Bad Neighbors

we have new neighbors down in the cul de sac from our house

I am not thrilled

this is the site that greeted me when I went out to get the newspaper this morning

he's got furniture and boxes on the porch like someone getting evicted -- wood all piled up on the grass --broken down pickup in the driveway -- tools all over the place ---

It looks awful

I'm thinking of sending a copy of this photo to the people that own the house --- and live in another state. They were always such nice neighbors, kept the yard up so nice.

This guy's turning it into a mess --- I hate to think what he's doing inside where no one can see!

the beets go on

see 'em?

The tiny little red and green leaves poking out of the dirt

that is my beet crop!

there are lots and lots of these little gems

and the ground is starting to crack along the line where we planted chard

and I spotted one little carrot sprout

YEAH!!!!

next week we'll be putting in the wax beans and some other stuff ---- neat

oh yeah, that head line? from an old Sonny and Cher song

"...The beat goes on, the beat goes on. Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain. La de da de dee, la de da de da..."

ok, so now I'm off for 3 days to do an art show (particulars here if you want to come and visit!)

working in the fog

woke up this morning and I could swear we must have slept through the summer and we're somehow back in winter again

or maybe it's just that I'm feeling like summer will never get here! (or even spring!!)

After another weekend of cool grayness, this morning it's foggy again --- bleah!

Of course the next weekend is supposedly going to be the first nice weekend we've had in ages, which I hope means there will be people at the art show we'll be doing (the first one of the summer --- meaning tents to be put up and dealing with whatever the weather is for three days)


So just excuse me while I wander off mumbling.......

Happy Mother's Day!

Isn't my kid sweet ---- such a cute card!

Well, we have this mutual admiration society thing going on --- I'm one of her biggest fans and she's one of mine.

Hope all of you mom's have a great day!

and all of you women that are not mom's, it's your day too for the example you set for the children of others.

Enjoy!

Rant Redux

So, I got to see the new doctor yesterday.

Now I guess I know why the other doctor's office was so reluctant to return phone calls or talk to me about anything.

Seems the two tests that they did were so poorly done that I'm basically back to square one!

The doctor failed (after TWO attempts in the office) to get enough tissue to do a proper biopsy. This was a painful "digging around" procedure, done totally without any kind of prep on my part (physical or mental).

And the ultrasound technician was so inept that they even failed to get a picture of one of the ovaries --- don't you think they would have noticed while they were doing it!?

The fact that these procedures were painful and in the case of the ultrasound, humiliating because of the way it was handled, I am not happy that the hack job shop masquerading as a medical facility that performed them will get any money from my insurance company.

In fact, I have decided to write a letter of protest to them and copy our state medical board.

So, yesterday, the new doctor, with copies of the reports in hand (such as they were) walked me through what they said --- and didn't say. She explained what she would be looking for and why it was important to check things out (for instance, one of the things that can cause the post menopausal bleeding is cancer, or something that can turn into cancer, in which case we want to deal with it pronto).

She spent an entire HOUR answering my questions, reasurring me and yes, drawing pictures!!

The end result of this appointment is that in a couple of weeks I'll go back to her office and they will redo the ultra sound --- right there in the office, with a female technician that has been doing this for 20 years and only does ultra sounds on WOMEN ---- I'm guessing she'll know there should be two ovaries in the pictures. At the end of the appointment for the ultra sound, I'll see the doctor --- yes, ON THE SAME DAY! and she'll explain what the pictures from the ultra sound show -- and let me see them.

Then, in the first week of June she'll do a procedure that will take a look inside and remove any polyps, etc. and a proper tissue sample will be sent to the lab (which I will know the results of within 48 hours --- from the doctor, not some office clerk!)

And where will this be done? Not in the office. In the hospital as an outpatient procedure. After I've had time to get a couple of medications that I take daily out of my system so they don't interfere with the test or put me at risk of excessive bleeding. And who will do it? The doctor herself --- no passing me off to yet another butcher for his share of the monetary pie ---

I'm still a little nervous about the whole issue, but reassured that even if the lab results come back with something unpleasant, it's something fixable.

I slept better last night than I had in a while

Ok, now it's time to go write that letter!

An update --- sort of -- and a rant

Back the end of April I posted here about the medical issues I've been having.

I can report that after repeated phone calls regarding results, questions, etc., I have decided to take my medical records to a different doctor --- the whole trust issue with something this important just can't be handled any other way (to my mind, anyway)

So, today I get to go do battle with the office to get my medical records send to the new office, and tomorrow afternoon I get to talk with the new (highly recommended by the women in the office of my general practice doctor) gyn.

Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this issue --- hopefully the answer won't involve something that messes up my whole schedule of shows for the summer.

Meantime, I've been mumbling for a while about artistic competitions.

Be it performance art or the sort of art I do, there seems to be a thread of commonality --- if you've already done something, you get to do more --- if you've never gotten to do something, it's almost impossible to get to do it.

Take beadwork competitions for example. Everybody in the beading world knows the names Sherry Serafini or Heidi Kummli or Margie Deeb. So if you enter a competition and they're in it too, you can just about bet that one of them is going to win.

And in performance art there is the same issue --- if you've already had a lead part in something and the people holding the audition know you or know your teacher you're a sure bet.

So my question for the day is: how do you get known if no one will give you a chance?

just sayin'

Gardening progress

This little item is an instrument of torture!

It's a dandelion digger --- a brand shiny new one --- or at least it was all shiny before I spent some considerable time working in the back yard yesterday.

The neighbor up the street evidently thinks that yards are SUPPOSED to be covered with fuzzy yellow flowers, which means the seeds are "blowin' in the wind" all over the neighborhood.

This is NOT, however, my ideal lawn, and while chemicals may seem like the way to go, they are price-y (remember, we're in the post squirell budget month), and I'm not real wild about what they do to the environment.

So --- diggers up --- and away we go

I pretty much filled up a 5 gallon bucket with what I dug up


Yesterday's work outdoors also included planting the "low crops" section of the garden.

The tilling had been completed last week, so the soil was all prepared to receive the carrots and beets and swiss chard seeds.

I had not planted any of these things from seed before. Carrot seeds are teeny, tiny, tiny little seeds and there were bunches of them in the packet (which is packaged by weight).

Beet and chard seeds both look like little goat's head thistles, only not so prickly.

So now we're on "growth patrol" --- by about next Wednesday there should be some sign of green things (other than weeds!) growing out there --- Yippee!

The sunflower seeds that we had started in the little pots got planted too, now the trick is to keep the labrador off them until they get tall enough for her to realize they are there.

I can tell you that a winter of working at the computer and in the studio did not put me in shape for all that stoop labor, however. I have some sore muscles in places that surprised me, and going upstairs is a bit painful (ouch, oooch, ow!)

The squash and pumpkins need to be moved into larger pots, so I'll probably be working on that today (it's too early to put those in the ground here, just yet).

Onward and upward!!

An unusual request

During the time that I've been blogging I've ask folks to pray for my dad and my mom and my husband and my daugher. I've added my prayers to those of others in the blog world for like causes.

Certainly I never thought I'd been asking for myself.

Since I'm taking this (what seems to me, drastic) step, I feel I should explain.

As a woman of "that age", I had gone through "the change" almost 5 years ago.

I'm the only woman of my family to do this "the old fashioned way" as every other female member of the clan had done this with surgery at some point in their lives (before they got to the age I am), so certainly I have no guide book here (Ok, I guess I'm writing one for my daughter!)

However, about a month ago, I began having episodes of bleeding again.

A trip to the doctor revealed a normal pap smear, and a biopsy done in the office showed "nothing remarkable" (really, that was the comment on the lab result!).

The ultra sound (a whole other experience to be ranted about another time) revealed that I have a small fibroid tumor which is "not of concern" and supposedly is not the cause of the bleeding.

Now the doctor wants to do a D&C, which my reading tells me is not really helpful to treat post menopausal bleeding.

Part of my issue here is that I don't have a really trusting relationship with this doctor --- it's okay in terms of being able to go for that yearly exam, but I'm feeling really out here by myself just now.

I'm really not good at asking for help for anything, even when (in looking back) I should, but this thing, frankly, scares me.

So if you all could say a little word for me to have understanding and guidance and make proper choices, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks to you all.

Squirells final destiny and screen doors

Yesterday, after 3 days of there being no more squirells in the traps, the pest control guy came and made the roof repair.

The traps have been removed from the roof, the sturdy double layer of hardware cloth (which is really heavy wire screening) has been installed to keep any future squirells from moving in.

This residence has been officially "Red Tagged" for squirell habitation!!

The picture here is of Douglas County, the county to the North of us, which is where the pest control guy took those squirells and dropped them off ---- in a much ritzier zip code!!

Yippee!!

And today was the day of the screen door repair.

Last week, on one of the warm days, I went out onto the patio, leaving the glass door open and closing the screen.

The big black lab that lives here didn't see me go, and when she realized I was out and she was in, she came running.

I'm impressed that 80 pounds of lab hitting the screen did not tear the screen --- but it did pop the door off the tracks entirely and sent it flying.

But then we couldn't get it back onto the rails. I called the company that installed it -- after all, it's supposed to be guaranteed.

They came this morning and put it back on the rails --- and repaired the latch so it works again.

All at no charge (which was great after I wrote that $500.00 check to the pest control guy!!)

ok, I'm hoping now that we are done with house issues for a while and can get back to something resembling normal!!

Further Squirell Control

When we arrived home yesterday afternoon, there was a fox in the front yard of the house next door having squirell for lunch (raw on the half shell, no doubt)

mmmmmmm, tasty!

I don't think the pest control company arranged for this, it's just the natural progression of the food chain

The report from the pest control company is that so far they have trapped 3 adult squirells and 4 juveniles --- yeah team!!!

It was cool and rainy here too from the time we got home, and I haven't heard any chasing in the ceiling, so I think we're getting close to having the problem solved.

squirell update and gardening in process

As we discussed earlier, the squirells are being evicted.

There are two of these humane traps on the roof, and the pest control guy comes by once or twice a day to take the occupants.

I've seen 4 squirells in the traps.

Sorry guys, we just can't have you chewing on the drywall and the rafters and the electrical wiring!! (I hear that they will literally chew right through the drywall into the living areas, and we're all for wild life, just not sharing our living space!!)

The garden is growing!!

Those really tall little seedlings are sunflowers, and we'll be putting them in the ground next week.

Meantime, this weekend we're off to build a deck (or at least the foundation and frame for one) with our daughter

Updates on that project next week!!

aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln....

Before you say "isn't he cute", let me tell you, we are not amused

"Why?" you ask

Because it's going to cost us a hefty sum to get these "cuties" out of our rafters.

Last weekend during the heavy wet snow storm we could hear scurrying in the ceiling. Since there has been a lot of construction going on in the back field, we suspected the local field mice had come looking for a nice dry home.

Then we saw several juvenile squirells sitting on the edge of the roof.

Enough! I called the local pest control guy.

Seems that even though the house is sided with vinyl, which they can not climb, they can climb brick, and the found a place right where the house and the garage meet to burrow under the roof shingle and chew their way in.

The pest control guy was here at 7:30 a.m. By 8:00 he had set the traps and left. He'll be back every day to check the traps. I don't even have to be here when he does.

It will take about 10 days of trap minding to make sure all of them are out. Then he'll repair the spot so they can't get back in --- there at least. He guarantees his work. He'd better, it's costing us $500!

On the up side, a major remodel inside if we don't get rid of them (not to mention the whole health issue) would be much more costly.

Guess we'll be eating a lot of chicken wings and beans this month.

And while this is upsetting, I'm brought straight to the fact that things could be a lot worse. Yesterday while I was reading one of the blogs I visit at least once a week, I learned that Kay of Mason Dixon Knitting lost her husband on Saturday. I'm stunned and saddened --- she has young children.

All this reminds me of something my grandmother had posted above her desk --- "I used to complain because I had no shoes, until I met a man that had no feet"

We're praying for Kay and her family.

Britian's Talent Wows Us Again

Let me begin by saying I do not watch American Idol

I do not like the whole "phoniness" of it, or the way the "judges" brutalize and publicly humiliate the contestants


I can't speak to how that's done on the whole on the "Britian's Got Talent" show, because the only clips of it I have ever watched are the ones where the singers are great (remember Paul Potts?)

Anyway, the latest "phenom" is a 47 year old unemployed single woman singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. If you haven't heard this clip yet, you can access it here.

Listen closely to her sing --- listen to the lyric

(see Simon get knocked out of his chair!)

I hope she wins it all!!

Tuesday Afternoon

There's this commercial has been making me nuts the whole time it's been playing.

It's for VISA and it want's you to use your VISA card to take your daughter to the aquarium on a (what else) Tuesday afternoon.

[If you haven't seen the ad on TV, you can see it here]

In fact, it wasn't until I was talking to my sister about the affect this thing has had on me that she did the "google" thing and told me what the thing was for.

So what's the deal, you ask?

It's the MUSIC!!!

The song is a 1967 piece by The Moody Blues.

I first became acquainted with the group when I was in high school, and a very close friend gave me the album this piece of music is on (it's called Days of Future Passed). I love the Moody Blues, I have many, many of their albums (on VINYL!!)

The problem?

I've lost track of the friend that gave me the album. The last time I saw her was in the 1970s, after which she and her husband split up, I think she married again, but I haven't been able to find either of them or her boys. It's frustrating.

And I'm wondering, every time they run that commercial, if somewhere she's seeing it and wondering where I am too.

Where are you Cathy?

Happy Easter!

The weather here in my little corner of the world is raining -- we're glad to have the moisture

Just thought I'd share this photo of a beaded piece I did a couple of years ago --- the Easter Lily is on one side --- the other side has the cyrillic letters for "Christ Is Risen"

Have a Happy Easter!

Loosing it

Recently a comment on this blog reminded me that getting older isn't for sissies.

There was a time in my life that if you asked me where something that I owned was that I could tell you in such detail that you could walk right to it.

I can't do that any more

Maybe it's the aging process

or the fact that we've moved so many times

or maybe we just have too much stuff

So, what's the potato peeler about?

Well, I usually don't do a lot of the cooking here in our little hut --- the DH is ever so much better at it, and since I take care of keeping the kitchen clean and doing the laundry and keeping track of the dog (for the most part), the cooking is his normal "chore".

Except about 3 weeks ago he had a little accident with the circular saw and tore up a finger on his left hand and I've been trying to keep us alive with my feeble cooking skills ever since (I did get a "reprieve" when my daughter and her husband came to visit for a weekend and HE did some cooking for me).

Anyway, the other night we wanted to do mashed potatoes.

We have a couple of those other style potato peelers, but I really don't like them and several years ago I bought a really nice OXO peeler.

Trouble was, I can't find it.

I emptied all three of the "gadget" drawers in the kitchen. The DH even emptied the one we used to always keep my peeler in.

I looked through all the crocks of gadgets on the counter.

The peeler has gone AWOL

Let me tell you the frustration level was intense

Amid much grumbling, I used the old metal one so we could have dinner.

Yesterday I bought the pictured "replacement" --- it's not as nice as the OXO one was, but it's better than the metal one and it only cost $1.50.

Now I suppose I should tie a string to it and hang it around my neck

or I'll put it in the drawer and the other one will suddenly reappear

Yup, getting older is definately not for sissies

Why it's hard to make a living as an artist

This picture was in the USA Today yesterday

It's a collar style necklace. They were talking about the great "look" this is.

I like that part --- get people excited about the kind of art jewelry that I make

Except for one little thing

This piece is being made somewhere out of the U.S. (by someone that will work for a nickle an hour) and they are selling it for $48.00!!!!

Any piece that I make with my own two little hands (or as I tell folks some days "THESE TEN FINGERS!") that is anywhere near this size has probably got $48.00 worth of materials in it, not to mention the hours and hours it takes me to create it.

just sayin'

"I'm in a ditch"

Those are words to make a mother's heart skip a beat when spoken over the phone from your daughter.

And she said them so calmly --- almost with a little laugh ----

all I can say is thank goodness for cell phones and for her having a great husband and good friends to come to her rescue

For those of you who live where it doesn't snow, we are in the middle of pretty typical weather for spring in the mountains.

On Wednesday it was beautiful, clear, warm.

Yesterday a big, cold storm blew in and dumped a lot of snow --- the operative word being BLEW!

My daughter (who lives at the other end of the state) had to go to work, but at 10:30 she headed for home. As she often does, she called me and we chatted briefly when she left work, telling me that she was headed out and would let me know when she got home.

Half an hour later, I got the call -- I answered the phone and said "are you home?"

That's when I heard "no, I'm in a ditch!"

Seems the road conditions and people around her driving crazy had combined in a bad way and she slid off the road into the ditch rather than being hit in the rear end --- a better situation to my mind.

Several hours later, after spending some time at a co-worker's house and having a good friend help her and her husband haul the car out of the ditch, she finally got home.

She's alright.

The car is alright.

Tomorrow it will be in the 50s and the snow will all melt away like it was never here.

geesh!

Can we skip this month?

I have decided that I do not like the month of March.

Now that the sun is shining more, it's warmer than it was, the daffodils are coming up -- and I'm in a funk

oh yes, did I mention, my birthday is in a couple of weeks

I have a love/hate relationship with my birthday

They're fun when there is cake (chocolate!) and perhaps a present or two involved

They're also a reminder that I'm another year older

The counting isn't the issue --- it's the lack of accomplishing that is

It's like reading other people's blogs --- I love hearing about other places --- but wish I could go there too

{sigh}

Why we hate the beginning of D.S.T.

for those of you who sail through this annual torture known as "springing forward", I say "good on ya"

I for one wish we could just set the clocks somewhere (ANYWHERE!) and just leave them alone

Seriously, this whole Daylight Savings Time thing makes me crazy --- I love having more sunlight in the evening -- that's a totally cool deal as far as I'm concerned

But the adjusting is messing with my routine --- I mean by the time I get through the emails and all the other things I do every morning on my computer (checking bank balances, etc.), here it is after 10:00! and there's been no breakfast yet, and then it will mess up the eating schedule for the rest of the day, as in "oh, it's 6 pm and we haven't even begun to think about starting dinner"

This morning at 7:30 (!) the dog decided it was time she was up and greeted me with loud squeeking of one of her toys. A week ago this would be 6:30, which would have given me a whole hour more to get everything done at my desk before moving on to upstairs projects

geesh ----

never mind, we'll adjust in a week or so --- I hope