Catching Up

I didn't realize it had been ten days since I last put my thoughts down!  While I'm doing other things, I often think of things I want to write, then don't take the time to sit down and do it.  Coming into my office and working at the desk always becomes a production, and I don't like to blog on my phone.  I'm not one of those people who can text w/o thinking.  It's tough enough to type.  I never took typing in high school (yes, I'm old enough to remember typing class!).  I always maintained I would have a secretary, not be a secretary.  Well, neither is the case.  I really wish I had taken some computer classes, because I've found that I love working on it, and wish I knew more.

As I type, Ricky is in my chair with me, Bitsy is under the desk, and Zeus is beside it.  Tico and Turnip are on the back of the couch.  I guess it's their shift on the security detail.  Peanut is in the hall, in her bed.  I really need to have a discussion with our security staff.  Megan told me that, last night, while she and Ricky were in the living room, something small came in the doggie door in the kitchen and ate all the dry dog food.  Ricky barked, and it left.  A while later, she heard the dog food bowl being pushed around on the floor.  The other 5 dogs were all in bed with me, and heard nothing!  I'm guessing it's a chipmunk, Charlie says it must be a small possum.  Why does the thought of a chipmunk amuse me, and a possum give me the heebie jeebies?  It could be the PR they get, or, more likely, that chipmunks are cute, and possums are decidedly not!  Whatever, tonite I lock the doggie door!  The babies can just wake me up if they need to go out.

We couldn't stop laughing at Turnip and Tico last night.  That's a couple of photos of Turnip.  If you'll look at the bird bell in the top photo, it will give you an idea of how small Turnip is.  He weighs about 3 pounds.  The bottom photo is the usual view he gives us!  Anyway, yesterday Megan and I took Tico to have her nails done and teeth brushed.  When we got home, it was obvious that Turnip had missed her.  He followed her everywhere, trying to, well, hump her.  At times, he would be so tired from chasing her that he would just sit there with his chin resting on her back, completely done in.  Tico is usually very patient w/Turnip, and loves playing with him.  Not last night! She would snap at him, and he didn't care.  She went under the covers on the bed, he followed.  She got in one of our laps, Turnip was right there.  Finally they both collapsed from exhaustion.  This morning Turnip tried with Bitsy, but she was having none of that!  One serious snap, and Turnip apparently decided to give himself a day off.

I was tootling around the Internet the other day, and came across the reunion page for my high school class.  I didn't graduate because I got married at 17, so no reunion for me.  It was cool to see where all my classmates ended up, sad to see how many had passed away.  There were a couple of folks I looked for, and didn't find.  Wonder where they are?  Do you think anyone wonders where I am?  I was so in and out of high schools that I doubt it.  I was a classic wallflower in school.

If any of you are in Newnan, we're having a sale at The Vintage Flea next week.  All handmade purses and teddy bears are 10% off.  If you "friend" the Flea on FB, you'll get notices of all the sales.  The stuff in the store changes all the time, so check it out!

I've really got to play catch up on housework today, so that I can sew this weekend.  We'll talk soon!

Venting

I'm back!  I had every intention of updating this sooner, but life got in the way.  I've mentioned several times that I've been doing our new brochure for FolkFest.  Well, it's done (I hope).  As I type, I've sent a proof to Meg to get opinions and suggestions.  I'm sure she'll have a few!

Anyway...  My buddy Zeus came over today, to stay 4 nights.  I get such a kick out of him.  He's big, about the size of a German Shepherd.  He follows me all over the house, except into the basement.  When I go down to do laundry, he sits at the top of the stairs and moans.  Any time Charlie gets close to me, he barks like he's going to take out a piece of him.  Don't get me wrong - he likes Charlie, he just doesn't want him near me.  All of this wouldn't be so funny if he didn't also let all three chihuahuas order him around.  Also, when Trevor comes to pick him up, Zeus leaves me without a backward glance.  I used to have boyfriends like that.

I did get away from the computer long enough this weekend to make new seat covers for Charlie's truck, and I'm pretty proud of them.  He had bought some really ugly ones, so he was glad to replace them.  They look SO much better than what he had!

I'll be 51 this week, and I'm surprised that it doesn't bother me.  When I consider the alternative to getting older, I'll take the birthday!

I haven't checked in for a few days. Shame on me!  I really only plan on writing for a few minutes. I've been on the computer all day. I'm designing the new brochure in time for FolkFest, and edited photos until a few minutes ago. Now I just hope we can work out our booth issues tomorrow. I absolutely hate waiting for people to return calls or emails! That's the bad part about cellphones and computers. I expect people to be accessible at all times, but, by the same token, I don't want to be accessed!

In all honesty, I have a lot I want to write about, but I can't stand to sit here any longer! More in the am...

It's Sunday night, and my cable is out, so I'm listening to Pandora.  Feeling nostalgic, I'm jumping from 70's love songs to old country. It's funny how many songs are about how sorry someone is that they cheated.  Not to state the obvious, but, DUH! I really don't get the "why" of cheating.  Maybe it's because I've been with Charlie so long, but I don't understand the desire to go after "strange". Even in my first marriage, at it's worst, I never thought about stepping out.  I guess it's just a foreign concept to me.

I am enjoying my musical interlude, though. Normally, the only time I listen to the radio is in the car.  Listening to these songs remind me of when we first started doing art shows and markets.  We lived in Douglasville then, and it always seemed like a long drive home on Saturday night.  We would turn on "Country Gold Saturday Night" and sing along.  Some of the songs even remind me of sitting in honky-tonks in Texas many years ago, and dancing to "belt buckle rubbing" music.  Okay, now I feel old!

It's been a routine weekend.  Lunch Meat is still here, and all the dogs got a bath today.  Baths have to be done in a certain order. Tico has to go first, because if she sees anyone else getting bathed, she goes into hiding.  Bitsy's next, cuz she's in the bathroom, checking on Tico and easily caught.  Peanut is the easiest to catch, because she's moving slowly these days.  The easiest to bathe is the Luncher, obviously he is groomed more often than my girls!

We're trying to work out the logistics of FolkFest in August.  In previous years, we've shared space with Winder Binder, and it's gone well.  Charlie wants more space this year, so he's looking at other options.  Of course, the festival is in August, so we're starting late.  Nothing like planning ahead!

I'm hoping to use FolkFest to connect with more galleries.  Megan is helping me design a new brochure to introduce Charlie and his art.  We are not graphic artists, so it's not going well!

I'm thinking about my friend, Tina Torrance, tonight.  She's in the hospital.  I know she must be scared, worried about what's going to happen, so I'm saying a prayer tonight.  I hope you will, too.  Every time I've seen or spoken with Tina, she's been so upbeat and loving.  Lousy things happen to good people.

The cable's on - YAY!  More in a few days...

So, it's been a few days.  Been a really busy week, so glad it's Friday!  Of course, being self-employed kind of defeats the fun of the weekend.  I only have to look around at everything I need to be doing, and I'm back at work.

Megan and I went over to pick up Lunch Meat this morning.  That's an old photo of him, from a previous stay.  Isn't he adorable?  He is the sweetest little guy, and I wish he came over more often.  He's here for the weekend this time.

So, it's the first of July.  This used to be a really hard day for me.  Today is the 42nd anniversary of my mother's death, next week is the second anniversary of my father's.  I was 8 when my mother killed herself.  Of course, at the time, we weren't told the truth about how she died.  It was a nebulous "heart condition".  My older brother told me the truth when I was in my twenties.  To this day, nobody can say whether her overdose was accidental or not, but I don't guess it matters.  I spent a lot of years agonizing over how my mother could have chosen to leave 4 kids.  My little brother was only 7 at the time.  I finally accepted that I would never know.  I would like to believe that it was accidental, but, irregardless, it was selfish.  She was apparently hooked on prescription barbiturates.  I guess it was acceptable in the late 60's to get through the day using "mother's little helpers", but, legal or not, she was a junkie.  She left 4 kids with a man who had no concept on how to be a parent.  I don't know if he was abusive before she died (I don't remember much), but he damn sure was after.  I can't imagine leaving Megan all alone, and she has a great father.  Look how much I would have missed!  I understand feeling hopeless, but I believe things can always get better.  We can't be victims of circumstance unless we choose to be.  Bad stuff happens to everyone, it only matters what you do with it when it does.  If I've learned anything, it's to not give up.  You may have to change the path you're taking, but that's okay.  I screw up all the time, and sometimes I even learn from it!  Sometimes, I keep repeating the same mistakes until it penetrates my hard head to stop.  When that happens, I try to just resolve to make tomorrow better.

Enough preaching - I really have to try to make it look like I accomplished something today...

Day 6

I ventured out of my comfort zone today.  Less than 5 miles from my house is a neighborhood that is primarily Indian.  In my constant search for brass, I decided to visit some of the stores there.  Normally, I am reluctant to approach strangers, especially those that speak with an accent.  This isn't prejudice on my part.  I have a slight hearing problem, and am afraid of offending people by asking them to repeat themselves.  Accents make it even harder for me to understand.  However, being entirely out of my element, I had no choice.  I found that every person I spoke with was terribly helpful.  It bothers me that I'm surprised by that.  I don't think of myself as racist, yet I guess in some ways I am.  Any time I judge a person by their color or national origin, I'm a bigot.  I'm going to work on that.

After visiting the boutiques, I went into Patel Brothers.  It's an Indian grocery store.  As I looked around, I realized how out of place I was.  My shorts and tank top were inappropriate among the saris and head coverings, and my language was not the one being spoken.  I had just a tiny taste of what it must be like to be an immigrant.  I can't imagine the courage it takes to come to a totally foreign country, and try to build a life.  My whole attitude towards the folks around me are now changing.

I also went to the mall, and ended up lost!  I knew what store I had come in through, but could not find it in order to leave.  This must be why Megan usually goes shopping with me. 

Day 5 - More

I gave up early today, and went to bed.  Unfortunately, I was so frustrated that even my book couldn't hold my attention, and that's unheard of for me.  I will read almost anything.  No matter what I'm doing around the house, I carry my book from room to room.  I don't leave the house without a book in my purse.  Megan is the same way.  That's perhaps the most valuable thing I've taught her.  When I was a kid, I was pretty unhappy most of the time.  My Aunt Lou, who helped raise me, showed me that, no matter how bad real life was, I could escape into another world through a book.  I don't think I would have survived a lot of the stuff that happened when I was younger without that escape.  I used to imagine myself becoming an author.  How do people who don't read fill up their lives?

I mentioned being frustrated.  I spent the entire day at my worktable, and it was a complete waste.  Nothing went together the way I wanted it to.  There seem to be days where everything works, and then days like today.  After the first couple of failures, I should have read the writing on the wall.  Of course, that made me all the more determined to make things right.  I think I get a little too ambitious, and fail to recognize both my own limitations and the limitations of my materials.  I want these bird feeders to immediately catch the eye, and completely avoid being "cute".  Well, everything I made today was cute!Finally at 7:00, I turned off both soldering irons and made myself walk away.  Hence, the frustration!

There, now I have vented - I feel better.  I think I'll go back to my book.