Happy New Year

Happy New Year my bloggy friends.  Our Christmas has been kind of quiet, I'm okay with that.  Our youngest and her new hubby have come home a few days after Christmas and we've been having our celebration a few days late.  Our present opening happened the 28th with a fantastic vegan soup dinner that Af cooked, lasagna soup.  Oh my it was so good.  

The guys then headed out to the firepit with a glass of wine and a good cigar.  

Back inside they gathered around the piano for a few good songs and... 

and then on to a jigsaw puzzle that B got from Af for Christmas.

You know what, we finished that thing in just a couple of hours.

The next day was a trip to The Gathering Place (I did not go) and experience a lot of cold. 

Happy New Year friends!

Merry Christmas

I canNOT believe it is December 19 and I have not written here.  The month of December has been a whirlwind and I've just not had time or known what to write.

Thanksgiving was done and I immediately got busy setting up the Christmas tree.  This year it is entirely decorated with my counted cross stitch ornaments that I've been making for years, am still making... 

The past few years I've had family over to set up Christmas but this year I was on a time crunch and just got it done by myself.  The week AFTER Thanksgiving we were having our huge party and I had a lot to get done in a weeks time.   

I even got a few things wrapped and under the tree before the party and this week I wrapped the rest of my haul. 

The party was a huge success and I'm glad it's over.  Here we are with my sweet 91 year old mother-in-law and Snicklefritz, her great granddaughter, my precious granddaughter.  The represented the oldest and youngest attendees of our party!  

Life is so short.  The past few weeks my dear best friend from high school lost her sweet father.  He had been struggling for some time with dementia and that is so trying on family.  I also lost a darling  lake and neighborhood friend.  She and her husband live in our neighborhood in town and have a place at the lake where we have a place.  I also encouraged her to come to art classes once a week and enjoyed bringing art back into her life as she was an art major at one time.  Sadly she lost her battle to a very rare form of leukemia a few weeks ago.  Shelley kept putting off retiring and finally did to help with her daughter-in-law and their new little granddaughter.  Then she found out that she had the leukemia.  Her DIL had developed breast cancer while pregnant with her first child but beat it and Steve and Shelley got to spend some wonderful, short time with the baby.  Life is so short.

Painting has been put on the back burner lately.  I've just not had time to spend quality time at the easel lately.  I have been working on "Matt" but not much else.  

Not sure if I will post again this year so enjoy.  

Thanksgiving Before and After

I've sat down to try and write this blog post a few times but life has been so busy, that has not happened.  Of course some of my time has been spent with Snicklefritz and that's ALWAYS a joy.

May have to paint this little princess!

Ever on the hunt for the next painting...

This is a guy I went to high school with, Matt.  He was Mr. Football in high school (45 years ago) but now is a rancher/cowboy, living his life's dream.  It has been a hard life for him but he got to fulfill that dream.  The last time he was in town I snapped this wonderful photo of him with the plan to paint.  Since I'm wanting to step off more into the portrait world, well, here we go.

Today, I plan on adding to it, especially his mustache!

In the meantime we had a bit of snow a few weeks ago and Mrs. Robin was huddled outside the bathroom window trying to keep warm.

I think this might be a nice painting...

Thanksgiving was wonderful with a houseful of about 26 family and friends.  I cooked 33 pounds of turkey and it was quite yummy but I knew that the next day was looming.  Yes, it was prep time for our HUGE Christmas party.  

Every few years we host a gigantic Christmas party and The Hubby wanted to do it this year.  Okay.  Anyway, with Thanksgiving so quick and December right there too, I just flat forgot to order the invitations and had to do a Facebook invite.  I did order the invites but stupid me reordered from a place that I had not used in 12 years, a house ago and good grief, the invites went to our old house.  I wasn't able to get hold of the people there until THEY contacted me this week.  I had to reorder them.  All's good, and we will have about 75 people here on Saturday night.

Food is ordered and will be delivered.  We hire wait staff, which I found out a few years ago is the ONLY way to host such a party!  

Christmas decorations went up, presents have been wrapped, the table has been set up...PARTY ON DUDE!

Merry Christmas

(Oh, and I tweeked my back yesterday...yes, that may be a problem!)

My Week

This week has been full, it's been emotional and BUSY!  I finished this lovely painting and plan on putting it in a judged show next month along with the next two.  I am immensely proud of these paintings and feel I've come to the next level in my artistic travels.  Next month they will be at The Hive in Jenks.  This month I have five paintings there for a show.  It's a great venue and you OUGHT to go sometime and check it out.  

"Oren's Flowers" 30x24 oil

"Jara's Tulips" 24x24 oil

"Picnic" oil

Today I deliver these skull paintings to The Cottage Gallery for a Skulls show, a prize money show!!! 

I've been hiding away actually in my studio.  Monday was a good day, and not so good.  I got up knowing I was to meet three old high school friends for breakfast and was really looking forward to it, but first was a stop to see my father in the nursing home he is at for his rehab after yet another stint in the hospital.  I'm not sure if I've written about it but he really came close to leaving this earth this time around, and he just does not get it.  Anyway, I went in knowing that Daddy had laid into my brother the day before, wanting to go home.  I knew, KNEW that when he would be feeling better, not good enough to really go home, but good enough that he would be itching to leave and head home to his chair and his cat.  Sure enough he went after my brother.  Bro walked out.  So going in on Monday morning I was ready, or so I thought.  I saw Daddy sitting in the commons area where the residents gather for their meals.  He was sitting with two lovely ladies that he has struck up a friendship with.  I sat down and said, "Hi Daddy." He quickly introduced me as his oldest daughter then he turned and started in on me yelling and banging his hand on his walker.  I was stunned even though I thought I was ready.  He yelled and glared at me and said, "I'M GOING HOME TODAY!" I told him that he was going to stay until he was ready, that he always goes home too soon and then rebounds because he went home too soon.  I told him that this was the third (maybe fourth) time since May he has been in the hospital and he was going to stay until the doctor said go, not him.  He glared and hammered on the walker and yelled again.  I told him he was going to have to quit yelling at me and Bro, that was not acceptable, that we were only trying to help him, that we love him.  That he was acting like a child and was going to stay.  He yelled and whammed his hand again.  I was so embarrassed and was crying and his table mates were whispering to me they were sorry.  His hollering made me realize that he thought we had brought him there to STAY!  Far from it.  I said, "Daddy, when the doctor signs the papers for you to go home, then I will take you home!" He stopped but not before I was so very, very hurt by his words.  His breakfast came, he turned around to eat and I told him I had to go to meet friends and he said "BYE" while eating, I left.  Here it is Saturday morning and I have not been back.  I'm still very hurt and frankly I'm embarrassed to even look him in the eye.  I don't want to face him and probably won't until he goes back home.  You can blame it on his older age, but in reality, that is the old Daddy, one I've seen many times in my life and you cannot blame it on his age, AT ALL!  I then found out that on Thursday my brother got a call from the place that said come quick.  Daddy was railing after someone about going home, that they said he was supposed to be released.  When he goes off, it is not good.  Sis was in the mix too.  Bro got there and figured out (and I told him Daddy only hears what he wants to hear) that he was to be released.  He neglected to glean on the words "released TUESDAY!" He only heard released and he went after that.  Bro let him rail and then said, "Are you through," then went on to explain.  That seemed to settle all of them down, then he left to go back to work.  Bro was in a good place with Daddy up until all this, now he's back to square one.  Daddy can be mean, always could, with words and THOSE EYES!  Scary stuff.  

Monday after the horrible visit I went on to meet three old high school friends and I didn't want it to happen but when I saw Pat and hugged her neck I broke down.  

I just sobbed.  Luckily, they are great friends and it felt good to vent. Pat is a doctor and she told me some stuff that I need to be on the look out for for Daddy.  First he should not even be on any kind of statin drugs at his age!  Second, he needs to find a gerontologist for his care.  Not sure if we can make that happen as Daddy LOVES his stupid doctor, and his stupid care is partly why we are here today.  

Sorry to vent, really, it's just been one of those weeks.

LIfe in Turmoil

Hello, hello.  Life in this household is going full tilt.  So much has happened, is happening and some I don't think I can share, but must.

First of all, dear Daddy-O is yet again in the hospital.  

This is a photo of the last time he was in there.  He doesn't look this good, trust me.  

My siblings and I have been in turmoil trying to decide the best course for him.  He was at home but it was very clear that it was bad this time.  When I walked in the door on Sunday he turned to me and said, "I'm DYING!" Oh my, scared me to death because he had lost so much weight.  His eyes were hollow and he was frightened.  Bro took him to a regular visit to his doctor and it was a miracle he got him in the car, out of the car and in the door.  Then the DUMB ASS doctor said, "He needs to eat and exercise," and SENT HIM HOME!  Clearly he was not seeing or experiencing what we were.  By Thursday Bro loaded Daddy in the car and headed to the hospital.  We were done.  After Bro and Daddy sat in the ER from 3 in the afternoon till (Bro finally left at 11pm) 3 in the morning, they admitted Daddy.  What was happening to him is that his muscles were breaking down and coming out in his urine.  OH MY GOD!  What could be going on here.  I went yesterday and they did an abdominal ultrasound to see about his liver and kidneys suspecting that his cholestrol/statin drug that the DUMB ASS doctor prescribed has been KILLING HIM!  He has all the symptoms that lead to this conclusion.  ALSO, could be that Daddy did forgot to mention (or just flat is in denial) that he was diagnosed many years ago with cirrhosis of the liver.  Clearly, and I'm not a doctor, you DON'T prescribe a patient with cirrhosis statin drugs.  Poor Daddy, he doesn't realize that this may be the end of him living at home by himself.  We cannot watch him 24/7.  We are active people with hugely active lives that we can't just sit with him.  It is time to sell the house and move on to the next chapter but as he gets to feeling a bit better he is under the impression that he will get to go home.  Also, the hospital will get tired of him whining "I want to go home NOW!" and will release him too early.  Well, found out we can stop that because of his medicare, we hope.  We tried to get the D.A. doctor to prescribe home health care which Medicare pays for but he WON'T do it, they DON'T pay for nursing home or assisted living.  Daddy has no money, even after we sell the house, NO MONEY, to pay for assisted living or even a nursing home and Medicaid facilities in this state are almost non-existent, and we don't won't to go there anyway.  I don't know what we are going to do with a stubborn old man and a DUMB ASS doctor.  

Plus sweet Susie may have to find a new home, maybe here!!!! 

Not only are we dealing with Daddy and drama I'm helping with this little project 

Plein Air Tulsa!  

So if you are a Plein Air painter and have not heard about this event, it is taking place October 21, 2017.  Click on the link for more info! 

and......I'm still doing the 30 day painting challenge.  Oh my gosh, it is day 23 and we (my friend Linda and I) are almost at the end.  It has been quite fun and it forces you to paint everyday and you do get better.  So far I've even sold a couple of them and one of them, the skull is going to be in a show next month.  Speaking of art shows, we have been entering all kinds of online and actual shows.  In fact we have several large ones coming up, local and one in Arkansas (that on if we're juried in.)  

AND if that isn't enough for me to be busy with, along with work, next Saturday we having 40-50 of my sweet Mother-in-Laws family and friends to celebrate her 90th birthday here for DINNER!  I really must have rocks in my head to be planning this but I am having it catered so I really just have to get the house ready.  So clean house I have to squeeze into all the time I have in my day.  EGADS!!!!!

I ALMOST FORGOT...

B wrote the most precious accounting of Snicklefritz's friendship with the train conductors and it has gone VIRAL!  Check it out.

Part 2 of Aaaachooo

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

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

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

"Ho-Ho-Ho, Merry Christmas" 14x11 oil on linen

Yesterday, Christmas Eve I of course could not stay asleep so up at 3:45 I was.  After checking out Facebook, my blog, playing a bit on the IPad I decided to paint before the sun came up.  Just to do something since we didn't have to be anywhere till 6 in the evening.  I painted these red roses from a photo I took at Southern Hills Country Club a couple of weeks ago while attending our bank party. I thought it might be fun after the yellow roses.  I'm kind of liking painting roses lately.

And cool, cool, it sold last night to The Hubby's cousin!   

"Christmas Roses" 12x9 oil on senso linen and (SOLD)

I also have not shared the last two because they were gifts and I didn't want the family members to see them yet.  This sweet puppy face is Buddy.  Buddy belongs to The Hubby's brother and his husband and I wanted to paint it for them.  

It turned out so very cute! 

"Buddy" 8x10 oil on senso linen

This photo I took while visiting my mother-in-law a few weeks ago at her retirement place.  These were in the lobby.  I never miss an opportunity to capture a photo of a possible painting.

"Gloria's Roses" 11x14 oil on senso linen

The gifts were huge hits and I can't wait to paint something for more family members.

Christmas Rant

I've been thinking...yes, that's a dangerous thing.  I've been thinking about Christmas when I was a child.  I remember a real tree with actual tinsel that had so much static in it you could hardly get it off your hands to hang on the tree.  I'm not even sure you can find tinsel anymore.  Mother's ornaments I think are long gone, possibly in the attic...yuck...  I believe we kids salvaged all that we could when mother decided to stop putting up a tree.  I still have my old felt stocking that is so fragile it's almost dust.  

I remember mother telling a story of when we were tiny tots and she went in to a local 5&10 store and found a small artificial tree.  She didn't have enough money, like a couple of dollars less than what he wanted for it and I think the thing was $7-8.  She offered what she had, maybe $5-6 and he told her if she couldn't afford to pay full price then she didn't need it.  She was so embarrassed I actually saw her cry.  She only wanted to have something for my brother, sister and I for Christmas.  Most of the time my mother made our Christmas presents, like these pajamas in the photo.  The stockings were filled with oranges, apples and nuts and we maybe got one big package under the tree.  Money rich we were not yet Christmas was a magical time of year.  Christmas carols, pageants at church, and the smells of baking things throughout the house.  Christmas eve at Grandma and Grandpa's with tons of cousins.  We definitely got presents there.  Sometimes it was a package of lifesavers and it was the best present ever.  Then as we got older we were able to make our own money helping Granny and Granddaddy doing various things.  A dollar, a pocketful of change, it all added up and then Granny would take us to the OTHER five and dime store in our small town (avoiding the ogre at the other one) and we would carefully buy for every cousin, aunt, mother, father, brother and sister.  Remember it was very little money and the 5&10 was CHEAP.  A bottle of foul smelling bottle of Midnight in Paris perfume might be fifty cents.  We took great pride in wrapping the gifts and handing them out on Christmas eve.  (Sister never did like what I bought for her.)  Christmas was absolutely magical.  Nowadays, it's not so magical.  I want to see the magic in my granddaughter's eyes.  The sparkle that maybe, just maybe Santa Claus is real.  That there are real reindeer prancing around on her roof. 

With all the commercials, sales, run on stores, everyone afraid that they can't get the MOST expensive gadget or toy for their child, Christmas has lost all magic.  Christmas shows, commercials, even running non-stop Christmas carols on the radio starting the week of Thanksgiving is just TOO MUCH.  I want to forget about everything that is happening in the world right now and live the magic.  Baking, wrapping, making presents, spending time with friends and loved ones celebrating, THAT is Christmas.

Merry Christmas friends.

Aaaaa CHOOOoooooo!

"Ho-Ho-Ho, Merry Christmas"
14x11 oil on linen

Yup, I have a COLD, a head cold.  Thank you The Hubby!  I guess too much kissing.  

Yesterday we went to an open house in which an appetizer was requested to bring.  I was going to make a sandwich kind of thing but realized I had used up my bread for another party this weekend and I JUST COULD NOT go to the store again, at least for a few days.  Soooo, to the fridge and pantry I went digging around for ideas.  What I came up with was cream cheese, sour cream, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, canned corn and cheddar cheese.  I softened the cream cheese and drained the beans and corn, not the tomatoes and mixed it all together.  I didn't have taco seasoning but added cilantro and cumin.  I didn't have any tortilla chips but had pita chips which worked fine as it was heavy dip.  After I mixed it all up I put it a baking dish (a deep pie dish) and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes till hot.  I was a HUGE hit!  Not all was eaten so I brought about a fourth of it home.  

Tonight for dinner, in between trying to swallow on a sore throat and sneezing I thought about making The Hubby take me out but I just didn't feel like getting out again.  I don't really feel bad, which is good.  I had chicken tenders thawing in the fridge and some egg noodles of which I was going to make some chicken and noodles but needed a PIZAZZ and thought of that leftover dip.  I added the dip and man oh man sooooo good!  Kind of a creamy spicy chicken and noodles.  

Mr. Santa up there I painted today at the office.