Tornados and Covid

This is a weird morning with tornado sirens first thing.  We're all okay but a squall line with potential for tornados went through and the peace and quiet of a soft rain was interrupted. 

I'm here, just not much to say or not in a place to get the words out.  Things are just clicking along with the kids, grandkids, retirement, just life.  I've hardly had time to paint what with just not being in the studio for various reasons.  This past week we had Min a couple of days and night because Mighty Max was in the hospital with Covid.  The middle of the night I believe Monday his momma took him to the hospital while Nick stayed home with Min, then he brought her to me.  He went to the hospital to relieve Af so she could go home and rest, she had Covid too.  Min and Nick were negative but we think Min had it first, just not a bad case.  Max only had to be in overnight after they gave him some steroids and did an echo on his heart to make sure all was well.  He was and is good, and now home.  He's still a bit croupy but much much better and all are negative.  

He sucks his blanket like a pacifier.

All is right in their world now. 

I did get a bit of painting done with mostly watercolors with Min and at the studio to finish up an oil I started a couple of weeks ago. 

Watercolors, Baby and Food

Just a little catch up from the past week.  I gathered up all the watercolor notecards that I've done so far and packed up the watercolors for a brief bit.  I needed to clean up the front room to ready for Christmas decor.  I'm very please with how all have turned out but my mind is still whirring with new ideas.  This weekend I may get it all out again.  

At the studio, what limited time that I've gone in, I produced these three, in oils.  I cannot get Christmas out of my head so I am just going with it.

These may be gifts...

This past week I also got to watch Mighty Max for the very first time.  It was only for a little over an hour but exciting and SCARY!  He still has a feeding tube and a heart monitor which scares the bejeeszus out of me, but we managed.  He was quite happy watching Miss Rachel until he wasn't happy.  I could see it in his eyes, sleepy.  So I picked him up, put him on the couch beside me to change his diaper.  Do you know how long it has been since I have changed a little boys diaper, probably 40-50 years!  I was very quick though because he got upset very fast and held his breath crying, setting off the monitor!  YIKES!  I finished and hoisted him on my shoulder and shooshed and hummed, patting his backside and he was asleep in seconds.  Whew!  But, my poor arms.  He is a hefty 27+ pounds and I have bursitis in my right arm, prohibiting me from lifting him or holding for long.  Just don't have the strength.  Af said I could put him in his bed but I could not stand with 27 pounds of dead weight and grab his feeding bag and monitor to get him in there so we just stayed put.  I wasn't too sad about that.  He is so sweet and cuddly.  The big guy has a mouthful of teeth and today has started cutting a molar!  He may be delayed a bit in some milestones but not in growth.  Plus he's actually eating small bits of food which is a big deal.  

The weekend we finally jetted off to the cabin and hosted Saturday evening's dinner with our little group.  I asked what The Hubby wanted to fix and he said beef tenderloins.  Okay, so off to Fresh Market to get two beautiful tenderloins and make my credit card SCREAM!  They are not cheap but usually what we do once a year for the group, our Christmas present to them.

I also needed to decorate a bit because in a couple of weeks we are one of the host cabins for the progressive cocktail party.  I've never decorated for Christmas at the cabin before.  I purchased a small tree and went through my ornaments that I thought would be great for the cabin vibe, kind of rustic.  It turned out so sweet.

The evening went FABULOUS and everyone had such a fun time.  The meal was great, the company awesome and a few gifts were even exchanged early.  

Merry Christmas

Covid Thanksgiving - BOOOoooo

We may not have been able to go to the family Thanksgiving but they took some wonderful photos for us.  

I made us, The Hubby and I, a killer two person Thanksgiving dinner.

Cornish hens, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, dressing, gravy...oh and mandarin orange salad.

I am SOOOoooooooo  OVER this damn virus.  I have people to see, places to go, things to do out and about.  Today we are supposed to go to The Hubby's best friend's family Turkey Day celebration, we are honorary family members.   I will test later today, AGAIN to see how that is going.  Honestly I feel great, just a bit of a runny nose, that's all, this is crazy.  I have a meeting tomorrow I WANT to go to.  Just feel trapped.  

Guess today I will work on dragging Christmas out and start the decoration by myself.  

Yesterday I did some more watercolor.  Oh, these notecard things are great fun and next year will be HOT! 

A Foggy Morning

Good morning all.  It's cool and rainy out this Sunday morning but I'm not venturing anywhere, at least for a few more days.  Remember I said The Hubby had another cold, well, it wasn't just a cold, it's COVID.  Saturday morning I woke up and I knew KNEW I didn't dodge the bullet even though I had a booster a month ago.  So here I sit unable to go to the cabin Thanksgiving this year, going to miss the PAC Tuesday evening event of Beetlejuice and may even miss Thanksgiving at his brother's.  CRAP!!!  I'm pretty sure he got it at the gun show last weekend, thanks!  I think it's not going to be a serious go around this time as it has settled in my head.  I CANNOT breathe through my nose at all.  That's what usually happens when I get a cold anyway.  I just had a cold October 14 and now this, a month later.  I've had my flu shot and the Covid booster, still I'm getting sick.  I think my first encounter with Covid a little over a year ago has messed up my immunity that has always been pretty good.  Honestly I've been sick more this year than I have been in 10 years!  Crazy.  I told The Hubby if we have to stay home I have a couple of Cornish hens in the deep freeze, potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans and rolls.  I've got it covered if we are house bound, DAMMIT!  

Friday we took off for the cabin because of the cabin Thanksgiving, driving separate cars because the plan he was coming back for a dance.  I knew that wasn't going to happen, but let him dream!  So yesterday, after a night of not sleeping well I told him I wanted to be home, in my chair, in my bed, home. He was fine with that so I took off about 8:00.  I stopped around the corner from our "mountain" and snapped the beauties.  The fog was from the creek.

I should have KNOWN what was to come.  As I got to the point of the drive where Scenic Hwy412 merges with the exit of the Cherokee Turnpike I hit a WALL of fog so dense you could not see your hand.  I quickly pulled over in a area with a huge turnaround and called The Hubby.  I told him I am coming back till this stuff burns off.  It was the dangerous kind and I didn't know far it reached. I didn't want to risk.  Honestly as I was sitting there trying to make a decision, a car came charging out of the fog.  I couldn't see it until it popped out of the fog.  Nope, back I went to wait. 

This week I've painted a bit at the studio and a bit at home.   This one I painted and wiped off so many times.  I just wasn't keen on it until it appeared and I was happy.  It's oil on a wooden canvas, 10x10.  

Back at home it was watercolors again.  I've had so many people asking about them.  I'm going to really fine tune a bunch and be ready for next year.  This one I do not like the red ring/bow, but I love the tree.  Will definitely work on it.

Played with little Robin Red Breast.  When I went to save the photo to my art file, lo and behold I've done it before almost exactly like this.  Good Grief!

Later my lovelies as I hack, blow and go with this stupid virus. 

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.

Happy Birthday's

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the granddaughters!!!!

Actually, yesterday would have been my mother-in-law's birthday, her 96th.  

We certainly do miss her.  Last weekend we celebrated her, B and the babies.

This weekend we really celebrate the babies.  Min's 4th birthday party was a happening with tons of kiddos, squeals and laughter.  I was in charge of being the balloon taxi!  They had a friend doing face painting so I hopped on board for it as the afternoon was a block party in our neighborhood.

Today is Snicklefritz's actual birthday, her 11th.  Cannot believe it really.  They grow up so very fast.  

Tomorrow is Min's actual 4th birthday.

The week was really loud around here because we got a new roof.  It was very quick though, like 15 hours and they had the old torn off and the new put on.  Amazing.  I spent the time playing around with watercolor as I could not get my car out and didn't want too because of roofing nails.  

Tomatoes, Sketching and Health

Well, well, look what we got here...home grown tomatoes, MY home grown tomatoes.

The Hubby and I (my suggestion) put in two plants at the office where there is full sun, only grass and a sprinkler system, AND it is fenced with no access from potential thieves, except possibly a dadgum squirrel!  Those two plants have given us about 10 tomatoes, huge tomatoes.  So yummy.  Can't wait to plant more stuff next year!

I am still sick, yes STILL SICK.  I have had an off and on sore throat since the first of June and I cannot seem to get rid of it.  There is more, sniffles a bit, drainage, slight cough although that has gone away.  Every morning I never know how I am going to wake up, feeling okay or like I've been hit by a truck.  Yesterday I felt pretty good, this morning, like crap.  I had yet another video visit with my doctor and we tossed around the idea of strep throat and even mono!!! YIKES!  I really think it has been a combo but mostly a sinus infection.  I'm feeling a tad better since I took a shower and got cleaned up but with a slight headache and of course the ever present sore throat.  I am so over being sick and today there is a complication on my healing process.  They have to take Max in to get his G-tube converted back or added back the GJ-tube.  He has such a problem with reflux and vomiting, especially right after he gets his meds (not a good thing for a heart baby) that they've got to do something.  He's also losing weight because of the vomiting and they need him strong for surgery August 3.  Well, the last time they went in for a fix of that he was in nearly 3 weeks and Minerva was here with us for that 3 weeks, I was sick that whole time, the storm, sister passing, etc... Can't say I'm too keen on this happening again.  They have an appointment today and the rub is my still being sick.  First we don't want to pass any kind of germ to Min or to Max and second I NEED to get well.  So they've been trying to find some kind of help to care for Min.

UH, she just called and Max is throwing up blood, they have got to hit the road, RIGHT NOW!  I was getting ready to walk out the door to get some lab tests done.  I want to help but I'm caught in a catch 22 on this thing.  I feel helpless but I have GOT to get this illness thing figured out and get some rest to heal.  

DAMMIT!!!

I was able to get to the studio this week, twice but I see that is getting ready to end again.  I'm still sketching and water coloring at home.  The intent of the sketching is that I signed up for Thursday evening a sketch class but at this point, that may not happen...

Work, Watercolors and BIRTHDAY

Watercolors...that is what I've been up to lately.

Last week I took off on a Wednesday for the cabin and I stayed until Monday!!!  He didn't join me until Sunday because he was dealing with roofers at the shop and he had several dance things.  I spent my time, nearly all of it on my screened porch enjoying the stunning weather, the birds at my feeders, my fireplace (because the mornings were just downright chilly,) and painting.  I brought my watercolors and I painted and painted on this painting.  I took the photo a few days before at the Tulsa Garden Center where our oldest now works knowing it would be a great painting.  I decided to try my hand at it in watercolor and have not been disappointed.  I've also got it sketched in for oils and will try that as well, but I'm very pleased with this so far.

These watercolors are really quite fun and a bit freeing.  They are the opposite of oil painting so it makes my mind think differently, but I'm up for a challenge, and it seems to pay off.

In a few days (Sunday) I will celebrate another trip around the calendar and will turn 67 years old.  GOOD F...NG GRIEF!  So very hard to believe I'm pushing 70 now.  Really do not feel like I'm in my late 60's.  That is just a foreign concept to this brain.  Not going to let anything slow me down though.  I've got too much more to do.

Still working at the office a tiny bit.  The only thing I'm doing in the accounting side of things is try to get the last three customers to settle their accounts.  About 2 weeks ago I sent a letter to them stating that even though we are retired, had closed our doors for doing electrical work, that MY job was not done in wrapping up the accounting and could they kindly settle up.  Well, it worked and two of them paid while I was hanging at the cabin!!!  Now one left and really don't see it coming so will have to write it off and BE DONE WITH IT!  I will contact the accountant in about a week and a half and we may get to shut down the checking account!!! Whoopee!!!!!!  Then I can go in and close out, combine a couple more accounts and be done with it all.  so exciting.