SoulComfort's Corner

Tuesday-4pm

2012-01-31T15:57:00.007-06:00

A lot of cold winter mornings with no splashy sunrises. ;)

I finally--yes, FINALLY--got going on the birthday cards for 2012 again. Good thing as I need half a dozen for February. The next step was cutting the rectangular shape around the cupcake using my Cuttlebug and a Spellbinder's die.

Lay down the paper on my battered B plate, position the die over the cupcake, place the C plate on top...

...run it through to cut it the rectangle shape and then flip it over...

...lay the rubber mat on top...

...then a piece of chipboard for a shim and another B plate...

....run that through the machine...

...and pop out the cupcake--all embossed around the edges.

Repeat 50 times.

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I am now finished with that part.

The next step is to apply the caulking icing!

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Karma noticed I had removed the misting box from the hallway boxes...

...so she parked herself comfortably on top of them.

She doesn't know it yet (I am keeping the planter up on the table until the grass is a good two inches high because she tends to pull them out by the roots even more so when they are short) but her grass is already on the rise. Won't be long and she can gnaw away!

I had my federal housing inspection on Monday morning. Bob has been coming to see me once a year since I lived in Moorhead, was still going to college, was in terrible pain, and looked like I was on death's door--LOL! Such a sweet man!

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I have been working on the usual--balancing the checkbook, writing out bills, and figuring out the budget for February. I also have had paperwork and various copies to be made for the state's annual review. All that took up most of my day yesterday.

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I spent today catching up online and puttering about a little with journals and such. It's a very dark day, albeit warmer (32 degrees). In fact it might be raining lightly. I think I hear a light patter on the silent air conditioner. Karma is snoring next to me in her plush cat bed. The building has even been quiet today. Only the occasional door slamming or footsteps in the hallway or on the stairs. Just a contented, peaceful day in Fargo. :)

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Tomorrow night Leah and I plan to drag down all the polymer clay supplies (closet over the washer and dryer) for our project for Miss Tori. ;) Be so nice to see Dagan and Leah after missing our last two Wednesday nights (me and my crazy hours!). Life is good!

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Just for the heck of it, hug somebody today. Or give someone a big smile. Or give someone a compliment. Or open a door for someone. Or tell somebody you love them. Everybody needs those things sometimes. :):)

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"Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen."

Robert Bresson

Sunday-11am

2012-01-29T10:57:00.004-06:00

We've had some cloudy days...

...and another dusting of snow.

But the last two mornings the sun was out.

Karma was happily pawing the side of her cat bed in the sun...

...when I interrupted her...but only for a moment.

I spent a couple of days being very good and not using my left arm much at all, so I got behind online and spent the next couple days catching up--LOL! Oh, and good news! I am back on days!! Always sleep a little better and feel better, too.

Happy dancing in Fargo! ;)

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I have been puttering about a little the last couple days.

Potted Karma's planter once again with her beloved cat grass.

Been keeping up with the SOAR journal (and plan to maybe combine it with another free class I just heard about--details later when I check it out more). Been doing my reading (spiritual type) and the writing journal more often in the morning. I seem to be having a hard time shifting gears or routine--too easy to get lost on the laptop--LOL!

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I actually worked on the mandala. Believe it or not, this was actually doodling for the better part of an hour.

Well--confession--I did have the TV on and was getting sidetracked--LOL!

Lots of dots and tiny squiggly lines. I'm far from done. It is so soothing to just sit and doodle. :)

My order from Polymer Clay Express came on Friday.

The set of geometric cutters.

(A project for Tori that I will explain later when Leah and I get started.)

And I couldn't resist these metallic ink pad and reinker sets on sale. They didn't have the complete silver set so I passed, but I did get the gold and copper ones.

Meanwhile--putter, putter...

I finally got all the assorted boxes down from the bedroom closet shelf. Yes, I tend to save empty boxes of all kinds...but this is getting ridiculous! If I tried to take anything down it was like Fiber McGee and Molly's closet! Does anyone else remember that show? I barely do, but I remember that closet.

Time to go through the piles and decide what to toss and what to keep...and organize it! ;)

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Also barely started on the top half of the one bookcase and the wire cube shelves in the bedroom, too. Finally have the mister box up and out of the way on the top of the wire cube shelves. Long way to go with this cleaning project, too.

Anyways, my wrist is much, much better. It's 5 degrees and the sun is out. Time for lunch...at actual lunchtime--whoohoo! And after lunch, I'm going to check out this new free art journal class. Have a super duper day!! :):)

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"All respectability, all honor is meaningless if it drives you against your nature. What can you do if you are not a lotus flower, but just a marigold? Enjoy being a marigold."

Chandan

Thursday-5am

2012-01-26T04:57:00.006-06:00

Even if Karma falls asleep while I am rubbing her tummy, I discovered that the tummy rubbing is still entirely at her discretion and inclination. When I foolheartedly reached over to rub her belly--and she was awake, mind you--and did not take it slow and wait for her to give me the "okay" signals--she gave me teeth--LOL!

Now Karma knows she had best not try to bite down--and even pointedly placing her teeth on my arm is an absolute no-no...so we both froze--her with her ears back and a defiant glare in her eyes--me likewise. She removed her teeth, closed her mouth, licked politely, dropped her head...and I told her threateningly "no teeth!". I am alpha female, but she had made her point. Karma wouldn't be Karma if she didn't need to have complete control over when she wants affection, what kind, how much, and how long--ROFL! Things haven't changed that much. I still have to read her body language when it comes to belly rubbin'. The head and neck are always okay. ;)

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It looked like a white out snow storm out there yesterday...

...but it was mostly a white fog. Very little snow and it turned to light rain at one point. Not very nice out there.

Caroline made it over and we trucked on down the hall to the storage area with my little green cart and hauled back a bunch of stuff.

My table easel.

Two boxes of acrylics and assorted supplies.

The sewing boxes and misting box are next to the acrylics in the hallway now.

I had Caroline add the top box of photos to the stack of nostalgia and pictures. (I do need to learn how to use the scanner this year--LOL!) But five boxes high just bugged me, so after she left...

...I ended up moving a couple of them down and pushing them with my feet into a 2-stack and 3-stack. (Now my bum wrist is complaining today, of course--harrumph!)

I was thinking--good grief! Look at all the project boxes stacked up! What a mess! That I will be looking at for a long, long time--ROFL! ;)

When you know who saw I had moved the photo boxes...

...she had to come smell...

...and immediately thought to herself...

...stairs!

I got my bigger folding stool and dug around on the shelves over the washer and dryer to find my old acrylic sky attempt from several years ago. I had bought up lots of goodies and Dagan, Leah, and I were going to try to learn to paint and play with acrylics...and maybe later oils (which I also have from when I tried a Bob Ross painting before my health took such a dive). We did play a little. Dagan finished a yin-yang symbol painting, Leah kind of half finished some oriental symbol words (they have a bit of oriental decorations at their place), and I completely painted over this sky about three times--LOL! I finally gave up and stuck it in the closet.

I can, once again, paint over this completely and start over--tada! And I found the other two blank gessoed boards that came in the package, too. Also brought back a canvas for the heck of it from storage. An actual canvas scares the hell out of me, so I am hoping to finally get up the nerve to just go for it and not worry if I totally mess it up or not--ROFL!! I have more nice clean ones in the storage area, too. But for now I'll practice on the gessoed boards. ;)

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And I want to play with acrylics in my little art journal, too. Time to dust off those brushes, I guess. ;)

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Last night before I went to bed (at 6pm--whoohoo!)--Miss Karma was still perched on the box.

Takes so little to make us happy!! :):)

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I have enough in that hallway to keep me busy for the next several years, I bet!! LOL! Never bored. Never bored. Oh, and I did start to re-arrange and sort in the bedroom finally...for the cube shelves. (Any of my moving and digging abouts may have caused my bum wrist to flare up, come to think of it.) I know. I know. Everything is at a snail's pace in my life. Sometimes that snail is even on siesta for a while--LOL! A delicious plethora of choices before me. Goodness! Goodness! Nope! Never bored. Never bored. Now if my body would just please be a little more cooperative--ROFL!! ;)

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Have a wonderful Thursday!! :):)

*hugs to those who need them*

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"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."

Buddha

Wednesday-3:30am

2012-01-25T03:30:00.005-06:00

A pastel morning yesterday.

Okay. Like you don't see enough of Miss Karma--LOL!

Karma being next to me on the loveseat affords me the opportunity to just reach over and pet her. A novelty position--rather than her tucked under my laptop table while I scratch her behind the ear.

What cracks me up is this is a cat who did not like her belly or chest touched, let alone rubbed!

Now she quickly flips her belly out and turns her motor on...begging for a belly rub!

Purring violently...

...and listening to every word of my sweet talk.

This is the same cat who threatened to bite me if I touched her stomach! ROFL!

The mysterious Karma mind.

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Yes. Been feeling a little guilty (lazy) about doing my simplest version of the SOAR journal...so I drug out my little art journal and worked on a couple more background spreads.

Used a couple of the plastic templates and this one is in walnut...

...and gold.

This one I used a mesh and that sequin remnant stuff (can't remember what they call it).

Used the two reddish mister shades I have.

This one is much pinker but I can't remember now which was which anyways--LOL!

I am starting to make it around the clock a little bit more. Don't know why it is taking so long this time. I'll probably be able to just stay awake until Caroline leaves this afternoon, so I emailed Dagan and Leah to cancel again this week for tonight. :( But, as you can see, Karma and I are okay. Just following that different drummer these days...who happens to be awake all night long, the little drummin' bugger! ;)

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Sadly, they're talking more freezing rain today.

I pray everyone is safe out there on the roads.

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Which reminds me, when Caroline comes today--if I am up to it--I'm going to ask her to help me bring the acrylics and supplies in from the storage area. Even if I don't see any more of those online classes, I would still like to try a sky now. I also have things I'd like to experiment with in my art journal, too. In most of the youtube videos I watch the people use acrylics. So, if I am not on the verge of passing out standing up... :)

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"Who is it that can make muddy water clear? No one. But left to stand, it will gradually clear of itself."

Lao-Tzu

Tuesday-7am

2012-01-24T07:00:00.007-06:00

Karma had to check out the snow on the porch, of course.

She just made a quick trip out...gazed at the screen moving in the wind...but there was too much noise from people scraping their windshields...

...so she headed back inside.

It was warm enough for the snow to stick to her furry feet...so I could barely get the door closed...

...as she busied herself happily eating her meager footprints.

Haven't had the energy to do much, but it is easy to keep up with the SOAR journal when I just use her print outs and cut and paste...writing thoughts from the day.

Start of a new week...

...and preparing pages. Been just using several colors of my distress inks and smearing them about. Easy peasy. ;)

Karma has been sleeping better on the loveseat even if she sleeps lighter and is constantly opening her eyes and lifting her head--LOL! We're just two old broads not used to change--ROFL!

The snow plow cleared the main drag in the parking lot and the maintenance folk cleared the sidewalks...

...but there's ice under this snow. As I was taking these pictures I watched this driver turn into a spot and almost slide sideways into the back of that one parked with all the snow on top. The driver managed to stop, backed up, and then made it in just fine, but it is slick out there.

Out in the fields you can see where the prairie grasses are longer.

They remain patches of brown on the landscape...usually never visible at this time of year.

I'm still feeling punkish, but I did work on the SOAR journal...filling in my notes...

...and decided to just get set up for the rest of the week while I was at it...Tuesday through Friday...

...and Saturday...are ready to go and waiting for notes, doodles, or whatever.

Well, other than that, I have been reading a little and writing in my regular writing journal here and there. I watched the documentary I AM (loved it!) and the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce with Kate Winslet (excellent!)--Netflix. Been pretty quiet up here in Fargo for me and Miss Karma. We're just happily hanging out. ;)

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Stay safe and well!!

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"A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world."

Joseph Addison

Monday-4:15am

2012-01-23T04:18:00.005-06:00

Not a lot to tell you over the long weekend I was away. I never do as well when I am sleeping days...as I still am. It's like I am stuck in a pattern of sleeping from 11-12pm until 6-9pm. Not really making my way around the clock very quickly this time, I guess.

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Karma is still trying to get used to the loveseat. She remains jumpy when I move on the loveseat or bump her cat bed so I wake her up a lot. She still parks herself on the footrest between my feet a couple times a day--can't really relax there but it doesn't stop her from trying. I disturb her sleep enough that she regularly goes off to odd spots in the apartment to sleep. She's still not eating well. A slow adjustment.

I am also adjusting. Mostly physically--getting used to the sliding down and having to push down with my legs to get out of here--LOL! Probably good for my body to use some new muscles, but it's rough on the fibro and OA. I can tell this cranky body is slowly getting accustomed to the crazy new acrobatics, though--LOL!

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I had a stuffed head and ear this weekend. It hasn't gotten worse and seems to be getting better, actually. I hope it continues in this direction. ;)

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I started playing around adding a little random color with distress ink pads in the SOAR journal.

Just kind of smeared a couple different colors all over the page spread. Getting ready for Saturday--two blues.

I did catch a gorgeous sunrise.

Most of the sunrises have been pretty blah with clouds and grey skies. We had another light dusting of snow a few days ago.

Saturday. The original "cut and paste"--LOL!

Getting the page spread ready for Sunday and a new week--brown and yellow.

I can get lots closer pictures of Miss Karma when she's so near now. She does like me laying a hand on her side while she sleeps or reaching over to pet her so easily...even if it startles her at first.

Yesterday...we had snow!

Enough snow that the plow has been working away in the parking lot since 4am this morning.

White everywhere!!! :):)

I know. Don't hate me because I love it.

They said we actually got 3-5 inches, even if it doesn't really look like it here.

I'm sure the plow companies are delighted and why they're out long before dawn because now we are getting freezing rain--arg!

I was happy to see everything all clean and white out there, though. I have missed the snow.

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I never did watch the sky painting class on Saturday because of my sawing logs by that time. And I am sooo disappointed that there was no replay that I could find anywhere. In fact, all I found were some previous classes that you could pay for the downloads. Makes no sense to me to sign up 4,000 people knowing you can only handle between 1-1,400 for the streaming and then have no replays for people to watch. Duh! So--if I happen to catch them, fine. If not, too bad. I had already signed up for a waterfall painting class for February before I discovered they had no replays. Oh well. Live and learn, right?

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I got tagged by Tori. I don't pass them on, but welcome anyone to answer the questions if they'd like to. I think it's always fun to read people's answers. :)

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1. What was your first pet? And what was its name?

My very, very first pets (around age 8 or 9) were some guppies in a fish bowl and they never got named, but I got to see live births--awesome!

2. What's your earliest memory?

I wrote a story about it in college.

Mommy and That Baby

3. If you could live anywhere in the world, in any type of home, where would you live? And what kind of home would you live in?

I'd live in Minnesota in a house big enough for two creative rooms--one large one for an arts/crafts studio and one smaller one for a writing den--on some land where there's woods and a creek or river. Enough land where I couldn't see my neighbors, but enough room that I could hold classes to do fun things and have an extra room for company to stay.

4. If you had to pick just one meal to have every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? And why?

Goodness! I just don't know. Maybe if I picked something like stir-fry or hot dish so that you could switch the ingredients up all the time...you know how I love variety! ;)

5. What would your ideal job be?

Can't work anymore. I was an English Writing major in college...if I ever decided on something that was worth giving up everything else in my life for to write, I could write I suppose. But I do love variety, so I'd have to fall into intense passion, that's for sure. ;)

6. Do you love to read? If so, what are your favourite types of books?

In my little one-bedroom apartment I have four bookcases with books. I have books on writing, on arts & crafts (painting, drawing, polymer clay, aromatherapy, cardmaking, calligraphy, etc, etc), on spirituality and religions, self-help, cookbooks, chic mysteries (from my cleaning girl), literary journals and collections, some historical, novels, mysteries, memoirs...quite a variety. I go in cycles where sometimes I am reading compulsively and sometimes I only have a couple books I'm reading at a snail's pace (like now).

7. Are you a fan of watching movies? If so, what are your favorite types of movies?

Ha! Am I a fan of movies! Always was, but especially now since I have been housebound and the Universe sent me Netflix--LOL! I like some popular (although the comedies have become so raunchy I am not liking a lot of them anymore), independent, sci-fi, thrillers, some action-adventure, period pieces, old black and whites, classics, TV mini-series and movies, documentaries, nature, animated, dramas, foreign...lots! :)

8. It's a cold, dark night in the middle of Winter; the snow is falling thick and fast outside the window... What are you doing?

Inside--nice and warm--either watching one of those movies, reading, writing letters, making cards, working on some journal or another...or on the laptop as I am right now in that very scenario--LOL!

9. It's a beautiful, hot day in the middle of Summer; there's not a cloud in the sky, and bearly a breeze... What are you doing?

Inside--nice and cool--see number 8. ;)

10. If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be? And why?

I'm terrible with these type of questions. Too pragmatic. They're fictional. I can't talk to them. I'd rather talk to the author.

11. If you could have a conversation with any person - alive or dead; just as long as they really exist (or have really existed in the past) - right now, who would it be? Why them? And what would you discuss?

Again...does this mean I am weird? I have no desire to talk to anyone famous. I'd be much more interested in talking with a pioneer family, or somebody who worked at building the pyramids, or a maid from a big house in England back in the day, or a monk from an old Tibetan temple, or a family following the reindeer in Scandinavia, or a Chinese family of rice farmers. Those are the people who interest me. The common folk, you know? They fascinate me. We already know quite a bit about famous people.

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Anyways, that's enough for today. Karma's mostly asleep at my side in her comfy bed (her ears give her away that she is not totally out). My ear is mostly unplugged. Everything I do, I do slowly. It's now 6:15am and I can still hear the snow plow. They have to be thrilled to finally have some work. They're predicting it to be around 30 degrees the next few days, so most of this snow could be gone once again.

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The start of a good week ahead, right? Stay safe and well. :):)

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"Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door."

Emily Dickinson

Thursday-5:30am

2012-01-19T05:32:00.007-06:00

During the night I worked on various correspondence.

All caught up to date--for now, anyways.

For the SOAR group on the Just Be Yourself Ning website I remembered I've had this set of three composition notebooks for many years (that I'll never use for just writing because I didn't realize they were wider lined when I ordered them--LOL!) that I could use for this journaling project.

So I printed off all the various stuff for the group since the beginning of the year...

...and sorted them into a couple big envelopes. Some things are for dates or days of the week and some are unspecified lists and journaling cards and flowers and words.

Since I was almost three weeks behind I just kind of did a whole lot of cutting and pasting...

...a little bit of coloring with colored pens...

...wrote a few notes here and there...

...made a few lists...

...did a little journaling for the past couple days...

...and got caught up. Was definitely a rush job. I've done a little more coloring, but it's pretty simple so far. Not sure if I'll be able to keep this up for the whole year. Time will tell, I guess. It feels more like doodling and playing to me.

I've only had writing journals before...and I just started up with one of those again a year ago. Never thought I'd also have an art journal (since November) and now a SOAR journal for 2012, too. Goodness!

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Well, my paper order came from ClearEnvelopes. The papers were in four cellophane envelopes.

I was excited.

Karma was excited (about the packing paper).

I began to take the papers out.

These are the 12 X 12 inch.

I noticed there were papers where I had two or three of the same paper...

...when I had only ordered one of each?

These are the 8 1/2 X 11 inch. See the duplicates?

Gosh these are all so pretty!!

But I was wondering about the duplicates?

And then I discovered this packet of paper, too!

Must be 20-25 of these very thin purple sheets.

Most of the sheets appeared to be what I ordered, but I got extras. I'm not sure what went on with them because of the handmade paper being discontinued...and when he called me about some sheets being gone already I was so tickled to just get as many kinds as I could of what they had left...I think maybe they just were making up for the fact that more of the paper wasn't there. Because I remember counting on my original order and it was close to 90 sheets...like 87 or 88 maybe? And he said they were out of four of them, right? Well, on my invoice there were 67 listed...and it is the same price he quoted me. But...I got about 100 sheets plus that (dusty) packet of the purple paper!! Whoohoo! I'm assuming they were just housecleaning and I was the lucky beneficiary.

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Whatever the reason, I am one happy camper. I may not have gotten every one of the papers I had ordered, but I ended up with more than I expected. I am picturing bookcard covers. Collage paper (some are very thin). Card backgrounds. Who knows what else?! Happy dancing up in Fargo! :):)

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I was shocked when I recently discovered I was following 155 blogs. I have been tired with little energy, so I decided I could at least work my way through my blogs and eliminate a lot of them. Long overdue. There were some that no longer existed! Some that hadn't blogged for many months...or even years! I hope I didn't accidentally eliminate somebody I didn't really want to, but I cut my blogs down to around 70! That's still a lot, but it's a lot more manageable. :)

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Oh, and I signed up for the next free painting class, too. He's doing another one on how to paint waterfalls on three Saturdays in February. It sounds like he's been doing these for a while and I just didn't know it.

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I've only tried painting with acrylics or oils a couple of times each. Even more foreign to me than watercolors...and the techniques are kind of backwards from watercolors. And I forgot that we moved the boxes with the acrylics and oils into the storage area--duh! So, I might not do the lesson for this week and just wait until he covers watercolors (and pastels) on Saturday...and pray I get in there early enough to watch. At least I have a little bit of experience with watercolors.

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Maybe I can just play with the watercolors, anyways, instead of the oils he used for the first class, right? If I do the assignment that is probably what I'll do. My knee has still be touchy. I'm tired, my back hurts--(whine-whine)--just can't see going down there with my cart and trying to lift and haul boxes around right now. Geez! I can't believe I forgot that until I went to look in the shelves over the washer and dryer. Memory isn't what it used to be--LOL!

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Anyways, that's about it from here. It's currently 17 below. I'm about ready to crawl under the warm covers here pretty soon. Morning for most of you all but nighty-night time for me. ;P At least I've been getting some sleep again and, therefore, am feeling a little better and getting a little done. Well, I'm safe and warm with Karma. Life is good. :)

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Hope you do the happy dance today, too, over something!! ;)

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"Just to be is a blessing; just to live is holy."

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Wednesday-4:45am

2012-01-18T04:44:00.005-06:00

Package in the mail yesterday!! (Which I just walked down and collected at 4am--I know--crazy hours.) I won a copy of Elisa's book, so I knew that was coming...

...but she also sent me a CD of her and her hubby's music!!

Thanks so very much, Elisa!

I recently met Elisa through the November art and blogging every day that I was doing. What I know of her book is that it was from a journal she wrote when she lost her baby--something that I came so very close to myself. I think I'll know a lot more about Elisa and who she is after reading this. I believe she is in the process of writing a couple more books, too! I am so glad I won!!

Thanks, Elisa!! :)

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Meanwhile...Miss Karma was having a tough time with the new loveseat. She loved sleeping up in her cat bed once she got up there, but it was the getting up there that was driving her bonkers. The catbed is too high for her to jump into from the floor. She didn't trust jumping up beside the catbed because there's a crack there between the two cushions and she got her foot caught and fell down. So, after that dreadful experience she was extremely reluctant to walk across that very crack from the foot of my side to get to her cat bed. But if her cat bed wasn't up there she didn't like being up here at all because she's used to sleeping in a smaller space or it's too hard or something. I've never seen her go up onto the loveseat without me being there first. But then she will sleep in her catbed whether I get up and down or not once she's made it to the promised land--usually with a lot of human assistance--LOL!

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Since she couldn't safely make it to her cat bed--next she was trying to go back to her old position between my legs when the foot rest is up. But there's one big problem...that big old gap with some saggy fabric--LOL! (Notice her staring at it because she's never seen it up like that without me in it--and she doesn't trust it.)

She fell into the abyss trying to find a way to lie down. So after that she tried to just sit up and lay across my leg...

...but she could never get comfortable and wouldn't stay long.

I felt badly for her. Came up with a possible solution. Got the little blue plastic stool and set it by "her" side of the loveseat. Karma had no trouble jumping directly into the beloved cat bed.

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Now I have one happy cat. ;)

I've still never seen her come up here if I wasn't sitting here already, but I'm sure that won't take too long now. The things we do for our furry companions--LOL!

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Anywhoo--the Painting Skies class was pretty interesting. First, I didn't realize it was 1pm eastern. For the heck of it I was going to see what happened if I tried to log in super early and tried it at about 11:20am. It said I was logged in and there was this recording that said it wasn't started yet...that played over and over. I turned the sound way down and figured I'd just leave it there for the hour and a half and see what happened. Much to my surprise I heard a different voice around 11:30am...and I was actually in the streaming class!!

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The first hour was in the web link that came in the email. It was a lecture, really. Interesting, though. I never knew any of the hints he gave us and especially never thought you'd paint light to dark on a sky using oils. He used an acrylic undercoating and then oils on top. He could show us a painting and draw circles, lines, arrows, words on it...like an overheard in college. Was pretty cool!

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After about an hour we took a break for ten minutes and then we had to switch to another site where he was doing actual painting demonstrations. There were about 1400 people watching and I think it was overloading the system or something. There were several times that things froze up and had to be re-started and things got out of sync over two minutes delay between voice and picture by the end, but it was still worth the time for novice me. I've never had a painting class. Own a couple DVDs and have watched a lot of PBS painting shows. Lots of watching and little actual painting--LOL!

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Next week he is supposed to show how to Paint watercolor and pastel skies. Our homework: he posted two pictures of cloudy sky photos and we are supposed to use those for reference and try to paint a sky. All I have done so far is print them off--LOL! Well, you know my sleep is goofed up and I haven't had near enough yet to feel rested. But I will try to do my homework before Saturday and the next class.

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I had to pass with shopping at the fabric store with Leah on Monday night. We'll aim for next Monday and see how it goes. I also had to pass tonight for our Wednesday night get together with Dagan and Leah, too. I am sleeping during the day and into the evening and need to sleep whenever I can right now so we'll try for next week on that, too. I'm sure with it being a bit frigid right now that they won't mind being able to just go home this week. They're talking -1 to 7 degrees highs for the next three days. Good weather to be home cuddled up on a new loveseat--ROFL! ;)

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Okay. I'm not sure if they are showing this Campbell's commercial nationally or not but every time I see this one shot I always think of Iggy. Orange cones (OCHAs) always make me think of Iggy now.

This one is for you, my friend! :)

Oh, and I forgot! I've been puttering with starting a separate journal for SOAR. Lots of cut and paste fun...like I'm back in grade school. :) I'll have to show you later. Forgot to take pictures. ;)

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Hope to sleep long and well today.

Happy Wednesday, everybody!! :):)

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"Laughing is the shortest distance between two people."

Victor Borge

Monday-1:15am

2012-01-15T16:34:00.007-06:00

Last of the "best of both worlds" pictures of Karma...totally relaxed in her cat bed on her chair...

...using the wooden arm as a pillow. This was before I started moving around more furniture yesterday.

It all happened quickly.

Dagan and Leah arrived with a couple helpers.

I had drug all the smaller things out of the way with my good arm to make as much room as possible. They carried the loveseat up and left it in the hallway...

...picked up the chairs and ottoman and carried them away.

Looked so empty!

From my window I watched their friend John (makes 6-foot Dagan look a bit short) who had carried my lounger down by himself, just hoist it up and toss it into the dumpster!! I could hear it hit bottom all the way up here...goodness! They stored the glider rocker and ottoman in my garage for me, brought the cushions up with them, arranged the loveseat where I wanted it, all got thanks & hugs from me, and then they were off...deciding where to each lunch. :)

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I did grab the camera as a few of you requested and got this video of Karma "meeting" the loveseat--ROFL! She'd been thrown already by me moving things all over the place before they even got here. She knew something big had happened while she was shut in the bedroom--lots of noises, strange voices--so she was very worried, in a snit, and letting me know it when I let her out...

She spent at least half an hour just going around and around the loveseat...

...smelling it and beating it up...

...while I returned the rest of the room back to "normal". But when I sat down in it she wouldn't even attempt to come up there even though her bed was on it. I thought maybe she couldn't figure out how on earth to get up onto the loveseat in the first place...not much extra room on that side when the bed is up there, either...so I took it off.

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Creature of habit, when I had my foot up she wanted to come and curl up between my legs like she usually did (especially when she is stressed out--LOL!). But...this footrest is not solid...one of those with just that rectangular piece for your feet...

...and a deceptive flap of unsupported fabric in between the chair and the footrest so that Miss Karma couldn't curl up there without falling down into an abyss--LOL!

Karma was not comfortable.

She was not happy.

Finally...she gingerly made her way across and over to her side of the loveseat...stood there with her ears back...looked around...and jumped off.

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I just kept on ignoring her and acting like this was all quite the new normal and no big deal. Let her take her sweet time with this new furniture monstrosity. ;)

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She desperately wanted company. I was the bait and I knew it--LOL! She follows me around like a puppy dog when she's nervous and wants to be right smack next to me...but I was on the scary new furniture. Eventually she jumped up on the footrest again. It hadn't changed. She couldn't get comfortable on it...cried her protest. Made her way over to "her side" a second time. After a lot of smelling and telling me how upsetting this all was, she finally laid down.

It didn't actually seem like there was any fear of dogs type of recognition or anything. Dog smell didn't seem to be an insurmountable factor. Just seemed to be fear of new furniture...of change.

She tried laying her head on the soft arm...just couldn't get comfortable...

...kept looking back over her head at the couch...like she expected it to move or grab her or do something most sneaky.

Was just too much for her. She left and went to sleep in her cat bed under the end table.

Sooo...I decided to put the beloved catbed back up on the loveseat. Duel bait! She'd already made it up there twice so I knew she could figure out how to climb up and into the cat bed using my footrest, right?

Did Karma take the double bait?

Nope.

She went and slept under the bed all afternoon in protest and out of sheer exhaustion, I'm sure--LOL!

After her long nap...she eventually took the duel bait and made her way up into the cat bed. But she was in dire need of laying up on my chest for reassurance and, naughty me, I had forgotten the green pillow. (She can't walk right on me--too painful--why she was so gingerly trying to figure out how to cross over from the footrest to the loveseat--to maneuver it without stepping on me.)

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I got the pillow (you can see below). Karma finally seemed reassured after a good long chest cuddle--and it was a long one! Well, three actually. She tried to lay in her bed, but kept coming back for more--LOL! I think it's just that she's never been that close to me in the living room unless she was getting a chest cuddle, you know? And she couldn't curl up between my legs...so she just didn't know what to do with herself. Befuddled her Karma mind.

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After the cuddle sessions...she seemed happy to finally sleep in her familiar bed.

In fact, she looks to be in an almost identical position right this very moment next to me on the loveseat. I try not to bump her catbed or she jerks awake like there's an earthquake or a tornado siren. I'm sure all that cat jumpiness will pass soon enough as her natural laziness takes over.

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Right now in the quiet of the night?

Karma's sawing logs.

Me?

I "napped" again for three hours from 9-12am and then couldn't get back to sleep. (Dang it anyways.) So, as long as I was awake, I thought I'd show you the pictures of our big furniture change. ;)

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My knee has been so much better that I was thinking I might actually be able to make it to the fabric store with Leah tonight. But now lack of sleep may be the next limitation issue. We'll see how it goes between now and then. I might totally crash out of sheer exhaustion at any time here. (I had fully expected a sleep-a-thon when I went to bed at 9pm--sigh!)

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Anyways, all you Karma fans can rest assured that the worst is over for my big old furbaby. It's not only a good thing she doesn't have claws, it's a good thing she has never seemed bothered by my laughing at her. Since I've laughed almost every day since we met, I don't think she realizes that she's actually the cause of a lot of it. So many cats I've lived with would take great offense at being laughed at, you know? Karma. She just assumes that I suffer from some human giggle disorder...some laughing mental illness. She does not find the world as constantly amusing as I do but, since I am her provider and protector, she tolerates my odd behavior and tries to ignore it. After all, I'm not as scared as she is and yet I do comfort her and keep her safe. She trusts me...completely. Even if she'd emphatically deny it. ;)

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That's the news from Fargo. I am too tired to move. Going to sit here in the dim light and watch something or another on TV while Karma snores softly...close enough to touch...but, out of deference to the hot-tin-roof syndrome, I won't. ;)

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"Retire to the center of your being, which is calmness."

Paramahansa Yogananda

Sunday-10am

2012-01-15T10:01:00.004-06:00

Friday night Karma was minding her own business catching a couple winks sitting up in her cat bed...

...when I flashed her--LOL!

We did get maybe an inch of snow early Saturday morning. Just enough for this little boy...

...to wander all over the yard kicking around a soccer ball.

Just another dusting. Not one decent snowstorm yet.

Yesterday I decided to switch the glider rocker and the black endtable...just to have the endtables more in the positions they will be in...and to freak out Karma, of course--LOL!

At first Karma wouldn't go in her cat bed on her chair. She hopped up on the chair under the back of the craft table by the window and "clawed" her frustration out on the corner of the chair. (Man! Am I glad she doesn't actually have claws!)

Full of the devil!

But it didn't take too long and her curiosity got the better of her. She climbed up and just stood in her cat bed and surveyed the new view before she settled in. I can't imagine it will take her too long to adjust to the new furniture, but then who knows what goes on in the Karma mind--LOL!

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What did totally shock her was me reaching over to pet her when she was dozing off--ROFL! I know. The cat torturer. I couldn't resist--LOL! I think she found that the most disconcerting of all. I don't know if she's decided she likes the random possibility of her sleep being interrupted or not. ;)

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This is the goodbye view this morning.

Turns out this IS the best day for moving! 28 degrees and some sunshine right now. Yes, it's windy...but by tomorrow we are supposed to be back in the single digits during the day, so this is the best day.

If all goes well, in the next post I will be showing you the new loveseat! ;)

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I've only had about 3-4 hours of sleep the past three nights so I am hoping for a sleep-a-thon here really soon. I don't know why I keep trying to set the alarm early as I am making my way around the clock in the hopes it will force me to bed earlier. It never works. Definition of insane, right? Doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome--LOL!

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Well, they said they'd be loaded up and arrive probably around 11:30-noon. All Karma's usual hiding spots will be gone in the main room so I plan to shut her in the bedroom like I do when Caroline's vacuuming the living room...just in case she gets discombobulated by the freakish activity and runs out the door or something. ;)

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Excitement reigns in Fargo! LOL!

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TTYL!! :):)

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"Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine."

Robert C. Gallagher

Friday-3:30pm

2012-01-13T15:29:00.005-06:00

Karma tried a couple more times during the night to track in some edible footprints...to no avail...so settled for begging for ice cubes in her water dish.

I got quite the package filled with extra surprises yesterday from Italy!!

Okay, I have to explain. Jeannie went to a Stampin- Up convention in Paris and took all these pictures of displayed crafts and cards and demos--a card crafter's delight. In her first post about the convention I saw this card (below) with a trail of multicolored butterflies across the front and fell instantly in love!

Jeannie:

I hope you don't mind that I swiped the picture and posted it here.

I had saved it for a reference, of course.

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Anyways, I made a comment on her blog saying I absolutely had to make one of those sometime--what a perfectly lovely way to use up small scraps--just needed some different sizes of butterfly punches. Jeannie emailed me and told me that what they had used on that card was this one small die that cuts five butterflies at once!

Cool! I wondered how I could give her credit from Stampin' Up if I bought one when I had money in January...next thing you know Jeannie said she had put in a big order and gotten it for free and she'd just send it to me...and would I also like a set of cupcake dies she no longer uses...cool!

(The three on the right side below.)

So, I didn't want her to have to pay the postage--good grief! So I surprised her and stuck some money in with her Christmas card, right? So then she tells me that now she'd just have to send me some more goodies. Well, look at them all!! I was shocked!!

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More small dies...

And look at these dies!

And all these little embossing folders!

Here's a close up of a few.

And this larger scroll-y embossing folder, too. Wow!

I don't even know what to say, Jeannie! You truly surprised the heck out of me!! Really, really made my day! Especially since I was bummed out yesterday because I'd somehow twisted my left knee again (probably one of the times the foot got stuck in the up position on the chair), it was terribly swollen, and I was hobbling about feeling decrepit--LOL! Thanks so very much, lady! Feels like a late Christmas present!! :):)

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The hobbling meant I didn't get anything done yesterday. I watched the end of the final season of Big Love. But with time on my hands...I decided to check out ClearBags. I buy my larger envelopes for my bookcards in bulk there...am in need of some regular sized card envelopes...remembered quickly that those aren't much cheaper than at Office Max...but not before I had stumbled onto ClearEnvelopes (don't ask me how these things happen--you start in one place and end up in another--divisions of the same company). Anyways, I fell upon handmade papers that are being discontinued...both 8.5 X 11 and 12 X 12 (and even larger sheets)...you know how I love paper...and variety...

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I believe I have close to 90 different sheets of handmade papers coming...for less than $35...including shipping...which was only $4.95!! Is this a good Christmas or what!? Of course, I bought these myself--but I am still counting it--what the heck! ;)

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They're due to arrive this coming Wednesday.

You know I will show you!! :)

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Any of you crafters who are interested should check them out quickly. I got a call from them the same day because four of the sheets I had ordered were already gone. The computer couldn't keep up or amounts were miscounted. He thought I was going to be upset, but I told him I was just thrilled to get whatever I could before they are gone. :) They had adjusted the bill properly (I checked online) so they didn't even bill me until they had already pulled the order.

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Anywhoo--paper lovers, get ready to drool! Backgrounds, bookcard covers...I am envisioning....ahhh! I wonder if the handmade paper is too thick to cut with the dies? Hummm....

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Tomorrow afternoon is the first Saturday of three for that streaming art class on how to paint skies. I hope I can figure out how it all works. I do love my skies, as you know, but whether I can try to create something decent looking is another story--LOL! Wish me luck!

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Sunday--hopefully the loveseat will arrive. Snow in the forecast is supposed to be for Saturday. Fingers crossed. ;)

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Monday Leah and I have tentatively scheduled a trip to the fabric store. Best laid plans, eh? My knee will definitely be a huge factor in that decision. We can always postpone on the fabric store, though--nothing essential or anything. Anyways, I'm okay. Just taking it easy and staying off my feet as much as possible. Didn't even think of doing energy work on my knee until almost morning--duh! (Yes, I was up all night and only took a nap today so far.) So, I shall do some more work on my knee, too...promise. :)

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Have a really great weekend!

Stay warm or cool as the case may be. :):)

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"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not."

Vaclav Havel

Thursday-2:30pm

2012-01-12T14:25:00.006-06:00

No loveseat.

The moving was postponed until Sunday. Their friend with the truck, John, had a short window last night...plus it began to snow and the temp was plummeting. Right now this afternoon it is only 7 degrees. I think they predicted near zero last night. So, John has a bigger window on Sunday from 11am-2pm and was much happier to do it then. No problem.

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As you can see this morning...the snowfall was pathetic...again. I think the temp dropped so rapidly that it got too cold to snow in no time flat--LOL! Just another dusting, but too cold to melt, too...for a few days anyway.

Oh, my Writer's Bloc order arrived yesterday afternoon. Pearl gray Trophee paper, three Triomphe tablets, and a couple packages of envelopes (the french paper is not the same size as ours--too wide to fit into my regular card envelopes). Happy to be stocked up! :)

Karma's bed went back up on "her" chair.

Dagan and Leah did come over.

Do you see something new on the wall by the porch door?

TaDa!! We finally got the IKEA "racks" up! Well, Dagan and Leah did. I was only a back up for "are these level" observations--LOL! We could even fit three more on the wall--whoohoo! Those are all various kinds of punches. The racks were spaced evenly so that we can change things around any time we want. Cool! :)

They just look like the old-fashioned metal towel bars, to me. ;)

Leah picked up these plastic holder thingies to grip the screws into the wall so they are in there firmly. Having the punches so handy is going to be a treat. :)

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Dagan and Leah also put the wire cube shelves together for the corner in the bedroom. We discovered that they are made to be put together side by side in two levels of three. They don't give you enough parts to stack six shelves high. We had two sides and one connector left over with five high--but it is just fine.

Well, just fine to me. Drove Leah crazy because there are two types of sides...small squares and larger squares for bottoms/tops and sides...but they don't match. LOL! Dagan just giggles at the two of us. Leah has her OCD things that drive her nuts and I have mine. So it is a good thing this set of cube shelves came over to my place. Doesn't bother me that the sides don't match. Luckily. Leah would have had to return them--ROFL!

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Now I can finally begin to sort out the mess in the bedroom. On the floor (as you see) and the closet.

This morning (well afternoon--I had a sleep-a-thon till noon) Karma spied snow on the porch and begged to go out. But her "spring" lolling about on the porch had suddenly vanished and the 5 degrees was a shock to her...

...she turned right around and wanted to come back inside.

You think I'm optimistic? Silly girl thought that she had drug some snow inside on her feet (by her logic, they were cold enough) and she quickly turned around to look for snowy footprints to eat.

Nothing? Darn!

This snow is too cold to stick to her feet, anyways...the crunchy dry stuff. LOL!

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We had a nice night, though. Wonderful to get the punch racks up and the shelves together for the bedroom. Leah took John's box with her to wrap and mail this week. The loveseat will be coming on Sunday (say a prayer). I'm already set for the change. My finger is looking good and should be ready for being wet a lot, soon. It's warm inside and I don't have to go anywhere or do anything in particular today. Life is good!!

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Change doesn't always happen when you want it to.

Live in the present moment.

Karma is snoring softly in her cat bed on her chair.

Ignorance is bliss. ;)

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"And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love..."

Mother Teresa

Wednesday-noon

2012-01-11T12:02:00.003-06:00

As far as I know this is Karma's last day in "her" chair. Haven't heard any different, so I think they're coming with the loveseat tonight. :)

My Goulet order came on Monday. The tiny tub of silicone grease, 2 black and 2 orange blank Rhodia tablets, and I stocked up on the little rubber gaskets.

I finally cleared off the table from New Year's Eve...which meant a lot of scrubbing and a load in the wash of runner scarves from the top of dressers and bookcases. Took me most of the day yesterday. It's one of those "as long as I am cleaning this...then I should clean that" things that also happens once a year--LOL!

Slept with the bedroom window wide open last night again. This is so wrong. I don't often take pictures of the late day when the shadows cross my view. I went to take some shots of our brown January...

...when I spied people running around with short sleeves...

...or sweaters! Would you call those hats "Fargo" type hats that those little boys have on? LOL!

It just seems more like October or April. People are loving the novelty of it, but it just feels ominous to me.

I also cleaned and rearranged the end tables now that I will only have one next to me instead of the two of them, one on each side of my chair.

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I also cleaned out three almost empty pens, switched up the two empty Preppys I had to eyedroppers and got all five of the new colors into pens. :) Just had to show you the variety I ended up with.

That Alt-Goldgrun is so different! It really is like a golden olive green. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it is really cool! And the Blu Mare and Smaragdgran seem to be almost a pastel shade. Nice flow! I definitely see some Rohrer and Klinger somewhere in my future. ;)

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Have to wrap this up quickly. I was so busy yesterday and today already, too. I got a stack of www.bookcrossing.com books ready for Caroline to take with her for the free table at her workplace. She'll be here in about an hour.

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For those of you who are interested--I am also working on a new picture bookcard for John/Spruce in Nain. I'm recycling the box my GouletPens order came in and decided to send back all of John's bookcards that he returned to me. I managed to print off a few more pictures. Got to the last page and after it printed out the screen said it wouldn't print anymore until I put in a new yellow ink cartridge. Like it was meant to be--LOL! (The new cartridges should be here tonight if Leah remembers them.)

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I want to have the letter done before they come tonight (to include it in the box) because Leah has the brown packing paper at her house so that she can wrap the box and bring it to the post office for me. I made up a sticker with his address on for her and also have a return address label. So, right now I am off to finish John's picture bookcard. I hope he understands that these are truly just for him. He's around 80, I believe, and lives in a remote area that can only be reached by plane in the winter. I don't know if he really understands about digital cameras.

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So--off I go. I hope to have pictures of the new-to-me loveseat to post tomorrow! Whoohoo!! Love and hugs to everyone! :):)

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"The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience."

Emily Dickinson

Monday-1:30pm

2012-01-09T13:25:00.004-06:00

Well, I'm finally back.

Silly me, thinking I could go three days in a row. Just the two days (3 hours each) knocked me down flat. (Proof: I slept 9, 9, and 11 hours Th-Sa!) I never made it to go shopping with Leah on Thursday. (Maybe later in the month--we still want to go fabric shopping together, at least.)

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Anyways, Leah did go over to Office Max for me that night so I could get my $10 off on the printer inks that expired on the weekend. Leah called me--they were running a sale, too! I told her to go for it and check out the best deal. Well, normally my black and three colors will run $80-90. Leah got me the doubles (well, the double colors are more like 1.5) and it was $130. But I had the $10 off, so $120. BUT, they were also running a $10 gift card for every $50 you spent on ink...so I also have two $10 cards, too! So actually spent about $100 to get almost twice the ink!! Whoohoo! Really exciting because it is, obviously, a big purchase for me. Leah will bring them over on Wednesday. Happy, happy me! :):)

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At the moment (holding my breath) it looks promising that they just might be able to move the loveseat over on Wednesday night. I am soooo hoping!!

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Karma remains blissfully unaware of how her life will change--ROFL! ;)

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Meanwhile, my Ink Drop order for January arrived. The theme was "new ink for the new year" and we all got random samples of a German brand of ink they recently started to carry called Rohrer and Klinger.

Holding them up against the light of the window gives you a better idea of the colors I got. Cool!

I have a couple of empty Preppy fountain pens that need converting over to eyedropper pens so I can try a couple of these samples...but I needed the rubber ring gaskets and more silicone grease...plus I wanted to stock up on some of the FP friendly writing tablets. So, I made a small order to Goulet Pens. They were out of the Triomphe tablets...so that gave me the perfect excuse to make another small order to Writer's Bloc...where I could also get the third color they carry (pearl grey) of the Clairefontaine Trophee paper that I use for my bookcards. I'll show you when they arrive, of course. Thanks to Mom and Dad and to my dear friend, Ruby, for the Christmas money to buy ink and papers!!

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The weather has been crazy up here. We've had days in the 40s and even low 50s! What little snow we had is gone. I have slept with the window half open a few nights! Crazy! Feels like spring. It's 52 degrees right now and I have the porch door and the bedroom window open.

This is so wrong.

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Tori, the last of the treats Kero sent to Karma went into the little round treat ball yesterday.

She finally figured out her lazy way to roll this treat ball back and forth...

...just takes her longer to get them out with the one hole--LOL!

She's rolling it on the backboard from the package the kitchen utensils came in--LOL! You know how she needs to claim things. For a while, anyways. I can only stand Karma's "trash" on the floor for so long--LOL! It went out in the garbage today. And now I can't find the treat ball. I think she rolled it under the dresser again. ;)

Last night I did a quick background in my art journal.

Was just trying some Noodler's Blue-Nosed Bear (the dark spots)...

...and some Private Reserve Naples Blue.

Looks more blue than turquoise in the photo.

When I was in the Art Every Day in November I met Trisha and she told me about this Ning group I could join for free in January called SOAR through the Just Be Yourself site. It's all about journaling--whether just plain diary-type writing, or an art journal, or a collage journal, or doodling journal...whatever you want...or more than one. Pretty loose rules and looked like fun. Supposed to go all year long!

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Well, I just today found out where the links were for the weekly lesson/suggestions/quote. You know I don't claim to be computer savvy. ;) I think I looked five separate times that first week--LOL! But only took me twice to catch which link on the second week. So, I think I'm okay now. Geez! No computer whiz here!

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All I've managed to do so far this year was my writing journal twice and do this one art journal background. I'd better get into some kind of a new routine here pretty quick. I wanted to get back to journaling and reading in the mornings again. I had quit in November because I'd never have been able to do the blogging and the art every day and anything else. (Still amazed I did the whole month!) But right now...being pretty much away from the computer for several days...I'm so behind that I'm overwhelmed!

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Made me really look over my blogging. I am following 155 blogs!! I had no idea! Right now I have about 225 blog posts to read. (OMG!) Probably a couple more by now because, with breaks, I've been working on this for going on three hours. Obviously it is going to take me a while to catch up. I will, though. :)

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I was curious. Out of my 155 blogs only 20 of them have over 500 followers and 82 have under a hundred. I guess I follow a lot of smaller blogs, eh? :):)

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Anyways, I'm back. Feeling better. Less moaning zombie--LOL! The rest of the day...washing clothes and I shall respond to comments and begin to read blogs. Oh, and while I was writing this the mail came and my Goulet order is waiting for the box cutter!! Whoohoo!!

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Probably see you tomorrow afternoon.

Hope this is a great week. :)

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"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost."

The Dalai Lama

Thursday-11am

2012-01-05T11:00:00.003-06:00

This is the beautiful sunrise...

...from Tuesday morning.

Well, the drive was fine. Only the side streets were icy. All the main roads were already dry from morning traffic. Got there half an hour early and read the rest of Dee Ready's "A Cat's Life: Dulcy's Story". Not the best idea to finish that book in the waiting room because I got all teary eyed. I had a little bit of time to wipe my eyes and blow my nose before I got called in to my appointment, but Debbie still thought I was upset about something with my housing--LOL!

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The meeting took longer than usual, but not because of any big issues or anything...just interruptions and additional red tape stuff...and us gabbing. She's such a nice lady. By the time I got home I had been gone three hours and that totally did me in for the day even with pain pills.

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I did try to keep up reading blogs the last couple days and finally got caught up with my commenters yesterday, but that's really all I was good for.

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Then last night I went over to Dagan and Leah's. Since they have been sick and busy (feeling much better now, though) I suggested we just pick something up or order in. They picked up from PitaPit and I tried something new to me--spicy black bean pita. Was very good and not too spicy for me. They even picked up some strawberry cheesecake frozen yogurt with fresh strawberries on top at Tutti Frutti for desert. And they had some presents for me under the tree! A couple of my very old big spoons have gone by the wayside and Dagan wondered why I didn't have one of these forkish things for spaghetti last time we made spaghetti here...so they got me a set of big utensils!! Cool!!

I love candles...especially in the winter. Leah usually picks me out a big one every year for Christmas. This time I got two! The red one is from Bath and Body Works and is a soy candle. Supposed to have less soot, I guess. Cranberry Woods--smells wonderful! And the other one smells like a Christmas tree!

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The lotion...well, Leah and I suffer from getting very dry hands and they are even worse in the wintertime. She found this one...Aveeno Eczema Therapy. Even though she doesn't have eczema she thought, what the heck she'd try anything, and bought one. Has been the best thing she has found yet. We're very fussy about wanting the lotion to soak in and not leave your hands all greasy, too. Leah has a hard time with scents and this one has nothing I can even smell at all. So now I can try it, too. I don't have eczema, either, so I can't actually tell you if it is good for that--LOL!

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Anyways, we go out to the garage for Dagan to give me a ride home and Leah spotted something on the windshield of the Gallant. Here I had gotten a parking ticket when I was at the federal housing meeting for parking over 90 minutes! Just goes to show you how little I have ever driven since I've lived up here. I didn't even know they had time limits on Broadway--duh! Obviously all the years I have driven to those appointments I wasn't there over 90 minutes. And how did I miss that paper in the windshield? Good grief! The car sat overnight in the parking lot. Good thing it didn't rain--ROFL! Well, that longer appointment cost me $15.00. Now I know to move the car. ;)

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I let Karma smell the utensil box when I got home because she was pawing the heck out of the Target bag. (We use the cloth Target bags to haul things back and forth.) Karma can't stand it when something new comes into the house and wants to check everything out, of course.

Leah and I wanted to go shopping together for some things this month. We have sewing projects we want to try, I need ink for my printer, we need these plastic things to hold screws in the wall for the Ikea racks...things like that. Today turns out to be the best day for us to do that or we probably won't be able to go for another couple of weeks. So...if I am feeling up to it (which is definitely questionable since I've been out two days in a row) we will go shopping tonight and run errands. Time (not eating and pain pills) will tell--LOL!

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Dagan and Leah are going to talk to their friend with the truck and Matt (who didn't want the love seat so they think he should help move this heavy little piece of furniture) about maybe being able to make the move next Wednesday since that's the night we usually get together, anyways. That would be so nice if they could bring it over next week--whoohoo! We'll see what they say. The weather can always become a factor, too.

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Speaking of...what crazy weather for January! We're supposed to have almost 50 degrees today! It's already 43 degrees! And expected to be in the mid-30s tomorrow. How bizarre! What little snow we do have will probably be gone again. This doesn't quite seem like winter yet without some deep snow out there...even if it has been down to single digits. Just doesn't seem right.

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Well, I'll see you pretty soon. Not sure if I'll be able to get to blogs or not for a couple days, but I will when I'm able. If I don't see you for a little bit...have a great weekend!! :):)

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"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together."

Vista M. Kelly

Tuesday-7:30am

2012-01-03T07:28:00.005-06:00

Karma eye view of her sunny patch of carpet yesterday.

My sprawler.

Quick note this morning. Dagan and Leah dropped off the car this morning for me to use for my federal housing appointment. Looks very icy out there. The whole parking lot is shiny. I'm planning on leaving extra early and bringing a book.

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As usual, I couldn't sleep. Worried I'd shut the alarm off or hit it too many times. I'm lucky if I got three hours. But I'm up and clean, anyways. :)

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Before I forget--FYI--that British show Survivors--yup--left hanging because it was cancelled. Was still pretty good, but... :(

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My finger is healing nicely. (Funny--I didn't notice I had a spot of green ink on the back of my hand till I took this picture--LOL!)

I just need to keep a bandaid on it most of the time to kind of pull that deepest part together and keep it clean. ;)

Awesome! You'd never know how bad this was. :)

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Well, I'd best go get ready before it's time to warm up the car. Was only 4 degrees last night, but it warmed up a little and is 18 degrees right now. Supposed to be mostly sunny again and up to 34 degrees. Beautiful day! There's a gorgeous sunrise at the moment. I hope the main roads aren't icy. Be well and safe! TTYL

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"We're all just walking each other home."

Ram Dass

Sunday-9:45am: New Year's Day

2012-01-01T09:47:00.007-06:00

Happy, happy New Year!

Hope you are having a great start to 2012!

Warning: Very long post. Lots of photos. So much to tell you! Turned out it was an amazing New Year's Eve session and was up till 2:30am!

What a grand beginning to the new year!!

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First of all, ever since I posted the links to the energy work posts from a year ago, I've been feeling awfully guilty that I had such totally mixed feelings about the new long distance Soul Comfort stuff that GA wanted me to start learning in 2011 that I just petered out and faded away early on. All the self-worth issues came to the surface...the what is my purpose...how do I even do this...fear of failure...fear of success...all of it. So I decided I needed to focus on forgiveness...of others...of myself. Get myself right with God...right with the universe...right with love. That's why I was reading, listening to audios, and journaling most of 2011.

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But then I cut my finger on Christmas Day and had to do something fast...no time to think, right? And I could feel that energy and see it working (on me). When I reread the posts from last December...well, I knew that is what I was going to be asking about on New Year's Eve. I knew I had to try again in 2012. Time for a do-over. ;)

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Anyways, I was reading post comments yesterday and Jeannie asked for help with her arm pain...and I got this intense "Now!" from GA. (He's a kind of sh*t-or-get-off-the-pot type of guardian angel so I must be sooo very annoying for him.)

Well, I put on my Music To Disappear In...

...and handed myself over to this long distance healing stuff that I am supposed to learn how to do. Honestly, I have never felt comfortable with it. I have tried to do it, but haven't known what to do or how to go about it. I have to say that with my focus on forgiveness over this past year...well, it felt like I was just supposed to surrender...just "be" and the energy will go where it's supposed to go, I guess. That maybe I feel a little more forgiven...a little more worthy. That just my being and handing myself over is enough. (See--now I'm crying....)

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Goodness! This is going to take a long time to get through this post today with these crying breaks--LOL! ;)

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I always preface any request with "if it is in the best spiritual interests of this soul and the other souls involved"...and I asked for healing of Jeannie's arm...but I didn't try to direct or control anything...just let the energy pass through me. And as the energy washed over me...after while, all these other people passed through my mind! Family, friends, bloggers...so many of you...so many that I don't want to name names because there were too many...like everybody! But you know who you are. If I have ever wished you good health...laughed with you...if I love you...you passed through that energy, I guess. It was wonderful! What a perfect start. :):)

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Anyways, back to earth--LOL!

I started getting ready in the late afternoon. Here's the colorful lined, square cloth that I bought from the Tibetan monks. Normally it hangs in my bedroom alongside the head of my bed.

I emptied the craft table. (Only time it is completely cleared off all year--LOL!) Then roamed the apartment gathering my "spiritual stuff" from here and there, brought them to the kitchen, cleaned them, let them dry, and then placed them on the cloth.

I gathered some candles, some decks of cards, books that go with them, rune stones, paper, pen, sage...anything I thought I might feel like using last night...if I could stay awake.

The jar in the left corner has a bunch of small stones in it...various angels...crystals...

...the flat brown stone is a new additional this year...an ancient rock John/Spruce sent me from Nain. :)

My Tibetan bowl and bell...the chime...

...ting shaws...the box in the lower right hand corner Dagan bought me in Turkey and it holds many small stones. The small amber pot in the middle with the ornate silver cover holds some of the destroyed mandala sand that was blessed by the monks.

A couple sage wands for burning...and the two little bowls contain my pendulums on the left and Dagan and Leah's on the right (we use them to pick cards).

My copper burning bowl.

All set. Seemed like a hundred trips around the apartment. Karma tried to stay awake, but just couldn't manage.

I started about 10pm. Lit the candles, put on the music again...

(never tried to add one of these audio things to my blog--curious to see if it works)...

...got the paper and pen ready, and had my coffee at hand.

The first thing I did was write down all the things I wanted to release or send off to the universe. Because of the impromptu energy session that afternoon, most of the burned requests were for healing for a lot of different people. ;)

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Next I decided to smudge and cleanse the whole apartment with sage.

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Then--my very favorite angel card deck--Angelic Messenger Cards by Meredith L. Young-Sowers. I've used this deck for going on 20 years now. I asked what I needed to focus on this year in regards to this new task (the energy work).

This is the card I got: Courage.

So perfect! All about persevering even when the work you've begun seems to falter. "You have drawn this card to fortify your resolve and to let you know that you are on the right inner path whether or not the outward signs in your life suggest success." (I shouldn't worry about whether I am doing it right or whether I get feedback...just trust.) "...focus your attention on your full acceptance of your personal gifts and abilities, the spiritual and physical resources available to you, and your vision that is forever your guide." Lots of other nice things, too.

I had to chuckle.

There was a kind of prayer at the end:

"Dear guardian angel, please allow me to benefit from this change and to know the course of action I should take. Allow my guidance to be shown to me in such direct and obvious ways that I can be at peace, knowing I won't overlook or fail to see the guideposts. Let my intention for service and right choices be heard clearly, and let me trust what comes to me will benefit my life appropriately."

How perfect is that?

To make sure GA was listening I said it out loud! ;)

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All that energy yesterday had me pretty wide awake...so I decided to also do The Healing Runes by Ralph H. Blum and Susan Loughan...

...which came in a boxed set with these white rune stones.

But I usually prefer to use my (acrylic?) sparkly ones.

Half are transparent and they are flat on the bottom, so it's pointless to lay them out to choose because you can see what they are (not that I have them memorized--LOL!). So I use them inside of the green bag and feel around for the "right" ones.

Did the five spread--left to right. Wow!

1. Overview of where my heart has been in the past in regards to this issue or challenge: Love.

Reminding me of divine love, unconditional love, listening with love, love is everywhere...either love is present in our every act and word, our every thought, or it is not.

2. What is the challenge to my heart in the present: Fear.

Fear usually carries with it a self-fulfilling prophecy...have patience with your healing...don't listen to the cries and whispers of your past...calls for profound recognition-admitting to yourself something you have long denied...have compassion for yourself.

3. Appropriate action: Denial.

Drawing this rune is a call to take control of your life and begin living it as God intended...time to come out of denial, out of hiding...make a fearless personal and moral inventory of your life...open yourself up...let the light in...let no false boundaries separtae you from the Will of Heaven.

4. The obstacle or what you need to surrender: Surrender.

(Could that be any more obvious!?)

Recognize a force greater than ourselves...limitless power that heals is available to you...let go of your need to control the situation...surrender is the highest form of conscious contact with the Divine.

5. New clearer view of the situation or opportunity: Honesty.

The days of hiding from yourself or from others is over...honesty opens locked cupboards in the heart...ask God for the courage to try again...honesty nourishes the soul even as it fosters healing...there is honor and power in speaking the truth.

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Cry break.

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Whew!! I have never had a rune reading that was so slap-in-the-face direct. Wow!

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I haven't used these two new decks, so I decided that I'd also go for those because I just had to pick one card and I was quite alert at this point after all the heavy duty information and the crying. ;)

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With the Soul Coaching Oracle Cards by Denise Linn I chose...

...Compassion. About allowing the light of my goodwill to shine to the world...that when I can unconditionally accept myself I will be more compassionate to others...release guilt and shame for they no longer serve you...forgive yourself and others...cherish who you really are.

The last deck was Enlightenment Cards by Gary R. Renard.

This is the card I chose:

"You must be vigilant only for God. This state of mind doesn't come all at once; it takes a lot of practice. You don't learn anything worthwhile overnight."

This was one of the most amazing New Year's Eve sessions I have ever had! I decided to end with sound. I gently played the Tibetan bowl, the Tibetan bell, ting shaws, and ended with the chime.

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Barely woke up Miss Karma. She totally conks out when I put on MTDI or any of my meditative type, new agey music. :):)

And I finished my goal list for 2012. I kind of cheated and added a few more things to the 2011 list in November, but all the black ones are the checked off ones. The red ones--never got to. It's just kind of a to-do guide for the year, but I usually get to about half of them. As usual, I have way too many to finish for 2012, too--LOL! Which is fine with me.

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Anyways, I am exhausted. I didn't sleep very long and (with crying and back & shoulder breaks) I have been working on this for four hours! Good grief! Time to eat lunch. No quote today--this is way too long as it is--ROFL!

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My very, very best to you this grande new year!!! :):)

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Goals for 2011

YouTube--buy taller tripod
Calligraphy--practice and try new alphabets
Keep up with various online audio classes
New spiritual journal
Read the Angel Books
Angel Books--make notations (decided against it)
Read the Dream Journals
Read Morning Pages notebooks
Read TBR book stack
Bookbinding--make a journal with the 90 lb. paper
CBP--finish bird and flower paintings
Watercolors--wildflowers and botanicals
Watercolors--paint paper for journal and bookcard covers
Sketchbooks--EDM
Sketchbooks--Ink and watercolor
Handmade Paper--set of red Christmas cards with white snowflakes
Handmade Paper--try new techniques (we never got to any handmade paper at Leah’s this year)
Cards--set of birthday cards
Cards--set of Christmas cards
Cards--new techniques
Bookcards--handmade paper covers
Bookcards--painted watercolor paper covers
Bookcards--regular covers
Soulcomfort/Meditation--establish a regular practice
Sacred Circle--once a month
Organize craft bookcases (buy shelves and corner shelf)
Clean and organize desk and files
Clean and organize pictures and documents on McLap
Start an Art Journal
Start a Doodle Book-Zentangles
Mandala Class

Goals for 2012

Spiritual: Soulcomfort/Meditation-establish routine
Spiritual: Read ACIM daily
Spiritual: Read books from Spiritual bookcase
Spiritual: Journal/Diary
YouTube: make more videos
Bookcards: painted watercolor paper covers
Bookcards: printed paper covers
Bookcards: make some envelope style
Bookbinding: 90 lb. drawing paper journal
Bookbinding: larger watercolor journal
Cards: set of Birthday 2012
Cards: set of Birthday 2013
Cards: set of Christmas 2012
Drawing: EDM sketchbook
Art Journal: continue with my first one/collage
Art Journal: start a larger one
Doodle Book: Zentangles
Mandalas
Calligraphy: practice italic
Calligraphy: try new alphabets
Watercolors: wildflowers and botanicals
Watercolors: CBP-finish bird and flower paintings
Watercolors: paint paper for journal and bookcard covers
Watercolors: Ink and watercolor sketchbook
Handmade Paper: set of Christmas cards-red paper with white snowflakes
Handmade Paper: try new techniques with mustard bottles
Sewing: catch up on old repairs
Sewing: make book/journal covers
Sewing: help Leah with her projects
Organize: bedroom bookcase
Organize: cube shelves for corner of bedroom
Organize: bedroom closet
Organize: craft bookcases in living room and re-label
Organize: go through all the pictures/nostalgia and scan to laptop
Organize: shred the box of trash in bedroom
Organize: go through garage/give away

Saturday-11:45am

2011-12-31T11:46:00.005-06:00

We finally had some snow yesterday. This was the predawn scene.

Enough for them to shovel the sidewalk...even a very narrow path to the exit door below my window. I wonder if they will keep that up? Sure hope so.

Today it was raining and now it's snowing. The roads are going to be terrible for the party folk. I hope they all travel safely.

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I checked emails and blogs first this morning.

Time for lunch after I am done here. :)

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Best of both worlds for Karma...her cat bed and a good hard pillow with the arm of the chair--LOL!

Well, I had a sad package yesterday from John/Spruce. Two large manila envelopes taped together and look what I pulled out of them? These envelopes...also taped together...

...containing all the bookcards I have sent John over the past year!??

He returned them!??

John has been a teacher in Nain (Labrador, Canada) with the Inuits for 50 years. He was online when I met him in the Chinese Brush Painting Yahoo group a few years ago, but decided to drop the internet over a year ago.

We had already been writing letters...

I knew he loved the prairie sky pictures on my blog...

...and anything to do with Karma....

...so, I'd print off pictures that I had used on the blog and glue them into the bookcards. He loved the Picture Bookcards. (These are what I mailed to my friend, Anita, too, who never had internet.) Anyways, my new printer is almost out of one color of ink...happened about a month ago..so I told John that it would be a while before I'd be able to add pictures to his letters...that it would take some time before I'd be buying ink cartridges because they were a little spendy, but no problem...just be writing regular letters for a few months.

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Well, I don't think he understood that the pictures in his bookcards were just copies...or that I don't do the picture bookcards for everybody...or something? He sent them all back because he said he "felt guilty hoarding all these wonderful photos". That I could use the pictures to make some kind of art project or I could somehow pass the pictures on to someone else. :( Made me sad. They were just prints, you know? I should have never said anything to him, but I wanted to explain why I was back to just writing plain letters with no pictures when he had been getting these for a year, you know? Dang it all. He didn't understand.

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And it has been so sad there with the Inuit culture. Alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, and recently a couple more suicides. One was a young boy who hung himself right in the school where John still substitutes. I think he was just feeling sorrowful and like he wasn't worth the pictures. Broke my heart. I think maybe I should send them back...but not really sure what to do.

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Anyways, that was the strange and sad mail yesterday. Maybe it made me more sad because it made me think...all the picture bookcards I sent to Anita would be a stack like this, too.

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Anyways, on to the blogger award.

I got the Versatile Blogger Award from Wendy.

I don't usually do awards. I will just invite anyone who wants to do this to grab the award and go for it! You just tell 7 things about yourself and pick 5 bloggers to pass it on to. I will certainly enjoy reading the stuff about you, for sure, if you do it! ;)

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Okay seven random things:

1. I really did used to have a mind like a steel trap. Now it is like a steel sieve! Fibro fog has blurred the edges of my mind. If I don't write things down these days I am likely to forget. This is why I need my desk calendar and lists and post-it notes and scratch pads--LOL! But then I have to remember to look at them. ;)

2. From the time I left home after high school I never lived in any place more than 3 years (twice) until I moved up here to the Fargo-Moorhead area. I lived in Moorhead from 1999-2005 and then moved here to Fargo in Feb of 2005! I am sick to death of moving and want to stay here forever. :)

3. I've been married twice. Lived with somebody twice, too. I apparently have no judgment when it comes to love. So I decided to hand my love life over to GA (guardian angel), put my spiritual path first, and have been happily alone since 1993. [Note: a psychic told me I'd be married three times and the last time I'd be old--but I'd be happy and content with him. I'd have to meet him online, I guess, eh? And I'd have to let the thought enter my consciousness once in a blue moon, too--ROFL!]

4. I have angels in every room of my apartment...even the bathroom and kitchen. Pictures, cross stitch (from my sister), magnets, figurines...

5. I was born in Minneapolis Swedish Hospital. I'm the oldest of three...have a brother and sister who still live in Minneapolis. They were born in the same year...brother in January and sister in December. [Is that what they call Irish twins? Even if they're Swedish?] We were the last of the full-blooded Swedes in the family.

6. The first 45 I ever bought (1962 when I was 11) was The Locomotion by Little Eva...and it still makes me want to dance!

7. I guess I have a distinctive laugh. At a reunion a classmate who hadn't seen me for 20 years told me, "I could hear that 'Rita-laugh' from across the room when I walked in and knew you were here before I ever laid eyes on you". There are worse things to be known for. :):)

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I have to quit playing The Locomotion so I can finish this. ;)

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New Year's Eve!!!

For those of you new to my blog, I have my own little ceremony for saying goodbye to the past year and greeting the new one. Have this square cloth I bought from the Tibetan monks when they came to Concordia in Moorhead about 9-10 years ago that I have used every year since. I place the cloth on the table, gather all my various crystals & do-dads from all over the apartment, clean them, and place them on the cloth. New Year's Eve is the time they all get cleaned and re-energized. Since I moved here, I try to let them all stay out on the table until they can get some sunshine...but sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate...and I want to use the table. ;)

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First I put on some peaceful new-age music and light some candles. Then I write down on little pieces of paper all the things I want to release to the universe. I slowly burn them one by one in my copper burning bowl and send them off. I always pick a card from my very favorite angel card deck. Sometimes I pick three rune stones--past, present, future. Sometimes I play my Tibetan bell or Tibetan bowl a little--or strike the ting shaws or the chime. Sometimes I journal. Sometimes I do a longer mediation. Sometimes I sage the whole apartment. Just depends on what I feel like doing and how tired I am--LOL!

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So, I best eat lunch and clear off the table and start puttering. This year I may or may not be doing this at midnight...unless I take a nap. Might be one of the years I'm done earlier because I'm too tired. Sleep comes before strict adherence to time ritual these days--LOL! I didn't make it past 10:30pm last night, so who knows? But the rituals will be given proper respect. It always feels like it completes the year for me...and like the starter gun for the next. :):)

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What is your New Year's like this year?

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"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Friday-7am

2011-12-30T07:00:00.004-06:00

End of the year and knowing my "great room" (LOL!) is going to soon be rearranged made me want to show you pictures all around. This is what my jam-packed little sanctuary looks like at the end of 2011. :)

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The dehydrator gift from Terah, my new printer, and the big fun purchase of 2011...the new pen and ink cabinet! ;)

My workhorse desk area.

Looking into the room...the two chairs will be gone. Going to look so different to me. And the two chair arrangement is all Karma has ever known. Hope my reader's table will work for my laptop in the new-to-me loveseat. So exciting! My back can hardly wait! ;)

My trusty craft table by the windows. Yes, it's my former dining room table. You can do what you want when you live alone and your cat doesn't care. ;)

Door to the little porch where Karma waits for snow.

The new bookcase this year next to the TV. Yes, that's a bedroom triple dresser the TV is on. You use what you have where you need it, right? LOL! Even a shot of Karma's favorite silly "toy" this year...the plastic shower curtain liner "rope" strung along the floor. Silly girl!

And the art table...where I played with my very first art journal in November...and with Serena's gorgeous daisy painting that I won hanging over the table for inspiration! Especially cheery during the long winter months.

I guess I'd better get working on my goal list for 2012! Time's a wastin'!!

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Yesterday I worked on Thank You cards and more Christmas letters owed. Nine envelopes will be off in the mail today. I still have three more letters I'm working on, but I'd best stop and work on the goal list first today. Do you believe it is almost New Year's Eve! :)

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Oh! Oh! Oh!

I forgot to tell you that when Dagan went off to work and left me with that Survivors show on their big TV...well, I couldn't figure out how to turn up the volume or put it on pause...nothing I tried worked with the remote control or mouse or keyboard that were on the coffee table.

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When Dagan came home I explained my dilemma. He laughed and--from the kitchen, mind you--says loudly "XBox. Pause." Well, I tell you! I felt like I was smack dab in the middle of a science fiction movie! The TV paused!!

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He says softly, tell it--"XBox. Play." And I did! Whoohoo! What a techie world they live in, eh? But...the XBox does not choose to listen every time, I assure you--LOL! It is moody, as all electronics tend to be. But that really blew me away!! I didn't even know you could watch Netflix movies through an XBox in the first place, let alone that it had voice control! ;)

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Oh darn! I forgot to think of seven things to tell you about me for the blog award. Maybe that should be one. If I don't write things down anymore I forget them--LOL! I'll work on that list, too. I'd better go write that down....

TTYL :):)

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"The spirit of a person's life is ever shedding some power, just as a flower is steadily bestowing fragrance upon the air."

T. Starr King

Thursday-9am

2011-12-29T09:01:00.006-06:00

Good Morning!

Since Monday night I have been sleeping like a baby! And sleeping at night! Heavenly!! Don't know why the sudden shift. Don't care. :):)

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Yesterday Caroline was coming to clean in the afternoon so I had to pick up Miss Karma's mess. You'd think living alone I wouldn't be inundated with toy messes--LOL! She hated to part with her Christmas wrapping paper. I had to pull it out from under her.

After Caroline left I checked the mail and there was a box from Alaska! Donna sent me some Christmas surprises!!

A letter inside this matchbook shaped cover...

...an Alaskan Angel pin (giggle)...

...and a little matchbook shaped...

...notepad that she made! Thanks so much, Donna!! What a sweet surprise!!

While I was opening the present from Donna I got a text from Dagan telling me he had to run to work (he has the week off, but if they need him for techie emergencies...). Before I could answer he texted again--forgot that I had the second car--LOL! So, I called him and said I'd be right over. He took off for work...but not before putting on a British show neither of us had ever heard of that he had gotten hooked on the night before (Netflix streaming) called Survivors.

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I checked online today and the newer version we were watching was cancelled after two seasons, so I don't know if it will have any kind of an ending (but I'll still watch it) and is a remake of the 70s Survivors that lasted three seasons. One of those after-a-virus-kills-off-99%-of-the-world's-population themes. Endlessly fascinating to me. ;)

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I snapped a couple pictures while Dagan was gone...their beautiful tree...

...and a poor shot of Sammy. Annie was nowhere to be seen for some time. Off snoozing in their bedroom most likely. Then promptly forgot I had the camera with me at all.

Dagan came back later. Leah had to work late. I watched Survivors (saw three episodes last night) while Dagan made us boca burgers, broccoli, and some leftover sweet potato fries and tator tots from a restaurant. Was very good, but our planned Christmas dinner never happened. Both Dagan and Leah were sick--especially Leah when she finally got home, poor thing--with coughs/colds. So we never really had Christmas and they want to try again next week.

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We watched the show, but did go downstairs to check out a loveseat that their former roommate, Matt, didn't want anymore. I had spied it when I was there checking on the cats over Christmas and then asked about it...since my chair has been broken for a while and is killing my back. See how the foot doesn't go all the way down.

And the foot gets stuck up in the air and won't catch half the time. My old faithful chair's days are numbered, even if Leah could replace that one spring.

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There is so much stuff downstairs at their place now since Leah's mom died...boxes and piles of stuff. They moved things out of the way so that we could see if the feet actually went up and if it was actually comfortable. It's an older brown loveseat where each side has a footrest. Dagan and I checked it out and both sides worked, it's more comfortable than my chair is right now, and I figured out how to lower the footrest. Believe it or not I am too short to get enough weight on this push-the-foot-down type model--but if I scoot way down so that my feet go over the end of the footrest it will go right down slick as a whistle for me--LOL! May look a little silly, but it will work. :)

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Dagan and Leah will talk to their friends with trucks after they are feeling better. My living room will have a make-over of sorts. Things don't change here much so this is exciting. My old lounger will go to the trash and the glider rocker will go in the garage for now (Karma's chair). Karma will be just shocked, I know. But I think she will love being able to sit right next to me on the loveseat. She wouldn't have to sit between my legs anymore and get kicked out ever time I want to get up. We'll see how it goes, but I would think she'd like it once she gets used to it. She may love small changes like strange packaging and boxes, but big changes throw her--ROFL! Goodness, just putting her cat bed up on the chair was shocking to her. Just you wait, Miss Karma! ;)

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I can hardly wait! My back and hips and knees have been suffering ever since the chair broke. Probably adding to why December has not been a good month, you think? LOL!

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Then Leah and I went through cards (we had at her place to eventually go up on the etsy shop) because I cannot make my Christmas thank you cards right now because of the cut finger. So I now have some already made that I can just change into thank you cards with a rubber stamp--tada!

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Anyways, Leah sent me home this triple-decker container with assorted cookies...

...and this special, healthy gel to put on my wound.

Leah was practically falling asleep standing up as Dagan and I backed out of the garage. He drove me home on icy roads. The rain had turned them quite slick. Here's what it looked like as the sun was coming up this morning.

It was about 18 degrees then.

Right now it is 21 degrees and they say it might snow this afternoon or evening...possibly an inch. But it won't amount to much because the temperature is fluctuating between rain and snow every day and, in all likelihood, it will just melt away. What a miserable, dreary, brown winter. How do people stand it who don't get snow? ;)

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Well, time to start working on my 2012 goal list. My to-do guiding wish list for the coming year. I got much less checked off than usual in 2011. I usually get to maybe half of it. I think I may have only hit about a fourth this year...but that doesn't mean 2012 won't be better. It's just kind of a guide or reminder, anyways. And I did do new things that weren't on the list, too. I'm very loose and adaptable with my goal list. :)

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My finger is doing great. I'm still trying to keep it dry, so I'm still a bit limited in what I can and can't do, but by the new year it might be good to go. I'm going to try the whole day without a bandage today and just wrap it when I go to sleep...and do some energy work on it...and put this good ointment on a few times. :)

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Oh, and I agreed to borrow the Gallant for my appointment with federal housing on Tuesday. Then after that I can try out the senior bus for something fun with no stress...like going to the Moorhead Center Mall to snoop at K&Krafts. That was what Dagan and Leah suggested and it sounded like a good plan. :)

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Oh again! I got a blogger award and will think of seven things and do that soon, too.

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Right now...I am exhausted and sore. Funny how sometimes when I finally am finally able to sleep I am just extra tired...like I can't get enough. ;)

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Very best to everyone!! The new year is upon us! Whoohoo!!

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"Feeling grateful towards someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value in your life."

Christiane Northrup

Tuesday-6:30am

2011-12-27T06:32:00.004-06:00

Cloudy days, but no snow.

The sun is at just the right angle now that Karma can snooze in her cat bed...

...right on her chair and bask for a few minutes on a sunny morning. ;)

Warning to those who can't handle seeing a cut...

skip down quickly. (But it's not that bad, really!)

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I am absolutely delighted with what the cut looked like already yesterday at the unveiling! Whoohoo!! This gaping wound is looking mighty fine!!

Pardon my crusty looking finger...all the soaking in hydrogen peroxide is drying my finger out. BUT! LOOK!! You can see where this whole bottom slice with the curve...well, almost 90 degree angle, actually...almost half the cut...is nearly healed already!! Whoohoo!!

The knife fell point down in this deepest wound on the top and then fell down across my finger, slicing the side open, and into the sink. This bottom slice on the side of my finger was wide open, too, but not to the bone like on the top.

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Wow! Happy, happy me!! :):)

I soaked it in hydrogen peroxide again, left it open to the air for about an hour, and then wrapped it up again with the aloe vera gel. After today's unveiling I plan to leave it open to the air for at least 2-3 hours...maybe longer. I'll see how it goes as far as the oozing/bleeding goes--LOL! ;)

I still have little or no pain. I did wash one load of clothes yesterday and it was sore for a while after folding and hanging clothes. There was no way I was going to try tackling making the bed, though...and I have dishes in the sink. Well, if I wasn't one of those people who have to scrub all the dishes off before I put them in the dishwasher...LOL! They will have to go in "as is" today, I guess. [I can almost hear Dagan and Leah chuckling. They tease me all the time about how they can't tell if the dishes in my dishwasher are clean or dirty.]

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A few people had some questions about the energy work and wanting to know more about it.

I actually attempted to tell the story a year ago. Me, GA (my guardian angel), and SC (Soul Comfort/energy work).

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Truth. I am a bit uncomfortable working on myself...plus I'm out of practice in the first place...which is why I am so thrilled to see my finger healing. :)

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Anyways, for those of you who haven't read these...grab a cup of coffee or tea...and you will learn more about me.

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Me, GA, and SC-Part 1: The Hamster and The Crow

Me, GA, and SC-Part 2: Strangers

Me, GA, and SC-Part 3: Dagan and GA

Me, GA, and SC-Part 4: the running girl and "bunny stuff"

Me, GA, and SC-Part 5: Energy Work

Me, GA, and SC-Part 6: Soul Comfort

Monday-4am

2011-12-26T04:07:00.004-06:00

Karma is only mildly interested in kitchen activities, but yesterday proved to be more interesting than usual.

After I chatted with you I started making a cabbage, onion, carrot, and potato soup. Not too long ago Dagan sharpened all my knives while Leah was getting things ready for the dehydrator. Those knives have been dull for years and years so I was being ultra careful while I chopped veggies.

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Warning: Stop right here if you have a weak stomach and skip to the end.

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Well, have you ever had an accident happen so fast that you had no clue as to the actual logistics? As I was cleaning up, mind in three places at once (may have been a contribution), relieved I made it through the slicing and dicing (overconfidence may have been a contribution, too), somehow this wet knife...

...slipped out of my right hand under the faucet (dang slippery metal handle!) and landed on the back of the index finger of my left hand as I was swiping small pieces of veggies into the garbage disposal. Hit hard and bounced into the sink.

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You know how when you do something like this there is no pain for a few seconds...or is that just knowledge too familiar to me because of all my minor accidents? LOL! Anyways, the bleeding started as I was quickly trying to put two knives (last items) into the dishwasher...shockingly large red dripping onto the white dishwasher door. Had to use my other hand to catch the blood as I went back to the sink.

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I put my finger under the faucet, switched it from hot to cold, and pressed on the wound. I could see it was a good clean slice maybe an inch long that ran at a slight angle down the length of the center bone. I could bend my finger. The muscles were intact. So, as long as the bleeding stopped I'd be fine...barring infection, of course.

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So, I kept it under the cold running water and pressed on the wound to keep it together until the bleeding subsided. Then I took a clean paper towel, folded it long and narrow, wrapped it around my finger to press the wound closed, and got a clean washcloth and an ice cube. I sat with my elbow up on a pillow on the arm of my lounge chair, hand in the air, with the ice cube on the top until the cold and wet soaked through to my finger.

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It was throbbing and hurt like the dickens, of course, but the ice numbed it a little. I started sending the wound healing energy.

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After about 20 minutes I unwound the paper towel to look. The bleeding was under control. I cut the paper towel wrapping in half so I had a clean half to rewrap...and to judge for new bleeding...and headed to the bathroom to dig around for supplies.

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Unwrapped the finger and soaked the cut in hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes, gobbed the wound with aloe vera jelly, placed a sterile gauze pad on top, and wrapped it with a big knuckle bandage. (Notice that I own knuckle bandages and sterile gauze--LOL!) This is definitely the biggest cut I have dealt with at home, though.

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I did spend quite a bit of time doing some energy work on the wound. When I started right after I got it wrapped in the paper towel with the ice cube...the pain went away. I have been in no pain unless I bump it or press against it. :):)

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Anyways, the first things I thought of were that I was glad Dagan and Leah had left me their car if I did have to go to the hospital and that this puts me out of commission for art or crafts until this heals. ;) My brother and SIL will have to get old birthday cards from last year this coming January. Luckily I do have a few extras.

I have to chuckle. This seems like how this whole year has gone. One step forward and three steps back. Very slow to make progress on various projects. My goal list has very little checked off this year--LOL! Oh well. That's life. Sometimes you're in the game and sometimes you're on the sidelines. ;)

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I didn't sleep long or well. I think I was afraid of the cut breaking open, but there's no sign of blood on the bandage this morning. It still looks exactly like these pictures I took yesterday.

I haven't worked up to removing the bandage yet this morning. Just woke up and decided to dive right in and tell you what a foolish thing I did. I hope if I keep doing the Healing Touch/Soul Comfort that it will heal nicely and quickly. :)

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The soup was delicious! ;)

See you soon.

Warning...maybe even with a picture if it's not too gnarly! The description was probably worse than seeing the cut itself--LOL!

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This quote today always gives me hope.

Happy Monday!! :):)

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"Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal."

Thomas Moore

Sunday-3:15am: Christmas Day

2011-12-25T03:16:00.005-06:00

We actually got a dusting of snow on Friday.

Nothing on the porch, though, for Karma.

There was still a little snow left Saturday morning because it had stayed pretty cold on Friday. It got up to 40 degrees yesterday and it pretty much all melted away, but we did have a bit of a white Christmas Eve. Enough to make me happy. :)

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I forgot my camera when I went over to be Sammy and Annie's Christmas present. They left a few presents, themselves. Somebody pooped right outside of the cat box...and it wasn't even very dirty at all? They still had food but had opened up a cupboard door and ripped opened a bag of dry ribbon noodles--LOL! Other than that, I couldn't see that they had gotten into any other mischief. I spent a couple of hours with them...playing and even read them some of Dulcy's book. I'm about half way and plan to finish it today. :)

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I came home, picked up the mail, and had two more handmade cards! One from Desi...

...and one from Jeannie.

I saw this card on her blog where she showed us some of the Christmas cards she'd been making and I remarked as to how this was the best holiday sentiment that I had seen in years (don't you just just love it!) and she sent me this very one!! ;)

Thanks, ladies!!

I get a few cards, as you may have guessed, and only planned to take pictures of the handmade ones. But this one from Ruby just tickled me so. Never seen anything like this one. I wonder where she finds these? :)

Anyways, Christmas Eve night was time to open presents. (Yes, we always opened our gifts then and, no, we didn't have Christmas stockings in the morning.) Anyways, my gift from Tori and Kelly all the way from England! There's some parchment paper in the zip lock bag and then two sets of dip pens!!

One with a little bottle of silver ink...

...and one with gold. Such cute little bottles!

Thank you both so much!!! :):)

And from their dog Kero...Karma got two packages of treats! (I'd already opened the first one.) Can't find these over here, but Tori sent one last year and Karma goes absolutely nuts for these! This year she got TWO!

AND....

I chuckled out loud when I saw this!

A treat ball!!

Thanks Kero!!! :):)

I roared when I saw the book Iggy sent!

Iggy had shown a couple pictures on his blog of this book...

...that he had gotten from ChicagoLady. I cracked up because of the fun & crazy illustrations and because it reminded me of my dad's battle with the squirrels over the bird feeder--LOL!

Iggy, I read this and giggled all the way through! What a hoot!! I wasn't sure if this book was a Pay It Forward gesture, but I already plan to send it off to somebody else...my Dad!!! LOL! But not before I let Dagan and Leah read it. So funny! Thanks so much!!

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Then I sniggled as I watched Miss Karma...

...have to work hard...

...and follow that treat ball...

...all over the room...

...until she'd eaten enough to take a long rest. ;)

Because this treat ball has the swirly inside and only one hole Karma can't just lay in one spot and roll it back and forth--ROFLMAO! Great gift, Tori!! Karma will be forced to get a little exercise to earn a few treats now. ;)

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Oh, and here's the Butterball recipe:

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Butter Balls

Cream together:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Gradually add:

2 1/4 cups flour

Form into 1 inch balls.

Roll in granulated white sugar.

Bake 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Makes about 4 dozen.

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Well, I make them bigger, I guess, because I only get about 3 dozen. Don't overdo the flour because they'll get heavier. Take them out when the bottoms are barely browned. They crunch, but then melt in your mouth. A little Swedish delight.

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Had the oddest call a couple days ago. A man called me to ask if I could write a humorous poem or speech for a friend's 70th birthday...about he and this friend...or did I know somebody who could do that for him? When I asked how he got my number he said he'd googled writers and poets in Fargo and I came up because I won that poetry contest. While flattered, I couldn't help him. I write memoir (my own--LOL!) and I fell away from the writing community up here when I left college almost a decade ago. Was kind of sweet, though...and very different to be called because I was considered a writer or an author.

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I'll leave you this Christmas with a couple videos and wishes for a very happy holiday! :) :)

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Video from KarmaTube

I am living the good life!

And this would be my quote for today...the whole song!

I truly believe it!

Friday-3:30am

2011-12-23T03:27:00.006-06:00

Finally saw another flaming sunrise yesterday...

...that gradually...

...turned blue.

I was up and down a lot--interrupting Karma's perpetual naptime. She fell asleep sitting up and I took a picture...forgetting to take off the flash.

She was like--hey, what the heck are you doing now?

She decided to shift away from me...

...and turn her back. The ears say it all. ;)

But then when the dinger went off and I got up again...she can't not look to see what I'm up to.

Baking Christmas cookies for the first time in probably a decade.

Butterballs!

This was a cookie I think we had every year when I was growing up. Plain as can be and sparkled with sugar coating. Always had spritz cookies, too--and I at least made them both every year when Dagan was little, too. We'd make an assembly line (big surprise, eh?)--I'd roll the dough into balls and Dagan would roll the balls in the sugar and place them on the baking sheet. Oh, and he also loved cutting out sugar cookies and decorating them with frostings and sprinkles when he was a little boy. Well, going to bring some over for our Christmas dinner next Wednesday. Been a long time since Mom made Dagan butterballs--LOL! I haven't lost the knack, I guess. They're yummy! And I didn't burn a one!

They say there are no coincidences...my mom told me she was making them for the first time in about ten years, too! Funny!

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The day progressed...the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

Still dry and brown here. I believe that is the Gallant below my window...the white car with the sunroof. I am totally lacking the car recognition gene. All the years I had cars before I moved up here--well, in each one I actually hung a small brightly colored stuffed parrot from my rear view mirror (named Ralph after a children's book of Dagan's) to help me find my car. God's truth. Ask anybody who's ever ridden with me. Poor Ralph was faded, tinged with brown from all the years I smoked (quit Dec 6, 1989), and had lost one eye--but he was a faithful companion with me on the road (along with my pewter guardian angel clip on my visor which is in the dead PitaPaseo in the garage right this moment). When I no longer had a car anymore Dagan begged me to finally throw Ralph out. I missed Ralph's one-eyed sway when Dagan let me borrow his old Paseo. Anyways, I think that's the Gallant down there with the sunroof. ;)

Okay...I saw this in an email and it made me think that, since I actually have a couple presents to open tomorrow night, maybe I could have at least put up a tree.

*sniggle sniggle*

(That's a combination of snicker and giggle.)

And here's a silly, sniggly video for you.

I hope you are all ready for Christmas. Those of you who will be on the road or in the air...travel safely. Hug your people. Tell them you love them. Smile! Sing!

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You can probably tell by my silliness that I am filled with joy and holiday spirit!!

I LOVE Christmas!!

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May yours be blessed and filled with much love and new memories to treasure! :):)

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"Christmas makes me happy no matter what time of year it comes around."

Bryan White

Thursday-5:30am

2011-12-22T05:28:00.004-06:00

I took the cat bed off the chair for a couple days, but Karma seemed to miss it so much...

...and she sleeps soooo soundly in it up there (no fear of being stepped on)...that I put it back.

Speaking of spoiled... ;)

Dagan and Leah dropped off the cat foods from the healthy natural pet food store. Karma now has her healthier canned foods for her heaping tablespoon in the morning (a can lasts her about a week so she's stocked up)...

...and her favorite dry food in the whole world...Felidae (for senior and overweight cats but don't tell her).

I did another page spread today...well, during the night. Another method completely different and new to me...

...used Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads (Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sage, and Scattered Straw)...

...directly smearing the ink pads right on to the watercolor paper, which was probably a little too absorbent for them but it worked. These made a nice background, I think.

I will definitely try some other colors together that I have.

They did blend well like they claim. I wonder if they picked up color from each other as I used them? I see people do these things all the time on youtube and they say it works and won't ruin the ink pads. Knowing me...I'll probably go back and try them each on a piece of scratch paper just to see if they're okay--LOL!

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Move a chair...catch a cat. ;)

I signed up for another free online class in January through Wet Canvas. Essentials of Painting Skies from 1-3:30pm on Saturdays (Jan 14, 21, and 28). Some kind of live streaming class, I believe. You know how little I know about these things. I am hoping I can figure it out...and that, if I can't make the live class, there will be a recorded version. Sounded like they could only take so many people live because people could start checking in at 12:30pm to get a spot--and it sounded like when it was full it was full? So they must do a recording...well, you'd think, right? Or else why have too many people sign up in the first place?

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In the description it said that these techniques would work for any medium...but watercolor is so different from acrylics and oils?? My favorite is watercolor, but I am curious about the others, too. Well--hey--at least it is free, right? If I can't figure any of this out I am not out anything but my time and effort--LOL!

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Dagan and Leah left one of their cars here in the parking lot last night. They're going to go visit Dagan's dad over Christmas and I am going to go over and check on Sammy and Annie on Friday or Saturday for them. Dagan said they would probably be just fine but that I would be the cats' Christmas present--LOL! :):)

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Then they said that maybe they could leave the Gallant for me and car pool to work together so that I could use their car to go to the Federal Housing appointment on the 3rd. But I don't want to put them out...and I think I should try the senior bus service.....

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Well, we decided to talk about it next week. We are having our Christmas dinner next Wednesday on the 28th. They said I could just keep the car till then, drive over to their place, and then one of them can drive me home afterwards. Dagan wants ham with baked veggies, he said. Leah was smiling. Sounds good to me! I don't eat the ham, but I love potatoes and all kinds of veggies...and Leah said they still have some boca burgers in the freezer, too. Nice! I'll be looking forward to that.

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Anyways, just a couple more days, folks! This year went so fast. Hard to believe 2011 is almost over. I hope everybody has plans for the holidays that you are looking forward to with great anticipation.

Be thankful, safe, and happy!! :):)

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"Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving."

Khalil Gibran