*** Here I waz...all excited to get some new shots of projects up on this Blog..an' lo and behold, when I went to start taking the pictures...the cute, clever and HORRID notice popped up on my camera, saying..."WARNING!! BATTERY EXHAUSTED!!" ***


Now>>> I try to think happy pink and blue thots most of the time, but when it hits me that something has gone amuck, well it just tweaks my poor little brain to no end. And since I'd just made sure all my glue and stuff had set JUST RIGHT..an' then the camera just sat in my hand like a TOAD...


Please Do Not Make Mention of the Extra wrinkles that are suddenly appearing on my face..an' we'll thank you in advance...


ANYway....so I have to wait till The Youngest comes home an' find out what he did with the batterys in the camera, since they haven't even been in there for 5 months. I know he does take shots of the items he sells on Ebay an' all, but I underestimated how often he uses the camera. My stars...poor little batterys, they jus' didn't know what hit them.


>>So I guess I WONT be showing you some of the other sketches I've got worked out in my sketch book...I've changed some of my colors to more muted tones that remind me of the Bahamas and have a more soothing effect when I place things next to each other...kinda tropical meets little girl play toys, I guessd you'd say. I rediscovered more papers that I am very glad did not get put into storage -- my oldest is SO BAD at trying to find things on a good day...if I asked him to dig out the box that has some of my papers and art supplies, that I stored in his extra bedroom...oh man...he'd be in there for HOURS lookin'. He's one of those "Surface Searchers" -- by that I mean, he only glances at things on top of a pile of items, or right next to an item, and will NOT move boxes, or anything else to REALLY look for something. Been that way hiz whole life. I'm suprised my brain hasn't exploded outta my head by now, I'm tellin' ya...


But anyway -- find the papers, I DID..so 'm back out to the studio and get some things put together


lady of the tulips -- who's 10 year old computer is throwing fits and spits right now..my last nerve has just announced it's leaving town in 10 minutes..

>> Have a VERY quiet house this morning >> The Husband had to get up earlier than usual, 'cause he had to deliver a load of frozen turkey up to a warehouse near the Maryland border. I talked to him just a couple minutes ago, and he said the container was stuffed with frozen turkey tails >> No Kidding >> being shipped overseas to I think he said the Congo where it's eaten. I've got no idea what they would taste like, but I guess it'd be ok...


The youngest has another temp job today, which makes him very happy. Only today & tomorrow, but it pays fairly good, and the work is something he likes to do --- He's constructing yard sheds and small barns for one of the local hardware stores. He loves to work outside, and putting stuff together is his "Thing", so this job was a good pick. He said last week, even tho the weather wasn't all that warm, he still managed to get some sunburn on the back of his neck and arms. He even took a tube of sunblock, but got some burn anyway. It amazes me to see how he gets color the way he does. AND he's one of those people who turns a really nice brown during the summer and stays tan for a long time....the little shmow....


Got some files ready in the studio: All I have to do is put the papers on the new canvas I bought over the weekend. I've been really making up for lost time out in my little room. I guess cause of all the months I spent climbing up & down the ladder fixin' whatever I could here inside of the house. Now it's MY TIME to work on MY ART!! -- so THERE...And I also found some of the watercolour pencils that I'd thot got packed and stuffed into our oldests apt. -- My happiness!! Now I've got to seal some painting I did with the pencils just to make sure the color won't bleed thru to anything else surrounding each piece on the canvas. The Husband found a can of matte spray at the hardware store over the weekend, and it actually cost less than the spray I'd bought at the craft store. It looks like it has a finer texture once it's dry, too, so that may work out with all the little sketches I've worked up on my little table.


The Dog has finally come to the realization that she CAN NOT get out of the backyard gate ~~ She has tried to shove her nose under the portions where the youngest rebuilt the picket fence...it looks funny to see this big ol' dog pushin; the fence to see if she can break it apart again...once I see her doin' that, I shout out the window "KNOCK THAT OFF!!" She really walks off in a huff, then lays down underneath a bush and sighs in disgust...humph... Blah. She'll be better in no time...

Lady of The Tulips -- feelin' excited about blending some teal blue, kingfisher blue and light blue to make the Sea on her latest project...

W.I.P. ** 2008 -- Spring Bay Studio

This little guy an' his friends have been behaving very, very well and asked if they could share some space on my blog today >> So I said ok -- I think there are jus' a couple more things I'm going to be adding, an' then it'll be all done. Very fun to put together.

The morning has been very quiet -- even The Dog is quiet today. I got some sketches working along out in the studio, and should get some final work finished by this afternoon. I'm suppossed to go to the lawyers sometime todayw/our oldest, but he hasn't told me when we're going. Drat. I get REALLY perturbed if I have to sit and wait. I'm not good with waiting

An' I just got a call from The Husband who tells me that our oldest talked to him on his cell phone, to say that he (the son) will be taking a nap for the next 2 hours, an' then I should call him when he get's woken up....or wakes up...whatever...


I'd like to take a 2 hour nap...can I??

Lady of The Tulips -- who is REALLY considering a nap but has 39,486 things to get finished before the Spring Training Baseball game comes on tv at noon...Ackkk...can I get to the lawyers & not miss too much of the Game??

** Am in the middle of a pondering-fit **

I'm working on a piece out in the studio, and I've worn my poor little brain to frizzies trying to decide which color to put on some tissue paper that won't look suckie next to an off shade of green. And on St. Patty's Day, you'd thing it'd be EASY to decide about something GREEN!!!


Well...anyway...HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY EVERYONE!!!

I'm just now discovering that I'm wearing a RED flannel shirt this morning instead of wearing GREEN...how much of a dolt am I??!! I also overslept by 2 hours (!!!) this morning, and had to call the lawyers we're working with on our taxes..no wonder I grabbed the wrong shirt for the morning!!

My nerves have left and are on a splendid vacation down in the Tropics somewhere >>> with a tropical drink and EVER'THING!!


I'm going to go back to the studio and stare at my papers and paints a little longer and hope that there will be a Burst of Smart-ness to get my piece put together...It truly shouldn't take this long to get some paper joyfully put next to each other..should it??


Lady of The Tulips >> who is listening to The Youngest play the guitar this morning, and also questioning on why The Dog is quiet outside..what with her little cleverness at getting out of the gate on a regular basis..oh mercy...don't tell me she got out AGAIN??....

** This is probably going to be a quick an' fast entry this morning **


It's turned much colder today --- we had rain overnight, and the weather people said that there would be a chance of showers. Nothing like there were down in Ga., and other southern states. We were very fortunate not to have severe weather. But, it did rain, and The Husband & Youngest are very happy because they just set out 13 bags of topsoil into the back yard, to fill in where they had to dig out the old pool. The wind isn't too strong today, but it does have a bite to it. And with all the water adding to the dirt/topsoil in the backyard, it should begin to look a little more normal. Where the aboveground pool was -- UGH -- there was a huge blob of dirt and rocks and sand. FINALLY it's gotten some soil on it, and The Youngest sez he'll shovel all of it together this week to make it look more like a yard than a disaster area.


We're not going to look at houses today -- we're goin' thru the fun and spiffy Financial Crap, known as getting "Qualified" for another house. What a bunch of $^$#} -- but all a necessary deal. Instead I've talked The Husband into going to The ART STORE!! --- How cool is THAT??

I haven't gone in a while, and I feel like I've been going thru the heebie-jeebies. No Art Looking...erm rather no Looking At Art Supplies...uh, ugh, and double ugh....I've spent so much time getting things for the house that the Real Estate Agent Demandz....how 'bout triple UGH??


Now I've got some collections of papers, Beads Threads and other assorted THANGS that will get put together into collages. I'e run out of canvas, so those are the MAIN ITEM to get today. "Course if something else catches my eye, well, that's all fine and dandy...doncha know??


Lady of The Tulips -- pondering on why it is -- EVERY time it rainz, The Dog absolutely goes into a hissy fit and has to go run & hide...What'z up with THAT??

"Ode To St. Patricks Day" 2008 -- Spring Bay Studio

I jus' completed this piece for an entry to the MojoArtGroup for the Big Holiday challenge. I had lots of fun workin' this out and the little fishie just had the best time getting decorated and painted. The only delay I had when getting the background colors done, was when we had a last minuted, and I do mean LAST MINUTE showing of the house -- I had been workin' on the paints an' our realtor calls an' sez, "There's a woman calling to show you're house..she's in the neighborhood an' would like to come right over..."

Please do Not Look at the Grey Hairs popping up on my head, at this point in time....

Thank You very much...


So anyway -- I finished the little guy an' had just the best -est time with him. Guess 'cause bein Irish an' all, it just makes my heart sing when I do anything that has to do w/ St. Pattys day, know what I mean??

The Husband is resting now, after hauling lots and lots of soybeans the last couple dayz. And apparently there are still lots and lots more loads to get sent overseas this next week. He said it just amazes him at how many bags of soybeans can get stuffed into a container. And when you think of how Small they are...my word...I can't imagine how many there are stuffed in those things. My brain has a bad enuf time these dayz, an' trying to figure all those numbers out is just a little too much.

Gotta run an' get some other stuff taken care of -- The youngest is due home in jus' a bit, and he'll want to get back online. And I Do Not want to Hear Noise about being online when HE wantz to get online...otherwise known as Lotz of Quacking...

Lady of The Tulips -- who is wondering why The Dog is suddenly Very Quiet....uhh oh...

*** This may be a short write-up *** I've got nearly 45,039 things to get thru today...the least of which is the pile of laundry that's threatening to overtake the kitchen. Oh -- and I just looked up at something that caught my eye...the youngest has a pile of papers perched very shakily up above this computer, and they have that "I'm leaning-in-the-direction-of-your-face-so-watch-out...kind of thing. I'm not scared yet..
But they do look kinda evil, all flappin' in the breeze from the furnace vent an' all...

No wonder my nerves are shot..

On the house front -- We're waiting for the couple that looked over Every Square Inch of our Home to find out if their financing is approved or not...didn't hear back from their realtor yesterday, so its one of those WAITING things..they seemed like they had their minds made up, so I'm cautiously optimistic. Besides >>> I Really don't feel like climbing back up on the ladder to do any more work in this house. HA -- so I moved the ladder OUTSIDE to join it's other pal that is equally covered with painters tape...big blue strips all decorating the sides and steps of the ladders. Supprised the City hasn't given me some sort of Fine or something...Unlawful Decorating of Ladders on City Property kind of thing...humph..


The Husband had to let me know this morning -- this is No Joke -- he's moving (as we speak..er, write..) 36,000 gallons of Jim Beam in a Big Tanker trailer...it's going to be sent rto Australia where it'll then be diluted into the correct proportions to be sold in liquor stores and barz...our oldest said the other week, "Shouldn't we feel guilty for sending our $"^%$^ over to other countries so they become drunks?) -- Don't know how to answer THAT one --

Lady of The Tulips -- How has to check on the price of a little Craftsman home across the border -- it's for sale at a pretty decent price (i.e. ...something we can afford..) so we'll see what's what...Fingers Are Crossed..

w,i,p, -- This is another one of my little friends who's waiting for the next big event in it's little life...sorta like waiting for the bus but a lot more fun.

There hasn't been much in the way of super good news on the sale of the house. We did have a showing the first of the week, but there hasn't been any word from the couple who were here. They went thru Everything in the house -- An HOUR they looked, probed, proded (oh hush, that's spelled wrong, so blah..) and peered into corners and anything they could see. I was beginning to wonder if they'd ever leave. I don't know what they were saying with their realtor, as they were speaking in a foreign language...but I'm hoping it was good. My nerves couldn't take any more BAD stuff at this point in time.

AND the other good news is that the flowers are popping up all over in the yard. I took a gamble last summer an' planted some perinnials but wasn't sure if they'd make it -- Yippie kii-yo, they are up and looking fine, thank you very much. When I get finished here I'll pop out side and take some pictures of 'em. They look very sweet. I got em on sale, and that's always a gamble with plants. But they are happy and growing up thru the mulch. The Dog hasn't even bothered em this spring, and she ALWAYS likes to dig in the flower beds, so I wonder if all the extra layers of compost and mulch are what's keeping her out of the flowers is the trick this spring or what. Or --it could be that The Dog is jus' bein' LAZY -- her?? Oh my...


And other news -- The Youngest has a part time job -- an' I really mean Part-Time === 3 days this week, workin' at one of the local hardware stores putting together sheds!! He likes to do stuff like that, so it's right up his alley..He told me I was going to have to drive him to the hardware store this morning, because he didn't think the bus had a route over to that blvd. early in the morning..but a little digging around and he found a route that would get him there in time to start...Whoo--eee!! He's glad for the little bit he'll make, an' who would look a gift horse in the mouth, I'm askin' ya??!!

Gotta run -- this p.o.s. thing is being worse than it normally is...jus' wish I had the $$$ to get a new one...HA!! Where any extra$$ would come from is Really funny!!

W.I.P. -- These are a couple pieces that I worked out the other afternoon while messin' around with my pencils and markers..I sketched out the background paper when I was waiting for a plumber to fix some pieces in the master bathroom, and install a new faucet. The price for the faucet was too good to pass up, so we picked it up while it was on sale..it made up for the cost of installation. An' let's face it -- I have no clue as to how to install a faucet, and since we've used the same plumbing company since living here, it just made sense to use them again. And it looks fabulous! When I had an upscale client out in the south part of Virginia Beach, I noticed that they had the same faucets in their bathrooms..but I'm sure that since their house had been built by a contractor, the price was probably a WHOLE lot more than the $19.95 we paid...patience works for those who wait...or something like that.

I've got a couple minutes to also get some papers colored in that I have some other sketches on, and when I get back out in the studio I'll get them put together on a canvas board. The one thing I need is a pale green or blue green marker or watercolor pencil. I know the color I want, but whether or not I'll be able to find it is another story. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I do not want to have to drive all over to find the right pencil but I suppose if that's what I have to do...then off we go down the highway!

Haven't heard from our realtor till this morning...somebody wanted to come look at the house this afternoon, but since it's sunday that's out of the question -- The Husband and our youngest have no desire to have somebody meandering around in our house on a Sunday. We had a couple showings on Sundays, but it upset our youngest so bad, and it created such a fight that I decided to just throw in the towel and say OK...no showings on Sunday. And the kicker is we havent had a showing for 2 weeks..I think we just lost a possible sale on this one...

Must go find out what The Husband is doing out in the kitchen..it's quiet all of a sudden and he was messin' around at the stove. I'm not smelling smoke or anything, but just the Sudden Quiet is a little disarming...

Lady of The Tulips -- pondering if maybe it'd be easier to just hop on one of the freighters docked at the port and sail away to where-ever...but I'm too scared to get any of those tropical diseases..

I've got just a minute or so to slap something on here -- I think I'd mentioned something about posting some work of mine on here either yesterday or today..just can't remember...

Anyway -- I havent gotten the shots done yet...I got a spat of bad news and negative THANGS yesterday that literally made me ill == I MEAN it all made me sick to my stomach. Literally...

Well -- that may be too much information, but I'm just not up to snuff to get out into the studio and get the camera working, so I WILL say that the good news from my oldest is that he has just one last test to go thru, and he goes to the Academy at the end of the month. The city training is pretty tough, but he has had some friends that have been running with him the last months, so he's been getting in shape for all the physical stuff...Myself, since I'm a clumsy one when it comes to running...I jus' couldn't do it, but he's been getting himself into shape, slow but sure. Makes me tired thinking of what all he's lookin' at doin' --

The weather here has made a nasty turn -- we had some tough-rough weather with severe storms the other monrning...1 a.m. to be exact. Matter of fact, the winds were so strong, they did some damage around the area. I told The Husband that once the wind woke me up, I just could not get back to sleep. It sounded like the winds that fanned tornadoes when we used to live in Arkansas, and that wasn't something I wanted to go thru again. So I got up and listened to the Weather Radio our oldest got us for christmas...the information was right on, and within 2 minutes of the airport making the information available, it was on the radio. Kinda scary, the news said winds were at least 60 mph but the most we got in terms of damage, was a lot of flooding in the street and tiny branches being hurled around the yard. We were very fortunate.

As to other stuff -- I got a letter from the little gift shop where some of my things have been for sale on consignment..The shop is relocating, and because they will be in a smaller space, naturally there has to be a thinning of Art for sale...an' my things have to go. I was expecting the news, but it still brings a pang when you want to make a little money on the work you make. But I'm optimistic that there will be something else. I'm not sure if the other gift shop down the road will consider my work again..I tried over 5 or 6 times to get in touch w/the owner, but she never called back or asked me to come into the shop. It's been that kind of time.

We were going to go look at some more houses this weekend, but The Husband doesn't think we should just yet. We're still having a time w/our realtor, so we'll see how the next conversation w/the guy turns out...no wonder my system has taken a nose dive the last 24 hours...sheesh..

Must go check some painting I did -- It should be dry, an' if the light is good, I'll get those photos taken before driving over to the truck terminal to pick up The Husband...he said he'll be workin' just a little longer tonight, so I won't have to leave in the middle of rush hour traffic...WHOOO -- talk about a relief!!

Lady of The Tulips -- drumming her fingers and trying as hard as she can, to be Patient with some work in the studio...la, la,...la, la,laaa....

Am not sure if this poor ol' computer will handle much more, as it's being funkie today an' generally giving me more grey hairs that aren't at all becoming...

But the good thing is that I've finally gotten some more sketches slapped into my new an altogether groovy sketch book, so in the morning while I've got a little more time than this afternoon, I'll make sure to get pictures of them on this blog --

I jus' did the unthinkable..well, not for most people, but I did just take some time off from working on the house an' SAT AND WATCHED TV --


Actually I sat an' watched a Spring Training Game that I'd wanted to see -- I'm not a Yankees fan, but since some of the guys in Spring Training may not make the full squad at the end of the month, it's kinda interesting to see what kind of work they can get done -- An', let's face it -- it's good to see something close to what the Spring and Summer will hold for us!! Ahhh...the warm weather and the fun - in - the - sun - ...well, maybe it'll be fun, as long as I remember the sunscreeen...bug spray...


Anyway -- this is going to be short, as I have to go get some stuff ready for dinner...make sure some of the papers in the studio are finally dry enuf to store away, and check on the condition of the kitchen...I left it for a bit before the youngest went off to apply yet for another job, and I haven't looked to see what kind of condition he left the sink...sometimes it's not the kind of suprise I like to find...sticky breakfast dishes...crumbs on the counter top from a ham sandwich being made in a hurry....all the Little Things that Produce Grey Hair...

hmmm....

Lady of The Tulips - who is deciding whether or not to go over and take another look at a couple houses The Husband & I are pondering over...ahh...these decisions...these decisions...

"Untitled" -- 2008 -- Spring Bay Studio

Got a quick chance the other day to put this piece together...I had fun with the background colors and got all messy with my paints. The little fishies were havin' just too much fun, so it took some doing to get them to quiet down and be still long enuf to be on the canvas...

hummm..

So -- yes it's been a couple dayz since I was on here...what can I say? It's jus' the continuous work on the hosue..painting still, and refurbishing some cabinets that didn't really look too swift in the bathroom. I thot they just needed a little oil rubbed into the grain of the wood, but when I got down on the floor and really took a good hard look, it was super obvious that they needed some fixin' up. The youngest refinished the cabinet in the front bathroom, so I figured it was my job to refinish the ones in the master bathroom. Little did I know it would develop into this never ending THANG that just wouldn't go away. I had stain in my fingers for 4 dayz, and probably still have some in my hair. But now the cabinets just need their last coat of varnish, an' it's all done. I may take forevah on a project, but it's better than nagging The Husband to get something done.

Speaking of The Husband..he'z been drivin' a lot out of state..taking some soybeans to the port from a warehouse up the Interstate. Lots of loads are goin' overseas, so thats a PLUS for U.S. Farmers!! The Husband called the other morning, an' said, "I'm zippin' along here at 45mph...got 55,000 lbs of soybeans, so there's no speeding ticket in the future..." Yee gadz...This is the second load or maybe 3rd that he's had in the last week or so..some of the drivers are scared to haul that heavy of a load, but I remember havin' some freight that was heavier than 55,000 so he's not really too freaked out on it. I'm jus' glad that some of the farmers in the U.S. are getting their crops sent out and that their making some good money on their farms.


Speaking of farms...The Husband & I went and looked at some more little houses over the border last weekend...I took the afternoon off from painting, and we checked out a couple places..one house is right next to the same farm where we'd put an offer on another house..the farm goes on for EVAH and all the fieldz are waiting for planting. This newer place is a little smaller than the one we looked at last fall, but we may make an offer on it. We also found a place nearer the border, but we aren't sure if it's what we want or not....Very Hard to decide -- our oldest thinks we should look closer to the water (facing the Outer Banks) but the cost of something within an eyelash of 5 miles is too much over and out of our price range..agrivating to (man I butchered that spelling...) say the least..


But that's how the market down along the coast is -- Those that have the big bucks get the watefront places,,,an' the rest of us just find what we can afford...

Yee Gadz -- I nearly forgot -- Good News from one of our sons -- He's gotten the phone call he'z been waiting for -- He's passed all the earlier tests, and haz 2 more to get thru an he'z with the city police dept. how cool is that?? he'z goin' to get one more battery of questions, an then he's gonna start the academy near the end of March...I am SO happy for him!! He's still gettin' phone calls and text messages from his friends on how happy they are too!! Wow! Now the real hard work will start for him, but he's ready for it.

I'm off to check on my loaf of bread..it smells wonderful from the kitchen, and it'z just about finished...jus a little loaf of white bread, but it's nummy with some cheese and fruit...

The Dog is layin' out on the side porch, and my oldest sez he'z comin' over to watch Spring Training on t.v. -- Baseball Season!! is jus' a few weeks away, an' these Spring games are the places where those that are Good are picked up for the regular season....an' those that Aren't So Good...well...they go back down to the minor leagues an' wait for their call-up to the Big Leagues...

Lady of The Tulips - who now realizes that she would REALLY like to be in Fla., but doesn't have a way to get there...or the $$ to stay...or a credit card to max out an' play in the sun....blast...

One of the wip -- and this little guy should be with the rest of his friends in just a little while. I got some of them together and they say it's time to have a jolly party, so we'll see if they can all behave themselves and not make too much noise out in the studio. YEE GADS -- The Husband sez that he thinks this has a Peter Max feel to it, but I think he's just makin' noise like he does sometimes. I truly wish I could do some major work like Mr. Max, but that kind of thing just isn't quite there yet. Maybe in a while.

The youngest is out in the rain today -- Not because he wanted to, but because the last job he had wasn't workin' out, so he's out and about thru the rain puddles, goin' to track down his W-2 form from an ex=employer, who has been avoiding his phone calls to round up his paper work for filing taxes. This particular company was reslly shaky from the start -- even made the employees PAY for the company van to take them to work...and then when my son tried 3 weeks ago to get his W-2 they said they didn't have anything for him...needless to say it's been an ongoing battle for the guy, so today he got something more of an answer from these people, and he was off to get to the bus stop and ride over to the office...then it's over to another place to get more paperwork from them, and make sure that all that information for his W-2 is correct...seems like too much crap to go thru just to file for the Tax Man...but everybody knows that if there is just ONE piece of paper missing, those slobs will be flyin' off the handle and smotherin' ya within 5 minutes.

I started a canvas the other afternoon. I took a gamble and decided to get some of the first coat of paint on it while waiting for some people to come and look at the house - yooowhooo -- got the canvas started, and the people did come and look over the house. The first realtor that showed the house had their client in and out of here in less than 10 minutes, so I don't think that was much of a serious look -- more like a look-ee-loo than anything. The second realtor came with her client and they really took their time, looked in closets and around floors, so they may be a little more serious...my stars -- I'm getting to where I feel like I can't get away from my mop and vacuum cleaner...have to keep the floors reeeaaallllyyy clean JUST IN CAST SOMEBODY SHOWS UP...makes me more tired than I like to consider.

Am going to go see what all those little fishies are up to out in the studio...they seemed to be getting restless earlier in the morning, an' now that it's close to lunchtime who knows what kind of trouble they've gotten themselves into....sheesh

Lady of The Tulips -- who almost got it figured out as to why her keyboard is being a mess as of last...but then The Youngest sez it's not worth all the bother...so what's a mother to do...

my little friend who hasn't quite gotten all of his friends with him, but they say their on their way over to play with him and have some lemonade. I got frustrated the other day while waiting for 3 things to get done at the same time -- so while waiting I got out my little pencils markers and watercolor pencils and worked out my seething anger at people who don't call back when they say they will. Especially when you have to wait...wait...grrr...

today I realized that it's the day AFTER valentines day...please pardon me for not wishing everyone a happy valentines day -- I nearly forgot to get cards for the husband and the youngest.so I made one for each of them. The husband didn't seem too impressed, but the youngest kept his right by the computer screen, so I think that means he likes it. And for the first time since I can't remember when, The Husband actually bought me something for Valentines Day -- ever know what it's like to stand and look at someone and realize you're mouth is hanging open..No No -- what he got me wasn't bad, it was quite spiffy. It was just the fact that I literally can't remember the last time he bought me something. And the little box was full of little chocolate turtles...OH YUMMM... I ate far too many of them, and if the doctor discovers I ate all those he'll probably have a coniption fit...oh well, he'll get over it. SO -- I do hope everybody had a wonderful Day, and that there were not too many chocolate overloads..hee hee...

There hasn't been any word from the realtor and I'm beginning to get perturbed again -- guess it's time to make another phone call to the guy and find out what the story is ..well... if he actually talks to me for longer than 3 minutes...this guy is always far too bizzy to have a real conversation with me, so I can't find out what the things are that we need to fix to get the house sold. We'd put an offer on a sweet little house just over the border, but that got sold last week. It took me 3 days to get over that loss...And our realtor hasn't spoken to us for squat...and I'm too leary to go and hunt down another company...grrr...what to do, what to do..

I found some of my watercolour pencils that were covered up by some other regular pencils in a little jar I bought on sale last fall. I think I'm gonna go play with those tonight after I go pick up The Husband and have some dinner. The other neat find is that there are some spiffy papers that didn't make it into storage where 80 per cent of our things are...so I'm gonna play around and post some little things I've come up with...they just need to get some color in 'em an' then they'll look better.

I've got some other tablets of drawing paper that also were buried and it was such a relief to find those...and one of the tablets hasn't even been used yet...I'd thot that all the paper I had was gone, and since most of our cash these dayz is going to paint and fix-ups around the house, it was another relief that I found the tablet...I can't get a tablet of paper, 'cause we gotta get some more fixtures for the master bathroom..we just got some new lights 2 weeks ago, and got new shower curtains and rods..now it's a new faucet and probably get a new track for the bi-fold door to our son's room. they aren't really expensive things by themselves, but once all of them get added up, it suddenly comes to over sixty dollars...ouch and ouch again...the last trip to home depot came to 97 buck-a-roos and I nearly fell over at the check out counter. I'm serious when I say me legs were actually shaking...it suprised me so bad. But all of the stuff is what we need to get, so there's no two ways around it..so finding the little tablet of paper was a relief, let me tell ya.

Got to run and clean up a couple things, then get in traffic and hope to my stars that I can make it down the highway to pick up The Husband at the truck terminal. He's sez there isn't any overtime this weekend, so guess where we'll be tomorrow...one more trip to the hardware store. Maybe I should just set up a tent in the parking lot so I won't have to use the gas in the car...ughhh

Lady of The Tulips -- who still can't figure out why half the keys on this keyboard are absoloutely refusing to work...one more strange thing in the house, I guess --

Does anyone else have this problem -- start to use one color of a pen or marker, then start to use another color, and promptly forget what the name of the color pen or marker was -- I'm finding that it is the ickiest thing for me to remember what the shade color is..I guess cause too many of the colors are very similiar in shade, so if I don't write the name of the color right away, then I don't remember...I actually just love the names some of the companies have come up with for their marker and pen collections...very clever. How come I can't find those kind of jobs...

ANYWAY -- some of my shift keys this afternoon are playing bad and not acting the right way -- they have decided to not type right...and I just took a look at the keyboard and it really scares me, so I WONT be doing that again. This old 'puter is really on it's last legs, so I'm just hoping it makes it thru the winter and spring.

There has been no more news on the showing we had the other day on the house...I'm so tired from doing all the 93,405 things we've gotten accomplished, and then to have nobody make an offer just it REALLY getting on my nerve..yup, I think I'm down to my last one...but I have been doin' some sketches and playin' some more with my markers and dug out some watercolour pencils ---am gonna post some scribblings I worked out the other day while waiting for a phone call..which naturally never came..blast and double blast..

must run and see what The Dog is doing outside...she has decided to lay on the stoop by the studio door. that's all well and good, but right now it's sopping wet from a little snow shower this morning, and the melted snow has left sloppy puddles, which have attracted the dog...Why do they lay in the mud and slop...sigh..

Lady of The Tulips -- who just finished baking another loaf of bread and it came out good..yesterday's loaf just sat in the bottom of the pan...think I didn't put in enuf yeast..sheesh...

this is another wip == guess all the stress of working on the house has made some of the colors of my pens come popping out into some color and different fishies.

speaking of fishies -- one of our youngest's friends stopped by not long ago and gave us some fresh fish that he had caught a couple days before..super good striper, and found some of my favorite seasonings to coat it all with. 'm tellin' ya it was the best fish that 've had in a looong time -- we used to go fishing a lot when we lived down further south, but the cost for fishing licenses here is out of sight..and since we have a series of lakes around where we live, naturally each lake needs to have a seperate license. or...just extra money for the city. miss going fishing 'cause it was one of my nice times..quiet out where we would go and usually caught maybe 1 for the entire day...but the peacefulness of the river or pond was wonderful. usually threw back whatever caught.

'm having nothing but problems with my 'puter this afternoon...it keeps wanting to freeze up on me, and some of the letters on the keyboard are not working...

lady of the tulips --- who has just discovered she has grown 23.490 new grey hairs fighting with this old computer this afternoon....

WIP ~~ This is something I worked out the other afternoon when I got a chance to sit in the studio, after driving over to my oldest's apt. an' picking up his vacuum cleaner. The afternoon was sunny an' it just gave me a good feeling to put something on paper.

The weather here is cold an' the clouds are lurking over the area. I took out some laundry and pinned it up on the clothes line. My fear is that the clouds will decide to haul off and rain all over the just - washed laundry. That's not going to sit well with The Husband as he would have to come home from work, gather up the wet laundry and drive over to the laundromat to get it all dried. And after a full day of driving all over creation (or at least around the Tidewater area...) the last thing he likes to do is drive somewhere ELSE, when all he wants to do is lay down on the couch and watch old cartoons. Today he may just have to bite the bullet and go to the landromat anyway..

We had such strong winds on Sundays, that while I was playin' with the little fishie up on the top of the page..the 40 plus mph winds got something goin' just across the street...a big fire!! Somebody had been over in the community park, and with a thick layer of dried leaves, downed branches and no rain on the ground, it took just a zip of wind and a dropped cigarette and by the time I realized the sirens were coming down the street in the direction of our house, I got up and looked out the window. I was not EVEN prepared to see thick black smoke billowing from the park and getting worse by the minute. I got into the house and looked out the kitchen door, and could see s0me pretty good sized flames getting bigger and bigger. Fortunately the fire dept. had gotten their hoses out and were getting the flames knocked down. Some of the neighborhood kids came running down the street to see what all the noise and smoke was about. I just decided to go back into the studio and play with my pens and pray that the wind didn't shift direction and come toward our house. Fortuntely the fire dept. did a bang up job and got the fire knocked down, but it took them nearly 2 hours to get all the hot spots soaked down before they could leave the scene and get back to the fire house. Shwooo... I'm tellin' ya, it was pretty nerve racking. A second fire truck parked in front of our house, and while it rattled and rumbled with it's diesel engine roarin' away, The Husband was tryin' to get some sleep before he had to get up at midnite to make a freight delievery over to Roanoke...needless to say his sleep was somewhat interupted!!

Finally this morning we had a showing on the house!! A woman was taking a walk past our home last week, and noticed the For Sale sign out front, and talked to our youngest while he was setting out the weeks' trash for pickup the next morning. They talked about the price, and she said she wanted her parents to move a little closer to her so she could keep an eye on them..so they got ahold of a realtor and this morning the father in law came to look the place over. He was pretty happy at the work we've gotten done...now if he just makes an Offer!!!

I'm off to work on some tile in the master bathroom. It literally fell off the wall and suprised me to no end..only 5 sq.'s so it's not like a Huge project, but it's a pain in the #%"$#}&^ to figure out how to make it STAY PUT and look good. New project for me, so this should be interesting...

Lady of The Tulips -- smelling her bread baking out in the kitchen..an' realizes that the lousy bowl of Zippy Squares or whatever it was that got eaten this morning has worn WAY off an' now my stomach is starting to growl...

As a lady I knew used to mutter..."Well..well...WELL!!!" -- her point was that something had been amiss, and in the same manner, I've been rather amiss lately, now, haven't I??

Let me say one thing first...there are wayz to paint a bathroom ceiling, and there are other ways that seem like a good idea at the time..however!! For anyone out there thinking that it doesn't really matter how damp a roller cover may or may not be before applying fresh paint..let me TELL YOU!! -- Do Not leave a significant amount on said roller cover, because once the paint is rolled on, both paint and water have a veryyyy clever way of dripping all over YOU and making you the same color. I only say this warning 'cause it may or may not have happened to somebody we all know and that particular person is just not talking about it anymore...so shut up and don't ask any more questions about THAT...

I've been working on our house for the last FOREVER and now have literally sat down today for the 1st time since the last post. I've repainted everyroom in the house, (not the dining room cause it & living room were done jus' a couple years ago an' the real estate guy sayz "fine") -- taken down wallpaper in the kitchen and master bathroom...put more coats of paint in the front bathroom, made and hung up new curtains in one bathroom and 3 bedrooms..The Husband set up new lights in kitchen and master bathroom..the youngest took down (with lotz of NOISE) old shower doors from both bathrooms...I fixed and patched spots all over the house...an after 15 showing haven't gotten an offer yet. I wont go into how agrivated I am w/our realtor, but will suffice to say he's almost written us off after only having the house listed for one month...

I've not been up on what's going on in the art world..just been making far too many trips to the home improvement stores -- I think the paint dept. people in Home Depot now know me by sight...Lowes too. -- I've gotten to where I climb up a ladder an then think about if it's really a good idea for me to be up there...We've also taken down our old above ground pool...Said realtor will not have it in his sale...hump...so the Youngest and The Husband have been hauling the left over sand and rocks from the base to the dunp every weekend...the weekly trash pick up won;t carry sand and gravel...The youngest also used a sledge hammer to break up the concrete that held the support beams for the deck that went to the pool...those too had to be taken off to the dump...we couldn't find a company to haul "that small amount" cause they only wanted 1 ton or more to haul...no, my last good nerve left me a LONG time ago..don't even ask what I almost said about that last phone call to yet another "Help Person" for construction help...

I've got some sketches done in the last day...naturally while waiting for paint to dry..I can't do anymore in the house till the realtor comes by and then tellz me what more we need to do. I've discovered muscles I never knew I had...maybe it's a good thing, but I'm not too sure. I've also lost some weight...lost 3 sizes to be exact...from a 14/16 to a 10/12..my oldest got me a pair of jeans at Christmas and now they fitbaggy....man o man...

Well..The Dog is doing something in the sunroom so I Need to go check on her...

I Will Not Be Gone from Here for this LLLLOOONNNGGGG amount of time EVAH again..or until the realtor tells me what ELSE FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!! i need to do...

Lady of The Tulips -- who had her middle son over today an' we jus' had the BEST time...he even fixed me up with the puter an' got all kindz of junk cleaned outta this old contraption...wow!!

I must apoligize for the terribly long delay in writing on this Blog -- There has been a plethora of work done around the house and it seems that I've been completely swallowed by the "Fix It Now!!" syndrom, and now with barely the arms that I once had (The old ones have fallen off somewhere around the time I got on my hands and knees and scrubbed the carpet to get it clean...after buying a new carpet steamer...that's 'nother story...) as they have left the country and are on a tramp steamer headed for the open waters --

We, that is The Husband & I have been on the search for a new abode...living here has done it's number on me, along with The Hospital and all their Dominions of Doom (i.e. "PAY US THAT MONEY YOU OWE< NOW!!!") and all the ugly phone calls ~~ Well, one can only take so much of that for just SO LONG...and then it becomes obvious that iit's just time to make the break and start things all over. We looked at serveral places just over the border in N.C., and have stumbled on a brand new little house, quite out in the country...surrounded by farmland and looking just like it needs a new crew of people to make it The Nice and Happy Little House it ought to be. We've going back over to look the house and land (just a tad shy of an acre) this weekend, and hopefully put an offer on it. We've also notified a realtor in the City here...He's suppossed to come over tonight and look our poor little house over and see what can be done with it. Oh -- we've done quite a bit to it in the past 3 weeks...the bedrooms have all been repainted, the kitchen has been patched and repainted, the carpet in all the rooms has been steam cleaned...'cept where the good machine took a nose dive and died in the middle of the front room floor...No --- that rant is for another day...

So, the realtor thinks that we should get just around the appraised value for the house, which is just a tad over the selling price of the place just down the highway...we should come out above even on the whole sale/rebuy deal. I'm so tired from all the scrubbing, painting, scraping and cleaning, that I'm suprised I've got any hands left at all. The house is as ready as I can make it...the youngest has been a gem and helped do some odds and ends for me while I was buzy with other projects...painted his room a wonderful shade of blue...and the carpet got cleaned so it's shade of blue just seems to glow now. I've replace curtains and cleaned up tile and grout in the bathrooms, so they look pretty good. Naturally since it's the day the Realtor is suppossed to show up, the tub decided it's a perfect time to get stopped up, and naturally I don't have the car today, an' can't go get drain cleaner till after The Husband gets home...which is the same time the Realtor is suppossed to be here...QUIT LOOKING AT MY GREY HAIR!!! I EARN THESE< THANK YOU!!!

So -- I'm scared and happy and worried and all those things people go thru when they sell a house..my nerves are completely shot, and I feel like throwing up half the time. I'm just hopeful that this won't be like the nightmare I went thru with our first house, where the 1st realtor I had was an absolute witch, and the second wasn't much better...but it was wayyyy out in the country, and they were the only ones in the area..so whatta ya gonna do?? Shades of another person trying to look the part of a Smart Wonderful Wealthy Person trying to sell our home keeps flying thru my head...LAWDY no wonder my last good nerve got up and left on that dayum tramp steamer...So for the last minute things, is recleanind the bathrooms, planting some fall flowers in containera on the front porch, and sweeping up around the outside of the house. The Youngest did start painting the trim all around the windows so that's one last thing to do. The Realtor did say he has a crew to finish whatever we can't seem to do, and I'm optimistic they'll get paid at the closing of the house...we just do NOT have $1,200 or so for any of the larger projects...and thats what scares me the most. If we can't pay the crew right away, we may not be able to do a thing...and I don't know if I can handle that at this point in time...DAYUM!! I SAID QUIT LOOKING AT MY GREY HAIR!!!

Lady of The Tulips -- who has to go and paint up the patch job she finished last night...found some more spots where the previous owners covered up holes in the walls with wallpaper...and removing said wallpaper is indeed another story..and repainting over the plaster walls...well....shwooooo

My youngest son gets these little nagging-headacheyy-sinus problems that have driven him nutz since time began..So -- since he is a bright fellow and can fig're things out in a New York Minute...we drove to one of the local health food stores, and the owner suggested this product that clears up congestion, makes you smell good at the same time, and have one of the most cool looking packages I've seen in a long time. And it wasn't too expensive, which makes up for the drive across town in traffic...

I've been cleaning and getting the house ready for a realtor to come and look over early in the week. I've got a map and location for some acreage that sounds promising for The Husband & I -- we've gotten over the "Old Farmhouse From..." and feel like we're ready to go and look at properties again. I've got the address and some basic information on what kind of prep-work has been done on a couple parcels just over the border in NC and we'll do some investigating this afternoon. I'm also looking at so many other properties, it's amazing that I've gotten anything else accomplished. The Husband just says "Hmmph.." when I get too detailed in the information on houses, legal deals (contracts, buyers premiums..etc. .. ) so I try to keep all that under my hat for now. The Youngest and I worked all day yesterday cleaning and painting --- he's rearranging his bedroom and getting it ready to paint. He chose a very mellow blue for the walls and a slightly darker color for the trim and window ledge's -- The lady at the home improvement store was very impresed by his selection..he took FOR EVAH deciding what color to choose.."You know how MEN can be.." she sayz to me with a twinkle in her eye...I told her that my son is more picky than most women I know when it comes to picking things out. Good Golly Miss Molly....

I've got a collage just finishing in the studio!! YEAH!!! I don't have time this morning to get a picture on here, but in the morning after all the dust settles I'll post it here. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, I must say. I wanted to post it on here Friday, but the Youngest & I were going all OVAH getting paint and supplies..pricing this and that..an' then The Husband comes back up from the Raleigh area, 'bout 3 hours earlier than he'd first told me...so I had to make it a FASTT trip over to the truck terminal...AND THE CAR DIDN"T OVERHEAT!!! Well...after $500 the darn thing BETTER NOT!!! Even thinking of another breakdown gives me an instant headache....man o man...

LAdy of The Tulips -- who now has to skeedadle an' get dressed -- The Youngest will be home an' shooo me away from here an' I'll pout an' be sad for the rest of the afternoon....well...not really pout, but I will be looking at some Land...