Not Well

I am not feeling well. The infection is making me have cold chills, then hot spells. I did see the doctor and am now on antibiotics. I am still doing my therapy but even the two pain pills I take, there is still some pain. The infected area is sore to the touch. But hopefully all will get better soon. But because of this, I am not getting any art done. I just don't have the energy.
So everyone, keep on doing your art and hopefully soon, I will too.

Day after

Well today is the day after Christmas. A day of sadness but a day of renewal. Today the few decorations I put up, will come down. I usually do that Christmas Day night. But I wasn't feeling well last night.

I think my leg has an infection. The scar is all healed but the infection is under the skin. The leg is really red and has been for several days. But try to get to a doctor during a holiday. And I didn't feel like sitting in the emergency ward for hours waiting to be seen.

I have been taking a few of my hubby's antibiotics, using ice then heat packs. And keeping the leg elevated as much as possible. But today I will call the doctor and hopefully see him. Get some antibiotics of my own.

The leg is sore to the touch which is uncomfortable. And I have been having chills and then hot flashes. I will feel better once I have seen the doctor.

Well I hope everyone's Christmas was very nice, and safe. We had Christmas dinner at hubby's sister's house. Just 4 of us but a very nice dinner. She served prime rib and tried out some new online recipes for vegetables. The cream corn was to die for. We got some leftovers to bring home and a care package of goodies she had made. Fudge and coconut macaroons. Yum. Hubby's brother and his wife and grandson stopped by later so we had a very nice visit.

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law Are health nuts. They take vitamins and watch what they eat. But these two have a verrrrrrry fat cat named Tommy. Well as we sat and ate dinner, Tommy decided he wasn't getting enough attention. He nipped my leg just at the crease of the knee (thankfully my good knee). They said he usually reserves those bites for just the two of them. I guess I am officially family in his site. Before the night was over, I was the recipient of two of those badges of honor. Quite a character. Really a sweet cat. Quite roly-poly. And he just gloats in satisfaction when you scratch his back or his stomach. When I get a yearning to have another cat, I get my fix at their house.

Barn

A few days ago I did a colored pencil drawing of a barn. I found it in the RIL at Wetcanvas. I don't remember who was kind enough to upload it. The file name was barn51. This is one of only 3 colored pencil drawings I have sitting here at the house that I have framed. They usually sit in a folder. I am trying to be better about framing as I go.

Only 3 days left until Christmas. Hubby is making an out of town trip. He had to pick up something at the LAX airport this morning and take it to Las Vegas. Along with millions of others going to Vegas. He just called me and when he made the turnoff to Vegas, the traffic came to a dead stop. He won't be home until tomorrow some time. Depends on how slow the traffic gets. Lots of crazy people out there and in a hurry.

Penny is pestering me today. I usually keep the door open so that she can go in and out at will. But today is cold and I have the heater going. I don't want to waste the warmth by opening the door. But I may have to turn the heat down and let her have her way. She can be the most determined dog I have ever known. I used to feed her at 5 pm but since Daylight savings time, she gets fed at 4. You can't convince her the time has changed. Her internal clock says it is still 5.

Scavenger Hunt #67

Well we are in the middle of Hunt #67. I have done more items on this hunt than any for the last couple months or so. Feels good.

I had to call the veterinarian today. My cockatiel was laying on her stomach on the wire at the bottom of her cage. She was perching at night, eating just fine, and jumping up and chasing us when we came near her cage. But I didn't want to let her get sick.

The vet said to wrap saran wrap around 3 sides of her cage and put a heating pat on medium under the bottom. He said this time of year they get cold. I keep a towel around the sides and back during the day and cover the front at night, but apparantly this year it wasn't working good enough to keep her warm.

Since I did what the vet said, she has been on her perch and singing and carrying on all evening. Poor little thing was just cold. I need to be a better mama.

Seed Catalog

My mom had a seed catalog last week that she gave me. It had a really nice flower in bloom that caught my eye. It was a Coneflower. I couldn't resist drawing one on a greeting card. For some reason I liked the way the center was pushed up toward the sun and the petals were drooping below. Here is my version. The size is about 5x5 and done in colored pencil.

Scavenger Hunt #66

It is my turn this week to host the Scavenger Hunt. We are at #66. Who woulda thought we would have this many done. Now I am anxious to get to #100. I worked on some sketches for the hunt today. I am farther along than I have gotten in the last few hunts. I finished number 10.

I didn't feel too perky today so I slept quite a lot. It is nice to be able to be lazy once in awhile. Hubby is out of town tonight for work, so I didn't have anything that had to get done. So it didn't. I am trying to take less medication as I am almost out of pills. I don't know if my prescription will be renewed but hope so. I am trying to stretch them out, so the leg was a little achey today.

Yesterday I finished up addressing my Christmas cards for family and friends. Mailed them out today. A few were handmade but most were from the store. After the Christmas Card Exchange Project, I didn't have it in me to do that many more originals.

The dogs are a little pesky tonight. Maybe missing their papa. But Penny keeps coming to me and waiting for me to figure out what she wants. They have been fed, pottied, and petted. Beats me what she wants now. Just my attenction I guess.

Life

Well I decided Life would be my last thankful card. After all Life is what we start with and what we end without. This one will be the cherry on my sundae. I got this one in the mail, so I am officially finished with all my cards.

Jeanette wondered how I could do it all. Well it helps when you don't work a full-time job. And don't teach classes. And don't have a farm and critters, and plants to take care of. Plus I'm still recovering from surgery and can't do a lot around the house. My part is easy. I am in awe of what you (Jeanette) accomplish with all you have on your plate. I will call you Wonder Woman.

ATC Project

I finished two more ATCs tonight. One for Chocolate and one for Maturity. I won't post them until they are received. Now I have only one more to go and I will be finished. I just have to figure out one more word. So far the items I have been thankful for are: nature, peace, wisdom, curiosity, silence, comfort, prayer, rainbows, loyalty, love, freedom, trust, faith, smiles, innocence, maturity, and chocolate. There are many more things to be thankful for but I only get one more.

Week's End

Well here it is another week gone. Christmas is coming fast. My days are spent quietly. I haven't been shopping at all for gifts. Thankfully I don't have many to buy. This is probably the latest I have left my shopping.

Most of the years before and after I got married, I was always making gifts. Crocheted mostly. I remember one year everyone (female) got a crochet and leather-like patchwork shoulder purses. Other gifts were, crocheted brandy snifter candles, crocheted dogs that covered a bar of soap, crocheted rug and lid covers for the bathroom, crewel/needlework framed pictures, crocheted and beaded jewelry, crocheted table runners, arm covers for couches and chairs, and crocheted afghans. Whatever was my art project at the time, ended up being the gifts I made. Oh yeah and dozens and dozens of crocheted slippers. I still make crocheted slippers once in awhile but now it is more of a chore than a pleasure.

Working a full time job and getting older just made life get in the way of handmade gifts. In between jobs, I had a couple of times where I didn't work an outside job. I was able to be a homemaker. That was pure joy. I took classes. Didn't matter if they were craft, sewing, accounting, or painting. I just love to take classes. It is always fun to learn new things plus it keeps your brain sharpened.

Now I just don't have the motivation. I would rather be doing my art. Here is another of my project ATCs.

Innocence

I worked today on two more of my Thankful project ATCs. I did one for Wisdom and one for Innocence. I am really enjoying choosing the words and then doing a picture for each of the words. So far I have been pretty pleased with my results. And I am enjoying doing a theme.

There are 19 participants. I have already done 9 of my ATCs. Half are done.

Since I am taking medication for pain, I have stayed pretty close to home. My parents have been taking me to my therapy sessions. I did make a trip to the grocery store today. Hubby has been doing the shopping and he has been working really long hours. I wanted to take some of the load from him. I made it pretty good but was very tired and my ankle and leg were really sore afterward. Just going thru the store is bad enough, but when I got home I had to unload and put away everything.

ATC project

I worked on two more ATCs for the project at Wetcanvas. That is 7 completed. So far 17 people have signed up. I don't know how long until they close the project for new ones. Any way I have a good start. Now more thinking of words and pictures to go with them. The ones I did today are for Trust and Loyalty. I don't have them scanned so can't show them.

Happy Birthday Connie

I made a birthday card today for one of the teens across the street. I used a reference photo that I took at their next door neighbor's house of one of her roses. Connie's favorite color is pink. You would know that if you saw her bedroom. It is painted hot pink. I used colored pencil and pen and ink on a blank greeting card. And "Happy birthday" she gets to clean my house this evening.

Hubby decided it was time for more deep fried fish. He went to Costco today. On a Sunday. And on a day right after the first of the month which is really bad. People coming from the woodwork.

I am usually the one who goes alone and has to deal with all the buying, loading, unloading, and putting away. This time it was his turn. But he did it after working today. So he is really tired. Now he is also doing the cooking. When my uncle gave him the little deep fryer, he made a monster. I am trying to lose some weight and hubby is frying.