Friday-11am

Karma says it's a wonderful morning to lay on the carpet in the sun. ;)

I just had to show you this! This was for sale at http://www.pendemonium.com --a monkey pen rest that says "write no evil"--I laughed and laughed!

Yesterday a few people even went without jackets and had shorts on...

...and there was the usual lake in the parking lot.

Today...that lake is frozen.

There's ice everywhere and it's 20 degrees. But you can see patches of brown grass after days of 40s and even rain one night. The snow is melting away. Spring is around the corner. :)

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Tori

http://ziglernews.blogspot.com/

told us about these free email classes that you can even store and do at your own speed.

http://www.emailcollege.co.uk/index.php

I signed up for classes on Buddhism, Zen, Being Vegetarian, Writing Memoir, and Writing Poetry. They're non-credit and just for fun. What the heck--I can be up for some fun, right? ;)

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Just popping in to say hello and have a great weekend!! :)

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"True affluence is not needing anything."

Gary Snyder

Wednesday-6:30am

Since I am awake and too miserable to sleep, I thought I'd do a quick post.

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[TMI: When I have appointments I have to make and cannot afford to miss, because of the IBS I have to take anti-diarrhea pills for a day or so ahead of time. I make it to the appointment (dentist on Monday) but then a day or so after that (hit me during the night)...I am totally miserable. I may be a miserable useless mess for a day or two here, but I made my appointment. Told you--TMI.]

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Anyways, yesterday I received a small box from Spruce/John in Canada. The second I opened it the scent of woodsmoke wafted up from the box! Ahhh! Could just picture John in the wilds of Nain, Labrador. :)

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He had told me he made a small box for me but, when he varnished it, the top got stuck to the bottom. Well, he mailed me the cover, which I am sure I can figure out a way to hang on the wall.

It looks like the scene of trees, clouds, and moon is hand-painted on birch bark. John said the little cones all around the lid are from larch trees. So pretty and small. I know the scent will fade, but I will never forget the smell of his woodstove when I look at this. I know John is offline these days, but I will say many thanks to you, John, anyways. :):)

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I tried to catch a picture of Karma over in the dark hallway last night sticking her head in Leah's tennis shoes. I got her sniffing them, but as soon as the camera came out she walked away, of course. She loves Leah's shoes!! :)

Well, the old desk computer is gone. Tower, speakers Dagan added, monitor, keyboard, and all those wires--gone! Here's what it looks like now with just my laptop holder sitting there waiting for occasional company. ;) So clean!!

And--shock! Leah called me yesterday from Target. They actually had the lamps again that we bought for the craft table that we really love. The older silver desk lamps we had (you can kind of see them on the floor behind Karma smelling Leah's shoes) are halogen and get HOT!! You could feel the heat emanating from them even when I used to have both of them up on top of my desk hutch, so they were horrible to use right next to you for crafts or painting.

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So, Leah brought over two more lamps--tada!! Have one of them (and another old lamp of mine) now on top of the desk hutch. (With my poor eyes I have always needed a lot of light.)

Now I can really move around with my laptop--from my chair, to the craft table by the window, to my desk. I do love my new laptop stand so much! Now I can hand-write over at my desk again. too--be able to see to write--whoohoo! (All the moving around from place to place in different positions helps my back and shoulders from going fibro-crazy on me.)

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The other lamp is on the art table. No more feeling I am going to singe my hair on the lamp when I am drawing or painting--hehe!

Duh! I could also use the art table, too, with the laptop stand or for writing. Aren't I living the life?! :):)

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With all this going on we didn't actually get to doing a Sacred Circle--again. So we told ourselves that we will next time...for sure! But, as usual, we had a good time just hanging out. I never care what we do. Love to see them and spend time with them...just because I really like them. My two favorite people in the whole wide world. :):)

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Meanwhile, I know I'll feel better in a day or so...the sun is hiding just below the horizon...Karma is sleeping on the footstool/ottoman...supposed to maybe hit 40 again today. Life is good!

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I'm blessed. I have more than one. :):)

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"Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly."

George MacDonald

Tuesday-2:30pm

Been in the 30s for a couple of days. Miss Karma has been spending more time at the porch door--hehe!

She's still not totally convinced it might not be freezing out there (wise cat) so she sits silently and doesn't cry to go out. (There is a "you cry, you go out whether you like it or not" rule here.) So she sometimes nearly dozes off waiting next to the door--hehe!

I noticed that there is now a big white roofing machine parked where the yellow one was. They must have taken the yellow one off to be repaired. (Remember the roofer who was stuck for hours on the frozen roof?) With our spring-like weather, maybe they're actually thinking about coming back and finishing the job?

My big thrill! (People bored with pen and ink talk can skip this green part--hehe!) I signed up for "Ink Drop" with The Goulet Pen Company.

http://www.gouletpens.com

I could hardly wait to get my ink samples for March!

They arrived yesterday.

Yes, one label was put on upsidedown--hehe!

It's an ink club. Each month I'll get five ink samples to play with.

These are the ones for March.

I already own Baystate Blue, which I love. I'd been looking at the Kung Te-Cheng and now I know it is a nice almost navy blue.

So glad I came across them thru the videos of the owner of Noodler's Ink--a unique and opinionated man.

http://www.youtube.com/user/InkNeedLastForever

(I love Noodler's inks!!)

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I am in seventh heaven! Goulet's do also sell samples of the various inks they carry if you're not in the club or you just want to see what some specific ink is like up close and personal--so I don't plan to ever in this lifetime buy a bottle of ink and find out I am disappointed again--tada! They even have a blog and an interactive hour online every Tuesday night so you can ask questions and find out what's new (or watch later if you were busy, as I often am). A young couple own the shop and he makes various videos for youtube, also, to demo the pens and inks they carry.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheInkNouveau

They recently expanded to carry Lamy (love those) and have another brand lined up that hasn't been revealed yet.

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Anyways, did I mention seventh heaven? Ink Nirvana? :):)

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Made it over to the new dentist's office yesterday. Had a chipped tooth that needed fixing. So nice to have a real waiting room with carpeting, a TV, a bathroom, comfortable chairs--and not to have a "no weapons allowed" sign over the receptionist's desk--whoohoo! Everyone was really nice. The dentist was fast and yet didn't make you feel he was rushing at all. Did a nice job, too--can't feel any roughness. And I get to see him--the very same dentist--again the next time! I am soooo happy!!

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Tonight is Sacred Circle. Dagan and Leah plan to be over after work. Always look forward to seeing them! It has hit 42 degrees!!! I just checked! Wow!!!

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Hope everyone is doing well.

Please say a prayer for all those people in Japan.

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"When the bridge is gone, the narrowest plank becomes precious."

Hungarian Proverb

Monday-9:30am

Good Morning!

Well, I never made it over to the Stamp Expo. The roads were looking way too icy for me, so I decided to stay safe and sound at home. This afternoon I go to the new dentist, but it is supposed to get up above freezing and a lot of the ice has melted off the roads, so it should be fine out there today. :)

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Okay--the Ask and Receive method.

I listened to a talk by Sandi Radomski and Thomas Altaffer. This method is based on the fact that we each have a higher self that knows more than our ego self. This is a way of surrendering your ego to that higher self or that spark of God that resides in us (my interpretation). You kind of meditate or get yourself in the right place and then you repeat:

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1. There is a part of my being that already knows how to_______.

2. And that part of my being is willing to inform the rest of me now.

3. It is doing so now with grace and ease.

4. My mind, body and spirit are receiving the information now.

5. Information transfer is now complete.

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You can ask for something as simple as "how to eat proper portions" or as complicated as "how to adjust the frequency of my body so that ______ cannot live within my body" (infections, cancer, etc). But the more specific you can be the better, I guess--and present it in a positive form.

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They said fear is the underlying issue for inflammatory diseases, cancer, etc--and fear is a lack of love. (I can see that.) What I like is that you don't have to go back to the why--may not consciously know why, anyways--you just have to ask for the help and guidance. I see it as more of a "where do we go from here" way of thinking, which fits me much better. And it is totally faith-based, from my point of view.

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So, I find this much more compelling for me than the tapping. To each his own, right?

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Not that I might still not try to find my own version of the tapping. ;)

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Anyways, I have just been repeating this every night before I go to bed. Sometimes once, sometimes several times. I may be being too general in the knows "how to be healthy"? But I have soooo many health issues that I thought if I kept repeating it long enough...?? :)

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Well, I have to finish getting ready for the dentist's.

May this be a good week for everybody!! :):)

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I don't want to miss my future.

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"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future."

John F. Kennedy

Saturday-9:45am

Darn! I thought it was warmer out there. Only 8 degrees. We have rain/sleet under the thin layer of snow and, when it is this cold and we just lost the morning sun behind a blanket of clouds, it's not going to melt off the roads very quickly. I had hoped to make it over to K&Krafts Stamp Expo (10am-1pm) to check out all the demos. Not sure now. :(

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Well, there was sun about an hour ago. :)

For those of you who don't know, rather than pay for actual cat treats I buy regular dry cat foods for Karma's "treats" and keep them in small jars in the end table. This silly way of eating her food here from this cat bed has developed over the years. She thinks of her actual cat bowl of food in the pantry as mere back-up food when I am sleeping and her tea tin and cover are empty.

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(Don't tell her, but she is actually eating 90% diet food--LOL!)

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I have gotten some play time in the past couple days! Colored in rubber stamps with my new copic markers...

...and--even tho I don't like how this card turned out--here's what I did with the sew easy.

I learned not to use thinner paper to sew on. And I ran the sew easy along the side of a big heavy book to keep it in a straight line--but I need to find a book with a stiffer spine that doesn't buckle or something else solid I can use that's at least an inch high. I never thought about how tricky it would be to match up the sides if you are punching a "frame" around something. Worked--but I picked the simplest attachment--the straight stitch--to start out with.

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Was thinking that if you didn't want to accidentally punch in the corner maybe you could cover it with a piece of hard plastic or something? Hummm...just thinking out loud.

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Anyways, nice to be playing again a little bit. :)

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Well, we did have sun for that little bit this morning--and here's Karma pawing at her catnip while she warms in the momentary sunshine.

Oh, yesterday I suddenly had no blogs listed that I was following on my blogger dashboard--zero! My entire list was completely gone. Took three times of refreshing the page before they were suddenly all back again. ?? I have heard of other people losing blogs on their following list, so I hope I haven't lost anyone. Must be some glitch with blogger. :(

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I've been being a "good girl" and doing my soul comfort sessions every day. Not sure if I am doing things the right way, but I just show up. :) I guess I don't need to try to fix myself "enough" on my own first, you know? Or figure out how this is supposed to work before I do it. Or wait until I think I am worthy--(or it will never happen--LOL!) Just show up and be there and let it happen. It will work out as it is supposed to. Doesn't matter how long it takes for me to get better at it--or if I ever do. Just show up. :):)

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I'm listening to these different audio recordings by several different people for a couple of online series and I did come across one that I, personally, like better than the tapping for changing/releasing those old blockages--but maybe I'll tell you more about it next time. I'm trying to limit myself with my online time, too. So, happy, happy weekend! Talk again soon!! :):)

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P.S. I am working on my heart of hearts. ;)

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"We cannot achieve more in life than what we believe in our heart of hearts we deserve to have."

James R. Ball

Tuesday-9:45am

It's not like we don't have our own signs of the impending spring. May not be daffodils, but as the sunny days become longer the snow slowly slides off the roofs. ;)

Bought postal stamps this month and made an order from www.susanascustomartandcarddesign.com

The package arrived yesterday!

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Now, what was so exciting? This little contraption called the "Sew Easy" that I have been waiting to come back in stock since somewhere around last fall or winter. Been so long I can't remember. One of those new toys that came out (when I didn't have the money) and by the next month they sold out and nobody had them. I've been checking all over the place online every month since then. ;)

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Stitching on cards has been popular for a long time. But dragging out your sewing machine is just that--a drag--and my old machine can only do straight stitch or zig-zag, anyways. You can sit and use plastic templates to poke individual holes so that you can hand sew--and that was a more practical choice for me, but kind of hard on my bad arm. When I saw this "Sew Easy"--a small roller that pierces holes for you--I knew I had to have one!

Susana's had all the extra attachments back in stock except for the scalloped one. I'll pick that one up later on. I also bought the piercing mat and some extra needles. One needle comes with the handle that comes with the straight stitch attachment.

I saved all the backs of the packages for the examples of how you can use the series of holes to make different designs. And you can use them any other ways you can think of.

Here's what the piercing end of the attachments look like.

Yes, I do need to work in some play time here soon. ;)

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And remember the winter trees I made with the white Flower Soft?

I got a couple more colors. Heather...

(didn't fluff that one enough)...and Sweet Pea.

Be good for flowers or spring trees, I think.

I move them into these small jars.

They never fit back into the tightly packed original packaging and you do need something to keep them in after they are fluffed up. I've seen a variety of containers online that people use. I like my little mason jars. :)

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I got a packed-full little thank you gift bag, too! Look at all the goodies! Wow! That was really nice of her. Such a good company to buy from.

And Karma got her packaging to sit on, too. Happy girls over here.

After buying stamps for mailing and the sew easy & flower soft...well, no money left for the extra shelving for the bookcases and for the corner in the bedroom. Again. And next month I have plans to save all my birthday money for something special. So it will probably be May or June before I can resume organizing around here. I just shut my OCD eyes--ROFL! ;)

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Well, let's see...

Caroline had to switch to Wednesday (tomorrow) because of a meeting. This week I want to go drive by the new dentist's office so I know where I am going before my appointment on Monday...

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Oh, the online Kabbalah classes were not what I expected. It would be like--well, if you knew nothing about the bible and were thrust deep into a bible study class discussing a couple verses without any context of the overall message, you know? Not for beginners, I guess. I passed on those.

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The tapping classes...well, as you know, I've been reluctant about them. I listened, but I didn't participate but the first couple times. Since then, I have gone online and read more about the tapping process. There are different places to tap in addition to the ones they used in the series I listened to--the sides of your thumb and fingers, for example. I looked on youtube, too. Some people use both hands at once to hit both sides of eyes, etc. Anyways, it is basically what I had thought--you are bringing up the negative emotional reactions in order to release or reprogram the automatic responses you have to them.

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I can see how that may have its own logic to it. They claim it will work even if you have no understanding of how it works. They say we store memories in our bodies and that is very likely true. This tapping is supposed to work on the body's nerve memories--the meridians.

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I know from the times I was hypnotized that I do store memories physically, even when I do not remember them consciously or visually--my body remembered. So, it would seem like there might be something here that might work for me...but that saying negative things out loud doesn't feel right to me. What I have thought of is this...maybe if I don't speak the negatives and I just allow myself to silently go back and feel it while I am first tapping--but then later do the speaking of the positives out loud...???

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I might try my own version. :)

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Anyways, I have been working of this kind of stuff all morning, as usual, and I could continue...but I think I'm going to take a food break, turn on the TV, and hope I have some energy to play with card making toys this afternoon. Been very tired lately--on the low end of the fibro cycle. You know I'm dragging if I'm too tired to play with new toys--hehe! Nothing new...just the usual weak, noodle days.

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And--no--I haven't been doing the soul comfort sessions. And--yes--I do feel better afterwards. Logic has apparently nothing to do with it. My issues run deep, deep, deep...like there's a subconscious battle taking place.

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Remember the old cartoons with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other--both talking in an ear? When it comes to everything else I am listening to the angel...but when it comes to the soul comfort panic...can the devil completely block something out of your mind? ROFL! I can talk or think about it, like right now...go eat lunch and completely forget about it the rest of the day.

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There's a deep, deep fear involved. I feel the panic in my guts. Takes me a long time to settle down if I do finally do a session...and it doesn't seem to work right. I never had any problems or hesitation when I wasn't involved or included...

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...so I work on healing me. Every day. I haven't given up, by any stretch. Sometimes, no matter what you do, things move at their own pace.

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Okay--that was bizarre! I am sitting here typing in my chair and this music came on Pandora (similar sound to my Music To Disappear In that I use for SC sessions) and it just happened--right here--right now--for the past several minutes. A mini soul comfort session!

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That tingling, comforting, lifting up energy coursing down thru my body...I cry and cry these days. Not that it hasn't always made me cry, but it does feel more personal somehow...closer. Even tho I know it flows thru me and outward.

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Here it comes again. Bye.

I think GA is done waiting for me today. :):)

Loveya!

Monday-3:45pm AAADD

Can't stop giggling!! Just had to post this!

Sunday-8:45am

Yesterday I was surprised to hear the back up beeping of the roofer's big yellow machine in the parking lot.

He moved forward with that cage-like piece and just parked everything here for a couple of hours (possibly a lunch break, considering the time).

Later in the afternoon I could see the top of a big truck parked between the garages back there. Flatbed most likely. You can see the cage-like contraption was put on the back of it by the big yellow hoisting machine.

I forgot about them.

This morning...

...a light layer of snow making the world all clean and bright.

And no roofer's machinery.

But they just left the scattered mess of the plywood, pallets, and some big hunk of metal...

...so that--still--nobody can park there in any of those spaces. *sigh* Do you think they needed the equipment for another job that they are actually working on?

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There's a part of me that would like to take a match to that messy wood pile.

*she snickers evilly*

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The snow continues here, but they're only predicting an inch or two and temps in the teens. I've been happily on days. Watched the new version of Alice In Wonderland with Johnny Depp. Burton never fails with strange and dark. Anyways, hope you are all having a nice weekend! :)

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I'm not sure if I posted this quote before because I do enjoy it and have seen it several times--but, if so, once again...

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"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them."

Eeyore, Winnie-the-Pooh

Thursday-2:45pm

So funny! The electricity went out this morning and it was absolutely freaking Karma out. I didn't take this video until over half an hour of silence and she was still jumpy and hadn't slept a wink. I know I shouldn't laugh at her, but I do. :)

The power came on toward 8:30 or so. Good! I was worried about the delivery guy from Cashwise having to haul my groceries up three flights of stairs on his dolly--luckily he didn't come until much later in the day. BUT--he did say he had that very situation somewhere else in Fargo yesterday. What is it with the power outages up here, eh?

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Anyways, just a chuckle for you today. :)

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This one's for Karma--ROFL!

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"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."

Eleanor Roosevelt

Wednesday-10:30am

Dagan and Leah came over after work and we ate, but never did get around to doing Sacred Circle. They were tired and wanted to leave early, so I went to my list of techie requests. Turned out they still didn't leave early--hehe! Three computers with minor issues and a chatty mom can really be a drag, eh? LOL!

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Karma actually stayed out in the room for most of the time they were here until she finally hid under the end table. We always wonder if she is going to change and become more sociable. Evidence more of our optimism than Karma's ability to change. :)

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Dagan had been sitting in my little lounger and after they left I went to sit down and the foot thingie got jammed part way up. I got out and managed to pull and jiggle it up and back down. Tried again--same thing. Harder to get it back down again the second time. So, I left it and called Leah (our Tool Girl). Just had to tease Dagan about breaking my chair, because he has the magic touch with computers--hehe! They're going to stop by after work tonight.

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Seriously, tho--this chair of mine is 14 years old and I've had troubles with the foot lever a couple other times in the last few years but Leah flipped it over and was able to fix it. So it wasn't Dagan--LOL! We're hoping she can work her tool magic again.

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So, in the meantime--I decided to use the burgundy footstool--which is from the broken chair in the garage--and I've been using with the glider rocker (Karma's chair). Yes, I have a hodgepodge of furniture--hehe! Anyways, this plan did not work well. Moving the footstool instantly thrust it to the top of the Karma interest scale--ROFL!

Karma is used to climbing up on my lounger and curling up between and across my legs. Well, once she took over the footstool...

...there was no room left for my feet! She doesn't understand what the problem is. I finally gave her a ride on the footstool back over by the glider rocker. She hasn't relinquished possession yet. Snoring softly at the moment, as a matter of fact. ;)

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I wanted to tell you about a movie I watched a couple days ago:

Get Low.

I loved this movie!

There's a trailer you can watch on this imdb link.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194263/

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Oscar winners Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek team up to tell the true story of irascible Felix Bush, a backwoods Tennessee loner who planned his funeral in 1938 while he was still around to attend -- and enjoy -- the proceedings. Director Aaron Schneider's deft blend of dark humor and poignancy also stars Bill Murray as Frank Quinn, the huckster owner of a failing funeral home, and Lucas Black as his dubious assistant.

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I know everybody has different tastes in movies. But if you like quieter, slowly unfolding, character driven movies with great acting and subtle humor, then you will absolutely love this movie! It is "based on" a true story, so it shouldn't have said "true story" as it does in this Netflix description (watched all the bonus material). That Lucas Black is a fine young actor. Watched him in several movies since he was just a kid. And Duvall...what can I say. Just had to tell you how much I enjoyed this one. :)

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Anyways, still one below zero up here in Fargo. Cloudy, white-gray, winter day. I'm going to order groceries for delivery tomorrow. I'm still on days. Life is good! :):)

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"Heaven and earth are threads from one loom."

Shaker proverb

Tuesday-10:45am

Good Morning!

Karma and I have just been hanging out in Fargo--hehe!

I just realized that it is March first and I have done nothing this year for crafts or art except make a few cards. I've been so totally immersed in my new daily spiritual practice that I quickly use up all my good hours and have nothing left to spare but what is needed for all the daily life stuff, you know? Been fun...and I am still going strong...but I need to cut back a bit and add in some time for play.

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I want to start my yearly birthday and Christmas card projects. I want to make some journals, too. Well, I always have a long list of projects lined up--hehe! Really need to incorporate some art and craft time in March, that's for sure. I'm starting to go into withdrawal!

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Not that my digging and mining hasn't had its fun moments, too. For example, I had to giggle when this thought came to me...

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If I am ever in doubt, I do have tremendous tenacity and strength of mind--just look at how fiercely I have clung to these negative beliefs all these years against all logical evidence to the contrary! LOL!

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And while still trying to find the gifts from the negative self-talk...

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I remembered going to see this lady psychic (who also did ear candling and I had shown up for my first experience with that). As I entered her home the first thing she said was, "It's a good thing you have some extra weight on you. You really need it to help you stay grounded."

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"Huh?", I said brilliantly in response.

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"Your energy is such an intense, high frequency...you need the physical weight to counterbalance it."

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I forgot all about that bizarre statement from the ear candling lady. Well, I have now decided I choose to believe that my energy has grown much stronger and higher in frequency. (Rather than I have just gotten fatter.) ROFL!!!

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*still giggling*

Anyways, Dagan and Leah are coming over for Sacred Circle tonight. I have been back on daylight hours for a couple of days now and sleeping fairly well. A bit on the restless side.

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Does anyone else ever go to sleep and wake up from a dream a few minutes later? I thought it was supposed to take like 90 minutes to reach REM sleep? This has been happening to me lately. Like I fall immediately into dreams. Strangest feeling. You wake up from a dream and think you've been asleep for quite a while--but you look at the clock and you just laid down 20 minutes ago? It is odd.

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Well, got to get moving today. Have a couple of quotes today. The first one is actually a poem from the Dyer book I am reading and the second one is from an Oscars tribute. :):)

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"Everyone

Is God speaking.

Why not be polite and

Listen to

Him?"

(poet) Hafiz

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"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."

Lena Horne