today’s frustration

My journal sketches usually reflect some part of my day, so why not this month’s ink drawing challenge as well? This page represents today’s frustration.

I’ve been trying to paint a watercolor landscape in my regular sketchbook, bound with Aches rough 100% cotton watercolor paper — the exact same paper as the artist whose demo I was following. A portion was to be masked out so I pulled out my small jar of masking fluid. It seemed a bit thick but went on the paper okay. 

But after drying, I tried to remove it with fingers or soft eraser — it is thoroughly stuck! Some came off but many bits are stuck deeply. The last watercolor wash didn’t turn out well anyway, so I plan to start over. But on different paper and with a different brand of masking fluid.

a mini sketchkit

Due to an unknown low-grade fever, Bill is still in the hospital. He is walking well and feeling pretty good considering he just had major surgery. This delay is frustrating, but they don’t want to send him home just to have him return. I drive in each day, then home to deal with animals.

This morning before heading out, I threw together a kit for some tiny sketching while I wait with him. A zipper case holds tools, and the tiny clipboard from Bluestar Crafts (HERE) holds my pre-cut pieces of paper. More pieces of paper are taped to a plastic sheet from Travelers Company USA. I keep bits of skinny tape wrapped around a discarded plastic cap because it takes up less room than a washi tape roll. I usually do quick sketches with the clipboard, and tiny paintings with a border on the plastic sheet.

So while Bill snoozes, maybe I’ll do some sketching . . . 

last week’s frustrations

Last Wednesday I was dealing with several frustrations, two of which I jotted down on this sketchbook page. And felt so much better after I did! Everything turned out fine in the end, so I wasn’t even going to post it at first. But it’s a reminder to myself not to let frustrations win. Drawing is a much better use of my time.

Our son Jason came after school (he teaches physics) and got my ear pods sorted for me — it seems they were just trying to pair with my MacBook instead of my iPad. 

And Etsy got involved with the damaged gift — one look at the photos and they immediately refunded me themselves. Bill had picked out this antique churn without its tamper as a birthday gift, to be used to hold umbrella, cane, and walking stick. It arrived 3 weeks later than expected, smashed in transit due to the seller not packing it safely. All the way from Norway in only a bit of bubble wrap and brown paper, no box or carton!

unreliable deliveries and a procedure for Bill

Sketches from yesterday:

On 18 December I reordered Bill’s favorite dark roast coffee beans from Amazon — the order has still not arrived and may be unavailable. So I bought a couple of other varieties for him to try.

Living in the country, many of our Amazon deliveries that used to come by truck have been sent by USPS instead. Which is unfortunate, as they go through Houston’s USPS distribution centers which have broken down. Many mail items are late or have gone missing.

Also from yesterday, Bill had a routine colonoscopy done in College Station. I sketched him as he tried to catch up on missed sleep, waiting for things to start. Thankfully , his results were “all clear”.

drawing with tendinitis

Having tendinitis in both hands which sometimes causes my right hand to shake uncontrollably (I’m right-handed), I find things like measuring ingredients, carrying a full glass, eating a spoonful of soup — or drawing — challenging at times.

I drew the ink lines of this sketch with a Pentel Pocketbrush pen which has an actual brush tip instead of a nib. Fun, unpredictable, and very difficult to control! I was amazed at how nice the ink lines turned out, and I’m a bit sorry that I added watercolor. Especially those crazy too-dark shadows.

just one of those days . . .

 

. . . or rather, two of those days. With Sunday’s winter storm (we actually had snow!), I went out mid-day to give the goats and donkeys some additional hay under their shelter.

First they trapped me in the storage shed, goat feet firmly pressed against the gate which swings both ways — I had to latch it coming in and could not manage to unlatch it against the goats’ weight with my arms full of hay.

Bill came to rescue me eventually (note to self: don’t forget to put my cell phone in my pocket!). As I was handing off the half-bale of hay to him, two goats jumped my back trying to get to it — OUCH!

Yesterday continued our streak of small annoyances. Our grocery story is about 20 miles away so we try to make as few trips as we can. We pushed the loaded cart out to the truck, transferring all to the truck, and drove on to other errands, then home. As I was cooking a sauce, I reached for the milk . . . and found it missing. Yes it was listed on the receipt; no, they did not load it into our cart. So back to the store today . . .

Since last Friday I have been trying to get a refill on prescription eyedrops (I have glaucoma). Complicating things were (a) our supplemental insurance changed and says we need to change pharmacies and (b) the drops I needed had run out of refills and required a doctor’s okay. But she is typically in surgery on Friday . . . and she has a new office lady who apparently doesn’t check the messages.

No eye drops and it was now Monday. I phoned the doctor’s office to get the prescription sent to our new pharmacy, telling the same office lady that I did not need the Timolol but I did need Latanoprost (She seemed distracted, perhaps because it was a typical Monday). The pharmacy later sent a text: it’s too early to fill the Timolol. She had misheard me and filled the wrong eyedrops. So back to the phone . . .

Anyway, I drew out my frustrations — and today will be a better day!

Dalek siting and cancelled trip

A few weeks ago we drove to Willis, TX on the other side of Lake Conroe on a lumber supply run. At the turn-off from TX 105 to Lone Star Parkway, I spied what appeared to be a giant rusting Dalek covered with green overgrowth.

Curious about it, I looked at the satellite view on my phone map app — Bill guesses that it’s a part of an abandoned wood kiln.

We liked the area and wished to have a few days away from construction / moving stress and livestock care, so we booked a stay at a local Airbnb. It looked like a very relaxing out-of-the-way spot to just rest.

Then yesterday, just hours before check-in at the cottage, I received an email refund and notice from Vrbo that the property manager had canceled our reservation. No explanations, no apologies!

It may have something to do with an approaching hurricane and the mandatory evacuation of Galveston . . . . But some good old-fashioned communication and curtesy would have been appreciated!

UPDATE: an online search confirmed Bill’s thinking the cone structure is an old kiln. Common to steam-powered lumber operations, it was called a beehive or wigwam burner.

This one from Oregon is the closest match.

traveling cats

Our cabin has been on the market for 40 days now and only a few scheduled to look in person, though thousands have looked at the online listings. Frustrating for us. Even more frustrating for our wee Scottish Fold kitties as we continue to pack what is not needed for “staging” at the cabin and travel back and forth between properties. We are doing some work at Kristen’s new house, meeting with workmen about the barn-to-house conversion, and keeping both mowed. We can’t actually begin on our barndominium until we sell the cabin.

When people schedule to look at the cabin, we load up the cats and go for a ride — or take more stuff to the new place. And when we go to spend the night at the alternate place, they balk — whether they are at the cabin or the house. They seem to like both places just fine; they just don’t care to leave wherever they happen to be at the moment.

Sketch With Me: challenge

This past weekend was the monthly virtual sketch crawl with the Sketch With Me group, and this month’s prompt was “challenge”. The challenge of a hard subject, a new medium, etc.

For me lately, the real challenge is taking time to sketch at all! With Bill’s ongoing dentist appointments, my periodontal appointments, our going through stuff to get rid of anything we don’t wish to move (if we haven’t used it in 5 years, why keep it?), meeting with the realtor to sell the cabin, taking time for get-togethers with our kids in Pflugerville, Needville, and Houston . . .

In fact, getting photos for the realtor proved to be my biggest challenge this weekend! The company’s photographer came out to take photos — and they turned out horribly! So dark and depressing, I sure wouldn’t want to look at the property as she captured it! She’s young; perhaps it is just a summer job for her. I admit taking photos of a small space in a dark log cabin can be challenging, but I knew we could do better. After all, it was a great bunch of photos that made Bill and me consider buying the cabin in the first place — and we have improved it since then!

So our daughter came out to stage the furnishings better and take new photos. And what a difference they were! It’s good to take time for sun or cloudiness to get the right outdoor shots, and get the right angle to enhance a space rather than making it seem to close in on itself! Our cabin, though built of darkly painted logs, is really quite a sunny place with lots of gorgeous views of trees.

I gave the new photos to our realtor to replace the first ones online but ran into another glitch: Kristen’s camera resolution was too high, creating files too large to upload. So, with our son Jason’s help, I now have the correct pixel size and hope the new photos will be posted later today.

Leaving very little sketching time. But ever since we moved in 5 1/2 years ago, I have wanted to draw this view of our loft from the steep stair-ladder made of half-logs, looking upwards to the peaked roof log beams. That’s my great-grandmother’s quilt hanging over the right railing. At first I thought I’d just paint it and leave the heavy logs with the white bead board in between them in ink only. But now I’m not so sure . . . Should I paint the logs as well?

the trip that wasn’t . . .

And now, the rest of the story . . .

Earlier this week my step-mother died. I planned to fly to Kansas for the funeral.

Spent all day Wednesday searching for a round-trip flight that we wouldn’t have to take a loan out for. (Over $1000 Texas to Kansas while advertising $150 trips to New York? Really?)

Finally found flights for just under $400, but had to pay upgrades on only available seating.

Thursday, while driving to Houston’s airport, received a text: flight canceled due to weather in Dallas/Fort Worth. Rebooking me tomorrow morning. Uh, that won’t work, funeral is tomorrow morning.

Spoke with very understanding lady at American Airlines who found me a late night flight, getting me to Wichita at midnight.

Bill drove me to Houston a second time, dropping me off at our daughter’s house — she will drive me to the airport later. While waiting, received another text: first of connecting flights delayed and I will miss my connection in DFW. They will rebook my second flight to Friday (with me spending the night at DFW airport). Again, I phone to explain I would miss the funeral, which is the only reason I’m traveling in the first place. Spoke to another understanding lady who worked very hard at finding me another flight, even with another airline. No more flights available, period.

Never mind. Refunded. Bill drove to Houston third time in one day to pick me up. Had dinner with daughter’s family. Went home. Maybe God didn’t want me to go to Kansas this week?

results . . . or not

Yesterday, I sketched this while waiting in the neurosurgeon's office at Scott & White in Temple, Texas. After extensive new tests, this second neurosurgeon found no indication for further surgery to correct Bill's damaged nerve. Pain management was suggested; we already went that route and it did not help at all. The nerve may possibly heal over time, it may not. Bill's feeling pretty down at the moment.

We are trusting the Lord to have better answers.

sketching Saturday's meeting

Our local homeowner's association held the annual meeting on Saturday -- I sketched the water well system that is the center of the current battle. We are a small housing group in the country, far from any water lines (also far from decent internet connections or clear cell phone signals, but that may be all the lovely trees), and we share this private well.

In theory, our yearly dues go to pay for upkeep on the wells and maintain the roads. 

In reality: in the past 2 years, board members have freely spent the money on whatever notion they had in mind at the moment WITHOUT bringing these items before the community for a vote, and have depleted much of what was set aside for the wells. 

Now, with an expensive evaluation by an engineering firm, we learn of multiple violations in our system and the fact that any replacement will require bringing the whole thing up to code --- a very expensive process. Or we can do nothing and chance the state coming in and shutting the wells down. Leaving us without water.

Yet, the board president and vice-president did nothing at this meeting except whine about themselves . . . Bill, who has served in a minor position on the board, was trying to lead an open discussion with all the residents about the problems and searching for answers together, drawing on ALL residents' thoughts and suggestions. While being interrupted by the president's pity party.

A frustrating day to say the least!

the sale that wasn't

Last Saturday there was an Octoberfest event in Burton, Texas. Diane, owner of Heritage Sunday House bed & breakfast and the antique store next door, asked to include prints and notecards of my sketches in her special sale. The chamber of commerce hosted the event . . . and even they didn't show up! A few people came out for the walk-run and a few dachshunds and their owners for a weenie-dog race. But not one person came our way, even with food set out for them.

I just had to laugh about the whole thing, though I am sorry for all the hard work that Diane put into it -- incredibly frustrating for her! My sketches are now displayed for sale in her shop. Diane's encouragement has nudged me to learn about the process of having prints and notecards made, and now I may go forward in opening an Etsy shop. 

Prints I had made are not always true in color to the originals and some shadows disappeared. (Many of these are a bit out of focus, as they were very quick snapshots.)

  

 

 

 

These are the first series of notecards I did. I'm thinking several of the above prints would also make nice notecards. Once I figure out how to sell them online . . .

a destructive plague

Bearcat has been gone awhile . . . yet we are still battling fleas in our wee cabin. And he was an inside-only cat! Feral cats try to claim our land as their own territory, bringing lots of fleas which we then carry inside on shoes and clothing. Bill is hard at work treating the yard.

And I am extremely allergic to flea bites! So we continue to spray, vacuum, bomb, vacuum, spray . . . I am literally covered with inflamed sores that itch like crazy. Bill suggested that I find some Dead Sea salts to soak in after hearing on a news program that it helps clear up psoriasis. Not finding any at local stores, I ordered some on Amazon --- and it works! I also found some natural flea & mosquito repellent soap that seems to work as well. 

a frustrating day

Bill was actually eagerly looking forward to today, the day disc surgery would finally free him from the ever-increasing pain in his right shoulder and arm. He's suffered with this pain for 3 years now, at first just a bit now and then, then steadily worsening until now it keeps him from sleep every night. Two discs are bulging against spinal column and nerves; they plan to remove them, replacing them with bone grafts, then adding a metal plate and screws to stabilize everything as it fuses together.

I quickly drew another "waiter" in the waiting room, having to finish later in the prep room from memory. There's really not much waiting time at Scott & White. Then to avoid seeing them struggle to establish Bill's IV, I drew the pump thingy on the wall and wrote some text. 

Bill was all hooked up, poked at, stuck into, and ready to go . . . . until he started running a low-grade fever. The surgeon was notified, and he sent back word that operating with even a low fever could risk complications so the surgery was cancelled. Apparently Bill has a sinus infection.

So he unplugged and dressed, we were sent to the walk-in clinic for antibiotics and steroids, and he was sent home. Really depressing for him, but I'm thankful his surgeon is a cautious man. After the round of antibiotics, surgery will be rescheduled.

rock play

I felt like painting some rocks . . . and just happened to have a photo taken by our son-in-law Michael during their last trip to California. I miss the Pacific Ocean! We lived in San Diego when we first got married and had some lovely times there.

My home internet "died" last week, so I am down to only my iPhone for posting this. Over the phone, the company determined that the connection is misaligned and a tech guy will be out tomorrow to fix it. The independent seller who hooked up both our satellite TV and the internet possible did it wrong two years ago --- it has never worked as promised from the start. We can't stream shows (twice as much buffering as program, every couple of minutes) and it went out every time it rained. Very slow also. The company was apologetic and worked it out --- they are even upgrading my service (and speed) to a much higher level at no added cost.

Good thing, as my options out here in the country among all these lovely trees is very limited.  I'm thankful that my phone has unlimited internet. Today, so much of normal daily life is done online.

socks are not an option!

Yesterday I was helping Bill stack some firewood and carry the smaller bits to our burn pit when I was bitten by an ant or two. I had leather shoes on, but no socks (too warm to wear them). I thought at the time that at least it wasn't a fire ant (not experiencing the usual fiery sting). I took an antihistamine and propped my foot up a bit . . . the swelling started, so of course I sketched my foot! (I didn't get the color right on the larger area but I then messed with it so much trying to correct it that the paper began to break down.)

Today I learned that yes, it was fire ants -- 7 bites in all, now forming white blisters. Two of our sons and one daughter-in-law say that you always should prick the blister with a sterile needle to drain; most sources online say to never pop it. So who is right? Meanwhile I am keeping it elevated with ice on it and it feels fine.

The first time I had a reaction to fire ants, it was serious enough to require steroids (and it gave me an extremely fat lip!) but I don't seem to react like that any more, for which I am grateful. And perhaps I will remember next time to put on socks as well as shoes.

brush repair & testing inks

While at our son's as "granny nanny" last month, I laid my smaller travel squirrel mop brush on the counter . . . where it promptly rolled off onto the floor and broke. I thought at the time that it seemed odd that the break was so even.

Then this past week I was gently squeezing excess water from my larger brush of the same style and it broke off as well, in the same way. Now I realize that this is a weak spot in how the bristles are attached --- I am hoping that super glue will fix both of them. I did a search online but could not find either brush in a travel form so I would really like to save these.

Then a couple of sample inks arrived from Goulet Pens. I have been wanting to try De Atramentis Document white ink for fountain pens ever since learning of it from Liz Steel's blog. Currently I use a Uniball Signo Gel Pen for white lines but really want a fountain pen white ink -- it would especially be cool to fill my white Lamy Safari pen! Unfortunately, it just doesn't write as consistent of a white line as the Uniball Signo pen. Ink goes on smoothly enough but it dries much lighter than when wet. In one spot, where I may have gotten some skin oil on the dark paper, it would not write at all even after repeated tries.

I also tried a sample of Platinum Mix-Free (whatever that means?) Earth Brown. Here, I was looking for a water-soluble burnt sienna colored ink that I could 'bleed' with a bit of water added. I have used Platinum Carbon Black ink and loved it, so I thought their brand might be good. I love the color, with just the right amount of 'bleed', but it is so thin that I cannot fill my pen's converter. It took 5 or 6 tries to even get it half-filled. Maybe I could fill an empty cartridge with the ink, using a syringe. Or perhaps it would work better in a Noodler's Creeper pen? Not sure . . .

spur-of-the-moment trip to Houston

After dealing with a frustrating, badly written blueprint for a woodworking project, Bill needed to get away. So we drove to our daughter's, where they had just cut down a small tree (Michael was asked to remove it when it popped up as a small weed 5 years ago) --- we can use the wood for campfires on a future family camping trip.

Mikala normally runs and hides if I try to sketch her (same reaction with photographs), so I know she wasn't feeling too good. I don't think she even knew I was drawing her. Fingers taped together due to a volleyball injury (she still played with them taped together) and apparently very tired from a spring break sleepover with friends.

a day of frustration

Yesterday was a Very Long day! First an early morning dental appointment, prepping for a bridge. Nearly two hours. But our dentist's assistant is a good friend; conversation kept it a nearly-pleasant experience (and sketching the Cerec thingy). After sketching this, I glanced at the quote from Sunday morning on the opposite page . . . a bit of synchronicity, considering those shots in my mouth.

Directly from the dentist, we embarked on a 10 hour drive to Arkansas. We were going to an appointment with our dear friend, George, to hear the results of his neurological tests. Just past halfway, about 60 miles outside of Little Rock, the doctor's office phoned saying they are postponing the appointment; it seems the secretary __forgot__ to order two of the tests we were going to hear the results of! And there is typically a 6-week wait, minimum, to get into this guy! 

We turned around and drove home, arriving past midnight. Such is the "quality" of healthcare in Mountain Home, AR. It's now been FIVE MONTHS since George's problems began,