Wednesday-11:30am

The glimpse of a orange sun rising yesterday must have indicated more rain on the way--hehe!

Well, the nasty, aggressive, hunchbacked killifish finally died yesterday. Been on it's last fins for a week or so.

Have you ever had a fish you wish you had never bought in the first place who terrorizes all the other fish in the tank but won't die and lives on for years and years? That was Old Hunchback.

Killed its partner right off. Harassed and worried it to death. Wouldn't let it eat. Same thing with several tank mates. Not sure if Old Hunchback was a male or female, but it was homely with a right nasty temperament. Would splash water at you when you came near the tank. Watched you. Was smart. I'd hear it splash water at me sometimes when I got up at night to go to the bathroom!? In the dark! I didn't even turn the light on! Apparently I woke it up and pissed it off, tho. Old Hunchback always let you know when you pissed it off.

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The only fish who have survived with Old Hunchback, monarch of the top of the tank, have been a couple of bottom feeders and some tetras who normally live in the middle range of a tank, but relegated themselves to as far down as they could swim, hid a lot, and have been willing to catch anything to eat as it floats down from Old Hunchback's surface territory. I think they are going to be shocked with their new-found freedom--LOL!

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Goodbye Old Hunchback! The strangest thing is, I will probably miss your angry splashes, threats, and scowls. (Do you hear the sound of a toilet flushing?)

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On a lighter note. I took out my tabletop easel and the piece of board I use with it when I use it for painting, etc. See how nicely flat it folds up.

Karma was there in a flash to check them out and smell them as if she had never seen them before--sheesh!

Here's a side view of the easel on the table. It is made to hang over the edge of the table so you can get right up close to your work. There are adjustable notches to raise and lower the acrylic front.

What's awesome is that for craft or art projects where you need to trace something--you can just place a light behind the easel because of the clear acrylic and it works fantastic as a light box of sorts, too.

This piece of pressboard came inside of a travel case I actually bought for the easel. It fits nicely on the easel and I do use it whenever I am taping something down to work on it. Then I can easily remove whatever I'm working on and leave it taped to the board if I need to get the easel out of the way because I need the table for something else...like another project...or possibly even eating--ROFL!

A piece of gator board fits nicely on the lip, too. (I staple watercolor paper to gator board for WC paintings.) I love-love-love my table easel and have used it for all kinds of projects. And yes--I am quite anal with the neatness factor, as you can tell. The easel still looks practically brand new even tho the wood is unfinished. What can I say.

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Anyways, if you remember, I mentioned that we had swastikas etched into the paint on the elevator door. Next I saw a big smiley face. Then it was the "N' word! Several times! I wondered when they were gong to paint the door again. But the next thing I saw was this!

They attached a huge sheet of silver metal on the whole inside of the elevator door! (And we thought the elevator door made noise before!)

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Really? Do they honestly believe that a person can't scratch with a key on a piece of metal?

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I'm pretty darn sure that the graffiti war will continue. ;)

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Raining. 65 degrees. We're supposed to see the sun tomorrow and then back to scattered showers. Hope everyone is having a good week. Giggle. Be sure and giggle today. :)

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"I find ecstasy in living--the mere sense of living is joy enough."

Emily Dickinson

Tuesday-7:15am-Calligraphy class

Pink and blue cloudy morning sky yesterday. We did see sunlight come and go.

The wind was so boisterously gusty that I had to weigh everything down on the table and Karma was too spooked to sit at her spy post at the window. She disappeared a couple of times. Eventually I will notice that I haven't seen her for hours (which is unusual). I mean, come on! This is a small one-bedroom apartment. There are only so many places she can hide--LOL! I think she likes me to go looking for her--will not let out a peep as I call for her--and she is always sitting there calmly observing me when I do find her.

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The first time she was lounging inside her stroller where it was parked in the bedroom.

The next time I moved the chair and found her where she had been sleeping under my desk.

It's not like these places are unusual or anything--just that I haven't seen her in her stroller when it's in the bedroom for maybe a year or two. Same thing with lounging under my desk. I guess she likes variety like her owner and eventually rotates her activity choices around given enough time. ROFL!

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Speaking of...I did get out all my old calligraphy stuff. My classroom binder...

...stack of instructional books...

...and my one year's worth of Tabellac Ansatae magazine for calligraphers and bookbinders. Been a few years ago and I discovered that the name of the magazine has even changed. It was put out by John Neal Booksellers and is now called Bound & Lettered.

I have purchased bookbinding supplies from Volcano Arts. A tricky site to navigate, but worth the time. And Paper & Ink Arts carries calligraphy & bookbinding supplies plus all kinds of delightful goodies to drool over.

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I thought maybe you'd get a kick out of some of the class info. Our teacher's name was Mrs. (Jean) Heidenreich and she had been a professional calligrapher for all her adult life. She did the usual--wedding invitations, certificates, wall art--and had worked for a greeting card company for decades. I never thought about greeting cards sayings having been originally hand written. Computers had pushed her out of a job (this was close to 20 years ago) and into early retirement (she defiantly announced, grey curls bouncing, that she wasn't yet 65). But you can see why. Here's a sheet she handed out about common faults.

As you can see by her alphabet sentence on the bottom of the page, her italic calligraphy is so nearly perfect that you wouldn't know it wasn't done by a computer. She was, shall we say, a strict perfectionist. We started out with about ten people and ended up with four of us because the others had dropped out by the third class. One man packed up and walked right out the first night as soon as he discovered she did not allow the use of calligraphy pens and we were required to use dip pens, nibs, and bottled ink. (Quite arrogant for a grade school principal!)

The "alphabet" sentences--so cool! Everyone has probably heard of "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog"--well, she had this whole sheet of crazy ones! I loved practicing these and had forgotten all about them until I dug out my class binder--hehe! My favorite one is "He jokingly removed the porcupine quills from the zebra's back with wax".

Remember I mentioned that she insisted we write using an easel? We met in a drafting classroom so that each table had a built in easel. She actually encouraged us to have the easel at a higher angle than shows in this handout. Took some getting used to, but I couldn't believe how it helped with proportions.

Mrs. Heidenreich had a personal table easel that she brought with her each time. Soooo cool! It had a wooden frame with a clear acrylic base. I asked her about it after class. Hers had been handmade to her specifications by a friend and she actually contacted him for her easel-enamored student. He was older and retired, but he did agree to make me one and that is how I purchased my very own personal, handmade, awesome table easel! I guess I should take pictures of that to show you, too, eh? ;) I have used it for a lot more than just calligraphy since then.

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Anyways, here's an example of an assignment I did. Mrs. Heidenreich would make her corrections in pencil so you could clearly see your black ink mistakes. I had a terrible, terrible time with consistency. (Always been a personal failure of mine in numerous areas of my life.)

Our final assignmnets she went over individually with us and didn't mark with pencil so that we could keep our best work pristine. We all worked on these same two projects.

Centering was difficult, too! It's pretty obvious that even after six weeks and a lot of practice my work most definitely would never be mistaken for a computer font--ROFL!!

The class was challenging, informative, frustrating, exciting, and fun! After several weeks Mrs. Heidenreich told me I could call her Jean outside of class (had a difficult time with that). And after the final class (I was always first to arrive and last to leave), she informed me that I "had potential". I was thrilled with such high praise coming from such a tough lady. :)

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I am dreadfully out of practice--but now I have rediscovered the silly alphabet sentences--aha! Fun! I confess that I have cheated since our class all those years ago and have mostly used calligraphy pens since then. Mrs. Heidenreich would be so disappointed in me.

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I'll get pictures of my beloved easel for you. I promise!

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Hope you are having a good week. :):)

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"Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to life. The only completely consistent people are dead."

Aldous Huxley

Sunday-1pm

The JoAnn's order arrived!!

Only crafters will probably get a thrill out of this--LOL! JoAnn's had the Distress ink pads and reinkers on sale (reg. $4.99 for $2.99!). I already have three of them I love. Now I have nine more!! :):)

And lots of the silly color names, Iggy, that you get such a kick out of. I already had Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, and Victorian Velvet. Now I also have Pumice Stone, Antique Linen, Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Bundled Sage, Black Soot, Tumbled Glass, and Stormy Sky. Whoohoo!

They're translucent and all blend with each other. You can even use a paintbrush and color in a stamp with them.

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I also ordered some Gelly Roll pens--two clear glaze and two of the sparkly glaze.

Naturally, Karma laid claim to the packaging.

Since I haven't actually gotten as much crafting done this year, I thought I'd show you what the table actually looks like every morning these days. Books, journals, letters...and coffee, of course, in my thermal mug.

Miss Karma was not nice to the beads on the bookmark Desi sent--thought it was a toy for her and broke the chain right off while I was reading in my chair! So I took off the beads and hung them...

...on the lamp on my craft table. So, it's nearby every day and Karma doesn't go up on the craft table (unless she sneaks up there after I go to bed, which she has done on the rare occasion). She knows her "a** is grass" if she steps up on my table. Too many things she could ruin or mess up. Was funny tho when she stepped on some wet handmade paper and left a paw print indentation for me to find in the morning--hehe! Good thing she hates stepping in anything wet so she only left the one. I made a card out of it and sent it to my cat-lovin' friend, Ruby--ROFL!

Anyways, I added some textured red yarn to the bookmark instead. Still interesting to Karma, so I decided to put the bookmark inside the workbook journal instead of the book itself because I always keep the workbook at the table or on the cabinet behind the table. Ahhh! Living with cats. One must be adaptable, correct? ;)

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous! Spent quite a bit of time on the porch reading about the Magi. Still trying to wrap my head around it. Halfway now. Still winding--hehe! ;)

My chair was blocked to Karma (she usually steals it as soon as I get up) with my pillow props that I need because I can't hold a book for any length of time with my bad arm. She likes to lie on the ottoman between my feet but, as you can see, there is barely enough room left for my feet.

So I finally decided to lay the fluffy throw over the ottoman--much easier on my ankles (duh!)--but Karma wasn't sure what to think about it and took forever to finally jump up there. For someone who has to investigate every single new shift or object in her home, she can sometimes be very weird about change--seemed put out with me. Go figure.

Anyways, not of any consequence today--raining again. And they have predicted scattered showers and thunderstorms for the next four days. And it is only 60 degrees. Chilly enough to have the windows closed.

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Today I have no particular plans.

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I really do know how to live!! :):)

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"If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live."

Lin Yutang

Friday-8:30am

Today I have been blogging for 5 years!! Started out just keeping in touch with friends and family, but I have met so many amazing, kind, wonderful people. Who knew!? You just never know where life will lead you and who will cross your path. I am really thankful for Dagan and Leah keeping me on the internet all these years. I never would have guessed it, but I'd be lost without it now!! ;)

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Speaking of the internet...I mailed this Monday, so I hope Desi has already received it.

Made a quick thank you card for the handmade bookmark...

...and included a couple of mine in return.

Hope you like them Desi. :)

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I am using your bookmark in The Secret of The Shadow by Debbie Ford that I just started recently. It's all about the power of owning your own story--all of it. ;) I'll be spending quite a bit more time journaling this summer, I think. Anyways, I did take the pretty beads off and have them hanging on a lamp. Miss Karma LOVED the noise they made and thought they were just for her entertainment--LOL! She broke it apart grabbing at it! So I fixed the chain and decided they should go on the lamp--added some bright red yarn for a tassel on the bookmark instead. Looks good! Not quite as cat interesting, tho. Makes no noise. ROFL!!

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I put together six bookcards. Five are already in the mail. Guess I should make some more.

It was really hot and humid for the first time up here on Monday and Tuesday (93 and 95 degrees). I know many of you have had horribly hot weather, but we've been cool and clammy up here most of the time.

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The road crew has been working on that connecting road when it's not raining. (It looks the same to me as it did weeks ago?)

It was way too hot and sticky for me out on the porch, but Karma loves the heat and sprawled out there for hours!

By Tuesday night the rain returned and the temperatures dropped. We were in the 40s at night, but it was still 80% humidity. The humidity dropped a bit since then and the cool weather has hung around the rest of the week. Been raining off and on--40s-50s at night and 60s during the day...occasionally kissing 70.

When it is wet and cool Karma is back inside in her warm cat bed.

Meanwhile, my purchases for the month have been trickling in. I felt like a traitor to Goulet Pens, but I ordered a bunch more of the cheap Preppy pens from JetPens. Hey--$3.00 a pen vs. $3.95 and free shipping over $25.00. I prefer supporting small businesses, but I am on a very small budget and have been a loyal customer of JetPens for years, too.

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Anyways, the green one had a half inch crack in the cap. I contacted them about a new cap and they are sending me a whole new pen. This is the first time I've ever had a problem with anything I've ordered from JetPens and they were very prompt answering my email. Good to know. They're always super fast with their shipping, too!

Yesterday I got a letter in the mail from my best friend in high school!! I hardly ever hear from Pat. We keep saying we are going to stay in better touch and then life gets in the way somehow. If she had internet (speaking of--again), I know we would. But she goes to the library to use it there.

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Anyways, she bought Karma this cute, red, felt, catnip mouse toy!

Which, after she played with it for a while, Karma guarded off and on all day--hehe!

The long awaited Noodler's Flex Pens went on sale at Goulet Pens at noon central time on Monday. It is amazing their site didn't crash. It was unbelievably slow, but I am patient. I had my cart ready to go (with just some O-rings) and it took me 27 minutes just to add these two pens. I filled them with ink from bottles I already had around pre-Goulet--ROFL!

Lapis Inferno (blue and white swirls) and Cardinal Darkness (red and black).

I didn't want to go for the clear demonstrator because of the evaporating trouble I have had with the clear regular nib Noodler's piston pen I bought. (I think it is evaporating a little less since I plugged the hole in the cap.) These flex pens are piston pens, too, but I figured if nothing else they would be good for trying out the samples inks from Goulet's Ink Drop every month, right? And I have never had a flex nib pen to play with because they were so expensive. These were only $14.00 so I had to go for it. ;)

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Anyways, it was a good thing I didn't want a clear demonstrator because they sold out in a few minutes. The blue one sold out in an hour and all five of them were gone within 12 hours. I know. Crazy pen people, eh? I feel lucky to have gotten my two. :)

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The reason there has been such a long wait is that Nathan (owner of Noodler's) has to set each nib by hand into each pen and that just takes a long time to get enough of them done to make shipments. He is currently trying to figure out a different method of setting the nibs whereby, hopefully, he can hire someone else to help him. (Apparently he couldn't get anyone else to do it correctly with the current method.) Then there won't be the long waits and runs on the pens. It was exciting, tho. First time I have been involved in a sale crush online like that. ;)

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Anyways, those were my two small pen orders. I am still waiting for my JoAnn's order to arrive. (They have the best sales!!) I'll wait till I can show you pictures.

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Naturally, I played with pens and inks again the last couple days. My wooden box is already full!! It sits open like this right behind me when I sit at my craft table to write. And my little spiral notebook has all the information as to what ink is in which pen. Seventh heaven!! LOL!

Yes, all of them are cheap pens. Out of these 32 pens (counting the one empty preppy on the lid there) only 6 of them were over $14.00 and only one was over $30.00. Four were free with ink bottles and 16 are Preppys.

All the Preppys to the left of center have ink from actual bottles I own and can, therefore, refill. The Preppys on the right side are all filled with Ink Drop samples. I spend more on ink than I do on pens, obviously--ROFL! Nice ink, cheap pens. But when you are writing letters the recipients only see the ink, right? ;)

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I sit at the table to write letters and journal...and can change colors to my heart's content. Hard to explain what a joy that is to somebody who, like Dagan for example, is quite content with Bics. LOL!!

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I have been intensely involved with arts and crafting for the past six years. But this year there has been a shift in focus. Ever since last December my days have been so much more about reading, studying, written exercises, journaling, letter writing...harder for me to get going on the craft stuff for some reason. So I have less to show you, but I have been busy. I just dug out my old calligraphy class information, so when I get to practicing that again maybe I will have something to take pictures of. :) Just has been a more contemplative year so far. Very, very positive...and a bit monkish--hehe!

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Have a great weekend. :)

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"Kindness does wonderful things to a face."

Dixie Doyle

Monday-2pm--Leah's Mom

Leah's mother passed at 12:15pm.

Vicky loved oaks.

Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes.