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

Photographic Schizophrenia

Sounds like a scary disease!

Let me explain.

When I apply to art shows with my jewelry, I must go through a jurying process.

To do jurying you are required to submit photos.

To get through a jury, those photos must be of only one object, with a plain background and tightly focused on the object so the details of the work show.

I'm getting pretty good at taking those photos.

Like these, for example.



I have noticed, however, that a lot of the pictures that are now appearing on places like Etsy have been "fru frued" --- that is they are are "busy" backgrounds, or they include things in the picture that do not come with the object for sale.

Hence the schizophrenia ---

I'm wondering if my sales would be better if I did THAT kind of photos to put out on Etsy.

For instance, this photo.

It's clear, nicely cropped so that you see the details of the bear.

It would be a great shot for a jury photo.

But is it a good one to advertise Miss Cupcake is for sale?

Would it be better if I had a glass cake plate to sit her on? Or some other assorted props, even though those are not part of the deal when she is sold.

I'm confused, and frankly, don't know which is better.

My old fashioned eyes tell my brain that I should apply the K.I.S.S. principle, but I'm not sure that still works in today's advertising.

What do you think?

Struggling with "why bother"

The economy has had an impact on most every one (except perhaps for those ubber rich folks that are only worrying about maybe having to pay their fair share of taxes with the rest of the folks!)

One of the things that I'm struggling with just now is the impact a really down economy has on the one place I have been able to make a little money.

Let me explain.

This is the time of year that we apply to shows.

Today, I was online trying to find the application for a show that we have done in the past that was pretty reasonable to do and had a educated clientele (ie they know that artists can't work for a nickle an hour) that liked my pieces.

Not only is there no application for the show, their entire website is gone --- folded their tent in the night and just disappeared

This is the second show this year that we had done before and planned to do this year that no longer exists

We had applied to a show in Iowa, but this week received the "thanks, but no thanks" letter

The inability to find shows to take my jewelry to is really frustrating. I enjoy making the pieces, playing with the beads, working with the stones. But without a market for them it becomes more difficult to get excited about starting new stuff.

As I said, it's the "why bother" issue

Some good news!

Our local grocery store did a free health screening thing yesterday.

I was all prepared to have it be like the big health fair I go to in late April, where you stand in line practically all morning and then you have to wait for a month to get the results.

What a pleasant surprise when I walked in and there were only 4 folks ahead of me and I was told I would have my results on the spot!!

So, aside from the total lack of hassel, I was pleased to be told that the medication for my cholesterol is working!!

All of the "bad" cholesterol numbers had dropped a lot.

Now if someone could just tell me what I need to do to make the "good" cholesterol number go up, I would be a very happy camper.

Oh yeah, the fasting glucose number was real good too

Yippee ---- happy (virtual) cartwheels being turned here!!

I'm not a twit(ter)

Ok, I'm listening to the news and all the talking about twitter

Let me say here that while I consider myself pretty savvy about technology for an old broad, I do not Twitter

I also do not do text messaging on my cell phone

It's not that I think I couldn't

With the phone it's more a thing of no one I ever talk to on the phone (except my daughter) does texting either, so I can't justify the extra fee each month to have texting enabled on my phone. (Guess this shows a deplorable lack of techie friends)

As for twitter--

Let's say first that my computer is in the basement, and I go there every morning first thing and spend a couple of hours or so reading email and blogs and downloading any orders to be filled, etc.

After that, I go upstairs and I work on other things --- like sewing and beading and drawing and knitting --- well, you get the idea

So that whole idea of being right where the computer is and "tweeting" to people all day long is pretty strange, at least from the logistical point of it

I'm guessing this little piece of technology is just going to have to go on it's merry little way without my participation!

Music to my ears

I watched the president's speech last night.

This is a new experience for me. During the past 8 years I was interested in what was happening, but I couldn't stand to listen to the butchering of the English language and the outright lies that every presidential address was.

And during the times before that, frankly I was busy trying to juggle full time jobs and running a small business and being a good parent and was just too exhausted most of the time to pay attention.

Last night the president was back in his campaign style uplifting mode for the most part.

And for me, here is the line that gave me a real thrill:

"But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and our conscience long enough. So let there be no doubt: Health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year."

And the oddest couple in the Senate, Orin Hatch and Ted Kennedy will be the standard bearers for this legislation.

And NEXT WEEK(!) the discussions begin.

I'm at odds with some other things that are still going on, but I have hope that part of the country's biggest nightmare (and, yes, my own) will at least have someone seriously working on it.

yes, it's music to my ears

About to become a statistic?

So it would seem.

I recently was notified that my current health insurance plan is probably going to be eliminating individual coverage in my area.

So I applied for another plan, and was turned down because as a woman of my age I take medication for a couple of health issues. Seems I don't fit their "insurable profile".

Programs for the folks that fit my age and "health issues" are available, but we're talking something with a $10,000 deductable and a $500 plus per month premium.

I don't qualify for Medicaid, I'm too young for Medicare

If my current insurance company truly does cut individual coverage here, I will be joining the millions that have no insurance, which means if I should have some serious medical problem, it's just going to be "too bad for you"

health care reform can't come fast enough

Official Dog Duties

It's been pretty nice the last couple of days (after a Saturday full of fog and cold) such is the joy of living in the mountains!

Our dog has assigned herself to an official duty.

Every morning after breakfast, she and the DH take the bucket from the kitchen out to the compost bin (she'll sit at the back door and wait for him to come from the kitchen with it).

Later in the day she'll go out from time to time and make sure no squirrels are helping themselves to any "tasty treats" that she can't get to.

It's good for a labrador to be busy -- it keeps them out of trouble!