Monday, May 06, 2019

5-6-2019 Monday-1:30pm

Good afternoon, everybody!
We've had quite a few days that looked like this with light rain or without.  The sun has peeked out here and there, too, but been a lot of chilly damp days.  
My headset came... 
...but I haven't figured out how to use it yet. 
Been either wet or cold out, anyways, so I haven't been out on the patio.  Been busy, though.  I worked on the Christmas cards while re-watching Game of Thrones from the beginning before I see the final season.  (Yes, am really doing that.) 
I finished setting in the trees using the wide carpet tape... 
...and then put double-sided narrow tape around the outside edges. 
And I finished them all!!  
Next is taping them onto the card base. 
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On Thursday I went down the the Community Room for a Coloring group.  Yup!  Even though it was at 10am, I made it.  (Mornings are generally my thawing out time so I got up early.)  Was only the activity director, Kari (not sure how she spells it) and one other lady, but the place got busy due to Meals on Wheels people showing up for lunch.  I ended up chatting with Kari for quite a bit and really like her.  
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I was impressed that they have some events I actually want to go to this month.  Coloring group three more times, two historical presentations, a DNA activity (?), a Do Something Nice Day, a day to bring in donations (like a give-away for anyone here and anything left over is going to somewhere like Goodwill) followed by Drink a Coke time, and a Creativity Day.  I will check out any of those I can.
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They also have the usual Bingo, Birthday Party Day, morning coffee group, movies a couple of days (I have already seen every one of them so far--LOL!), our two regular library days, and a senior walk day.  They made May baskets and dog treats last week.
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I am really surprised that this is all coming from Goldmark.  Shocked, actually.  Their reputation has been soooo bad up here in the Fargo-Moorhead area for decades...but I have to admit I am impressed that they are really trying.  Managing apartments for old people must be lucrative--LOL!  ;)  I'll let you know how it goes as I check some of these things out when I am able to go down.
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Speaking of old people--ROFL!--my mom is doing really well in her new apartment.  She loves walking around the pond outside.  They have mallards (likely nesting) and she can buy corn at the front desk to feed them.  She can hardly wait until they plant flowers.  We have a couple more weeks before we can do that up here.
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Caroline brought my groceries on Friday so the larder is full again.  Always nice.  :)
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Dagan had his checkup (heart/pacemaker) in Minneapolis last week and everything checked out fine!  They have to order for delivery on a bed for Liam because it won't fit in the car, so they'll order mine at the same time.  
Nope--not telling.  ;)
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Ian was over for a longer Gramma Day Saturday.  He wanted to eat dinner here, too.  :)  At lunch he showed me his spork and spork holder he uses for school.  There's a smaller kids' one and an "adult" one inside the holder.  This one in his right hand is the adult spork, he told me, because it has a small serrated "knife" on a side tine of the fork end.
After lunch we opened up one of the three craft kits Tori sent Ian from England months ago.  (Yup--was a long winter and, believe it or not, Ian and Mama are sick again, too!)
With this kit there were two dragonflies and a bee to make from clothespins, foam, beads, pipe cleaners, etc.  Ian really enjoyed it!
Working on the bee antennas.

Finished, but still wet, bee.
(Still think it looks more like a butterfly.)
I drew in some white lines for Ian so he'd have something to follow to make the glitter glue stripes.  We used an old paintbrush dipped in water to spread around the glitter glue better because it was harder to do with just the plastic nozzle.
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 Then he worked on the dragonflies.  Decoration for those was easier--just foam stickers in shapes.
Ian...confessing to me he could only watch nature shows with me and not any PJMasks because he had a temper tantrum in IKEA. 
 
Finished dragonflies.
We split a blueberry bagel after we finished crafting, but Ian wanted me to take a video of the finished dragonflies.

You can hear that cough again.  Mama doesn't sound good, either.  When will it warm up here and they can all get well and stay well!  Good grief!  :(
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Anyways, we had a great time.  Thanks Tori! 
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Didn't finish the crafting till 4pm, watched the last episode of the The Deep Ocean, had dinner, and when Dagan came to pick him up it was already bedtime!
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Okay--this is something really silly!  I was watching a video from Jerry's Artarama where this guy, Mikey, was trying to paint along with Bob Ross...and, since I had done this once myself, I was cracking up through the entire video!  If any of you have ever tried following Bob Ross you would really get a kick out of this video.

Bob Ross makes it all look so easy!  It's not.  He is much more talented than people give him credit.  I had all the right supplies, but not his easel.  I would watch a little, pause the VHS (yes, it was back in 2001, I think), and try to do what Bob did (which I couldn't, either).  Very frustrating, yes.  I was laughing and giggling--sent the link to Dagan and Leah because we have tried painting together with acrylics (not Bob Ross, but acrylics are almost as difficult for me as oils).
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Leah sent me a photo of the Bob Ross painting I did!  I was going to throw it away and I forgot that Dagan wanted to keep it.
So, that's my Bob Ross attempt--LOL!  It resides at McFamily's in a hallway upstairs, I believe.  Rigid triangle mountains and sad trees, not happy trees--ROFL!  Maybe some day I will try again.  It was frustrating but it was still fun.
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Earlier this morning Leah was texting me because Costco had flowers for sale again--8 for $27.99!    I wanted red ones!  She dropped them off for me and I have them on the curio cabinet in my bedroom like I did last year.  Got four red geraniums and four red begonias.  Whoohoo!

So nice to see flowers...even if it is still too cold to plant them.  I will tend to them the next 2-3 weeks until we can plant them on the patio.  
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I'll leave you with Annie checking out her new cat toys.  
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Fact--I can't get down on the floor and dig out the toys from under the chairs, cabinets, and end tables so I have to wait for someone to come over who can do the hunt for me.  I put out a few at a time and when they disappear I put out a few more...but when they have all disappeared and there are no more Annie gets upset with me.  I end up trying to swipe out what I can with a yard stick and usually only get one or two.  (She plays very aggressively and they end up way in the back.) 
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So, I finally ordered a bunch of new cat toys.

Four more new toys came on Sunday!  Annie is one happy cat.  :)  She hunkers over them so that I can almost imagine her saying--"My Precious!"  She's exhausted herself this weekend.  Is snoring away next to me right now.  Didn't even wake up when I went to finish laundry.
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Well, that's it for this week.
♭ ♭ Happy trails to you...
till we meet again.  :) :)
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"The greatest surprise is that there is anything at all--that we are here."
Br. David Steindl-Rast

15 comments:

Rita said...

Comment to get comments.
Now I have a Happy Trails earworm.... ;)

Divers and Sundry said...

We had rain Saturday but sun yesterday and today. I watered my patio plants :) I like the idea of observing small occasions like Drink a Coke Day. They are actually days on those internet calendars, so there's a sense of doing the activity with folks everywhere which is fun. I'm looking forward to Coconut Cream Pie Day later this week ;) It sounds like your Activities Director is trying to offer a variety.

It sounds like your mom landed on her feet at her apartment. :) A pond sounds nice. I'm glad to hear Dagan got a good check-up :) The crafting and nature show watching both sound like fun to me. I remember those kinds of crafts from when my kids were little, and they were always enjoyable.

Your Bob Ross attempt is quite nice, I think. I never even tried. I remember looking at him paint and describe what to do and thinking, "Riiiiight" ;) Your flowers are so bright! They'll be a treat on the patio. Cat toys -the simple pleasures :)

DJan said...

Glad to hear that there are some things that are being offered you might enjoy, Rita. And those cute "bees" and "dragonflies" are fun, too. Annie does look like she is afraid somebody is going to snatch her toys! :-)

Bonnie said...

It sounds like there are lots of fun activities going on there between Gramma Days, new flowers and activities in the Community Room! It is great that they are offering more activities there because it is always good to have a chance to get out of your apartment for a bit and visit with others.

My cats lose most of their toys under the couch or the stove. Once in a while I'll get a yardstick to try and dig them out and both cats get excited when they see the yard stick knowing what I'll be doing.

Your Bob Ross painting is good! I can see why Dagan wanted to keep it. It is so relaxing to watch Bob Ross paint and his voice is very soothing.

Have a great week Rita!

Lady Fi said...

Love your dramatic sky! Hope everyone feels better soon.

TammyVitale said...

Such great Ian pictures. I can see his face changing from young young to boy. I love his concentration and he's really good at crafting. I am sure he will credit you with that his whole life!

We've had a lot of skies like that (just now even) and the rain to go with. Heavy heavy rain. Make severything green tho and I have a lot of new plantings so I'm not going to complain. Helps when the temp is already in the 80s this early in May (but 70s tomorrow thank goodness because that allows me to go weed gardens which is a never ending task).

I like your Bob Ross pictures. I don't find the trees sad at all! But someone who is really good is absolutely going to make it look easy. I've never been a follow along painter and have only done several landscapes. I like people and animals...and trees. I don't do trees but I collection artwork of them.

Glad to hear good report on Dagan! Hope the whole family is all weel again soon!

Jon said...

The Christmas cards are really nice - and I also like your Bob Ross painting and the dragonflies. I attempted to do some Ross paintings long ago but don't know whatever happened to them.

I enjoyed the Annie video - but I'm surprised that she didn't attempt to eat those feathers (that's what my cats would do).

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Smiling grandchildren make us happy, don't they.
Making cards is happyness.
A full pantry is always good
Glad your mum likes her new home

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Bob Ross was part of my life when I began painting. Things sound good for you and Ian had an extra special Grandma Day. Hope that hanging on cough and not feeling great finally goes away in your sweet McFamily.
Hugs.
Joy

froebelsternchen said...

GREAT!!! You are the most amazing granny one can wish for!

LOVE and LIGHT for you and all around you!

Susi

Far Side of Fifty said...

You have been busy! Fun to see Ian's art projects! Sounds like some good acttivites there at Senior Living! :)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I am SO sorry to be late visiting, Rita. I was so happy to see Ian with the dragonflies and bee. What a great video, too, but yes, he did sound a bit sick at times. Laughed at the adult spork.

I thought Bob Ross was mesmerizing when I saw his shows on PBS. Now I see why I would never ever be able to paint like he did. I don't own his paints or his tools. That guy was pretty good for the first time of painting with him.

Have a super week and stay safe (and dry). Hug Annie if she stops playing with her new toys, and have fun interacting with other people in your complex.

Friko said...

How lovely, this sounds like a really happy blogpost. I am glad that you seem to be doing well and have lots of fun what with activities for seniors and your lovely family.
Log may it last.

Jenny Woolf said...

I am sorry about the coughs but that sounds like a very nice week! so good that the company are running those activities, and super that you got some flowers to remind you that spring is on the way. Ian is such a treasure and is going to have a lot of fun out of crafts and making stuff all his life if he carries on like this. It's good to start it when they are young. I'm glad Dagan's heart checked out well. And hopefully good weather is on its way!

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

That Bob Ross video was funny. His painting actually turned out well - just like yours did. I would NEVER be able to get anything to look even remotely like a snow-covered mountain and pine tree landscape. Ian looks like he's having a lot of fun creating. What a fun grandma you are!