Saturday-11:45am

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

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

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

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

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

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!