I Took a Bath the Other Day

And it was just what the doctor ordered. Seriously!

No kidding, I bet it has been more than five years since last I filled our bathtub with super hot water, and took a nice soak. Lovely, actually.

From my last post everyone assumed I was getting near the end of things, and oh, I wish that were true, however, it was not. Over the weekend I began noticing some other problems which I kept wishing away. Unfortunately that did me no good.

So, Monday I called the office, and explained my situation, hoping that a phone call would solve things. But, it did not. Please come in Tuesday morning. Twice in the span of five days when I'd gone SEVEN years without a visit to the doctor? Say it ain't so!

By the morning I was once again a weak and sick puppy, having Bruce drive me the mile there! My bp numbers were so good, probably because I was so down by then. Anyway, I'll spare you the details, but following an examination, and another prescription, I am, once again on the mend.

Bringing cheer to me throughout the weekend, this lovely bouquet arrived from Tom's Mum, and Dad. Such a beautiful array of colors!

After yet another day on the couch, during which time I watched four, yes four documentaries. Thank God for Netflix, or should I say thank Jon and Alissa as we are sharing their service! Here's what I watched in order:

• 20 Feet from Stardom: Highly interesting and entertaining look at the singers who make the big stars sound good. And, sometimes look good. 
• Good Ol' Freda: Another winner about the 17 year old girl who was secretary to the Beatles! As a former President of a Beatles fan club this was right up my alley. If you can imagine, thinking of how people (me) share everything, she kept silent about her role for 50 years!
• The Artist is Present: A documentary about Marina Abramovic, the performance artist, I watched this thinking I would not really like it, but, much to my surprise I did. 
• Gerhard Richter Painting: Recently one of Richter's paintings sold for 45 million dollars! How does he do his work--watch and see.

Thinking of my fan club days, and my children have heard this story more than once, I believe I was president because I started it. That's one thing, the other is that in a case of total mortification for a 10 year old, the refreshments I served at our home, at my Mother's behest, were water and saltine crackers. I suppose today some folks might applaud the lack of sugar, however, even to this day, I am not one of them.

Before my life was turned upside down, at least in the short run, I spray painted some vases purchased at an estate sale. I'm trying to add small bits of the aqua family because of the new sofa.

Bruce has the spray station set up on the side of the house making it easy to fiddle around with spray paint. Anyway, yesterday I was up and about, not doing much, but at least not on the couch. I spray painted a heart thing I bought at Hobby Lobby. I think they call it pressboard? This morning I went out and saw it in the day light.

Now you see the previous paint job joined to the last one! You'll notice the water; a wild and windy rainstorm came through during the overnight hours. So wild and windy, the rain lashed the screen of the open window above my head. Around 5 this morning I woke to tiny sprinkles of rain on my face! 

What is the heart for? In a first for me,  I'm copying something I saw on the internet. Bruce is in Virginia, so after a terrific two hour phone call with Karen Hirsch, I began making this:

It is a bit like doing a jig saw puzzle trying to make it all fit together. What does B being in Virginia have to do with anything? Well, the question of dinner, such as it has been the last eleven days, did not come up. I am eating again, however, my appetite is certainly diminished for now.

I do have some excellent news and that is that last night I took my final Flagyl. I cannot tell you enough how happy this makes me, in more ways than one. The first thing Bruce said when returning from picking it up a week ago Monday was, "honey, I have some bad news for you; drinking wine while on the medicine is a big fat no-no." Apparently the side effects of doing so can make you just as sick as the colitis, so naturally I did not chance it. Just when I thought the day would arrive to once again imbibe, I read that it is best to wait three days after taking it! I'm thinking, if all goes according to plan, that a Saturday date night might be the time to reinstate my wine drinking ways!

And now to another bath.....

It is What We Do

Bill called the other evening on his way home from work, nothing unusual about that, and nothing unusual about my response when he asked me what I'd done during the day. I made stuff. Bruce helped me, as always. It is just what we do.

I am having a lot of fun with the stamps, not to mention learning stuff as I go. John Copley, for example, is immortalized on a stamp. Curious to learn more, I turned to our friend Wikipedia and learned this. A Colonial painter of extraordinary talent, he is immortalized on more than a stamp, a good many places in Boston bear his name. There are quite a number of stamps promoting peace, and it got me to thinking about the time frame many of the stamps came from--the Cold War. Then too, I realized that very few woman are on United States stamps--Susan Anthony, Martha Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt and a few others, whereas European stamps are covered with women, or make that one woman--Queen Elizabeth's face graces stamps from many of the British colonies. So, it is not only fun to make something, it is interesting as well.

My latest effort is with international stamps, including some places that no longer exist, or should I say have been renamed, in particular I'm thinking of Yugoslavia.

I made it on a really cool plate made of what looks like mother of pearl, purchased for a dollar at the thrift store. Sitting beside it is one of the frames in progress. What am I going to do with all my stamp creations? Try selling them, and I've found just the place to do so. Whether they will sell or not is tbd!

Actually, it did not occur to me to do so, however, Bruce, albeit somewhat biased, thinks they might. While picking up some canvases from RT-Art, I walked along the center looking at the shops and came across a really neat place called, The Lovely Boutique which looks like this:

Filled with all manner of crazy stuff, I talked to the owner who showed some enthusiasm. This week, after Bruce superglued hangars on the back,

I dropped them off while picking up more canvases. I brought two stamp covered vases as well. She asked me about pricing and I was clueless. She then mentioned she would do a little research on it, which I was also clueless about. Curious, the minute I got home I looked it up, and lo and behold, I am doing something not in the least original, although I only discovered it with the help of our friend Google. Take a look at these remarkable pieces--oh my! Simply astonishing. So, we shall see...

Meantime, I took my bike for the tune up, although not without some difficulty. Bruce had to hang it on the rack in a very unorthodox manner.

Buying the new bike, it occurred to neither of us, that it would not fit our rack. Fortunately they sell a bar that can be used to make a girly bike work which I picked up while there. Once the bike was done, before loading it back on the car, I rode around the nearby neighborhoods for a change of pace. Along Orange Avenue there are still cute shops, but Florida Hospital is sure taking over this part of Orlando, as evidenced by yet another crane.

If ever we live in an apartment in Orlando, I'd like to make it one of these:

The center housing the bike shop still sports the original neon.

Lets Groove indeed. :)

Riding around, the streets have adorable homes, however, the neighborhood is also full of tear downs turned into very large new homes,

generally twice the size of the neighboring home. One year, awhile back, this area was part of a city calendar assignment, and I remember this door looked not nearly as nice as it does now.

I love that door!! A very creative use of paint, don't you think?

The rest of the sofa fabric arrived and is now in the hands of Mr. Upholstery. Any day now the living room will be back to the new normal. Woo hoo!

Flowers never cease to amaze me. More than a week ago when I wrote this post showing some yellow daisies from the yard. Okay--so what? This is what--the same night as I wrote the post I noticed the flowers closing up. Thinking that would be that, I was surprised to see that they opened in the morning, and if you can imagine, they still look as if I just cut them!

In other news, it has been quite some time since I updated you on Angela's husband, Matt's, condition. Sadly he is not doing very well. So much so that he is now using a walker in the house and a wheelchair when out in public. He still can walk, which is good, but the bad news is that he is losing his motor skills, the result of both the brain tumor, and the treatment. Spending some time with her yesterday afternoon, I learned that there is a significant increase in brain necrosis at the tumor site. They are looking at all options as to what to do next. :(

I hate to end this post on a downer, but I learned of another friend with health issues--Ken, of Jim and Ken fame, had a small stroke last weekend, however, in his case, they are fairly confidant his recovery will be full. Did I ever tell you that Ken was the college quarterback at Oklahoma State University? Now you know.

Bruce is in the garage making a bunch of new frames to replace the NINE (!!) sold in the last two weeks. And here's another one of my stamp wall hangings...

It is what we do....