Friday-7:15am

Good Morning!  

A quick post today.  I was actually awake for morning sky pics a couple different days.

Love the contrast between the blue sky & pick clouds and the almost black clouds that were racing across the sky.  I wondered if there had been a fire somewhere--those black clouds were so low and moving so quickly across the horizon.  But they didn't quite look like smoke clouds. 

Karma doesn't have to wait for me to open the blinds. 

She just pokes her head right through. 

It made it up to 40 one day!  Lots of melting going on that day.  Pattering down from balconies and air conditioners and the roof--was new to me from all those years living on the top floor--LOL!  Kind of relaxing.  Sounded like spring.  For a day. 

Of course, it all froze--making walking outside rather treacherous. 

****

Well, honey definitely won over vinegar this time!!  CableOne never contacted me and I woke up Wednesday with no internet...but a very nice young man from CableOne came and knocked on my door about 12:30pm to pick up my modem.  (I felt like Hyacinth Bucket telling him to take his boots off before he came in--LOL!)  He tackled the cords and moving stuff to get the modem out of the TV cabinet, told me he left the cable box open for Midco (Midcontinent) and went on his way.  Apparently there was another housebound lady in the adjoining building who needed a modem picked up, too--and he noticed he had forgotten to have the last lady sign her paperwork.  (You think CableOne is losing a few customers? hehe!)

****

Midco said 3pm, right?  I got a call at 2:50pm telling me he was on his way!  Right on time!  A very nice older gentleman arrived (who knew to take his boots off without being asked).  The cable box was open and he got the modem installed.  Took a while to get the signal working (now I know what these mysterious plates are for on the inside of the hall closet).  Then he tried to tackle connecting McLap to the WiFi--LOL!  

****

He said he bought a Mac once and threw it out.  (I remember wanting to toss mine over the balcony many, many times the first six months I had it.)  I finally called Dagan at work (hope I didn't scare him--never, ever have called him at work) and between them (Dagan hates trying to figure out McLap, too) they found what they were looking for and got it connected.  The nice gentleman volunteered to connect my cell phone and my tablet to the Wifi, too.  Sweet!  And off he went.

****

I forgot about also needing to reconnect Chromecast (so I could watch on the TV screen and not the McLap screen).  Leah was trying to talk me through it on the phone, but I kept losing the cell phone connection.  (Remember that is really bad here.)  She was going to call me back after dinner, but she had gotten me far enough that I figured it out and got it working--tada!

****

But then I was watching Netflix last night and lost my internet connection.  I unplugged and replugged the modem and restarted McLap and it came back...but then I had to reconnect Chromecast, too.  I finally got it going again (and honestly wasn't sure what I did either time--LOL!)  I hope the losing internet was a fluke.  There's a lot of swtiching over going on around here.  Could have been an accident in the cable room in the building.  That happened to me several times over the years when I lived in West Winds around the end/beginning of the month when people were moving in and out and providers were messing around in the cable room.  I hope it was an aberrance and nothing more, right?  

**** 

Then yesterday--made it to the dentist!  Leah gave me a ride.  No cavities.  Bye-bye.  See you later.  Done.  Whew!  :)

****

You know I have been in pretty poor physical shape since the move--well, I had to take a couple minutes to just sink into the pain of being in the chair before she could even start.  And after lying there for over half an hour (excellent, new-to-me, young girl cleaned my teeth who was gentle and thorough)...I had to sit on the side of the chair for a bit before I could even get down.  But I limped happily away to the waiting room and called Leah to tell her I was done.  Leah dropped me off at home and I was so exhausted I was in bed before 9pm.  (When you're in a fibro flare it doesn't take much at all to totally drain you--LOL!)

****  

So I was up early and thought I'd say hi.  Woke up coughing and coughing (?) but it went away after a short time.  Odd because closing the vents seems to be helping with the dryness in here...and even when I had electric hair I didn't wake up coughing?  I'm still so stiff from the dentist's I can barely get out of this chair, but I keep getting up and walking and stretching...will thaw out a bit over the next few hours--and it will be less painful tomorrow.  Big sigh of relief to have that appointment over and done with.  One down!  Hurray!! 

****

Karma's sleeping in the chair next to me, of course.  The wind is rumbling almost constantly against the building this morning.  So loud I thought there was a snow plow in the parking lot across the way--LOL!   But it's warmer again.  Supposed to get up to 36--so should be more melting by this afternoon.  

****

I worked on getting my bullet journal set up for February yesterday, so that's all done.  I had to wait until I had internet to print off my bank statement to balance my checkbook, write bills, and budget--so I have that to do today after I thaw out quite a bit more.  Or tomorrow if blogging was enough for these old bones today.  ;)  (Yes, I still do my checkbook the old-fashioned way and balance to the penny every month.)  Leah is planning to come over for Crafts on Sunday.  Looks like an excellent dentist recovery day for me.    

****

Have a really great weekend!!  :) :)

****

 "Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday-9:30am

It's Tuesday already?!

And almost the end of January?!

Good grief!

Well, I actually spent the weekend working on The Postman's Knock January challenge/contest.  [Note: The T-Stands For Tuesday group will recognize the red coffee mug at my side--LOL!]  I drug out the old binder from the adult evening calligraphy class I attended over 20 years ago.

Using Lindsey's frame that I colored, I made up the goal list. 

Nothing worked right...not all weekend.   

I'm sure when you've done anything creative that you have had those days where nothing worked right--whether it was sewing, baking, crafting, painting, whatever.  I am soooo out of practice that my hand just wouldn't work the way I wanted it to and nothing turned out right.  But I kept plugging away--because I know it is exactly because I need to just get back into the swing of things again. 

****

I did the illustration--challenge number two.  Lindsey had samples she had done and I chose to try a letter.

Even though nothing was turning out well, I was having a lot of fun.  I'd play a little and needed lots of breaks... 

...but I worked on the hand illustrated card and envelope (parts three and four). 

It was dark on Sunday night by the time I finished...

...so no matter how I arranged these I got shadows from the big kitchen light (that I am so glad is working again--LOL!). 

I am just so glad I finished!!  Whoohoo!!  :)

****

Karma was too busy snoozing to care--LOL! 

Anyways, some exciting news! Midcontinent is now available in the building!  They left little info-bags on all the doorknobs.  I called yesterday to switch over my internet service.  CableOne is more evil than I thought.  In the new buildings they are keeping all the keys to the cable boxes!  Usually the management/office at the building has them.  This means that in order to switch companies I have to arrange to get CableOne out here to open the box for Midcontinent.  Apparently they have not been very cooperative about this box opening for other companies, either.  The Midcontinent lady, Tammy, told me that sometimes it can take up to four days to get them out to open a box--and that's even after they have picked a day and time.  They keep changing it or not showing up so the Midcontinent people have to waste time waiting around for them.

****

Also, it is illegal for them to tell people (like they told me) that they have a contract with the apartment complex to be the sole provider for Cable and Internet.  It was an outright lie, but they do it all the time, she said.

****

So, I called CableOne yesterday to arrange for them to open the box on Wednesday at 3pm--which is when Midcontinent can be here to switch me over.  I not only wanted CableOne to come and open the box for Midcontinent, but I wanted them to come and get the modem I was renting from CableOne, too, as long as they were here (which they usually make you return).  I played up the old, disabled and housebound thing to the hilt, baby.  Hey--I am not lying!  I was sweet as could be and just expecting them to be helpful with all my gratitude for them going out of their way.  Will it work?  Don't know.

****

I never got a call back from Cable One yesterday.  Oh, and I asked if they had to come earlier than 3pm could they just leave the box open for Midcontinent when they came later?  Time will tell.  I am hoping to get more flies with honey, as they say.  ;)

****

My former good memory pre-fibro is long gone.  I cannot even remember now who suggested I look to see what the grouse and jackrabbits mean as totem animals or spirit animals in native cultures.  But I did it--and took notes from several websites--and, no, I didn't write down where the notes were from, but you can google it.  Or google your own animal.  Was very interesting!

****

 Grouse, also known as Prairie Chickens  

If grouse keep showing up in your life: you will be learning lessons that entail understanding and connecting with the Sacred Spiral, one of the oldest symbols of personal growth.  Grouse medicine can be imagined like a whirlpool or a tornado with the spiral taking you to the center.  (I found this fascinating since it is a wind spiral that brings them to me in the first place!)  Going to the center will allow for a personal vision or enlightenment of some kind.  Grouse invites you to dance or walk--get back in balance with the earth--mind, body, and spirit.  But stay grounded, slow down, keep your balance.

****

Grouse comes to you when your spirit is too tired and you need to rejuvenate your energy.  (Spot on, eh?!)  You want to be alone.  You want/need power/energy.  You are finding it hard to trust someone. (huh?)  You need to seek higher enlightenment and wisdom for your current difficulties.  Need to connect with spirit.  Need balance.

Jackrabbit

Fertility, creativity, magic, associated with transformation.  Receiving hidden teachings and intuitive messages.  Power of listening/hearing/clairaudience.  Quick thinking.  Moving through fear. 

****

 Abundance, comfort, creativity/creation, harmony, vulnerability.  Jackrabbit tells you to love, nurture, and then let go.  To examine and utilize the tools we have within ourselves.  Jackrabbit is the teacher of skills in the arts and crafts. (Whoohoo!)

****

I was born in the Chinese year of the rabbit.  Luckiest of signs.  Talented, articulate, affectionate, and peaceful.  Rabbit is the eternal optimist.  (Right on, baby!)

****

Anyways, I thought you might get a kick out of grouse and jackrabbit as my spirit animals.  I loved it!

****

Come February it is International Correspondence Writing Month (InCoWriMo).  The challenge is to send something every day of the month--card or letter.  "Vintage social media"--one of my loves--LOL!  You can sign in and track your mail and such, but I will just try to write as many letters as I can on my own.  I usually write 1-3 a week, but 29?  You know me and challenges--LOL!  I'd be glad to send half that.  Of course, if they are not all letters and more cards...hummm....

****

McFamily is home from their weekend as of yesterday.  Leah and Ian might stop by for a bit this afternoon.  Sweet!  :)  I have the dentist on Thursday--and maybe be getting new internet service this week.  If all goes well--tomorrow!!  Unlimited amount of usage at half the price, too!!

****

We have sunshine today!!  26 degrees F.  I saw the grouse half a dozen times yesterday and they've already been here this morning.  Brought the trash out after dark this weekend and a couple jackrabbits were playing in the parking lot.  And I even finished a challenge!!  Felt so good to have calligraphy pens and paint brushes in hand...like a old friend I have been away from for so long that we are still a bit awkward.  But I know we will get comfortable quickly if we just keep spending time together.  ;)  

****

Have a beautiful day!!  :):)

****

"May our heart's garden of awakening bloom with hundreds of flowers." 

Thich Nhat Hanh     

Friday-10:15am

Good Morning!

Lots to chat about today.

First of all Tuesday night that big kitchen ceiling light you see there kind of sizzled and popped in sudden death throes.  Was too late to call maintenance, so I had to wait until Wednesday.   

Which meant Wednesday (and Thursday) morning I had to change up my writing routine and move over to the desk for light...which Miss Karma was not happy about...at all.

She wandered through the kitchen and living room crying until I moved "her" chair over next to me (has to be on the left side so I can occasionally reach down to pet her or lay my left hand on her while I am using my right hand).  Karma is not a big fan of change--ROFL!  

But she finally settled down after I rolled a chair over and rubbed her belly for a long while.
****
Two maintenance guys came Wednesday afternoon and took the light fixture apart.  There are four light bulbs in there!  No wonder it is so wonderfully bright.  Was awful dark in here at night without it, that's for sure.

They said it was the ballast/transformer thingie...had to bring a new one the next day.  So we stored two long light bulbs and the cover in the hall closet...which Karma had to check out the second the scary men left, of course.

While they were here I asked them whether it was okay to close the air exchange vents and they said yes, but it was good to have the fresh air.  Well, I have never lived in an apartment with air exchange before.  It is so dry in here that running two humidifiers 24 hours a day and I am still getting shocks, my cuticles are peeling/bleeding, pants stick to my legs, my hair sticks to my face and flies out in rays from my head.  Awful!  
****
Anyways, Dagan came over after work that night and helped me clean (since Caroline is on maternity leave with her new little boy, Parker).  I dusted and Dagan did all the floors and bathroom for me.  I had him close those vents.  This one by the front door where the air comes in...

...and this one in the bathroom where the air gets sucked out.  It felt like I have been running the humidifiers night and day for nothing.  That it all got sucked right up and out of the ceiling.  Time will tell, eh?

  Been ridiculously dry.  Poor Karma has been scratching herself so hard that she made an ear bleed!  And she has no claws!
****
Leah and Ian made a really quick stop yesterday...arrived as the maintenance man was almost done replacing the ballast.  (Let there be light!!)  Leah came with her jig saw and cut down the inside tub for Karma's arthritic bones.

I know it's hard to tell but it is about an inch and a half lower--tada!

They had to hurry off to the grocery store and needed to get home to finish packing because they are heading to waaay up in northern Minnesota (Warroad) to visit Dagan's half-brother and his family this weekend.  :)
****
All the changes and hubbub...Karma disappeared last night.  I found her sleeping in her stroller in the pantry--LOL!  She just needed some peace and quiet, I guess.

So she missed the rare close-up jackrabbit sighting! 

We usually only see two of them racing past and that is maybe only once or twice a week.  They so rarely ever stop in the daytime...even if I know full well they party out here at night--can you see all the rabbit poop?  LOL!

This morning you can see the many rabbit digging spots all over the lawn...and I could just imagine their furry feet going to town.

The grouse appreciate it.  Not that they don't also scratch away with their little feet, but the rabbits make bigger grass nibbling spots.  :)
****
Well, let's see.  Other stuff happening...
Google/Blogger made some changes on the 11th effecting commenting on blogs if you don't have a gmail account.  Won't allow it!  (Trying to take over the world, I tell you!)
****
Netflix has changed everything.
****  
I hate it. 
**** 
It is a lot harder to use and now on streaming I have no information about the choices from my list queue like I used to have.  Can't tell by looking if it is a documentary, drama, comedy...no information on that anymore.  Not even if you hover over the movie--no box will pop up with a description like it will on the DVD rental queue.  You know how OCD I can be.  All these years I have had my queue organized by type.  So if I was in the mood for a thriller I could scroll down to the thrillers, etc.  Same on my DVD rental queue.  I'd pop up to the top what I was in the mood for.  No longer.  After a decade--no longer can use Netflix at all the way I used to.  Gone.  Thwarted.  
****
Oh and--say you hear about a movie on a blog...if you are in streaming and the movie is in the rental list...it won't show up as even available on Netflix elsewhere...only checks streaming.  You have to go to each place individually and type it in twice--awk!  How stupid is that?  From what Netflix has said, it appears that they have revamped their sight so that it is easier for people to use streaming on tablets and phones.  
****
I hate it.
****
  Some good news, though...I hope!  Midcontinent is now in the building!  Which means I can call them and see if I can switch over my internet from CableOne.  If Midcontinent has unlimited access (like we think they do--but it doesn't say anything specifically about that in the material they left hanging on our doorknobs) then I can say goodbye to CableOne.  Good grief!  I am paying $95 for only internet--no phone, no TV--just internet.  Cross your fingers!  :)
****
And now for something completely different...
****
 ...on a deep soul level...
****
Do you have recurring dreams?  
I had these dreams since I was a kid of being able to kind of run, leap and float through the air even up over the treetops.  I absolutely loved the soaring and floating...but I had to come down from this running leap.  When I would lose momentum--wham--I'd be rapidly free-falling!  Went from wonderful to terrifying!  (For one thing, I am afraid of heights to begin with--LOL!)  I would always wake up before I hit the ground. 
****
A couple of years after I moved to Fargo (my former apartment) I had one of the dreams...but...to my amazement...I was suddenly, miraculously able to land safely and gently on the ground!!  After a few of those dreams with the safe landings I wasn't afraid when I was losing altitude anymore and haven't had the floating dreams again.   Was a huge deal to me.  (I do miss the floating, though.)
****
Another dream I have had in various forms since I was a kid was that somebody is after me and I am trying to lock the door--and it won't lock.  I often can't even see who is after me or chased me into the house...sometimes the lock is broken or there's a big gap between the door and the frame or they start pushing before I can close the door.  Scary dreams...wake up in a panic dreams.
****
I just had the dream a couple mornings ago...and I could see the men coming out of the dark...but I made it inside...and locked the door.  The door locked!  I was safe.  I woke up feeling so very safe.  :)
****
This feels like an even bigger deal to me than the safe landing of the floating dreams.  This meant I actually feel safe here on an even deeper level than I ever have before.  And it just tickles me to no end.  Fills me with such gratitude and love.  I wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for Dagan and Leah.  I wouldn't have even been in my last place without their help, either...but even more so here in our new home.  *she says as the grouse go chittering by*
****
  Dagan and Leah will never truly know how much I love them...because it is impossible to even put into words.  :):)
****
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...LOL!

Miss Karma was just thrilled that things were back to our normal routine this morning and she was in her spot by the kitchen table. 

Life is good.
(Despite Google and Netflix and CableOne--and fried light fixtures and hair sticking to my cheek--LOL!)
****
Life is so damn good!!
And it just keeps getting better and better!!
****
"Happiness is not what makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy."
Br. David Steindl-Rast

10:45am-Tuesday

We had a little snowstorm...

...well, several inches of fresh snow actually.  Was so cold and windy that there weren't even footprints the next morning.  

No jackrabbit party.

They were probably hunkered down for the night and so were the grouse...somewhere.

The wind did its thing, though, and blew down to the precious grass for our critter friends.

My screen door is frozen shut but there was enough snow in-between...

...to get Karma a little frozen treat to eat.

And it didn't take long for our fluffy little friends...

...to return to foraging in the brown grass.  

Karma was there to watch them that time...

...as they nibbled their way...

...across the lawn.

Small pleasures.  My new home is filled with small pleasures.
****
Well, don't fall over...I actually did a tiny something artsy this week one day when I felt pretty decent.  Lindsey over at The Postman's Knock has a 4-step challenge going on for January (so you know the odds of me finishing this--LOL!).  But it's been so long since I have gotten out my calligraphy supplies, I thought I'd at least play a little.  You could print off her pretty goal list frame if you didn't want to make your own.  Got out my big watercolor palette...  

...and did some coloring.  (Yes, I figured I probably needed three shots at this--LOL!)

Next you are to write your goals inside the frame.

Of course, I haven't gotten that far.  
****
I don't know how to do the type of calligraphy she does.  I only learned how to do plain italic from a professional calligrapher back in the 80s.  (With the internet, I bet there are very few professional calligraphers left in the world.)  Even if I just did my goal list using the italic, that would be good practice for me...and more than I have done for years.
****
I decided to take a stab at this because now Leah was sick this Sunday for our Craft Night and they are going to be out of town this coming weekend so we won't have a Craft Night till February.  That made me wonder about trying some of the online challenges...since I was only planning on working on birthday cards for future years...which I could start at any time.  True, challenges and I don't usually fare well at all.  Anything with a deadline when I'm still dealing with this bad fibro flare (that doesn't seem to want to let up) is doubtful.  But then my entire life--even laundry--is tentative, regardless--ROFL!  So what the heck, right?
****
Meanwhile...back at the ranch...
I wonder if younger people have even heard that saying..."meanwhile, back at the ranch"...from the old westerns.  Or is it a Midwestern saying...an old Midwestern saying?  I doubt Dagan and Leah have probably even heard it--LOL! 
****
 Anyways, I got a RAK package from Donn in Florida!  He doesn't blog but he has a Flickr account.   Met him through a Chinese Brush Painting group many years ago.  (Another fun thing to play with I haven't had out for a long, long time.) 

You can see my trusty red coffee mug up in the corner there for the T-Stands For Tuesday group.

Anyways, Donn has gotten into card making and sent me some stamps and things he said he wouldn't use.  (LOVE that stamp set on the left!)

Above--those are teeny, tiny hearts.
****
So Leah and I are going to go through our dies (he has a new Cuttlebug) and other stuff to send him something back.  Sweet!  Thanks, Donn!

Leah sent me this video of Ian--who has never done the highchair nodding off before.  So cute!

And, lastly, this morning I caught some of the grouse kind of tucked up together trying to stay warm and catch a couple winks.  I wondered how they stay warm--was 3 degrees F (-16C).  The one behind the pole was eating, but the rest of them were resting and snuggled up together and not moving at all.  Didn't even notice me opening the blinds or standing by the window.  Their little eyes were shut, I think, and the nibbler had its back to me most of the time.  

Well, happy Tuesday!
Stay warm or cool, as the case may be...
...and have a wonderful week!  :):)
****
"Heaven and Earth are threads from one loom."
Shaker Proverb