Thursday-3pm

Dagan and Leah came by after work and we had Subways. We watched the Oprah show on going green. (I got excited for the earth and for us all over again--hehe!) Leah finished embossing all the business cards that she had.

I had really overdone it on Tuesday with the sketching (sore), so I was being pretty good yesterday until I did play a little pyramid solitare very late last night. Karma kept me company.

Quiet, warmer day in Fargo. :)

Wednesday-3:15pm

I got totally lost playing last night--with the Triplus colored pens and the Micron pens! Forgot to set my timer. Am paying for it today, but not as badly as could have been, I guess. :) Will take it easy today. Dagan and Leah are coming after work. Leah is bringing Subway! I will have to pass on crafts tonight. My body is forcing me to take it easy--hehe! I promise I will be good....

Tuesday-3:45pm

Yesterday was my bus trip to the West Acres Mall. I want to keep making the short trip to the mall and walking for exercise. That is the plan! Trying not to be housebound! :)

To show you that there is just nothing to walk to around where I live--this is the view from the bus bench looking south.

And this is looking north. Used to be just all flat fields. Now it is all new apartment buildings and residential.

When I got to the mall I went on a walk up and down the hallways. This is my favorite sitting area that I found and it is close to the bus stop waiting area--right down the hallway. I sat facing the very overcrowded, very large fish tank.

I was in the light brown chair to the left of the couch--sitting and writing to my aunt, Mary Lou. :)

Then I went out for another swing around the mall before I caught the bus home. In one hallway they have the Roger Maris Museum.

Here's a close up of the plaque for you baseball fans--not that you can read it--hehe! Maybe you can if you click on it and enlarge it, I didn't try.

They have this tiny room where you can sit and watch a video about Mr. Maris. I must confess that I have never watched it. Maybe some other time. But that is the "museum"--some windows in the hall and this little room.

At the other end of the mall by the food court is Creative Kitchen. They are having their Food Expo this weekend and I am planning on making another bus trip to go to it and watch the demos. I wanted to take a shot of it as it is normally and then I'll get a shot at the Expo--if I remember.

This is the view looking out from Creative Kitchen of the Food Court. It is quite huge! Lots of places to sit and sketch in the future, I guess?

I turned to my left and shot the eating tables they have on either side of the big doors at the Food Court end of the mall. Was pretty quiet on a Monday afternoon, I must say.

On my way back to the bus stop area I snapped a wider view of where I had been sitting by the fish tank. They have some kind of TV on the other side. I didn't check that out this time, so I don't know if it is advertisements or what is on it? Couldn't really hear it very well from where I was sitting--but then I already have hearing loss in my left ear.

Then I turned around to snap a picture of the directory--and some man who works for the mall came up with a scowl and demanded to know why I was taking pictures!? No lie! I explained it was for my blog and he laughed and walked away. Strange. Is there some kind of mall espionage going on? Are there mall spies!? Do I look like a mall spy? And if I really was a mall spy, wouldn't I lie and say I was taking pictures for my blog?

This is the wonderful place they have built for people to wait for the bus. Very nice in the wintertime!

And here are shots of where you can wait outside, right in front of the inside waiting area. This is the right side as you look out--for non smokers. I went and waited out there after I took pictures--such a gorgeous day!!!

And this is the left side for the smokers. Employees come out there to smoke, too. In fact, I think these were all emplyees.

I was so exhausted--just from the trip to the mall when I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, either--that I was in bed by 7:30pm and woke up at 9:30am! Times like that remind me I have chronic fatigue syndrome, too. But it was such a good day and I am determined to ride up to the mall more often--gain confidence--and eventually start taking additional buses elsewhere.

Yesterday Dagan found out he had free pizza day at work--so he came over today instead. Showed me how to transfer my favorites to Google--to update them, I mean. I have already started to save them in cyberspace now! Love it! And we laughed at this cartoon on PBS that has a pig, cow, and a duck with Irish accents! Just cracked us up!

Caroline came to clean this afternoon. I just ate a sandwich. It is another absolutely beautiful sunny day like yesterday. The grass is mostly green now! Spring has finally arrived, I guess.

Tomorrow Dagan and Leah are coming over after work. Leah is going to do some more embossing on her business cards. We are going to watch Oprah that I taped--about going green!! Just in such a great mood! Happy, happy hobbling about today. Sure hope those earth shoes fit when they come and help me with the walking about. Have a great day, everybody!!

Monday-noon

Got caught up reading Dagan's book--the first book in the Dark Tower series I borrowed from him. I am re-reading the first three or so that I had read a few years back so I will remember what the heck was going on. Things can be so strange in Stephen King books. This is a very odd series, even for Stephen. Kind of a combination western, days of knights & quests, sci-fi, time travel, and mystical as far as I recall.

Watched a movie I really enjoyed yesterday, too--Hollywoodland:

When George Reeves (Ben Affleck), the actor who famously played the Man of Steel in TV's "Adventures of Superman," turns up dead, a dogged private eye (Adrien Brody) investigates and unearths a string of strange secrets. Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins also star in this gritty noir-style drama based on the true story of one of Hollywood's most infamous mysteries, a film that marks television director Allen Coulter's feature film debut.

I liked the fact that they didn't tell you what they thought actually happened, but just put out the possibilities and left you to ponder on your own--because they never did find out if it was murder or suicide. The thing I loved about the film was the time period, the atmosphere, and the interesting details of George Reeves personal life that I didn't know about. It didn't dwell on the Superman series and the movie was basically through the eyes of this detective. I loved how the detective's life was changed by his investigation of Reeves' life. There was a lot more to the movie than I had expected.

Dagan is coming over for lunch. I have some computer questions for him. He'll be here any minute----gotta go! :)

Earth Day!!! Sunday-4:45pm

I wanted to post a picture today, so I had to draw "Cookie" for a while first. I have to do a sketch with pencil first and then use the pen. In the EDM Yahoo group they encourage you to sketch in pen--but I have a ways to go before I am up to that--hehe! That's okay. I am doing what I feel comfortable with--and even that is really pushing me! :)

Happy Earth Day!!!!!

Saturday-1:30pm

I finally got back to sketching last night and got another EDM done. Glued my former cup picture into this new book--hehe! Waste not--want not, right? It was the very first sketch I had done, after all. :)
I haven't gotten a lot done since I came home Monday night--just wrote a few letters and managed to wash clothes. Watched some Netflix movies. Feeling better and more back to normal now. :)

Last night we had a thunderstorm move in. I quick grabbed Karma's porch perch and brought it inside before it got soaked--not thinking that, of course, she was going to want to sit on it inside. Anything new intrigues her.

Looked like it was going to be a really bad spot at first.

But she settled in, relaxed, and left the fish alone. It was funny to see her paw the front and sides of the tank trying to catch them, tho. She has no claws, so she can't hurt the acrylic tank. It kept me entertained for a long time watching her, tho--cat entertainment--the best! Like I say--she makes me laugh every day!!

Wednesday-2pm

Had a wonderful time! And the trip went much, much better than it did last time. Must be a combination of the Shaklee and The Secret, eh? Those are the only changes since last July...??

Here we are at Mary Lou's kitchen table on Sunday afternoon after we ate. Standing is my son, Dagan. Right in front of him is his wife, Leah. Clockwise--Mary Lou, my aunt, is sitting with her back to the camera. Renee, my younger sister. Denise--Mary Lou and Irving's niece (his brother's daughter) who I call my "kinda cousin"-- :) And Joel, Renee's son.

It was so wonderful to be sitting around the kitchen table again! Many fond memories--and I miss this so much since I moved away to Fargo/Moorhead.

Leah got a really funny shot of Joel!!

And a candid shot of me.

Dagan and Leah went to the Shaklee Excite Seminar on Friday night and Saturday during the day. They met the Fargo group of distributors--who meet twice a week!! Wow!

Great to have a support system. They won't be able to connect up with them for a while because they have things going on and will be gone next weekend to Saint Cloud--but they will go to the meetings as soon as they can.

Mary Lou had a funeral come up that she had to attend on Saturday afternoon. I read a few of my emails that afternoon--was told that the Rapidograph ink is bad for other pens and can ruin them--so I emptied the pen out at Mary Lou's to be safe. I am sure glad that I found this EDM Yahoo Group! They know so much (learned a lot of things since I joined) and it is a good place to ask questions. They don't make you feel stupid for asking beginner questions, either. Such a supportive group!

Dagan let me borrow his new memory foam pillow while we were there. I LOVED IT!!! I slept so well every night, too--just cradles your head so perfectly--soft, yet supports. So, he let me keep it when we got home. I can pay him back and he'll get a new one. I want another one to use as a body pillow, too, since the cheap foam body pillows I have purchased go flat so fast. These memory foam pillows never lose their shape--and this one comes in this longer queen size. (Having the body pillow helps with my hips and knees--arthritis--when the pillow is not flattened out--hehe!)

The trip home was longer. I had to get out often--was very sore by that time. But last summer--I was in that shape on the way down! :) I was worried about how Karma and Miss Gracie had fared alone for three nights. I had been sending peaceful thoughts all the time I was gone and for about a week ahead of time before we left. They were just fine!! Karma didn't even get into anything??!! The scotch brite pad was in the living room on the floor and she had been playing in the bathtub and the shower curtain was partway out of the tub--but that was it!!! What a relief! They didn't even carry on that much when we came in the door. :):) Good! This means I can do this again sometime and not worry as much.

They are a bit insecure--especially Miss Gracie. She eeps away if I leave the room. I have had to stop and talk with her several times a day more than normal. But, she is settling down now. Karma spent a lot of time laying all over me off and on the last couple days--but she seems to have settled down a bit now, too. She was just showing me that she missed me, of course--needed a lot of snuggling. She needed a lot of play time with her string toys, of course, also.

I mostly caught up on just reading emails yesterday here and there--hobbling about. Today is better. But I didn't feel up to going and looking at houses with Dagan and Leah after work today. Just on R&R for now. My big project for the day--washing clothes. Was such a wonderful, wonderful visit, but it is always good to be home. :)

Thank you, Mary Lou, for everything! So good to see you, Renee, Joel, and Denise! Oh--and Dagan checked out fine with the cardiologist and the pacemaker check. Life is good!!

Friday-2:30am

Here I thought I was going to get extra sleep before the trip to Minneapolis--hehe! Check here to see what I was up to in the middle of the night:

http://soulcomfortsartisticside.blogspot.com

I know, silly, eh? Obviously the art/sketching/drawing does effect me on a core level, like I said. I even wake up dreaming and thinking about drawing! My subconscious is preoccupied with it, too--ROFL!!

I decided that I had best bring some art materials with--just in case--even if I will probably never touch them while I am there. They are packed. :)

We are leaving about 11am. I am hoping to catch a few more winks before then. Talk to you next week....have a good weekend!!

Thursday-7:30am

One of the watercolor sketchbooks I bought was sure a bad purchase. Talk about buckling!!

Went to look it up on Dick Blick--and come to find out that this one is made by the same company as the Nepal travel sketchbook I just dismantled because I couldn't deal with the paper. I had to laugh!! Both were made by Lama Li (and that company name wasn't on the new journal--only said Savoir Faire). So, I will never buy anything again from that company--hehe!

Couldn't blend--just weird, porous paper. Have to use a quite dry brush on it--just doesn't act like regular watercolor paper at all, in my opinion. (I know I am a novice, but it sucked!)

Anyways, we had Sacred Circle last night. Leah made fried egg and ham sandwiches before we started--very good. (I think I misunderstood her). Dagan and Leah have had the feeling that they should look for a house in town--an older house. Something with a bit of land, nice yard with trees, and an outbuilding or room enough to put up a building later.

They are focusing on the Shaklee business right now (and they both got angel cards that obviously supported them in this new venture!!). Then, if they have a smaller mortgage, Leah can gradually buy herself some of the equipment she needs for the crafts she wants to learn and eventually sell--like the pottery. She loves to work with clay, wood, glass, metal, etc. Eventually she'd like to be at home all the time--and just selling Shaklee and the things that she makes. Dagan will be learning more about building a website and the computer ends of things--and whatever else he wants to do to work out of the home, too. Then--when they are both working from home--they want to look for a place with land, etc--but probably not around this area here in Fargo-Moorhead. They'd be free to look wherever they wanted to if they worked from home--true! So that is the plan for now. :)

While we were occupied in the living room, Karma chewed apart one of Dagan's shoelaces! She has been just nutty about string lately!! What a stinker! So now any shoes with ties or shoelaces we'll have to put on the top of the shoe rack there by the door.

Yesterday when Jennifer was here she laid her purse on the floor--I was showing her some stuff on the computer--we turn around and Miss Karma was parked right by Jennifer's purse and was scooping things out with her paw. She had already removed her checkbook and some pens, etc. Jennifer gathered up the stolen items and zippered it away from Karma's snoopy paws and teeth!

I wonder how much damage Karma will manage to do while I am gone to Minneapolis? Silly girl! Speaking of--I may or may not post while I am gone. We are leaving tomorrow morning (Friday) and won't be back until Monday night. So, I might not be posting again until next Tuesday. I hope I remember to take some pictures!! My camera doesn't hold many, but Dagan and Leah's does--if they remember it--chuckle! Anyways, I am off to the garage to get my overnight bag....

Wednesday-10am

I finished the first couple pages!! Ta Da!! I love my new Moleskine Sketchbook! You can click on the picture to see it better.

I was so tired I was in bed by 9:30 last night--but woke up at 3:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. Was actually laying there thinking about drawing! Decided to draw the lamp on my headboard with the cool shade. Was harder than I thought--hehe!

I have an easier time drawing from a photo than from real life. So I was up snapping pictures of the different items for the EDM challenges this morning. Then sat down and drew for a while. Nice way to start the day.

Tonight is Sacred Circle. (I may need a nap!) Leah wants to make Eggs Benedict and said she is bringing all the supplies. So, I don't have to worry about making dinner for them, I guess. :) Then on Thursday I have to pack for the trip to Minneapolis!!

Right now--I am off to see if I can throw a little watercolor on the ink sketch I did yesterday...

Tuesday - 7:45pm

Yesterday my earth shoes came, but were a size 6 instead of a size 8--so had to return them. I got a return lable for UPS online from the company--but found out that it would cost me $10 for UPS to come back and pick up the package. So, Dagan came by over for lunch today and took the package to his UPS drop-off at work for me.

Caroline came and cleaned this afternoon. And Jennifer came by later on after work. I had a whole stack of books for her and she had a few for me. We caught up a little, she showed me her new Ipod, and we watched a movie from Netflix based on the longest running British comedy Last of The Summer Wine. Kind of odd. Three old codgers and a dead body of a friend--strange little movie. Okay, I guess. Not the best of the British--hehe! It was really nice to see Jennifer--been a while!

Yesterday I washed clothes and played around with the new Moleskine sketchbook. I am not going to take photos until I have both pages filled when the book lies open. I also started an ink sketch of a vase and flowers in the rough WC book with the deckled edges. After I get it painted, then I'll take a picture of that one, too. I just think I am too tired to do any artwork tonight. Plan to get to bed early.... :)

Monday-11:30am

Decision number one. I dismantled the Nepal sketchbook. It came to me that I could use the sheets for cardmaking and other crafts--and could recylce them when I make handmade paper for cardstock! I was so relieved. I love paper. But this particular paper (for me, anyways) needed some other outlet--hehe! We just did not connect.

Decision number two still plagued me: draw in pencil or pen? I played around on scratch paper with pencil this weekend--which was fun. With pencil I can adjust my shape and perspective errors a bit, but there's something bolder about drawing with pen that pushes my limits, too. My perspective is not perfect, of course, no matter which I use. I couldn't decide. Something wasn't right.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and took notes on what came to me:

I shouldn't be thinking of this as strictly a sketchbook--it is my illustrated journal. I should go back to how I felt when I was very young and first writing and drawing. There wasn't a defined difference to me between the drawing and the talking on paper back then. When I first started expressing myself on paper, I was about nine or ten years old. I went off alone with paper and pencil when I was upset, confused, joyous, pondering, frustrated, bored--didn't really have anybody I could talk to. I always felt that my guardian angel was kind of over my right shoulder--watching over me and helping me to see less selfishly and with a more spiritual perspective (whether I liked it or not--hehe!). It was just me and God and paper. Well, and God's representative, I should say--hehe! I thought of it as going to my safe place.

I remember writing around and around something until my perspective changed and it became clearer to me and I could find some answers, some peace. Or I just plain wanted to share my joy and excitement over something. And while I sat thinking (inbetween talking on paper)--I drew and doodled and sketched.

I woke up chuckling--thinking that paper is like a creativity "bib" for me. It catches everything that falls out of my mouth--my head--my eyes--my ears.....and it covers my heart. :)

Anyways, I am not afraid of the pristine journal anymore. It doesn't matter what I use to draw with--pencil, pens, colored pencils--whatever strikes my fancy. I could use something different every time--every page. There are no rules! No lines! It is my own space--my safe place. I can choose to share or not share. Freedom!!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Saturday-4:15pm

My Dick Blick order came yesterday! Happy (Belated) Birthday To Me!! Hehehehe!!! So exciting!! I handled them like ancient artifacts!!

The green square one to the left and the black one with the blue band are sketch journals with drawing paper. The other three are watercolor journals--the light green one, lower center, has rough, deckled edge paper. I am all set now!

Above is the EDM Challenge #2--draw a desk lamp or other lamp. I worked on that last night--in the same Nepal journal. Perspective was okay on the first one, but not so good on the second one. Drawing in pen is difficult for me. Especially since I haven't been sketching for many years and have always had perspective problems. The Nepal handmade paper is scratchy and bumpy--don't know how it would take pencil but I think I might have to try. Either that or switch over to a nice, smooth, new drawing book. ???

All this drawing has really taken me back in time. I never used anything but a No. 2 pencil back then--even the few times I have been drawing since I was a kid. Never ever sketched in pen--only used it occasionally afterwards when the drawing was completed--like when I illustrated a poster for the pet shop I worked at in Maple Grove about fifteen years ago. Maybe I need to go back to my own personal roots and use a pencil?

I really don't like this rough paper in this notebook (one reason why I hadn't used it but for that one color experiment--and it worked so terribly I never touched it again). And I didn't even want to use it for a writing journal--inclusions and scratchy. Not sure a pencil would work well on it, either, tho?

But I would feel too guilty just tossing this journal out (but which is honestly what I'd like to do with it). That is just too wasteful!!

It was a such a delight to have nice smooth paper delivered to me yesterday....??

I have to make a decision---today. If I decide to go back to pencil, I would start a new journal--and I would want to have another go at the shoe and my rose lamp--just to see what I can end up with pencil and eraser? I could keep a drawing journal just for the EDM Challenges....

But then I actually have to draw in one of the new sketchbooks!! That terrifies me! chuckle!

Having a pristine sketchbook--it's like worrying about scratching a brand new car. You know it is not going to remain perfect and without flaws--just have to jump in and drive!

Decisions....decisions...decisions....

Friday-2:30pm

When my sketchbooks arrive--I will be all set to wander about this summer to draw and paint. I already have a wonderful shoulder bag, portable paints, pens, brushes, and the rest of the things I'd need, I think. I've been using the bag for a purse since I got it--but I could easily switch it over. I actually bought it from Dick Blick--they sold it as an artist's bag. It is made by Overland--nylon backpack material, room for two water bottles (awesome for painting!) on either side in the outside pouches, and...

...lots of room inside the front flap for all sorts of small things--and pen slots. There's even a key clip on the end of the small black strap tucked into the top pocket.

There's a full pocket on the back, too.

Not huge inside. But the black folder you see holds a small 5 X 7 inch legal pad and it fits with room to spare. :)

Leah loved the bag so much when she saw mine that she ordered one, too, while they were still on sale. She and Dagan were going to New York for his stepbrother's wedding last summer and she got it because it held two water bottles for them and it was a sturdy, zippered place for their camera, her inhaler, etc--and she could put the strap over her head for security reasons as they wandered about New York. She has never carried a purse, but she still is using this bag. So--we actually have matching red bags! I am not sure if Dick Blick carries them anymore. They were on sale at the time we got them and I have never looked again to see if they still have them or if Overland still makes them?

Anyways--I have been visualizing myself healthier and, therefore, being able to get around on the buses this summer with my trusty "art" bag and my "earth" shoes. May seem like a little dream to most people, but it is a big dream for me. Dagan, Leah, and I still stop whatever we are doing at 5:30pm every day and visualize our dreams for a few minutes. This is one of mine! *big grin*

I finally feel more like myself today. Didn't get much done yesterday still. Not that I ever get lots done anymore--hehe! But--for me--I am feeling back to normal today. :)

I am going to go sip on some of my coffee and see if I can warm up my hands so they'll work for sketching today. :)

PS Here's a picture for those of you who have asked what I am talking about when I mention "my coffee"--hehe! Ahhhhh!

Thursday-3:45pm

I did it! Made a separate art blog yesterday so I can participate in the EDM Yahoo group. :) If you click on "View My Complete Profile" up by my picture and then scroll down to the bottom of my profile page--tada! Two blogs listed! Took me a while to figure it out, but a few years back I wouldn't have been able to accomplish any of this--chuckle!

Don't worry (not that you would--ha!), I will always post my art pictures in here, too--never fear. :) So, if you don't want to hear more about art and mediums and paper and pens and art supplies--don't bother to check the other one--ha!

I went shopping with Leah at about 4:15 and she left here close to 7pm. I stocked up at Target on things that aren't that exciting to buy, but you need, like toilet paper and kleenex. Got Miss Gracie some seed and millet sprays--Karma got some kitty litter--but I even had enough left over to get a few cans of my favorite french vanilla coffee!! Thanks Blaine and Kathy for my birthday trip to Target! Gracie and Karma thank you, too. :)

My head was so stuffed up and my ears were plugged. I realized that I must have been shouting when I talked to Leah all night. I felt like I was hollering down a long tunnel--sad! Still have plugged ears today, too.

Leah went to her first pottery class Tuesday night. Here it had been cancelled due to the snow storm--(radio and TV announcements which she'd never be aware of)--but Leah and two others showed up. The teacher happened to be there, anyways--so they had like an extra little private class!! Cool! She said she made a couple of things already--they will still have the full eight more classes, too. And she found out that she can go there any night and play on her own for the whole eight weeks!! Awesome!

Anyways, she was wondering what she should make. Well, I had a ton of easy ideas for her! We could use little pots to hold brushes and small and large ones to hold water for painting. And I have all those coffee cups around the house filled with pens that I would gladly trade for something from my wonderful daughter-in-law. Good grief! Just those items could keep her busy for some time! And she can play with the shapes and the glazes--and each one can be different. Now she is all excited!! Me, too!!! Here's a shot of most of the brushes at my place--watercolor, miniatures, and junk brushes. All the acrylic and oil brushes are over at Dagan and Leah's place. I have been collecting brushes for years--for crafts and then because I always knew I wanted to learn to paint. The blue and brown pot in the front with the finger dents I bought from a local potter, actually. Love it. Imagine how I'll love the pots from Leah!! :)
The snow was blowing so hard that it covered the entire porch--right thru the screen--all the way to covering the little metal table and the covered metal chair. Karma kept begging to go out yesterday to eat snow. I think she enjoys getting cold for some reason?

I ran into the cleaning lady for our apartments yesterday when I went to check my mail. She was scrubbing off the smeared mess that looked like ice cream that was all over the front side of the elevator--had been there for a couple of days. I just don't understand how people can be so filthy and destructive? We have had trouble since last fall with the torn paper, wrappers, pieces of food ground into the carpet, spills, drawing on the wall outside the elevator, scratching on the inside of the elevator door like with a key or something? They have posted notices asking this to please stop. Over time it has come to threats--saying that they'll have to raise the rent if this doesn't stop--that they will prosecute for vandalism. Nothing has stopped whoever is doing this. Not in our building anyways.

The cleaning lady said it was worse in our other building. Somebody was spitting on the walls!! Big dripping luggies! But she said when they sent out a notice to each apartment over there threatening prosecution--it stopped. Didn't stop them in this building, but I am glad we don't have the spitting!

The thing is--you think it is children--you want to believe it is children. But the spitting was high up on the walls. And the ice cream was smeared way up above the elevator floor numbers--near the top of the elevator. So--can no longer believe it is just children. I find it even more disgusting to know it is adults that are doing this--or at least part of it. And these buildings do not really have teenagers. There are very few one-bedrooms like mine. It is mostly 2 and 3 bedrooms for families--and they mostly have young children. That is all I ever see--younger kids and toddlers and babies. I don't think I've seen any kids over about ten years old, actually. It is a sad commentary.

I don't know what it is about human beings being ungrateful for the help given them? When Dagan was little and sick all the time so I couldn't work and ended up on welfare for years, I was soooo grateful to have been able to get into low income housing two different times back then. It is a gift when you are so poor--a blessing! It was the same thing back then, tho. I never understood it then, either. Dagan and I got into new buildings both times and I was appalled at how the tennants were defacing and destroying the apartments, the buildings, the grounds, and even the playground. Why??? It was poor, white, angry-about-something tennants. Sadness and anger go hand in hand--and it was a sad place, I guess--for them. I was happy and grateful to be there--just as I am to be in this apartment now. I love it here! Obviously others aren't so happy to be here, eh?

I wonder about things like that all the time. What it must feel like to be somebody who would smear food on the elevator walls to feel better? To be somebody who tosses trash and garbage in their wake everywhere they go? How sad for them to be so miserable and small of spirit. What a small world they must live in. Just hurts to think about it.

On a lighter note--hehe! I am feeling better every day--just need the new head cold to leave soon. Never did feel up to sketching yesterday--did write letters, tho. My Office Max order came this afternoon--so I have printer ink and card envelopes and my small canary yellow legal pads! TaDa! The free 12 pack of batteries was backordered and won't come for 4-6 weeks--hehe! I found that amusing for some reason. Karma takes periodic excursions into the world of snow. Gracie is eeping contentedly to herself. My computer is working. I am sipping on my french vanilla coffee. Life is good and I am grateful as hell--ha!! :)

Wednesday-6:45am

Good Morning! I am feeling better day by day. Finally kept food down yesterday afternoon--hehe! I think I will be able to go shopping with Leah tonight. I'll know for sure by this afternoon.

I want to go for another reason--to hear about Leah's first pottery class last night!! Exciting! She will be going for eight weeks on Tuesday nights. (Vicarious joy for me--something I would love to have been able to do, too.)

Yesterday, since I have been feeling so punkish, it came to me that I could order the Office Max stuff online and get free delivery because it would be over $50.00. So, I went ahead and ordered--it was meant to be--got a free 12-pack of AA batteries for ordering the HP ink cartridges online. :) They have a confusing tracking system, tho--and I have no clue when it will be arriving and whether it is all coming at once? Some items say 1-3 days and some say 7-14 days? Oh well, I am not in any immediate hurry for the items, actually. Still have a little of everything--a little printer ink left (black at least), a couple legal pads left...

Since I had birthday money in March, I also ordered a pair of earth shoes. I have been thinking about them for a long time. Since the heel is lower than the toes, it just might be good for my plantar fasciitis and help with walking longer at a time? I was confused by the European sizing and hope I got the right size? I wrote them a note to that effect, in case I got it wrong. We'll see. Couldn't resist--got some clunky tie on shoes called "Hippies" in denium--chuckle! So "me"! I have visions of walking about this summer in my hippie shoes with my sketchbooks and journals and pens....ahh! (Please Lord! Such small things give me such great joy!)

Well, we had snow--blowing, drifting snow. It had been like spring, but winter returned for a while. Won't last long, tho, this late in the season. It is blowing so much this morning I can't tell if it is actually still snowing or the wind is just battering the snow around out there? I suppose I could turn on the TV and watch the weather, but you can tell it is cold and yucky out by looking out the window--ha!

I am hoping to get another EDM drawing challenge done today. And I want to start a new art blog just for pictures and art related stuff. I will still post all my pictures on my personal blog, too--never fear. But if I have a specific art blog, then I can contribute to the conversations and the mega blog link with the EDM website! My goodness! How my life has changed since Dagan and Leah gave me their old digital camera, eh? hehehehe! Have a good one!

Tuesday-6:30am

This is my first EDM (Everyday Matters) challenge. #1 - Draw a shoe. I had trouble with perspective and the shoe is too short (my feet aren't that little-hehe!), but it went okay, I guess. Practice - practice - practice, right? Only 103 challenges left to go--ha! The next one is to draw a lamp.

This paper -- (it is from Nepal--ran across the description as I made an order for sketchbooks this morning) -- is terrible for watercolors. It just sucks up the water and gets all soggy. This morning I ordered some watercolor sketchbooks and some sketchbooks with regular paper from Dick Blick. This book will have to be strictly for dry medium.

During the night Sunday night Miss Karma, my string loving cat, destroyed the elastic band that holds the Nepal sketchbook together. I hope it snapped her good!

And Sunday morning I woke up to the touch lamp being on and the small jar of water for my watercoloring was tipped onto the table (good thing I just got the plastic to cover the table!). Karma either tipped over the water and jumped away and hit the lamp--or she stepped on or bumped the lamp and the light came on and scared her and she tipped over the water. She played with the water for some time after that, tho--there were little footprints all over the plastic from one end of the table to the next. Luckily it did not spread over to where I had a stack of magazines. Nothing was ruined. I guess I should draw that lamp for my EDM challenge--haha!

These are the Thank You cards I made for my wonderful birthday gifts! I used the new flower half punch--put sticky paper behind the flowers and covered that half with microbeads. Used the ribbons I found at JoAnn's and the new pretty paper pad we got at K&Krafts. I did these a while ago.

Here's the green version.

I felt drained on Saturday and fell asleep in my chair for three hours. Slept so-so on Saturday night--up and down a lot. We passed on doing Sacred Circle on Sunday. I was still pretty noodly and not feeling the best and Dagan had some other things he could do. We decided that maybe we should do Sacred Circle on Wednesdays because that is a good night for them. Just skip doing crafts or painting that week. Sounds like a good idea.

This Wednesday--tomorrow--I am supposed to go shopping with Leah. We'll see how I feel--if I am better. I was miserable all Sunday night--felt like I was going to throw up and even had an ice cream pail by the bed. When I finally got up--took my vitamins--and they came right back up. That is how the day went yesterday. Couldn't even keep water down. Dry heaves. Miserable. Pounding headache. Dagan stopped by with milk and he went down and got my mail for me. What a sweetheart! Was only awake 8 hours and went back to bed. Have been up since 3am. Still really queasy--but have kept down some water and a glass of milk (knock on wood!). The headache isn't as bad so far today--more tolerable.

Anyways, it's the 3rd and I have CashWise coming between noon-2pm today. That will about do me in for the day--just putting groceries away. I can always just put away the stuff for the frig and freezer and leave the rest. I called yesterday and cancelled Caroline for this afternoon. Switched her to next week.

Well, if I was going to be sick, good thing it is now. We are going down to Minneapolis--on Friday the 13th--I just realized that it is a Friday the 13th that we are driving down. Good thing I am not superstitious--ha! Dagan and Leah are getting excited about the Shaklee seminar they will be going to. They have signed up for a 7 month program (Roger Barrett is involved sometimes too, I guess) where they have telephone conference calls every Saturday and I don't know what else. I haven't had a chance to see them--so I haven't heard all about what they are doing/learning. Anyways, I will have to be really good to myself and get well and feeling good for the trip. :) Right now--time to go sit in my chair with my ice cream bucket...maybe catch a few more winks before CashWise comes later....

Monday-6:30pm

Been sick and throwing up. Be back when I am feeling better.

Saturday-11:30am

Just a note.

I went to bed early--for me--but a party started below me (or moved here from the bar maybe) a little after 2am and went on till after 4am. I was wide awake and didn't get to bed till 6am. Only slept till 10am--got up and dressed and all, but feeling queasy from being overly tired, so decided not to try to go with this afternoon. The kids said they'd come over afterwards and show me pictures and tell me all about these two places outside of Moorhead. If they can get decent pictures in the rain? Been drizzling away out there.

Okay--this bad physical cycle can quit any time. I guess the fibro folk call it a flare. Enough already. :)

Friday-2:30pm

Leah came over to work on the business cards. I was pretty useless yesterday. Drained and didn't get any sleep.

She got the business cards done and then tied them on to the little sample packs. Nice.

I was in bed by 11pm and didn't wake up till noon today. It is a rainy, dark day. I have been curled up in my chair with a blanket. Just seem to be on a physical low the past few days. Happens with the fibro. I hope I am feeling up to looking at houses again tomorrow afternoon with Dagan and Leah? We'll see....