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My yard man came yesterday to check things out. i had to admit that I succumbed and bought plants … then got too tired to dig holes. One of them i bought because it had a Japanese name. He asked to see the little paper that is stuck in pots identifying the plant. When I showed it to him he said, ” you do realize this says it will grow ten feet tall and five feet wide?” So we trapped it in a pot.  And I promised I would stay away from plant stores.

This morning I went outside to see what was left of the dogwood…..

and the blooms on new growth of the honeysuckle heading up the pergola.

I bought cut flowers for the neighbor who took me to the oncologist yesterday and a bunch of sunflowers for myself. Any other bloom just looks too fussy for my interior space. This is perfect in the new sunroom.

And remember me thinking about replacing the toilet seat? Well, I did it! Rereading instructions while trying to keep the bidet attachment in place was not a simple task…especially when it was all assembled and the cover caps would not close. After thinking I should just undo it all and use the old toilet seat bolts, it occurred to me that there may be more instructions on the tiny paper I was reading. Sure enough, the main side said…”now tighten all the way down” (which I assumed was the last word) But when I turned the paper over, it continued “until they break off.” Those were the first instructions ever that told me to continue until I broke something.

There was time this week to get another couple of leaf drawings in the book.

Soon I will have plenty of full-grown leaves to choose from.

I continue to work out with the PT who comes here. But he has told me he will be gone for two weeks and left me a more amped-up intense workout. I need to lift my knees higher and keep my stance while moving about and boxing. I need to call out my own sequences of punches while mixing up the orders and punch like I was really connecting. And keep up the balance exercises. I am getting better and twice in the past week have reached well over 7,000 steps per day. My goal is for the time being to meet 6,000.

Anzac day is tomorrow so I will bake those cookies today to share on the corner in the morning. They are a favorite so might drop some with the Australian who runs the bike shop here in town. I need to take in the children’s book, Scrabble, for his kids.

This week I heard from an old friend who I met in a poetry class over ten years ago. His message made me smile as I remembered his poem to an ex-partner about how much his life was changing and each stanza ended with “I do so hope you’re doing well.” Anyway we stayed friends and he asked if I would be interested in doing a presentation on watercolors from soils of North Carolina for an international event some years back. That was a really good time with the Chinese representative having fun painting away on the large map of the state. I love when someone from the past gets in touch and all the memories associated with them and that time make you smile.

I will be having lunch Monday with one of those old friends on Monday. We were both having dinner at a local restaurant Friday night and decided we needed to catch up.

Tomorrow I am going to buy my very own power washer. A small one I can handle just to clean off the front entry and drive. It will also give me a chance to stop at my favorite coffee shop for a lavender latte.

I better get to baking and adding to my step count. Then maybe a nap!

No new poetry but legal pad pages with the start of another short story.

Til later…..

The last few days have been quite productive on the old screen porch…soon to be sunroom. The days of rain forecasted have put a hold on it for a bit. but we will get there.

I am trying to eat properly, especially getting enough protein. I actually splurged and put two eggs in my spinach omelet the other day. Felt quite decadent to use two eggs in one meal. But I do have a whole dozen left…not the newest nor the freshest, but edible.

I managed to get through a 24 hour Elizabeth George audiobook the other day. She uses so much language! I tried to listen to an American best seller, but found it so boring. Sort of like a hopped-up teenager reading her diary. Now I am well into Louise Penny’s latest Gamache book. I wonder if she will ever get tired of him and just let him stay retired.

The nurse still visits. but I think she stops next week. We enjoy each other’s company. She admires my stamina and clarity of speech…I enjoy her listening to words I have a hard time keeping inside. I will miss her.

The physical therapist comes in about an hour to bat the balloon back and forth with me. The physical hopping back and forth without falling over is more fun than I would have imagined.

I skipped the wine tasting invitation last night. Too much flu going on now and as the physical therapist pointed out, “You have plenty of wine here.”

The last few days have been spent digging out the names and addresses of all republicans in the Senate.  My postcards came yesterday and I needed to make copies of the text I will paste in next to addresses. Soon I will be sending bundles to those who sent me their mailing addresses so they can also send a note to ones lovingly supporting the new leaders of America.

Stitching seems to be the cure. So now I am stitching on top of stitching.

Now it is off to find some lunch and start a big pot of chicken soup.

More later….

Another walk to tai chi.

More sketchbook butterflies and Moths.

And the new book cases are assembled in the den. The old ones going home with Patrick.

Then putting most of it away on new shelves sized to fit each collection.

Marla will make the final art arrangements when she comes for Thanksgiving.

The drawers are filled with all the artist books I’ve made and just can’t quite part with right now.

And now on to a new addiction. Rag Rocks. Amy and Marla’s idea to keep me occupied. They even requested some for Christmas.

I have plenty of smooth stones from the landscaping along the side and back of the house. It is fun to make selections. And then ripping up small patches of cloth and threading a needle.

Top side.

Bottom.

Fabrics are from worn out pajamas, WafuWorks’ old Japanese cloth and a bit of failed contact prints. It was painful getting the needle through several layers, so I employed needle nose pliers. Marla has since ordered some jewelers pliers with Teflon grips.  This stone is only four inches across but feels heavy as I hold it in the non-stitching hand. But I do love the feel of these stones once they get their clothes on. I will pick another stone once I have decided all patches are on.

Hold on. I am going to get a glass of wine.

Much better.

I am listening to audio books as I draw, paint or stitch. Right now, at least the fifth book, is Robert Galbraith’s Troubled Blood. I like the main character, Cormoran Strike. J.K. Rowling does a good job with this male point of view. Seems most of the story is relayed via conversations. The reader does a wonderful job of getting all the necessary voices right for so many characters. I especially like when the male reader with their gruff male voice, can pull off the female voice. No, actually what I really like is being able to do something with my hands besides turn pages, and having someone read to me.

Patrick comes today to spend a week with me. He arrives about seven and we will enjoy a drink before a dinner of highly dressed baked potatoes. I was told broccoli, cheese, sour cream and bacon bits are good as toppers. We will likely spend several dinners out. A neighbor and I had a great sea scallops dinner the other night that we started with their new cocktail of expresso martini….a lovely creamy concoction with three coffee beans centered on top.

I decided to take the week off from the gym. chair yoga and tai chi this week. Patrick will be working remotely from here and I will stay with my drawing, painting, and stitching.

That’s about it for now….more after Patrick leaves this coming Saturday.

Til then….

 

 

 

Marla arrived Tuesday late afternoon. Just in time to ready ourselves for a local wine tasting with delicious food on offer.  The following morning back into the coffee/wine/mail center to count wine orders from the night before. Then home to start Marla’s incredible eye for tweaking my living space.

But first the careful unwrapping of lilacs that daughter Amy gave to Marla to bring down. Many memories of me picking flowers along the road to send to my mother.

Wednesday morning we went down to Blue Ridge to visit a friend, look at art, and have the best lobster rolls I have ever had. Back here to get to work.

The heads finally have room to interact with each other and have a bit more breathing space. Now I can easily get to their right and left brain impulses.

The shelves thinned out in the living room. Isn’t it funny how you think every thing is necessary only to find out that it can all come down to “clutter”?

The best part was in the den. Over four cartons of books and several bundles of artworks were removed to head north to family. I will get a white line print using the soils of Australia framed and put on the wall above the top shelf. What few books on Australia that are left will be boxed up when I am ready and given to the young man from down under who operates a bike sales and repair shop in town. If he turns them down, the library will get them. All my many novels written about Australian characters have been sent north.

I found someone willing to take my larger etching press back to her studio. And when that goes, I can put the newly emptied shelves from the den that set under the window, into that space in the studio. Then that room will only be writing, poetry, printmaking (because I am keeping and using my X Cut machine) and sketchbooks I am still working in.

All my book arts teaching books have gone home with Marla. She still teaches different forms to her group of binders and can put my collection of teaching aids to good use.

And with so many baskets of books emptied now, the baskets fill the shelf in the laundry room.

Yesterday Marla came with me to tai chi and last night we had a spectacular dinner at the Copper Door in town. This morning a quick trip for lavender lattes and bagels at RareBird where we also got some early Christmas shopping done. Then we loaded her car up with all the cartons to go north.

After lunch it seemed a good idea that she head home today so there would be less time on the road tomorrow. As soon as company backs their car out, I put their linens in the washing machine. Now to fold and put away. She will message when she gets to her motel in Kentucky.

The cats are missing her already. I will take a walk around the neighborhood before cooking a frozen pizza for dinner.

Dilly has retreated to my rocker.

Til later…..