new-to-me toys

I use Apple products (iPod, iPad, and iPhone) but have been backing them up to an iTunes app on my Acer Aspire mini notebook computer. I learned on a PC and that's what I'm comfortable using.

Recently I opened iTunes to sinc my iPod and add more music from CDs. A notification popped up saying there is a new version of iTunes, do I wish to update? This is a common occurrence every few months, so I clicked yes. After a long download and installation process, it said that iTunes was not installed correctly, I need to uninstall and reinstall.

After trying this several times, following instructions from the Apple web site, I still did not have iTunes on my PC. I know that Apple and PC do not play well together but this is ridiculous! I was only following iTunes' instructions and now I could not sinc any of my devices to the computer or add any CDs to my iPod.

Enter my hero, Jason (also known as our eldest son). He had an older MacBook Pro he was not using, so he set it up in my name and gave it to me. Because I had forgotten to de-register previous computers, I had trouble registering this one to my account. I did not know this --- I took it back to Jason to figure out and he did. The Mac's disc drive is not working, so he threw in an external disc drive -- the one I use with my Acer is not Apple-compatible.

He backed up my iPod to the Mac, then asked for my phone to back it up. Afterwards, he said I may have to reload my books --- I told him I don't have any books on my phone because there was no room (only about 5 gig to work with). Next thing I knew, he was removing my phone card and putting it in his old unused iPhone. So instead of an iPhone 5 with only 5 gigs to work with, I now have an iPhone 6 with an extra 59 gigs. I do think I will buy a different case for it though. Not fond of this one's colors.

I've been fighting some kind of sinus thing with headaches that keep me from sleeping, so I sketched all this in the middle of the night as it lay on an overstuffed ottoman (which is a faded, muted red, NOT pink). Sort of a messy 2-page spread, but it distracted me from the headache.

home to Texas

Finally on the long drive home to Texas, we were surprised at how many wind farms have popped up, often on both sides of Interstate 35 allowing us to see the structures up close. In the big open spaces I have no problem with these behemoths; they even have a fluid grace about them. But they have also taken over the scenic views of the Arbuckle Wilderness in southern Oklahoma! The one place of beauty on the long drive through the state. That sign in the right sketch actually reads "scenic turnout, 1 mile" and the whole view is busy with turning wind generators.

Crossing over the Red River into Texas, I actually felt lifted up inside. How I have come to love this new home state of ours! North of Dallas, the highway splits into east and west; driving either way can get us home and we had decided to take the east route this time. But just north of the fork, we were warned that an 18-wheeler accident had closed that freeway so we took the left through Fort Worth instead. Being tired from the long day of driving, we stopped for the night at Alvarado . . . and we were spoiled rotten! The Super 8 motel was hidden behind a huge RV dealership and was almost missed -- I had once worked at a Super 8 and had no high expectations but we just wanted a bed for the night. What a surprise! During our week we had stayed at three other motels and this last one was one of the least expensive and the very best! They gave us what we would call a suite -- very comfortable with lots of extras.

Then for dinner, we ate at Benny's, an Italian / Mexican restaurant (I know, what an odd combination!) that was sublime! Worth going back to just for a meal. A wonderful time of refreshing; the next morning at breakfast, I enjoyed trading stories with the night auditor, who had the same job I had once had back in Kansas.

I did bring a little bit of Arkansas back with me, in the form of petrified wood and rocks. Bill teased that their weight would tip the truck over the limit --- he had brought back a metal lathe that is easily over 1000 lbs. Forty miles-per-hour winds literally blew us straight south through Kansas, Oklahoma, and as far as Alvarado, making the flag in the second post above stand out very straight. When driving on a southwest portion of I-35, we had some scary side-winds fighting the truck's load. But winds lessened by the next day and we made it home safely.

be a blessing, receive a blessing

Last week our pastor's wife invited several ladies from church to join her in visiting a dear lady in town who is 90 years old and dealing with health issues. We worked together and cleaned her house -- something she is not able to do now. She has blessed and taught so many others through the years, constantly giving of herself to others. Yet she had such a hard time receiving a blessing from others, it even brought thankful tears to her eyes. And we had such fun doing it! 

weekend sketches & an art supply blessing

We went to Austin on Saturday to tour one of several area micro-breweries. While the others were sampling the various beers, I sketched a bit and Bill played Uno with two of our grandchildren. I tried drawing directly in ink and all my barrels were wonky!

Then a few notes in church on Sunday, followed by a contour drawing (never lifting the pen from paper) of my hand holding my iPod which holds my Bibles I use in church. The contour drawing was helped by a very loose, rough layout in pencil first, which was erased after the ink dried.

On the way back to our kids' home, we were driving on Interstate 35 when daughter-in-law Misty suggested stopping at Jerry's Artarama; she knew I had been needing paper to bind more journals. I said yes, then Bill said no, we don't need to (he was teasing). So I said no, I don't need to --- Misty said I did and she was driving. While there, she helped me find Fabriano Artistico paper and some new cover papers, then told me about the customer appreciation card that reduced the price to about half. So I am well stocked now -- thank you, Misty!

Recently I have had some doubts as to whether sketching these journals and posting them was of any value. Is this really what God wants me to use this drawing ability for? Or am I wasting my time? Recently I received a message on Facebook from someone who mentioned my journals made her want to return to church; the odd thing is that she was not a contact and did not belong to any of the same groups as I did. So how did she even find me?

God reaching out to her through my simple journals, followed by such low prices for journal binding materials seems like the Lord telling me that yes, I am supposed to be doing this. However He chooses to use these sketches & words, I give it to Him.

a sketch from Sunday

Our pastor and his lovely wife surprised everyone with a gift this week of a mug and a book. We love our special church family!

little log cabin, deep in the heart of Texas

After a week of looking at lots of houses in 5 different areas, we ended up buying the exact house we first drove by last June when we first began looking at houses for sale in Texas. Very surprised that it was still on the market, since houses in the area usually sell withing 1 to 2 months. Even more surprised when they accepted our first offer, quite a bit below the asking price. We both love log houses --- never thought we would actually get to live in one someday!

A VERY tiny house, just right for the 2 of us, near a lake. No woodshop for Bill yet, but with such a large yard (3 lots) we can build one ourselves . . . with a guest house attached for visitors. There is additional sleeping in the loft but not everyone would be able to manage the steep stairs --- more like the stair-ladders Bill knew aboard a Navy ship.

Part of the loft has a balcony & windows facing north-east -- that will be my art space. Along with the whole outdoors, of course. There are a variety of trees on our lot, including a small treehouse for grandkids. And a small planting strip along the sidewalk leading to the front patio, perfect for an herb bed. Provided the deer stay away from it. Not sure if they come into this housing development or not.

retirement arrived sooner than expected . . .

. . . in a totally unexpected way. On Saturday, Bill had a heart attack.

While looking forward to taking early retirement the end of October, he was preparing to work on our daughter's new kitchen cabinets in his woodshop when he began to experience an unknown pain. Sitting down a bit did not help, so he drove home (about 12 blocks) --- upon entering our apartment, the pain increased tremendously and he said "take me to the hospital, I'm having a heart attack". Scary.

Instead, I phoned 911 --- and so thankful I did! The EMTs began treatment right away and, instead of taking him to the hospital 3 blocks from our home they drove him to a hospital about 15 miles away. I wasn't even aware of this medical center, it being only 10 years old, but they are set up especially for heart conditions. The Lord clearly prepared the way: both cardiologist and heart surgeon just happened to be there when he arrived.

After 2 stents and a few days in the hospital, he is now at home. The doctors conferred and decided that the best course of action is to have him on Plavix for 30 days, then double bypass surgery set for 30 Sept. (There is still blockage in one artery.) So far, his attitude is good. And the Lord is good.

The bit from a devotional penned on the above sketchbook page "just happened" to be the next daily entry from something I'm reading on my Kindle. It seemed to be timely words of encouragement directly from the Lord to me. I love when He does that.

waiting for Bill to be shot . . .

 
. . . a steroid shot in the spine, that is --- similar to what I had in December and January, though his condition is a bit more complicated than mine was.

Once again, we found that the local hospital's MRI department had misread an MRI. In my case, they missed a small tear-shaped facet cyst pressing against a nerve. In Bill's case, an MRI taken nearly 2 years ago supposedly showed nothing, and he was given pain pills --- which he can't take at work or on-call, so he's had to live with the pain. But when a Wichita spinal surgeon looked at the same MRI, he could easily see a very large facet mass practically cutting off Bill's nerves entirely. There is also some arthritis and more involved medical stuff I don't quite understand, but with several there are several treatment options, none involving surgery.

While praying and expecting Bill to have full relief from back & leg pain, I am also thanking the Lord that I went through my own trouble and pain. If I hadn't had this experience, along with a friend's recommendation to seek a second opinion, I would not have questioned Bill's experience. But I did begin to wonder, and asked our primary care doctor to get him an appointment with my spinal doctor. We had confirmation that the Lord was in this when we got an appointment in less than 2 weeks; normally it takes 2 months to get in.

This woman was patiently waiting to see the doctor also and held still for a long time, making it easy for me to sketch her. Plenty of time, too. This anesthesiologist's practice is not run as efficiently as the spine center where I had my shots. Our spinal surgeon gave me the shots, but Bill's required an anesthesiologist instead, due to the more extensive involvement. In fact, the doctor was amazed that he was still walking at all.

a good report

I drove my mother to the eye clinic Tuesday, where she's been receiving treatment for macular degeneration. For the second exam in a row, she did NOT need the injection and her eye shows improvement. Hurray!

a Christmas wish

Over the weekend, I was looking through a small collection of antique Christmas cards . . . . which sort of inspired this little sketch in my sketchbook.

I hope each of you have a very merry Christmas full of all of the Lord's blessings.

finding pennies . . .

For about 12 years I have been finding pennies wherever I go -- when I least expect it. Today, while walking Ceilidh, I found a nickel and 2 pennies; none of them were close to each other.

It has become a sort of private joke between me and the Lord --- His "wink and a smile" to me, reminding me that He loves me and has blessings planned for me.

(all images on this blog can be seen a bit larger by clicking on them)

new tubes of gouache

Here, I filled whole pans with some gouache that my friend Wendee mailed me --- she no longer wanted these and had read that I wished to try M. Graham and Schmincke brands of gouache. Roz is SO RIGHT --- they really DO rewet much easier and are more vibrant! (read more here!)

I use a fine-point sharpie to write the paint's name on the side of each pan, plus initials of what brand it is. If I ever stop using the paint, this information is easily scrubbed off with an SOS pad.

Due to a winter storm last week in Kansas City, Creative Coldsnow extended their sale another week. With new blue and brown gouache, I just HAD to get a couple of reds and a yellow in M. Graham, right?

I'll try both browns to decide which is the most useful (and to compare M. Graham to Schmincke) -- then maybe replace one with a burnt sienna. Although, I found I could not only make a great orange with the warm red and yellow . . . add a bit of the raw umber and I get a fantastic burnt sienna! I will also add a larger pan of warm blue eventually . . . not sure if it will be ultramarine or Roz' beloved dark indigo (PB60).

BTW, this is the last page of this journal --- now on to a new one!

weekend's surprise

We knew that Jason and Carrie would be attending their college's 10th reunion in Bolivar, MO last week, but they planned on driving straight there and back to Texas.

What a pleasant surprise when they phoned Friday evening and asked if they could have a bed overnight on the way home Saturday! (Well, of course . . . did they really think we would say no?). It added quite a few miles to the drive home, but we were so excited to see all of them, even for a short time. Jayna and Josiah are always adorable, as are their parents.

Josiah has grown so much since I was his "nanny" in the spring . . . now he doesn't want to be out of Mommy's sight --- but he loves to explore. He soon found out that the little door in this tiny cupboard in the sketch can open; now it houses toys. It used to be on a Victorian gentleman's dresser -- behind the little door is where a top hat was kept. But we use it as a small side table.

recent shopping

I absolutely detest shopping! Even more so when it comes to clothing --- nothing ever seems to fit me. However, yesterday's shopping was actually good! Something my friend Ginger calls "anointed shopping"!

Receiving a 30% coupon in the mail for a Wichita shop, I went looking for walking shoes and maybe a long skirt. Ended up with shoes, a wrinkly shirt, a long skirt with matching sweater, and a corduroy jacket.

As the salesgirl began ringing it up, I pulled out the coupon --- she pointed out the fine print that says it's not good until the 15th . . . . but she gave me the 30% off anyway, not wanting to call the manager over to void the purchase!

Later at a bookstore, I found a copy of Gwen Diehn's "Real Life Journals" --- used up a birthday gift card on it. Fun book!

Sunday wasn't so bad either . . . . Bill and I checked out an antique mall in a nearby town, where I found a tiny gift for my mom (she collects Boyd's figurines). And found a $4 long skirt at Goodwill.

Had a good laugh after buying groceries Monday . . . . wild Canada geese were S L O W L Y crossing the drive, making drivers wait for them. Should have taken time to sketch them!