time spent inside from the snow I got busy this weekend and finished "Little Pimmy".  She was Bri's sweet kitty that passed this year.  Bri had this awesome closeup picture of her and I just HAD to paint it.  I think it turned out really well.  Of course, the painting will go to Bri, if she wants it.  I'm quite pleased and it was fun to paint.

Time spent inside has given me the time to paint. Then I shopped a bit online and played gin on ClubPogo to pass more time.  While perusing the Internet I sipped a bit of hot tea out of one of my many, MANY tea cups that seem to keep being left to me.  I have so many of these little jewels I decided to start using them instead of letting them sit in a closed cabinet gathering dust.  Isn't this one lovely.  I have them from my greatgranny, granny, mother, grandmother and mother-in-law, I HAVE TONS!

I forgot to post this one.  While Afton was home I wanted to go see my painting at the Philbrook Festival of Trees.  I was so excited to see it hanging on the walls.  As far as I know it is still unsold as are most of the paintings, gingerbread houses and trees, for a fundraiser, not good.  Of course, it has been a couple of weeks since I was there and there is still a week to go!  Keep your fingers crossed.  It was fun to take Rio to Philbrook for the very first time of her life.  My granny took us when we were children once and in her stack of old pictures there was one of the front of Philbrook, either before it was a museum or just as it was turned into one.  

Oh, and in January I have another opportunity for a quick art show for a weekend.  Will give details soon.