Hmmmm

Retired teachers luncheon

2010-04-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

I went to the Lodi Retired High School teachers annual luncheon yesterday. It was fun to see so many old friends.
Here is a link to photos from the get together: http://picasaweb.google.com/bevlacy1/RetiredHSTchrs2010?feat=email#5465344288276278418

Resolutions update

2010-01-31T17:44:00.000-08:00

On Jan 6 of 2009, I published a list of 6 resolutions. Since it is now 2010, it is time for an update. I kept 5 of the 6!!!

1) Clear dining room table. This was done with a little help from my son-in-law. He didn't realize how much clearing I had done before he got here, but he finished the job - by piling everything on top of the pingpong table in the rumpus room. LOL!

2) Clear away junk mail from both chairs in my office. This one I did 3 or 4 times - the most recent in 2010. The chairs are both completely clear of junk mail as I type. I'm actually able to sit on one of those chairs!

3) Get income taxes done on time, for once. I did that, with not a day to spare, but I did it.

4) Redo the walls in guest room. Take down teenage daughter's posters, put up art. Done. None of the art in the guest room is mine. I have art by Nana, art by Dad, photos by a friend, art I've traded for. It is a kind of neat conglomerate.

5) Redo my office. clean, organize, decorate... any and or all. Partly done. A person can walk to the cot now. But lots and lots of work still needs doing in here.

6) Get insurance / soc sec taken care of! Done.

Visit over

2010-01-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Margo and Don and their girls, Zamara and Katerina, have been visiting over Christmas - but now they have gone. The house seems quiet and roomy without them - and everywhere I look there is laundry I should do. LOL! I finally gave in and started a load a few minutes ago.

On New Years Eve, we invited a long-time friend of Margo's over. This is a shot Margo took of Aaron and Don in my living room. That mess in the lower left corner? That is my art studio.

New Car

2009-11-11T16:12:00.000-08:00

I wrecked my old car. It wasn't my fault - the other party got a ticket. But my car was totalled just the same.

So I HAD to buy a new car. I liked my old Echo so much that I bought the Yaris Toyota makes now to replace the Echo. I don't like a couple of things about it as much as I liked the old Echo, but it is still neat to have a new car. And this one seems to have more "Umph" on the hills than my old car did, so I like that better.

Illustration Friday - Flying

2009-10-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

Flying Purple People Eater ATC acrylics

I have drawn a jet, and I've drawn birds flying, and kites, Pegasus, fairies, flying saucers, and balloons - but I just finished this little card, and it was on topic for Illustration Friday and more fun than most of the others.

Illustration Friday - Talisman

2009-04-06T12:52:00.001-07:00

"Easter Head" ATC gel pens

I don't really believe in talismans, but they are certainly a part of the world we live in. My favorites are the giant heads from Easter island, which inspired this doodle.

Vote for Kathy

2009-03-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've got a friend who is a struggling photographer. Kathy does great wildlife photos - the struggle is to earn a living doing that. She has entered a photo contest, where people's votes determine the winner. If viewers of my blog would be so kind as to go to the site and vote for her photo of a flicker, she would be very happy, and would have a chance to win some neat photography equipment. The link is the title at the top of this entry.

Illustration Friday - Subtract

2009-03-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Subtract? ATC acrylics and ink

Stuff

2009-03-16T11:17:00.001-07:00

Now that Mom and Larry are dead, their house must be emptied and sold. So the heirs have been taking stuff, and I've been helping sort. This necklace goes to Judy, this clock goes to Chris Ann, the car goes to Dick, etc.

A whole lot of stuff goes to me and my sister, and some goes to my daughter. But they are not nearby. So all their stuff comes to me too. And all the momentos. And all the photos. This weekend the movers brought a queen size bed, a dining room table, a sewing do-dads chest, a roll top desk, eight sturdy chairs, Grandma's old rocking chair, a china cabinet, a mechanized recliner, two or three big boxes of china, two big boxes of crystal, a hanging bag of antique clothes, bags of bedding, a couple of jewelry boxes, two large chest o' drawers, a cedar chest, boxes and boxes of photo albums and of unsorted photos, a box that seems to be full of paper work, an old raggedy toy chest - but when I looked inside it was full of papers too, not toys - and more and more boxes. The movers stacked these inside my already furnished house. Framed photos. Framed art. ARGH!!!!!

I looked inside the chest o' drawers. The drawers are full of more stuff. The cedar chest is full too.

I've moved some of my old furniture out to the driveway. I'll have to hire someone to take it to the dump. But Mama's house was bigger than mine is, and now my house is way overcrowded.

My dining room and office havee it worst. I can barely squeeze through the hall. The guest bedroom (not shown) is also crammed. I certainly have my work cut out for me.

Illustration Friday - Legendary

2009-03-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Neptune ATC colored pencil and ink on tempera

Pegasus ATC acrylics

When I think of legends it is Greek mythology that comes to my mind. I taught a mythology unit to high school sophomores for quite a few years, and I loved that... and I hope they learned to appreciate mythology too.

Illustration Friday - Breezy

2009-03-15T16:05:00.001-07:00

Autumn Wind ATC colored pencil on tempera

Windy Sail 4"x6" colored pencil on tempera

For this topic I've re-used some old works. But they fit.

Illustration Friday - Intricate

2009-03-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

Nascar Zen ATC ink

The workings of automobiles must be intricate and exact, with lots of different parts fitting together just one way.

Illustration Friday - Instinct

2009-02-26T12:16:00.001-08:00

"Over the Kill" ATC colored pencil on tempera

Sometimes instinct forces animals to do things that are distasteful to humans. We don't like to watch as the lion rips the throat of that cute fawn.

Illustration Friday - Celebrate

2009-02-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

Cocktail Time ATC ink

Some folks like to celebrate with big parties and lots of booze. Personally, I prefer a more private and quiet celebration. And diet coke does me just as well as the booze, though I will sip a little wine -or rum- from time to time.

Sipping Wine ATC acrylics and ink

Illustration Friday - Time

2009-02-08T00:20:00.000-08:00

Oak ATC colored pencil on tempera

To me, an old tree is a symbol for time. Not the sprout, the sapling, nor even the young tree, but the old tree, gnarled and strong. Even after someone cuts it down, we can see the passage of years in its rings.

The top picture I drew today, specifically for IF. The ones below are from my previous work.

Tree ATC acrylics

Twisted Tree ATC ink and colored pencils

Live Oak APC 4"x6" acrylics on Corrinne's homemade paper

Illustration Friday - Flawed

2009-02-04T01:39:00.000-08:00

Ram ATC acrylics

This ram has one small flaw - the tip of one horn has broken off.

Illustration Friday - Climbing

2009-01-27T20:39:00.001-08:00

"Climb" ATC ink

Illustration Friday - Pale

2009-01-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

Arctic Fox, ATC, acrylics

Resolutions

2009-01-06T22:53:00.000-08:00

The Illustration Friday topic this week is resolution. I haven't illustrated any, but I have made a few, inspired by my daughter, who has made 101 resolutions! I've only made 6.

1) Clear dining room table.

2) Clear away junk mail from both chairs in my office.
(and not simply by throwing it all on the floor. Only magazines and possible painting references and calendars are allowed on the floor.)
LOL! Keeping it real, here.

3) Get income taxes done on time, for once. (by which I mean, info to Linda so she can do the taxes)

4) Redo the walls in guest room. Take down teenage daughter's posters, put up art. (Since daughter is neither teen nor here any more, she won't mind.)

5) Redo my office. clean, organize, decorate... any and or all.
(But right now I'm low on funds. Spent too much on trip/bathroom/car for any more outlays for a while. For now, I'm just paying bills.)

6) Get insurance / soc sec taken care of! I need to do that one this week or last.

Illustration Friday - Balloons

2008-12-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

"Balloons" ATC collage

Balloons are fun. My daughter tells me about Zamara, her two year old who sat on a balloon. It popped. Startled, she stood up. "Loud noise!" she declared. Then she looked down. "Balloon goooone!" She quickly decided what to do about the problem. "I find," she promised, and trotted off to see to the matter.

"Ballooning" ATC markers

Ballooning is fun too. My sister and my brother-in-law took me ballooning about a year ago in Napa. Except for the intermittent roar of the hot air, ballooning is far more peaceful than I imagined. There is no sense of motion. I thought I'd feel myself swaying, but I didn't. The basket felt as solid and motionless as the earth itself, even though I could see that our position was changing in relation to the ground below us. If you've never gone ballooning, you should consider saving your pennies and taking a balloon trip sometime.

Illustration Friday - Pretend

2008-11-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

"In Mama's Shoes" 4"x4" acrylics

One thing all little kids like to pretend is that they are big, and one way they do this is through dress up. This is from a photo my daughter sent me of my granddaughter, trying to walk in Mama's shoes.

Illustration Friday - Strings

2008-10-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

"Strung Out" ink ATC
Drawn specifically for IF.

Illustration Friday - Clique

2008-09-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

"Clique" 4" X6" acrylics

At last! I'm getting an IF illustration - made specifically for IF - in on time! Amazing, huh?

Illustration Friday - Clutter

2008-09-21T12:56:00.001-07:00

"Clutter" ATC acrylics & ink

This is another topic I missed while I had that blogging lapse. I made this card last night, thinking of a child's toy closet.

Illustration Friday - Island

2008-09-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

"Splash APC" acrylics 4" x 6"

I suppose this qualifies as an island, though it is definitely NOT an island on which one would like to be stranded.

Illustration Friday - Canned

2008-09-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

"Paints" ATC acrylics

This is as close as I get to the "canned" IF topic - my brush cleaning water when I paint is in an old can.

Illustration Friday - Sail

2008-09-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Oh my! I haven't added to my blog since March???? Lazy lazy me.

So I missed the Illustration Friday "Sail" topic - and I have artwork that fits that topic.

"Sailor's Delight" ATC acrylics

Actually, this isn't the artwork I was thinking of, but it seems to kinda fit. Though it doesn't have a sail. I'll try again.

"Windy Sail" 4" x 6", colored pencil on tempera

There we go. That's about as good as this inland person can do with a watery theme.

Illustration Friday - Heavy

2008-03-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lulu Pig ATC

The pig was the first image that came to my mind with this week's word, Heavy. Then hippos, elephants, whales.

But the word can also be used to describe people. Throughout the majority of my life I could have been described as "heavy". In my late 20s, when I joined the Peace Corps, they sent me to Barbados. There I would walk down the street and guys would yell out at me, "Heavy!" To me it felt mortifying, though someone soon explained that in Barbados that was meant as a compliment; men there liked fleshy women.

Illustration Friday - Garden

2008-03-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

"Floral" ink ATC

I'm not big on drawing gardens. Occasionally I manage a plant, but an entire garden? That's a bit much for me. This is about as close as I've come.

Illustration Friday - the Zoo

2007-12-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

Dad and me in back, Margo and Zamara in front.

Zamara being irresistibly cute.

I was busy the week of this assignment, busy in the best of ways - my daughter, Margo, and granddaughter, Zamara, visited me from New Zealand. We had Thanksgiving together, then visited my father in the south of the state. While I was there I drew my zoo illustration - and started to catch pneumonia. By the time we got back home I felt pretty crummy. I spent the weekend getting sicker, but Monday morn I made it to the doctor, got meds, and have been gradually recovering... as the visit of daughter and granddaughter drew to an end. Wednesday they were off to the airport. Thursday I rested.

Finally, over a week late, I have the energy to post my wee sketch: Zoo Giraffe, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", colored pencil on tempera.

Illustration Friday - Scales

2007-11-15T12:25:00.001-08:00

When I think of scales, I think of snakes.

Or I think of dragons.

Or fish.

I avoid thinking of the scales for weighing, even though my weight now is acceptable. Old patterns of thought die hard.

Illustration Friday - Hats

2007-11-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

Oops. Friday arrived again with a new topic before I was ready for it. I didn't make anything new for last week's topic, but I could have, at least, posted this something old. This was an ATC that got lost in the mail - it never did show up.

Illustration Friday - Trick or Treat

2007-10-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

This is an atc I did a year or two ago. Since I titled it "Trick 'r Treat" it seems perfect to use here, especially since I'm feeling a bit too lazy to make a new painting to the topic.

Illustration Friday - Grow

2007-10-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

"Grow" ink 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Watch the family grow. I finished this before the midnight hour, but it was late enough when I finished that I fell asleep in my chair instead of coming into the office to post it to Illustration Friday. Oh well.

Illustration Friday - Extremes

2007-10-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

"Extreme Danger" colored pencil and ink on tempera 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

By golly, I completed my illustration on time - well, at least before they changed the topic - this week. Good for me!

Illustration Friday - Open (2)

2007-10-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

My idea for last week was not clever. Instead, it was literal. The jar of spaghetti sauce is open. But I cannot always be clever. Nor always on time. That's life.

"Ragu", 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", acrylics and ink.

Illustration Friday - Open

2007-10-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

Well dang! I'm one week and five minutes late, but I was planning to try to get into IF anyhow - but Blogger won't upload my painting. "We are aware of the problem, and working on it," the note tells me. That's no help.

Awarded!

2007-10-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

One of the bright spots of my down time came when Danny gave me a creative blogger award. I feel quite honored to receive it. :-) Thank you, Danny.

The rules say I'm to pass the reward along to 6 other deserving people who might appreciate the award and pass it on. Here's my list:

1. Princess LadyBug
2. Forever Young
3. Faeorain
4. Kelli
5. Jamie
6. Cindy

All these folks add richness to my life with their blogs.

Catching Up

2007-10-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for a while, mainly because I've been sick. Being sick, I didn't have much energy, and fell behind on Illustration Friday too. Thankfully, now I feel much better, and have been catching up.

One of the Illustration Friday topics that I missed was "Wedding". Now I've got an entry - about 3 weeks late - for that.

This was an ATC (2 1/2" X 3 1/2") done in acrylics and ink. Its title is "Wedding".

Another topic that I missed was "Blues". I did a kind of doodle for that.

This also was an ATC (2 1/2" X 3 1/2") done in acrylics and ink. Its title is "Spoons".

I'm going to skip the juggle topic.

Illustration Friday - Visitors

2007-08-29T03:25:00.001-07:00

When visitors are expected, I'm never ready on time. When the doorbell rings I'm still vacuuming, clearing the table, changing catbox litter, and hiding dirty dishes in the dishwasher. But this woman is ready. The house is clean, dip and drinks are ready, and she's at the door, looking down the road, in hopes that she will soon see her visitors.

ink, 4" x 6".

Illustration Friday - Captain

2007-08-21T00:05:00.000-07:00

Just a doodle.
Ink, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".

Illustration Friday - Emergency

2007-08-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

I wasn't coming up with a good idea for this week's IF topic, so in an emergency, you go to your files of old art. LOL! This was done a couple of years ago, and was titled, "Run".

When I was a kid I looked out at Cottonwood Creek one summer day, and it was filled with enormous fish - fish 2 1/2 or 3 feet long! Usually I just caught little perch. I was filled with awe, amazement, and a burning desire to catch one of those monsters! I turned and ran as fast as I could for the house, to get my fishing pole. I remember feeling as if my feet were mired in mud - I was so excited, and just could not move fast enough!

I didn't catch any fish, though. I threw my line out - sometimes I even draped it over one of their backs, but they were not interested in my flies, my spinners, or even bait.

Dad told me later that those were carp, and were in the creek all the time. For some unknown reason they all rose to the surface that day. It never happened again, and in all twelve years we lived there I never caught a carp.

2 1/2" x 3 1/2", acrylics

Charity auction

2007-08-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

Do you like good deals? Would you like to help a charity? If so, you might be interested in this on-line auction for muscular distrophy: www.mdahouston.cmarket.com
They have some unique items.

Illustration Friday - Missing

2007-08-06T00:52:00.000-07:00

I've got two ideas here. First, the jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. Second, endangered animals disappearing from the world, because of mankind. For example the Sumatran elephant is endangered largely because its forest habitat is being destroyed and replaced by farms.

acrylics and ink, 4" X 6".

Illustration Friday - Moon 2

2007-08-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Moons ^

I had so much fun with spray painting the paper clips, that I tried spray painting some space art too. Both are 4" X 6" postcard size. Which do you like best?

3 Moons ^

Snake

2007-08-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, this fellow was lounging in my front yard, so I took his picture. He looked to be about 4 feet long. I bugged him until he slithered back out through the chain link fence, which is a good thing, because my dog tends to kill intruders. I think he is a king snake or a bull snake? I just recently got around to uploading the photo.

Tagged

2007-07-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

Mostly I’m not too fond of being tagged, but this exercise isn’t too bad.

The Rules:

1. First, post these rules.
2. Post 8 random facts about yourself.
3. Write a blogspot about those facts.
(Actually, I’m not sure I see the difference between #2 and #3).
4. Tag and name 8 more bloggers.
5. Tell them that they’re tagged at their blog.

But I’m going to ignore #4 and #5. If you’re reading my blog, and would like to do this, consider yourself tagged. If you’d rather not, feel no obligation.

Eight Random Facts About Me

1. Occupation: Before I retired, for 37 1/2 years I earned my living as a high school teacher. For 37 of those years I taught at the same school, Lodi High. I taught English, art, ceramics, and English as a Second Language - mostly English and English as a second language. I loved teaching, because I was never bored while the students were there. It was always an exciting experience to go to work. I retired at age 61, for health reasons - but teaching was becoming so restrictive (teach this lesson, this way, at this time - and if any student doesn’t learn well you are liable to be sued) that I felt a little relieved to quit. My average work day as a teacher was about 12 hours long, and I generally put in another six or ten hours during each weekend.

2. Retirement: I love being retired. The two best things about retirement are that I can go to the bathroom any time I feel the urge, and that I am no longer exhausted (I’d been exhausted for most of my life from the time I entered college to the day of my retirement). Now I can take naps!

3. Marriage: I was married for 25 years. I’ve only been married once, though Bill went on to his third marriage immediately after our painful but amicable divorce. Bill died last year, so now I don’t know whether I am a divorcee or a widow.

4. Family: I have one daughter, who is intelligent, hard working, and has a loving heart. She is married, and lives in New Zealand with her husband and my granddaughter, who just turned one. I also have two middle-aged step sons. The older, Will, lives in the midwest and I rarely hear from or see him or his wife and girls. The younger, Ron, lives a little over an hour from me. He has a wonderful wife and four intelligent and delightful children, whom I am privileged to see more frequently. I have a wonderful sister who is a lawyer in Connecticut.

5. Parents: My mother died May 8, peacefully in her sleep, at age 86. She is survived by my stepdad, Larry, with whom I eat out 4, 5, or 6 times a week. My father is still alive at age 90, in Lancaster, California, and he and his wife Audrey go out dancing once or twice a week. Dad says he doesn’t need his walker when he’s dancing, because he can lean on his partner.

6. Pets: I have one cat and one dog. The dog, Jet, is an outdoor dog, a black lab, mainly. The cat, Piddles, is an indoor cat, a calico, who sleeps with me at night, sits on my lap when I’m at the computer, and hides when company comes. Piddles is doing her best to coat my house and all its contents with cat hair.

7. Home: I live in the country, in a semi-rural area between Lodi and Stockton, California. I’m a terrible house keeper. My house is always a mess, and I honestly have no interest in cleaning it. But if I know you are coming to visit me I’ll clear a path so that you can come in, sit down, and go to the bathroom if needed. If you’d like to stay over night, we can manage that too - I have a mattress leaning against the wall in my guest room, even though I no longer have a bed to put it on.

8. Life style: Sedentary. I stand and walk from computer to bathroom to couch. I turn the pages in books. I lift small paint brushes. I push buttons on the television remote. That concludes the list of exercises I do daily.

Illustration Friday - Moon 1

2007-07-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of moon images I painted as ATCs a year or so ago.
Both are acrylics, 2 1/2" x 3 1/3".

Illustration Friday - Poem 2

2007-07-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at spray paint art. I did it to illustrate the rhyme below. It is 2 1/2" x 12".

Paperclips

by Focus

© 2000 Focus, all rights reserved

Lengths of silver wire, bent but strong,
They hold together papers that to me belong.

My pockets all are bulging with paper clips.
I wiggle 'em and jiggle 'em 'tween my fingertips.

There is a world of things these clips can do.
Myriads! Let me explain a few to you.

Bend some clips and twist 'em so they're sharp and poke
Then leave on chairs to startle unsuspecting sitting folk!

Clips can clean your fingernails, clean your toenails too.
Clips free stuck computer disks, open mice gummed up with goo.

Clips set hair in pincurls, or a clip may part your hair.
Or, like barettes, they style it! Use clips everywhere!

Clip up hems that tear out. Clip the latch that wriggles free.
With a clip you pick the lock when you've mislaid the key.

Press a clip into soft clay, to get textures fair.
Get some clips just to keep. Get some clips to share!

Clips make office jewelry, like bracelet or like ring.
Clips make shiny necklaces, all hooked up in a string.

Jumbo clip can be a compass. Hold your finger at one end,
Then swing the other end about with point of ballpoint pen!

Use a clip to measure. A small clip's near an inch;
So if you don't have a ruler use a clip in a pinch.

Paperclip the cloth unto the pattern when you sew.
Use a clip as bookmark so your place you will know.

Clips make handy tools. Use a clip to punch a hole!
Use paperclips to hold a waving flag atop its pole.

Clips gleam in silver pattern on a crafty picture frame.
Lay clips out upon your desk to spell your lover's name.

Use a clip to make a handle for a paper cup.
The cup may leak a little, but you can pick it up.

A clip may be a weapon, hurtling through the air.
(Naughty boy with rubber band is who shot it there.)

A clip can bend into a toy for a child to flip.
It can be a pull for broken zipper, so that you can zip!

A clip can be quite stylish! Make a fringe on skirts or shorts.
Use clips as hooks for buttons - it really takes all sorts!

Cut it, and put a worm on. Use it as a hook!
Then bake the fish with recipe clipmarked in your cookbook!

A clip can push back cuticle. A clip can scrape off paint.
A clip can be a halo for handcrafted Christmas saint.

Use a clip to mend your glasses. Use a clip to make a spring.
Use a clip as inspiration for a song you want to sing.

Clips have added to our language. We have clipper ships at sea!
Horses trot with "clip clops"! There are news clips on TV!

Clips are metal or they're plastic; clips are big or small.
We have a close relationship. I love them, love them all!

Illustration Friday - Poem 1

2007-07-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

So the word for Illustration Friday this week is "Poem". I notice most folks are illustrating a specific poem, rather than the general concept of poetry, so I decided to do the same. This is a poem I wrote about 5 years before I retired, rather a dark period of my life.

Tired

by Focus

© 2000 Focus, all rights reserved

Tired, I stumble to shower.
Tired, drive yawning to work.
Tired, drag home to grade papers,
Tired, and slightly berserk!

Tired, I answer phone's ringing.
Tired, tell slick salesmen "No Thanks."
Tired, "No, this is wrong number."
Tired, I growl at phone pranks.

Tired, I balance bank statement.
Tired, sort bills in tall stacks.
Tired, appease bill collectors.
Tired, I write out the checks.

Tired of my worry, and weary.
Tired of dark blame thrown my way.
Tired of dirt, dust and laundry.
Bone tired, in a life gone dull gray.

And here is the illustration I just did for the poem:

Illustration Friday - Geeky

2007-07-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

Geek training should begin early. Indeed, geek training for my granddaughter has already begun. Less than a year old, she already has her own keyboard! Obviously, the black t-shirt with pocket protectors comes later.

acrylics, 4" x 6".

Illustration Friday - Twist

2007-07-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

Predator & Prey, colored pencils and ink, 4" x 6". The prey twists and turns, leaving twisted streams of bubbles in his wake, as he tries to escape that vicious predator.

Illustration Friday - Camouflage 2

2007-06-28T11:05:00.001-07:00

This topic is right up my alley! Here's another of nature's camouflaged animals: Jaguar, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", acrylics.

Illustration Friday - Camouflage

2007-06-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

I'm often impressed by the lovely camouflage nature creates. As an artist, I find myself doing things to decrease the effectiveness of nature's camouflage, so that the image shows up better. For example, in this painting of a bobwhite, I added a touch of green to the background to make the bird stand out better.

Acrylics, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".

Illustration Friday - Rejection

2007-06-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

This one is really late, and I'm not terribly pleased with it at that. I like the concept, just not thrilled with my rendition thereof. Still, it was fun to paint. It is titled "No More", was painted in acrylics, and is 4" x 6".

Illustration Friday - Suits

2007-06-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

"Suits" was not a topic I found inspiring. Looking at everyone else's work, I was impressed by other artists' cleverness and skill and originality - but my own product is disappointingly mundane. Oh well, at least I did something. The work was done with colored pencils and ink.

Computer Art?

2007-06-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I had a frustrating experience, attempting computer art.

The Illustration Friday topic was My Paradise, and I worked on it all day. My idea of paradise is being surrounded by nature and loved ones. So my idea was to pull a photo I'd taken of a beautiful landscape in Alaska, then use it as a background, putting photos of myself and family here and there among the trees, and perhaps toss in a few birds and animals I've painted as well. I was totally unable to succeed in that endeavor.

The first problem was that although I found my Alaska landscape in iphoto, I simply could not figure out how to get it OUT of iphoto. I couldn't even manage to see it large within iphoto! All I could get was different arrangements of thumbnails. Grrrrrr. Finally, after hours of frustration, I gave up on that idea and attempted to simply make a wreathe of family members. At the end of the day I did have something - but it was definitely NOT anything I liked.

Consequently, you see no lovely computer art image here on the topic of Paradise. Now I have a new vision of paradise, which includes my understanding the programs on my own computer. Far out vision!

Illustration Friday - Cars 2

2007-06-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

I finally finished this more realistic painting of a car. I snapped a photo of this volkswagon (with a different license plate) in a parking lot, and decided to paint it. The painting, VW, is 4" by 6", and done in acrylics. I've never owned a VW, but I think they simply look like a car should look.

Illustration Friday - Cars

2007-05-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

I don't often do cars, but I do have these two in stock. The ink on pink doodle is "Jalopy", while the one done with markers is "Road Trip". I'll put these up for now, but perhaps I can do another car in paint this week.

Illustration Friday - Signs

2007-05-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

This painting is entitled "Burma Shave". It honors the little signs which used to be placed along the roadways to entertain (and elicit business from) travelers, but which have now faded into the sunset. There would be a short poem, a few words at a time, painted on little signs in a series of 5 or 6. We'd all read every sign aloud as we passed. You young folks who don't remember can read about them here: http://www.fiftiesweb.com/burma.htm and see some examples of the rhymes. They were fun, and I miss them.

Mom

2007-05-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

My Mother died May 8. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, at age 86. She was an important part of my life. I'll miss her. But I know she was ready to go, and is now in a better place, where pain no longer exists.

Above is the last picture taken of Mom and me. It was snapped at Larry's birthday luncheon, a little over a week before Mom died. My mother is the one wearing the bright red sweater.

For the last couple years of her life, Mom suffered constant pain and discomfort. Worse, because of her amputation, she had lost her independence, and she hated that. But she was a courageous woman who rarely complained. To the last day of her life she strove to be cheerful, and to express her love for her family.

One way she expressed her love for me was by showing interest in my art. She really did NOT have an artistic eye, nor did she have much love or understanding of fine art. But she did know I like art, and that was what mattered to her. She always wanted to see every piece of artwork I created. Toward the end, her macular degeneration made it difficult for her to decipher the art I showed her, but she still wanted to see. And that motivated me to create as much art as I could - I needed to have something to show my mother when I visited, or she would worry about me.

She was a big worrier. When my daughter Margo flew across country to visit a pen-pal friend, Margo made a joke of that, sending an "arrived safely" letter that said something like,

Dear Grandma Margo,
I was not kidnapped. My plane did not crash. I did not get lost. I have arrived safely.
Please send cash.

We all laughed about that note, but Mom still worried, all the time, about the people she loved. I will miss having her prayers and caring at my back.

Illustration Friday - Neighbor

2007-05-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Robert Frost poem, "Mending Wall", says "Good fences make good neighbors". A variety of annoyances and of good things have passed over our fence, but mostly we each keep to our side nowadays. Mostly I just see the top of my neighbor's graying head.

Illustration Friday - Remember

2007-04-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

"Tropical Memories" is done with Sharpie Markers on bleached photo paper. I was thinking of the two years I spent in Barbados, specifically, though I think the images are vague enough to represent any tropical site.

Illustration Friday - Polar (done)

2007-04-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Okay. This iceberg painting looks polar to me - without being a bear. And, for once, I finished it in time!

Illustration Friday - Polar

2007-04-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Oh my! The Illustration Friday topic for this week is "Polar". I've already painted so many polar bears that it is VERY tempting to just go with one of them.

But I think perhaps I'll try something else.

Illustration Friday - Green

2007-04-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

As usual, my Illustration Friday art was finished a week late; but at least I finished it. I think I'll skip the "treasure" assignment that was due yesterday, and attempt to get back on schedule.

Shipping

2007-04-06T02:52:00.001-07:00

The movers came last week to collect Margo’s goodies. She had a lot of goodies. I was impressed by how carefully each thing was wrapped. I was impressed by what a big stack the things made when boxed and stacked in my living room. I was impressed by how little space they filled in the truck. I was impressed by how much room I had when everything was gone!

There were three men. One was deligated to stay in the house, pack little stuff, and wrap it. He worked quickly and very steadily. The sound of taping is a sort of rasping sound - and I heard it steadily the entire time they were here.

It took all three of the guys to get the piano out to the driveway. Two of them stayed out to wrap the piano, and those same two carried out and wrapped the clock.

The inside guy pulled the recliner apart to wrap it in two separate pieces. I didn't realize recliners are made to come apart like that!

The inside guy had to make each box. Then he put paper inside. He wrapped the goodies in paper, and put them inside. When it was all packed, he closed the box. He even wrapped the boxes that Don and Margo had already packed!

As each box was readied, he stacked it on top of the previous box. The stacks grew, and filled my living room.

Once the outside guys finished wrapping the piano and clock, they started carrying boxes out to the truck.
Next they stuck labels on the boxes, according to which room they'd come from.

When everything was stacked outside and ready to go, they began to load it. The piano and bedsprings were the last items to go onto the truck.

I'm not sure how to flip the photos, especially as they were upright until I posted them, so turn your head, okay?

Illustration Friday - Snap

2007-04-06T00:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we are like rubber bands, stretched so tightly in so many directions that it seems certain we will snap.

This is my first Illustration Friday attempt - we'll see how this goes.

Live Swap

2007-03-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I aimed my car for Davis. 40 years ago, I attended the university there, but the town has changed drastically since then. I spent the first hour driving around, lost. When I was there as a student it was impossible to be lost in Davis for an entire hour, even on a bike! Now it is easy to get lost and stay lost, even in a car... At least for me. I finally saw a young person emptying the trash, asked him for directions, and found my way.

Once I found it, I attended the live Artist Trading Card swap that Dorena alerted me to. Somehow I envisioned a big convention, with 50 or 100 artists or more, each set up with a display of their ATCs in a wide variety of media.

Instead, there were eight old people, including me, gathered around a single table. Three media were represented by the other members of the group. One member of the group decoupaged pressed leaves on ATC sized cards. Most of the group did photography, creating 60 to 100 identical cards from each photo for trading. Although three of the group did some collage, I did not feel moved to make any trades.

The best thing was that the group was warm and friendly, and I had a good time. But my adventure made me feel glad to be in the more original, artistic, and creative FineArtsATC group!

Blood

2007-01-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Operation
Thursday was my day to have two skin cancers removed, with MOHR surgery (which has a success rate between 90 and 95%). The operation was to be at the Elk Grove Kaiser facility at 1 pm, so Larry volunteered to drive me; we didn’t know if I’d be in shape to drive home after the surgery was done. I hated to impose on him, but It was a comfort to have him there.

There was one cancer on each side of my nose. To operate, they numbed the area like a dentist does, sticking a needle into my nose. Ouch! That is a very tender area for having needles stuck. But truth to tell, that was the worst part of the surgery. The numbing worked very well; I couldn’t even feel it when Dr. Jack Stebbens was cutting. The surgery itself took only about 15 minutes. Then they sent me out to the waiting room with a temporary bandage while the lab checked the cancers to make sure they got it all. They did. So half an hour later they brought me back in, and stitched me up on the right side, cauterized me on the left side, gave me a new bandage that was so tight it totally cut off breathing through my nose, and gave me care instructions and a prescription for Vicodin. We picked up the prescription and Larry drove me back to Lodi. I was home before 5.

The doctor had told me to expect a little seepage, and there was seepage, especially on the right side of my nose. So I kept daubing my face with tissue, so that blood didn’t dribble down into my mouth. That night I took a Vicodin, which not only made my face feel a little better, but also took away my chronic back pain and bone ache. So I spread a towel over my pillow to absorb dripping blood, and slept like a log.

Wound Care
The doctor told me, “In the morning when you shower, let the bandage soak through with water, so that it will be easy to remove. Then take off the bandage, clean the area with a Q-tip, put on some ointment, and rebandage the area.” But the written instructions said to wait 24 hours before cleaning. I compromised, and took my shower about 1:30 pm. After the shower I dried (unfortunately I got some blood on the towel), and decided to deal with the bandage and cleansing before I dressed, so I wouldn’t have to worry about blood on my clothes.

So I stood there in front of my bathroom mirror, and removed the bandage from my face. It came off the right side easily, but a wad of gauze stuck to the left side. So I got my Q-tips, and my Hydrogen Peroxide solution, and cleaned the right side first, clearing the dried blood from around the stitches as instructed. That went well. So it was with a feeling of new confidence that I decided to tackle the left side.

Since that one wad of gauze was sticking, the first order of business was to pour water on it, to soften it up. Bloody water dripped off the gauze and into the sink. When the gauze was thoroughly wet, I pulled it off the wound - and started to bleed in earnest.

Blood
Blood poured from my nose. I grabbed the gauze bandage I’d prepared, and used it to apply pressure. It soaked through in and instant! I used the bandage I’d prepared for the other side. In an instant it too was sopping with blood. I grabbed what was left of the gauze roll, and pressed it to my face. It too soaked through in no time. I was out of gauze, and gauze wasn’t going to stem the flow anyhow. I grabbed a washcloth.

As I felt that washcloth growing warm and wet beneath my fingers, I realized that this might be more than I could handle by myself. I was going to need help. I could call Larry. In 20 to 30 minutes he could come to my house, bringing more gauze, and he could drive me to Kaiser. But that 20 or 30 minutes was more than I wanted to spend bleeding uncontollably - especially since there would be another 10 to 15 minutes driving to Kaiser. I could call the neighbors, and ask for female help - since I was stark naked. But I no longer know their number by heart, and by the time I looked it up in the phone book I’d need a new towel. Besides, I don’t even know the woman there by name! It is a lot to ask a virtual stranger into my house when I’m naked and bleeding and don’t know their name. I decided the best thing was to get some clothes on.

Dressing
Getting dressed one handed is not easy. I managed to pull on underpants and a pair of slacks. By then my washcloth was full of blood and dripping. I tossed it into the sink, and grabbed a fresh washcloth. I skipped socks - that is a two handed job. Instead I just stuck my bare feet into my New Zealand boots. Mostly I wiggled the feet inside, and just used one hand to pull the boot full on. Good. Next was bra.

To fasten my bra, I leaned my head against the door frame, to apply pressure to the washcloth that way, and used both hands to hook the bra. (There is still a bloody spot on the door frame that I need to clean up.) I tossed the sopping wet washcloth into the sink and grabbed another fresh one.

The blouse I’d planned to wear was clearly a no-go, as it was a pullover. There was no way I could pull anything over my head in that condition. Instead, I put on the blue jacket that Margo wore while she was here. It is a jacket, not a blouse, and it is a couple of sizes too big, but it covered my nakedness, buttons up the front, and is reasonably warm, so It was good enough. I hurried to the fridge, extracted my Neupogen, then found my purse and my keys. I tossed my third sopping wet washcloth into the sink and grabbed two fresh ones. One I held to my nose; the other was backup. I put on my glasses as best I could, and headed for the car.

Valet Parking
I drove one handed to Kaiser, the other holding the washcloth against the wound. By the time I arrived, the washcloth was soaked. I held my keys out to Valet Parking, as taking the key off to hand them a single key one-handed was out of the question.

“No,” the man said, “I can’t touch anything with blood.” This despite the fact that neither the hand I was extending nor the key had any blood on it; that was all on my face and in my left hand and the washcloth. “You’ll have to go park yourself somewhere else,” he told me.

“That’s ridiculous. I’m clearly in no condition right now to go cruise the parking lot trying to find a spot, so that I can walk a lot farther while I bleed to death! I’m leaving my car here.” Okay, so I exaggerated a little. But essentially I meant what I said.

So the guy threatened me. “Do that and we’ll have your car towed.” Good grief!

Another valet said, “Just leave your keys on the dashboard.”

I didn’t much like that idea either. “You keep your eyes on it! Don’t let someone steal my car!” I begged. And I left all my keys there, and one bloody washcloth there, and grabbed my last washcloth, applied pressure, and headed inside.

Medical Care
I was heading for Medicine 1. But the lady at the front desk stopped me, said “Wait here. Someone is coming to help you.”
“I just want to walk down to Medicine 1,” I told her.

“No! Wait! Your helper will take care of you.”

“Wouldn’t it be quicker if I just walked down to Medicine 1?”

But then the helper appeared. She asked me a few questions, including who had done my surgery, which I couldn’t remember. “I don’t remember. You should be able to look that up on your computer. Elk Grove, yesterday, MOHR surgery, 1 pm.” She took my Kaiser card, and walked with me to Medicine 1. She had me sit down in the waiting room, but she took my Kaiser card inside, and within about 3 minutes someone called me inside - amazing time for arriving without an appointment! Had I just stood in line they wouldn’t even have got to me yet.

The nurse led me inside to a treatment room, had me lie down on the table, and got me a fresh gauze pad to replace my bloody washcloth. “Gauze won’t do the trick,” I told her, but pressed the pad against the wound. Immediately it filled with blood. “I need a new pad already. This one is dripping.” She handed me another, thicker, pad, and asked me all the same questions the first nurse had, including who had done my surgery, which I still couldn’t remember. “Jack somebody? You should be able to look that up on your computer. Elk Grove, yesterday, MOHR surgery, 1 pm.” . The new gauze had filled with blood. “I’m bleeding too much for gauze; this requires cloth.”

She handed me another wad of gauze pads. “This should do it,” she told me. “I’ve got to go report to Dr. Winn.” She disappeared. I lay there applying pressure, and bleeding.

My gauze wad filled with blood, and began to drip. I looked around, and saw no more gauze. But I did spy my own last washcloth, which still had a small dry area. I grabbed that, and pressed it to my face instead of the soaked gauze.

Dr. Winn arrived, and asked to see the wound itself. “It is pulsing,” she said. “That means it is arterial.” Dr Winn tried to apply pressure by grabbing my whole nose. I yelped. Her pressure on the stitched side of my nose hurt like hell! She quickly stopped doing that.

My washcloth was dripping by then. The nurse handed me more gauze. “Gauze won’t do this,” I told her again. This requires cloth.” The new gauze filled with blood.

“Get her a towel,” Dr. Winn said.

Dr. Winn asked a few questions, including who had done my surgery, which I still couldn’t remember. “Jack somebody? You should be able to look that up on your computer. Elk Grove, yesterday, MOHR surgery, 1 pm.”

She tried to apply pressure again - the same way. I yelped again. She quickly removed her fingers again. Then she told me, “This is beyond my competence. I’m going to call a surgeon.” Dr. Winn left. The nurse took my bloody washcloth away again, but this time she handed me a towel. She left too. I lay there applying pressure, and bleeding.

After a while Dr. Winn came in again, this time with a surgeon. He looked me over. He stuck one finger up my nostril, and pinched the wound with his other finger. “Just apply pressure,” he told Dr. Winn smugly. He held the pressure a couple of minutes, while he asked me the same questions everyone else had, including who had done my surgery, which I still couldn’t remember.

“Jack somebody? You should be able to look that up on your computer. Elk Grove, yesterday, MOHR surgery, 1 pm.”

Then he released the pressure, and as I expected (since I’d been applying pressure for over an hour by then), but to his surprise, I went right on bleeding. He put my hand to the towel, pushed it against the wound, and told me, “Just apply pressure” as though I hadn’t been doing exactly that for the last hour. “I’m thinking we’d better get a cosmetic surgeon for this,” he said - and everyone walked out. I lay there applying pressure, and bleeding.

Surgery
After a while a couple of nurses came in with a wheelchair. They had me get into the wheelchair. They gathered up my stuff, and wheeled me across the corridor, to surgery. In the treatment room, they had me lie on the table. They took my blood pressure. They asked all the usual questions one more time, including who had done my surgery, which I still couldn’t remember. “Jack somebody? You should be able to look that up on your computer. Elk Grove, yesterday, MOHR surgery, 1 pm.” Everyone walked out. I lay there applying pressure, and bleeding.

Then Dr. Kim came in. He was young, oriental, and a cosmetic surgeon. He knew who had done my surgery, and casually mentioned Dr. Stebbens name! He looked me over, gave the nurses some instructions, and left. They had me remove my jacket and don a hospital gown. They took my blood pressure. They set up a tray. They put a grounding pad on my leg (which Dr. Stebbens had NOT done. Twice we’d been zapped by a spark as a consequence). When they finished there preparations they called the doctor back.

The doctor stuck that needle in my nose again. Ouch again. That hurts. As soon as the site was numb, he cauterized the offensive artery. I stopped bleeding. He told me, “This should fix the problem, but if it should recur, apply pressure by sticking your thumb up your nostril and pinching the artery with your finger. Hold it for 45 minutes or so, and the bleeding will stop.” The doctor left.

Recovery
The nurses wiped most of the blood off my face and neck. They put a new bandage on my nose. They took off the grounding pad. They gave me some ointment samples to use when I change the bandage at home. They took my blood pressure, which was rather low. They told me to lie there a while, and they left. I lay there, rejoicing in the fact that I was no longer bleeding.

Ten minutes later the nurse came back, and took my blood pressure again. It was still low. I said something about of course it was low, as I’d been lying down and relaxing; so she moved the head of the table up to a sitting position. She gave me a clean damp towel and a mirror, so I could work on cleaning myself up better. She had me sign the permission to operate paperwork, saying they’d had my verbal permission, but needed it in writing. I agreed - they’d had my enthusiastic verbal permission. She laughed, and left.

Ten minutes later she came back, and took my blood pressure yet again. It was still a little low. But she let me exchange the bloody hospital gown for my jacket. She had more paperwork - the doctor needed to fill in what he’d done, then I needed to sign it. She left.

A few minutes later she came back and took my blood pressure one last time. She told me that the doctor had said that although the pressure was low, that was to be expected after some blood loss, and the pressure was high enough that I should be okay. I could go out to the waiting room to wait for him to fill out the paperwork so that I could sign it and leave. She helped me off the table, and led me to the waiting room.

Ten minutes later she stuck her head out to tell me that the doctor was with another patient and would get to my paperwork after he finished with that.

Ten minutes later she stuck her head out again, to say she was sorry I was having to wait so long, but the doctor was still with a patient. Quckly, before she could disappear again, I suggested that she bring me the paperwork now, let me sign it, and then the doctor could fill in the details at his leisure. She liked that idea! A few minutes later she brought me the paperwork, I signed it, and I was free to go.

Aftermath
When I went out to my car, it was sitting where I had left it. Unguarded. With the keys inside, in plain sight. I was mighty lucky that no one climbed inside and drove it away! I was also lucky in that the bleeding did NOT recur. The wounds are beginning to heal. I’m due to have the stitches out this Friday. Meanwhile, I look ugly but don’t have to worry about cancer - or bleeding.

Another Survey

2006-11-14T09:47:00.000-08:00

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:30
2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds - but I'm not really into jewelry of any kind.
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies? That political one - Farenheit somethingoranother.
4. How do you express your creativity? Painting, sometimes writing.
5. What did you have for breakfast? Nothing yet - but I'm thinking I'll have a breakfast burrito.
6. What is your middle name(s)? Terry
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican
8. What foods do you dislike? Turnips, brussel sprouts.
9. How many books do you read in a year? 50 to 100.
10. What is your favourite CD at the moment? I've got a set of CDs - folksongs from the 60s.
11. What type of car do you drive? 2001 Toyota Echo
12. What personality characteristics draw you to people? Compassion, honesty, humor.
13. What characteristics do you despise? fake people, liars, manipulators, predators.
14. Favorite item of clothing? anything comfy; sweats.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Italy, Greece, British Isles.
16. Favorite brand of clothing? Anything thats fits right - I am definitely NOT brand oriented.
17. Where would you like to retire to? Close to family.
18. Favorite time of the day? Morning - when my computer works best and I still have energy.
19. What was your most memorable birthday? I don't remember how old I was, but I was a kid and we had a party at which we had a great relay where we had to sit on balloons to pop them.
20. Where were you born? Los Angeles, California
21. Favorite sport to play? racketball.
22. What fabric detergent do you use? Wisk.
23. Coke or Pepsi? Coke, diet, decaffinated.
24. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I'm more a night owl.
25. What is your shoe size? 8
26. Name your pets? Dog: Jet, cat: Piddles.
27. What did you want to be when you were little? Teacher, writer, artist.
28. When is your birthday? Feb. 14th

**********FAVORITES****************
Shampoo? Head and shoulders
Soap? Dove
Summer/Winter? Summer
Favorite Advertisement? The cell phone ad in which mother and daughter yell really nice things at one another.
Magazine? Discover
TV shows? News, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Gray's Anatomy, Studio 60, Ugly Betty.

****RIGHT NOW*****************
What are you wearing? Dark blue sweats
Eating? no
Drinking? Orange juice
Thinking about? Getting cleaned up and dressed nicely to go volunteer at school.
Listening to: My computer reading what I type.
Book you are reading: Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

**********THE LAST 24 HOURS**************
Cried? No
Laughed? Yes
Met someone new? No
Cleaned your room? Not likely
Drove a car? Yes
Created something? About half of an ATC landscape.
How many hours sleep? 8 or 9

*************DO YOU BELIEVE IN* *************
God? Yes
Santa Claus? Nope - I got in trouble in 8th grade for telling another girl (when she asked) that there was no Santa. I should have told her about the stork too - the next year she dropped out of school because she was pregnant.
Destiny/Fate? Presbyterians are supposed to believe in predestination, but I have a lot of trouble with that. To me it conflicts with freedom of choice.
Ghosts? Not really, though I try to keep an open mind.
True love? Yes.

**********FRIENDS AND LIFE**********
Who have you known the longest of your friends? Mother
Who do you go to for advice? That depends on what I'm asking. Daughter or sister for fashion advice. Ex for auto or electrical advice. Mother for parenting advice.
When do you cry the most? When I read a really sad book.

Tag - you're it!

Crib Sheets

2006-11-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

It just occurred to me: You know you are all grown up when "crib sheets" automatically means cloths to cover the baby's crib, rather than papers used to study for - or cheat on - a test!

Snake

2006-10-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Monday when I walked into the hall I had a surprise. Right there on the floor by the bathroom was a snake, which had clearly been killed in an encounter with my cat.

It was on its back, had blood about the head, and a big gash in its belly.

I took its picture, then decided to flip it, thinking maybe to paint an ATC later, making it seem more alive.

I grabbed it by the tail, with only a bit of kleenex to protect me from snake boogers, and flipped it quite easily. It really did look better right side up, if one ignored the blood on its head and the bump of the belly gash. I took the photo, then I went off to put my camera away.

When I came back, I did an immediate U turn, and fetched the camera once more - because that dead snake was moving down the hall toward my living room! I took its picture as it turned the corner.

Then I got a paper sack and a pencil. I nudged the snake into the sack with the pencil; then took it outside and set it free amid the weeds under the fence.

When I returned an hour later, there was no sign of our friend. Perhaps a bird got it - or perhaps it slithered away to a safer place.

A Good Day

2006-10-21T23:20:00.001-07:00

Today was a good day! Ron and Michelle and kids came to Lodi, and brought baby stuff with them. They not only gave it to me, they hauled it down, carried it in, and set it up! The only problem is that now Margo's room is a bit crowded - one would have to crawl into the bed from one end.

Here is the changing table, with some crib sheets stored on the bottom.

Here is the crib, and a nice comfy rocker, complete with footstool. Michelle says she has spent months in that rocker!

Not only did they set the baby room up, Ron did bunches more. 1) He checked out my washer, which has been leaking. I'd thought it was just a loose hose, but Ron diagnosed something more severe. He recommends a repairman; Michelle recommends buying a new washer. 2) He put salt in my water softner, which will hopefully decrease the amount of lime scale I'll need to fight for the next month or so. 3) He filled the bin with dog food, so Jet won't starve. 4) He emptied that darned trash compactor that threw my back out. Luckily, it did not attack his back. Finally, 5) they took me out to lunch at Strings.

Ian is really growing up fast! At lunch he ate like a big boy, managing his own fork quite competently - especially for a lad of only 2 1/2. Already he knows his colors, and can count to 15, and is speaking in sentences! I can't always understand everything he says, but he's saying it. I'm impressed. Here is a picture of Ian at his birthday party, when he did not appear to be nearly so adept at the use of a fork. (Dumb me, I didn’t think to take new pictures of anyone today.)

The girls are going to a new Christian school, rather than the public school they'd attended before. They really like the school, says Lauren. Shelby just got back from a week long school retreat - team building, social studies, science, crafts. Neat stuff.

Ouch!

2006-10-14T02:18:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up feeling pretty good. So I dressed for around the house, and started trying to get things done. I started the sprinkler on the lawn, fed the dog, then came in and decided to pull the trash out of my trash compactor and toss it in the garbage bin.

Bad mistake. As I pulled, I suddenly both felt and heard a loud POP POP POP POP POP across the base of my back. OUCH! I leaned against the fridge until the pain diminished a little, then I very carefully stood upright. Whew - I managed it. Wasn't sure if I'd be able to. I staggered into the living room, found the number, and phoned my chiropractor.

Thank goodness! He was in, and could see me. I picked up my purse and keys, and hobbled directly to my car to drive to town. I did not stop to put in teeth, to put on bra, or even to brush my hair. I needed help one hell of a lot more than I needed to look decent.

Doctor Gerard adjusted my back, then gave me an ice pack treatment with electrical stimulation. He instructed me not to sit too long; to get up and walk around frequently. He told me not to do any heavy lifting - not a necessary admonition, as at this point I couldn't if I wanted to. And he told me to use ice packs at least 4 times a day, until I come back Monday. I've been following instructions, to the letter. I've never thrown my back out like this before - and I most certainly don't want to do it again.

But the trash still sits in the trash compactor... where I suspect it will stay for some while.

Saturday I plan to drive to Vacaville, meet some ladies from my ATC group, eat lunch with them, and then drive home again. Suddenly it seems like an incredibly ambitious project. Wish me luck.

Blame my gall bladder!

2006-09-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed my absence the last two weeks. Blame my gall bladder.

Sunday and Monday I felt rotten. So Tuesday I phoned in sick to the school I usually volunteer at, and instead went to Kaiser. I got my regular shot, then went to Medicine 1 complaining of vomitting, diarhea, pain, and swelling. I didn't see my regular doctor, but I saw a couple of others. They gave me a bunch of tests and a couple of saline IVs, then sent me home.

Wednesday I got my regular shot, but did not see any doctors. My regular doctor talked with me on the phone, saying it was probably my liver, and would probably clear up on its own; I didn't need to schedule another visit, though the definitive liver test wasn't in yet.

Thursday I helped chaperone a field trip as I'd promised. And shat my pants in the middle of the Titanic exhibit in San Francisco. I washed up as best I could, and bluffed it through.

I scheduled a visit for Friday despite my doctor's advising me not to, because I was still swollen and nauseous and I still hurt. By then the liver test HAD come in, saying "Nope. Not the liver." So they had me drink two awful Barium smoothies and did a CAT scan. (I got even by vomitting their Barium back at them all over the waiting room. Oddly, after that demonstration I got much better service.)

They had me in hospital soon after they finally diagnosed the problem Friday night, but couldn't even do the surgery until Sunday mid-morning (though I was told "within the next hour" from 1pm Saturday through 10:30pm Saturday). They wouldn't even let me rinse my mouth out with water until Tuesday, when they put me on a clear liquid diet. Finally they sent me home Wednesday.

Except for a visit home to feed dog and cat daily, I've spent most of my time since release either sleeping at Mom's or trying to get the meds mess straightened out at Kaiser. (The surgeon "inadvertently" cancelled all my regular medications.) I only moved home all on my own this afternoon. It's back on the phone to Kaiser Monday, and they want another blood test Monday or Tuesday - but oncology doc needs to clarify WHICH blood test.

I'm to go back to Kaiser this Wednesday for a follow up with the surgeon. Hopefully he'll get my staples out.

So now I'm home, and I'm weak and tender and moving very slowly and carefully - but I seem to be healing fine, and things are looking up.

6 things most folks know about me

2006-09-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

I was tagged to tell 6 things people do NOT know about me - but couldn't think of a single thing my daughter and most of my friends do not know. So instead, here are 6 things most folks know about me.

1. I love art, and am currently into making ATCs for trade. All of the ATCs and postcards I've made are stored at http://www.flickr.com/photos/focus_/

2. I love reading, and read all kinds of fiction.

3. I love nature, and get a rush of joy when I see new spring wildflowers, any wild animal from lizard through grizzly bear, or the night sky.

4. I have a webpage http://www.lodinet. com/pappy/ index.htm but ever since I got my new computer I have no way to update it, as my old program is obsolete.

5. I was raised on a farm, and still cannot drive past a farm without trying to identify the crops being raised, and noting the differences in agricultural practices since I was a kid.

6. When I listen to music I tend to play the same songs over and over and over and over until it drives everyone around me crazy.

Tag??? I always loose at tag.

2006-08-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

Here I am, tagged, and no one in reach to tag back. Everyone's out there, either already tagged, or jeering, "Ha! You'll never tag ME!" So I guess I'll pay the penalty:

10 years ago: I was married, had been married for 20 years, and expected to stay that way for the rest of my life, even though I was well aware that my marriage could be a lot better. I was worrying about my daughter - a 13 year old girl, need I say more? - and got into online stuff as much to maintain communication with her as for any other reason. I was teaching, putting 10 to 13 hours per day into my job. I was always sleep deprived.

5 years ago: I completed my divorce. I was miserable, feeling like a complete failure in my personal life. My daughter was getting married to this guy from New Zealand that she had met online. I went through that empty nest thing. I was still teaching, putting 12 to 15 hours per day into my job. I was always sleep deprived. But I had control of my own finances at last, so that facet of my life was coming under control. I refinanced, put a new roof on my house, and put up siding. And I bought myself a new car - the first brand new car I've ever owned, a Toyota Echo, that suits me perfectly. I was 100 pounds overweight.

1 year ago: I'd been diagnosed with MDS, and consequently I had retired from teaching. To my surprise, I was enjoying retirement. My daughter had just introduced me to ATCs, the hobby that now obsesses me. I had lost 110 pounds, but gained 20 back... so that I was about 10 pounds over my ideal weight. I was never sleep deprived. I went on a cruise to Alaska with my sister.

Now: MDS continues to be controlled by meds, and is advancing unexpectedly slowly, thank the Lord. I'm still enjoying retirement. My car is paid for. My weight has held steady for the last year. I'm a proud grandma! Life is mighty good.

5 songs I know all the words to:
Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Bear (child's song)
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (and most of the other songs in Oklahoma, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, and several other old Broadway musicals).
My Paddles Clean and Bright (camp song. I know bunches of camp songs.)
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall (I never much liked beer, but I know the words and can sing the song, albeit off key.)
What a Friend I Have in Jesus (and a bunch of other hymns)
Poppy, Golden Poppy (I sing this one to Margo, mainly to get her goat.)

Ooops. That was 6.

5 snacks I love and wish I could eat:
Rice Krispies Treat (Can't ever eat them because I'm allergic to rice.)
Potato Chips and dip (fattening fattening fattening but yummy; I eat it ocassionally, but try not to give in more than once every 2 or 3 months)
Cheese cake (fattening fattening fattening but yummy; I eat it ocassionally, but try not to give in more than once every 2 or 3 months)
Pie - lemon merangue, pumpkin, grape, apple, berry - I love them all. Luckily I'm too lazy to cook them and too responsible to buy them, or I'd be 200 pounds overweight in no time at all! I eat them only on festive ocassions like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Only 4 - but I had 6 songs, so it evens out.

5 Places I'd run away to:
Italy / Greece / Mediterranean. I'd love to see it - and its art - once before I die.
England / Ireland / Scotland. I've read so many authors from there that I'm curious.

Was that 6 or 2?

5 things I'd never wear:
bikini
high heels - I used to, but always hated them, and I never want to put them on again.
a parachute - unless the plane is crashing, I thoroughly intend to stay aboard.

That's enough. Though I don't expect to wear a girdle or a wedding gown ever again, I can see a faint possibility.

5 favorite TV shows:
Desperate Housewives
Nova
Gray's Anatomy
Those "Anyone Can Paint" how-to shows, though some I like more than others.
Lawyer shows, like The Practice.

5 greatest joys:
Family and friends
Art / painting
Reading
Piddles (my cat) and Jet (my dog)
Seeing wild animals, like the lizards, birds, and cottontail rabbits that live in my yard.

5 favorite toys:
Computer
Paint set
Jigsaw puzzles
Camera
TV

Tag 5 people:
Nope. I already talked about not doing that at the top of this post.

And now I've got a blog?

2006-08-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

I didn't really want to create a blog, you know. I simply wanted to comment on Princess Ladybug's blog. But to do that I had to sign in. And to do that, I had to have an account. And to do that, I had to have a blog address - and Focus, Focus.R, Focus_Ret, and Hmmmm didn't work. Just making a comment wasn't as easy as it should have been, and it had consequences. The most obvious consequence is that now I've got a blog, and am going to feel obligated to say something here from time to time. Sheesh!