Saturday-1:30pm

Okay--let's get the bad news over and done with.

****

Finally made the eye exam yesterday with Dr. Dye.  No glasses for me.  Not yet.  I do not have double vision.  My vision problem is more of a bending, wobbly, shifting thing and prism lenses won't help.  He has to talk to the surgeon.

****

I had to take a deep breath.

****

Anyways, I had wondered why they were pushing the cataract surgery so fast and maybe this has something to do with that urgency?  I had swelling in the backs of my eyes and odd readings before the cataract surgery.  They did not know how much the readings may have been off because of the cataracts, but now that my lenses are nice and clear...well, I still have swelling and fluid in the backs of my eyes.  The left one has gotten much better at being able to see a straight line since the surgery, but the right one is still really off kilter.  That is the one with the weird saran wrap like film on the back, if you recall.  So the crazy jumpy warped vision issues are because of the swelling and fluid back there.  No easy fix with glasses.  No point in getting new glasses yet until this issue is dealt with.

****

Deep breath.

****

Dr. Dye is not sure what they will want to do.  They may want to try special eye drops for a while to see if they improve.  I might have to see a retinal specialist.  They might have to go in with a needle and try to suck out the fluid...not sure what the future holds, really.  Dr. Dye doesn't know.  This is not his speciality.  (I kind of pressed him to give me an idea what I might be looking at.)  They took another scan of the back of my eyes, Dr. Dye will consult with the surgeon, Dr. Grosz, and get back to me.

****

So.  

There you go.

****

I am going to try to focus on sending healing energy to my eyes.

****

And wait.

****

Still can't see close up.  Computer is still more difficult.  I am sorry I haven't been getting back to your comments and emails.  Not sure when or even if I will, but they are greatly appreciated.  Thank you so very much!!  Like I said, I can read here and there on the computer by enlarging the print to huge, so I do read and savor them all.  And I do pop in to read blogs.  Even occasionally comment.  But things aren't right yet for me and my goofy eyes.  Looks like it may be a while.

****

So, in the meantime...I do want to especially thank all my snail mail friends!!!  Hand writing is easier for me to read for some reason and something I can actually do more easily in return (mostly muscle memory--but no one has complained they can't read what I am writing--over fifty years of practice--LOL!).  Since I can't really do any other kind of detail work, can't read well, or spend much time at the computer...I really, really appreciate the hand written cards and letters so very much!!  If anyone new wants to write just pop me an email and I'll give you my address.  :)

****

Now, on to the happy news.  

Look what I saw nibbling there on the patio!      

A regular cottontail rabbit!

These are the ones I grew up with (Mpls, Mn).  They never turn white and look at those cute tiny ears!

I had seen some when I lived in Moorhead, Mn across the river, but not since I moved to Fargo.  Was sweet to see one up close...and this is actually a pretty large one.  :)

****

To help the slowly failing strength in my wrists/hands I ordered an OXO jar opener (black) and Leah found me a jar seal popper (red).

The jar opener has that rubber circle piece you use to set the jar on so it doesn't move around on the counter--slides right in along the backside of it for storage.  Pretty cool!  And they both work really well!!  I am delighted! 

For two days I cleaned out fountain pens. 

You know how I usually have my trays of filled pens--LOL!  Well, I have been waiting months for them to all go empty (still had a couple that weren't but just couldn't wait any longer--too used to having a big variety of inks to use).  The plan was to fill them all with actual ink bottles I own to test them out to see if they still (or ever) worked well or not.  (I remember some drying out so quickly in fine pens that they drove me crazy--but not sure which ones.)  Some of them are 30-35 years old--a couple maybe older.  As many of you know, I have been using ink samples from Goulet Pens for years!  Time to test out my own ink bottles and any that don't behave well will go into the studio to use with art projects.  :)

****

I discovered that both my Mont Blanc bottles had completely evaporated and dried up.  Obviously not air tight.  Interesting.  And the only J. Herbin ink I had (about 20 years old) formed a film of some kind.  I had shaken it so I don't know if it was on the top or bottom of the bottle, but it wasn't discolored like mold would be.  No matter where I tried to fill from the bottle the film sucked stuck and plugged.  Not worth straining the bottle, in my opinion, so that got tossed out, too.  

****

Okay...this gives me the perfect excuse to show you my pen cabinet--for those of you who hadn't seen it years ago when this exciting purchase was made.  (It's actually some kind of a gun or hunter's cabinet, if I remember correctly--real pen cabinets were totally out of my price range and I found this on sale!)  

****

From left to right on the dresser: my lone serape tetra in the fish bowl (Ian comes to search for it almost every time he comes over), my printer, and the beautiful pen cabinet!

I still do have a few bottles that don't fit inside on the top there because they are too tall--my large Noodler's bottles.

On the left hand side are the Noodler's (6 years old), then two sets of six Levenger inks (20+ yrs old), three Pilot Iroshizuku inks (newest--only a few years old--already know they work beautifully), and then the odd assortment of collected bottles on the right hand side (15-35+ years old). 

  All the Levenger inks and the odds and ends bottles are now in cleaned pens!! 

I know a few of you might wonder what is inside all those drawers--LOL!  So I'll give you a quick peek...any pens in here are clean and empty.  

****

Left: $3.00 Preppy pens accumulated over several years because I wanted to try the Goulet ink samples but didn't want to spend money on pens.  Right: the under $5 China pens from Amazon.

Left: rag, syringes, and brushes for cleaning.  (Oh, the bulb syringe for cleaning doesn't fit in a drawer so that is what you see in the front left hand corner of the very top with the bottles.) Right: some old calligraphy pens (none of which work very well) and my two Rotring Art Pens and a Parallel Pen for drawing.  

 Left: a red Metropolitan that didn't work but I kept in case I can fix it and the supplies for writing with invisible ink.  Right: three Noodler's pens and my Waterman (none of which work well at all), another rag, and my set of Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph pens for drawing (awesome!).

 A big drawer full of odds and ends--pen cases, a smaller bulb cleaner, different type of syringes, etc.

This big drawer has dip pen/calligraphy supplies.  All that special paper in the back left corner is blotter paper I pre-cut to fit my beloved wooden blotter.

Said bloved blotter...

Lastly, the bottom big drawer is filled with ink cartridges, converters... 

...pen parts and special tools. 

If you had any doubts about me being a pen/ink/paper/writing nut...you know now for sure that you were not mistaken--LOL!  (Tip of the iceberg??)

****

I spent a few hours filling cleaned pens with all those bottles.

Well, not all.  I still have my Noodler's ink bottles to test after these begin to empty out.  :)  How many pens are currently inked up in the trays?  Confession...26!! 

I may have to write letters in segments, but they are a different color each time I pick up a pen.  And yes--my OCD side does keep track.  You may be able to see a highlighter in each of the three trays.  I use those as place holders to keep track of where I left off--LOL!  And I keep a record of which pen has which ink in it using a small spiral notebook...with post-it tabs to keep track of which pen to use for my daily journaling (red tab), which pen to use next for letter writing (yellow tab)...and I divide up the three trays with the blue tabs on the bottom.

I started a brand new notebook, too, as long as I was at it and starting fresh.    

No crossed out colors at the moment.  Pristine.  For now.  ;)

****

Let's see...I at least managed to get all the stuff off my bedroom floor and on to the bathroom shelves.  Also got a few things from the pantry up there, too.  (Have not exactly been a bundle of energy.)

I did make a trip to the garage to bring out the patio snow shovel and the bird feeder, etc.  Brought in the bird water dish...and they were so happy to see it back! 

I was admittedly bummed out last night with the bad eye news...but this morning April the giraffe finally had her baby!  So stinking cute!!  

****

And then--look what I saw on the patio this morning!! 

OMG!!  

I was thrilled!!

A thirteen striped ground squirrel!! 

I was soooo excited to see one.  But also scared for it.  Just pray that nobody else around here notices it because if they complain again...the maintenance people will hunt it down and kill this little beauty.  :(

****

I was finally able to make it down to a library day on Tuesday (checked out an audio book) and to the Thursday "coloring" group (just visited).  Nobody has seen me around here for over a month or more--LOL!  Guess what I found out!?  We have a new part-time activity coordinator!!  Her name is Pam.  Whoohoo!!

****

  They are going to be trying out a bunch of new things--Meals On Wheels, a breakfast group once a week, a walking group, Cinco de Mayo taco night, Cookie Make n' Take, a community garage sale in May...goodness!  Things are looking up!  I am so excited to see this even if I can't go to most of it.  Just wonderful!!  [Only problem is I heard Nazare is trying to use Pam as his personal secretary/assistant--but that's another story.  She's new and I have faith that she will get her bearings and give him what-for.]

****

Made some bean soup while I was chatting with you--LOL!

Even had some leftover rice to toss into the pot this time.  Yummy!  Time to eat dinner.  I'll be back when I have something to share.  Thank you for being my friends.  :) :)

****

"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere.  Before him I may think aloud."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Saturday-3:45pm

Been a long time.

The jackrabbits are slowly turning dark again. 

I actually emptied the bird feeder and have it set to go out to garage for the summer.  The grackles are back...along with an assortment of small dark little birds...some of which are half the size of the house sparrows that stay the winter.  

Been hearing the geese passing through for many weeks...and what have I been doing?  Not much at all.  Been sick.  First I had a cold for over a week and then I caught a stomach flu that lasted over two weeks...finally slowly on the mend the last couple days.  Which means I had to cancel twice on the eye exam.  After the second time I just told them I'd call when I was well enough to make it...hopefully this coming week (Tues or Weds).  Facebook was kind enough to inform me that I was sick last year on my birthday, too--LOL!

****

On March 25th, when my cold was better and right before I came down with the flu, McFamily and Aaron came over to install the shelves in my pantry and bathroom that you may remember Leah had mentioned would be a great addition back when I moved in.  Well, she dropped them off on the 24th--whoohoo!!  Happy birthday to me!!

Before pics:

Could use extra shelves on the right hand side of the pantry--and an extra brace on that bottom shelf they forgot to install. 

An extra shelf up high on the other side for things not used often... 

...and the same high up in the bathroom over the washer and dryer. 

Leah, Dagan, and Aaron worked on installing the shelves while Ian and I watched Finding Nemo.  (Don't I have it good!)

****

After pics: 

Two extra shelves on the right hand side of the pantry--and an extra brace on the bottom shelf. 

Another shelf up high on the left hand side. 

And another high shelf in the bathroom.

And I bet those shelves don't bend for you when you look at them--LOL!  They do for me--in the pictures and in real life.  Freaky!  Yup--still dealing with the double vision and all the rest.  Hope all that will be resolved soon!  Very soon!

****

Things were kind of shifted about for installation.  I came down with the flu the next day after the shelves went in...so it took me almost a week just to move this stuff off my counter and stick it just anywhere in the pantry. 

The bathroom stuff...well, it is still stacked on my bedroom floor.  I decided that blogging won out on the priority list today, too--LOL! 

Meanwhile--I had thought I was better for a couple of days--no temp (but it returned)--so Leah made it over on a Thursday night for crafts.  She's doing everything because I cannot see to do any detail work--blurry and things moving about on me--LOL!  So, Leah has been working on the pattern pieces for us to make more ladies pads and panty liners.  First we draw around them and then go back and cut out all the pieces. 

We have quite a ways to go since I've had to cancel craft nights, too.  I just hope I didn't give this awful flu to any of them!  So far so good.

****

I got four Amazon gift cards for my birthday from generous people (you know who you are!!)--so I was able to order this Tonic guillotine cutter (easier on my wrists and hands)... 

...and a couple more of the caddies!!  You can see that first one I purchased off in the background there on the left.

We LOVE them and they are so easy to move about with that big handle.  Can stack and clip them together if you want to, also.  So those are my Amazon birthday presents for 2017--whoohoo!  Thank you so much!!  These are both so helpful for my weakening arms and wrists (and occasional arthritic thumb acting up now, too)--LOL!

****  

Want to thank everyone who has hand-written me letters and cards.  Handwriting is still easier to read for me than print of any kind and handwriting via muscle memory is easier than typing (and one thing I can pull off without being able to see clearly--LOL!).  I can read nice long emails or blogs on Mr. Rusty because Leah showed me how to enlarge the print really big...but it is still easier for me to hand write back.  Hopefully this will all change pretty soon.  If I can get in for the exam finally this coming week I should get my glasses within about a week after that...of course, then my eye doctor warned me not to give up on the new glasses for a few weeks to a month because it will be a big adjustment for my eyes.  *sigh*  BUT--I can finally see a light at the end of this long, blurry, warping tunnel!  :) :)

****

This is why I haven't been around much lately.  Easier still for me to enlarge the pages and read than to type...so I have mostly read blogs...but have managed to toss out comments here and there.  I still have emails I haven't responded to yet.  Sorry.  Just the way things are lately.  :(

****

I recently binge-watched the new season of Better Call Saul (one of my favorites now!) and Grace and Frankie.  Been peeking for a few weeks at April the giraffe's live feed to see if she's had her baby.  (Should be pretty soon.)  Now that I'm finally on the mend it won't be too long and I'll be able to begin reorganizing the pantry and bathroom shelves.  ;)  Not sure when I'll pop back in, but hopefully there will be no relapse or catching anything else (my immune system seems to have crashed since the surgeries) and life will get back to normal here pretty soon.  Whew!  What a year!  

****

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, wished me well, or even had a passing kind thought.  I appreciate it all--you all.  Blessings!!  :) :)

****

"Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted--a paved road or a washing machine?  If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul."

Rabbi Harold Kushner 

Friday-4pm

Good afternoon.

This was an unusual sight!  Three of the jackrabbits sharing seed so close together!  

They are not usually good at sharing.  First time I have ever seen this generosity of spirit...and haven't seen it since--LOL! 

****

Caught a shot of a jackrabbit, the two grouse, and some sparrows all visiting at the same time.  Note--no snow. 

Now snow again. 

Lots of paw prints the next morning.   

 It all melted again.  We then had below zero weather for fun and supposed to pop up close to 60 on Sunday before it gets cold again.  Sounds like there's been see-saw weather all over the place--and blizzards out east with tons of snow.  Just nutty!

****

Well, I want to apologize and explain why I still have blog comments and emails I haven't responded to for over a month.  It is because I still can't see very well close up even with the reading glasses.  The few comments or responses I have made are done when the eye strain isn't as bad and are usually brief.  I am not online much.  When I am--I mostly skim blogs or watch youtube videos.  Watching videos is easier, so you know what I've been doing more of--LOL!  Sorry.  

****

It's hard to explain but trying to read on paper or on a screen...well, the words dance, jerk and kind of crisscross each other.  It is hard to focus for any length of time and that gets harder as the day goes on with tired eyes and the perpetual headache.  I tried to draw a kind of example.  If I close one eye and try to read the lines have waves in them.  But the wavy lines don't match up from eye to eye--so they are constantly fighting each other.  

 

I have a set of three Costco 2.5 reading glasses and the pair of 1.5 pink ones borrowed from Dr. Dye.  Trying all four pairs--none of the waves are exactly the same from one pair to the next or from one eye to the other--LOL!  This is good news, I think, because he did say there were special lenses to correct double vision, right?  And with some of these various lenses I can almost see a straight line of print in one eye...and with one pair the usually worse (right) eye even went to the other (left) eye and the right eye could almost see a straight line of print.  So I think it is hopefully just that I need prescription lenses.  Which I won't have till probably in April.

****

But not being able to read or see close up has put a definite crimp in my days, I can tell you.

****

Leah and Ian were sick.  Ian had/has an ear infection.  I was feeling sick with a cold for a week, too, but nothing as bad as they had.  So Leah and I didn't have a craft night this last week.  I did make an extensive "baby steps" list for clearing off and organizing in the studio...which extended into the hallway and my bedroom, too--LOL!  You know how that goes.  Took a couple of days working 10-15 minutes at a time (hence the baby steps list), but I got things shuffled about and the tables cleared off in the studio so we are ready to set up the sewing machine for the next project.  

Nothing left but the Christmas cards which are almost done (and a dust cloth) on the black table.  I suppose I should call it the red table since that huge red cutting mat is always on top--LOL! 

I got the little art table cleared off, too. 

Removed the lazy susan from the taboret, filled the new handled plastic tote, and found spots for the rest of the stuff we had on the lazy susan all these years. 

Moved some things around up on top of these two bookcases... 

...so I could clear off the top of the tall skinny cherrywood drawers.  I want to buy another handled plastic tote for on top here. 

These satchels were on top of the one bookcase in the studio...now moved out onto the top of a hallway bookcase.  (And that stuff was moved into the top of my bedroom closet...the domino theory of cleaning, eh?  LOL!)   

I even cleaned out and rearranged the two Ikea carts.  Notice one empty shelf!  Whoohoo! 

Easier for me to do bigger things like this than to work on cards or type or read or write...

*sigh*

****

  I have been managing to write letters a little here and there.  Mainly because, even though it is still quite blurry, my hand can write automatically by memory.  ;)   Plus I am bored and restless...anxious to be able to do all the things I am so used to doing.  As I said before, just sitting and watching TV gets sooooo boring to me.  *sigh*  I am trying to be patient.  Sorry to the people I have managed to write to because I was probably cranky and whining to them, too--LOL!

****

But this is why you haven't heard much from me.  Which is probably a good thing, you know.  Between not feeling great at all, not being able to see that well within a foot of my eyeballs so unable to do hardly any of the things I love to be busy with, the constant headaches, internet issues I haven't felt well enough to call about, getting forms in the mail telling me I might be charged co-pays of over $700 for the eye stuff (more coming), the eight girls (grouse) have never returned since the first faux-spring, haven't seen Chester for a couple months, and I do miss my Karma...well, I am not very good company, anyways.

**** 

 But I will end with some pictures Leah's sister, Ariel, took of McFamily at the big aquarium at the Mega Mall when they went down for Dagan's heart checkup.  

(Ian loves Finding Nemo.) 

Looks like Ian had a fun time!  

****

So--for now--don't be surprised if you still don't hear from me for a few more weeks.  But I am loving each and every comment and email...even if I haven't answered all of them yet.  Well, most of them.  I can enlarge the print on the screen to read them cause Leah showed me how on Mr. Rusty.  ;)  And every letter and card are treasured (and more likely to get a response these blurry-eye-days).  Bye for now from this cranky old lady in Fargo--LOL!  I'll be better when I can freely be online and work on crafts and see to hook my bra--ROFL!!  ;)

****

"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet."

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Wednesday-9:45am

Good Morning!

Only the remnants of the biggest snow banks are left right now near me in town here.  We've had thunderstorms, ice, drizzly rain, snow, and wild winds.  Gone from the warmth of the 50s to single digits.  Never know from day to day what it's going to be like--winter or spring.

****

I did get the small table and the bird feeder out on the patio.

Since the first faux-spring when the grouse went nutty I have only seen two nervous grouse come by.  There's a few rabbits, but no Chester.  Can always depend on the flocks of sparrows to appreciate the easy meals, though.  ;)

****

Once I could see enough to DO something again (as long as it is not detail work), I started putting the double-sided tape on the backs of card parts we had previously cut out.  I got all these taped and ready to go!  Using little empty boxes to hold and separate them.  Went through six rolls of Scrappy Tape--almost seven!  :) 

****

McFamily went down to Minneapolis for Dagan's heart and pacemaker check-ups.  Dagan will need a new battery in about a year for his pacemaker.  Was soooo pleased to hear that Dagan is doing the very best of all of their Fontan patients--tada!  He doesn't have any subsequent health issues.  Others have had liver and other problems cropping up, but Dagan's doing fine.  So, they want to start doing some tests and gathering information next year so that they have a baseline for him.  Plus, since it is a small select group of people, just to have more information for comparison...kind of like for a Fontan study, you know?  So, very good news!

****

 They stopped at Ikea on the way home.  For me, they picked up a floor mat to cover the buckling, tearing linoleum (awesome!)...   

...a long, red shoe horn (my new black shoes crumple terribly in the heel).. 

...and two more boxes for storage that I haven't put together yet.  Sweet!

If you can see the boxes in the studio mess--LOL!

****

Since this is my birthday month you won't be the least surprised to know I ordered myself some pens.  (It's almost always pens, inks, and/or paper.)

Yes, those are the reading glasses from Costco.  And below are the gaudy pick pair of reading glasses lent to me by the eye doctor.  (Explain in a minute.)  I got a TWSBI ECO (front one), an amber colored Pilot Cavalier, and two Lamy Al-Stars!! 

I had a TWSBI Mini I bought just a few years ago (you can see the comparison in size to the ECO on the left) and a Cavalier I bought maybe 20 years ago (the baby blue one on the right).  Love both of them!  You can see the new amber Cavalier is larger than they used to make them. 

I have my two old Lamy Safaris (around 35 years old) but I have never owned a Lamy Al-Star (aluminum version).  Since I replaced the old worn-wide nibs on my old Safaris I have been loving my Lamys again.  (The Safaris were the first nicer fountain pens I ever bought.)  Now I have the blue-green and the pacific Al-Stars!  Whoohoo!  Aren't they pretty colors?

The funny part is that I spent a lot of time trying to unscrew the TWSBI ECO and couldn't do it.  Had Leah try when she was here yesterday.  Turns out--it doesn't come apart--LOL!  Apparently, you have to fill the ECO with the plunger.  Can't fill it with the syringe like I am used to doing with all my pens.  

Between me not being able to see close up and Leah not knowing anything about fountain pens and taking my uninformed word for it--well, it was pretty darn funny that we spent all that time trying to take a pen apart that was (as far as we can tell now) in one solid piece.  Maybe you had to be there.  One of those ass-u-me situations--LOL!

****

The wild pink glasses--LOL!  Since when I am in my chair I can no longer read the old McLap on the laptop table because it is out of the 8-12 inch range, Dr. Dye lent me this pink pair that will help me see a little farther out so that I can now see McLap.  (But of course, then I can't see the TV with the glasses on--ROFL!)  But these seem to be more of a 10-14 inch range or maybe a little farther.  

****

I am still having trouble with some double-vision and eyes not focusing together quite right--but Dr. Dye said that there are special lenses to help with the double vision if it doesn't go away as my eyes heal up (and my old brain adjusts-LOL!).

****

Will be nice when I get glasses where I can see everywhere at once just moving my eyes up and down my lenses (tri-focals).  I go back on the 29th--day after my birthday.  Oh, and I didn't make the appointment I had for the follow-up on Monday (wasn't feeling well-IBS) but made it there yesterday instead.  Ian woke up with a cough and cold yesterday so he stayed home with Aaron (Leah's brother)...and by last night Leah was sick, too.  Hope they are feeling better soon.

****

Okay--I usually keep my blogs time sensitive from my previous posts and in chronological order...but I forgot I had taken a video of Ian one afternoon a couple weeks ago when he and Leah were here after an eye doctor visit.  Just some snacktime at the table at Gramma's house.  Oh, the lights he was watching are the colored twinkly lights around the patio door that I kept up since Christmas.  (And they will stay up all year round just because Gramma likes them--LOL!)

****

And now for the big news!!

****

Drum roll please!

****

There is going to be an addition to McFamily come the end of August!!!  :) :) :)

****

Leah gave me the okay yesterday to make it public.  Ian will have a baby brother or sister this year.  Now that is exciting!!

****

And, that news kind of leads me to the second bit of news.

****

We were thinking about Annie, their super-super-shy cat.  Since I was saying if I got another cat I wanted an older one...Dagan and Leah asked what I would think about taking Annie.  It would be on a trial basis--because we want Annie to be happy.  She's already scared of Ian...well, of everybody...and now with another little human on the horizon...

****

  Annie had originally been rescued from the streets--was pregnant or had just had kittens.  A older lady Dagan worked with got Sammy and Annie and had them for a few years.  They needed to find a home for them and that's when Dagan and Leah took them.  Annie is somewhere around eight years old--already fixed and declawed (rules here).  It's just mainly if she would like it here.  I've checked with the vet about getting another cat and they said it was okay.  I will double-check online before we move her, though.  

****

Dagan has to catch Annie and put her in the basement when they have company otherwise she won't eat or drink or go to the bathroom and just hides under their bed the entire time.  She still runs away from everybody, doesn't like to be picked up (doesn't hiss or fight--kind of goes limp in resignation if she can't push away, but escapes at the first opportunity).  She will voluntarily accept what Dagan calls "drive by petting" where if you are sitting in a chair she will walk under your hand for a pet.  Took a couple of years before she would let me do drive-bys.  :)

****

With another baby coming they are just worried about how Annie will handle it and if they'll hardly ever see her, you know?  We all are hoping that she would really like a nice quiet home better...and she already knows me...but you never know with cats.  Annie has only known being a shadow in a busy house and she might be more freaked out being center of attention, you know?  The plan is for Annie to try it out and we'll see how she does.  Not until April or May.  I want to have my new glasses and be used to them--plus I want to have the new shelves Leah is going to install in the pantry and bathroom first (better organized cat stuff and not a lot of scary drill noise when Annie is here--LOL!). 

****

   So, that's what's happening up here.  I can see better to write (but not close/detail work), still have headaches and can't spend a lot of time online, but will have new glasses by April.  New McFamily baby on the way, Dagan's top dog of the Fontan kids, and Annie coming over this spring to see if she likes living with this old lady.  It's a gorgeous, sunny, cold (17 degrees) day.  My frig/freezer is quiet and cold.  I have a clear mat over the bad spot on kitchen floor.  Even have some of my French Vanilla International Cafe cans in the cupboard.  Life is good!  Getting better as the year goes on.  ;)  

Till next time...

****

"How we spend out days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

Annie Dillard