my one finger's worth

more one finger barely punctuated typing...one week after breaking both arms im stir crazy already...one arm not yet in the permanent cast but a temporary one till swelling goes away...and to be certain the set of the break is still in place...

i spent this past week at my sisters place upstate...keeping a chair warm while she worked and took care of me...while i waited on reinforcements to arrive.

how hard it is for someone as independent as me to rely on others for almost everything that i have normally taken for granted? it's harder than granite rock...it leaves one humble and gives renewed respect to others who deal with disabilities every day of their lives...so think twice about your own situation and what you would do if a similar thing should happen to you...none of us are bullet proof including me.  this could be you, or you, or yes even you...u cant see it but my one good finger is pointing...

i was so excited to know i would be able as a lower income blue collar worker to finally get a shot at affordable health insurance...do the reps actually think we dont want/deserve affordable care?

wth do they care or know about people like me? how dare they dismiss someone else's chance at a better life------ till you have walked a mile in my/our shoes.

my mom and other sis have arrived here so now im back home dealing with the daily rituals of life and feeling pretty damned lucky and loved. okay, that was tiring and hard to type so off i go with my pillow, straw, and one good finger.

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

TIME FOR A BREAK...

I TURNED 60 YESTERDAY....AND AS A GIFT I WAS  FLYING TO COLORADO FOR 11 DAYS...HAD THE TIME OFF LINED UP...DOGS WERE GOING TO STAY AT SISTERS, PLANS ALL SET...

AND THE DAY BEFORE THAT....

........

I FELL FROM THE ATTIC N.....

BROKE BOTH MY ARMS...

SO FOR 10 WEEKS I WILL BE WEARING CASTS...AND UNABLE TO DO A DARN THING EXCEPT FINGER TYPE...AND SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS...

I HAD TO CANCEL MY TRIP...I WAS LEAVIN THIS FRIDAY...BUT NOW THEY R COMIN HERE TO TAKE CARE OF ME...

BE VERY SPECIFIC WHEN ASKING THE UNIVERSE FOR A 'BREAK'...

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Simple Things Make Life Grand!!

I'm been having some problems leaving comments on my some of your blogs when I use Google Chrome there is no publish button, and IF I try to create a post using Internet Explorer it wont allow me to type in the post window unless I use HTML mode...HOLY COW, life is def getting more complicated by the minute..so I have to keep simple in the front of my mind...

I love these 2 solar buddies they sit on the dashboard of my car, and they dance all day in the sun...they have all the right moves no matter if I'm listening to oldies, country n western, or pop!

Although I know it seems all I do is work work work, and that is true---BUT sometimes I relax! Like this past Sunday morning...I decided to make myself a nice Southwest Grill for breakfast..

For me this is a luxury as I normally eat my breakfast standing at the counter, which makes me crazy but it beats going without...so I have sauteed red potatoes with skins on, red pepper, onion, and some big juicy blackberries on the side, 2 pieces of wheat toast with Choke Cherry Jelly made by the loving hand of my big sister and mailed to me all the way from Colorado!!

I took it onto the front porch it was quiet and cool and sunny too....OH and I added a glass of OJ,,,,and the cool thing is the glass, it belonged to my Grandmother....so its special.  Most of her glasses arrived as jelly jars or in boxes of Quaker Oatmeal, and sometimes in the big boxes of Soap Powder she bought.  We have quite a collection of her glasses, that we inherited, simple and elegant.

I love to use this particular one..Then I added some of my favorite reading material...I absolutely love this magazine and I read it cover to cover every month and I save each issue...ONE day I plan to enjoy some of those Scenic Drives and Hikes that are featured in each issue!

This issue is all about where to find Super Leaf color in Autumn.  I think AZ is an awesome place.  I have always enjoyed going there...OH and that knife has been in my Mom's cutlery drawer for mannnny years.  Its imitation bone handle probably from the late 60's still strong and sturdy!!

Although I was alone there on the porch, others past n present helped to make my simple Sunday breakfast a special treat!!

AND its NOT as big a harvest as Steve and Jennifer's but here's my harvest for this week...I think I see a face in there??

... whats for breakfast at your place?

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

The Day After Friday the 13th!!

Recall last week I was painting this bedroom..well now the painting is 99.9% done...because at the twilight minute I RAN OUTTA PAINT.........GRRRR..

This color doesn't photograph very well its not green, its more of a khaki....

 and as I said I wanted to replace the sliding closet doors with bi-fold ones because it gives better clearance to the closet, you can get STUFF in/out easier!! SO here are the directions....and the little plastic bag of PARTS holy cow.....ah-okay whats this?

In every language known to mankind...Notice on the box it says 3 easy steps?

Then there is the list of tools needed...here's my pile of tools..

The tool on the bottom of the pile is for PLAN B.... in case ALL ELSE FAILS
...no the real reason its there is IM ABOUT TO GO POSTAL....I mean go to the post office...because on that same morning the Post Office sent one of my ebay packages BACK TO ME..its in a flat rate envelope, it has flat rate shipping label attached, a postal note on it that reads---- (Return to Sender NOT FLAT RATE)?----- WTH? SAYS WHO? IF IT FITS IT SHIPS right??? Up to 70 lbs? This package weights 6 lbs. I'm trying to get over it, but UNTIL IM standing at that Post Office Window, and getting an explanation from the Postmaster... I can't calm down!! No this tool will NOT be in involved in that conversation...

____________________________________________________________________

A little dry fit and then I realized....

The bi-folds I got are 29 and 1/2 inches wide each, I got 2 sets, directions say keep at least 1/4 inch clearance on each side so it can clear the facing when its opening and closing....so I measured...MINE is gonna be "YIKES" 1/2 an inch too wide on both sides...

WHAT??? Now the tool on the bottom of the pile is starting to call my name...

"go ahead make my day" (a little worse if possible!!) 

SO the only thing to do was BLOW A HOLE IN THE (*&^% ) doors

or CUT 1/2 inch off each one! ( I know what you're thinking... did she cut it with the rifle?)  

NO I DIDN'T, I was feeling LUCKY so I used the circular saw....cut the side that fits next to the wall...does it look off? 

THE knobs that came with the doors are ridiculous, just a bare wood round knob, and there's no pre-drilled hole??What the??... so I've gotta drill a hole and put on knobs, I have some knobs that may work, but need longer screws to attach with ..Now I have to paint these and the room door you see up in the photo above, give the room a good cleaning....then its ready for the furniture to go back in...I just pushed it to the middle of the room while painting, and some of the furniture in here doesn't even belong in the bedroom...everything is a mess!  Its coming together tho, slowly but surely!! Im starting from the back and working my way to the front.... A bit dirty, and bit hairy, but I DID IT!!!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

9/11 Memorial

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

A Bright Spot

What a difference a week makes! NO rain for 3 whole days and cool and sunny! Makes the work go much better when I'm not sweating bullets with the heat n humidity.  I didn't even need the fan yesterday when I painted...I finished painting the Sunroom...I LOVE it, its quirky and fun...and GREEN!

and BLACK AND WHITE!    

This room is off the screen porch and has a cement floor....so I decided to have some fun with that...I still have to touch up some black to white bleed, but I really LIKE IT....the screen porch floor will be next, I will paint it mostly black but some checkerboard maybe in the alcove area.  I guess I should have taped it out so it would have been perfect, but perfect is boring...I don't have time for perfect!

I removed the sash style window and put in plate glass,,,,at first I thought I would close up this window all together, but on the other side is the kitchen and it needs all the light it can get so Im planning to put a stained glass applique up...I used a section of the plate glass that was in the East facing wall of windows...the top center one, I took it to be cut down the width was perfect, but it was a little too long, and the glass shop did it for me and didnt charge me! That was sweet...did I mention I dont have a budget? The funding for my repairs is coming from selling off the extra stuff on ebay!! 

That's the glass in its new location...Yep the water heater is in this room, and an old vent pipe, I've got a plan to find or build from scraps a cabinet I can slide over it and slide off if it needs service. I may be moving the laundry to this area too, not decided yet, but I THINK SPACE has to have a JOB...so now this space needs a job..a purpose.

SO THAT a BRIGHT SPOT for sure!! 

This old enamel table is one I've had for a LONG time, it was sitting in the old Greenhouse I used it at one time as a potting table, BUT yikes,,,, the legs have decayed sooo, ITS gonna get new legs, and gonna sit in this room by the sunny window! I would love to put all Retro Looking things in this room!  Shouldn't be hard since everything I own is RETRO! HA.

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

ITS A BOY!

SO far I'm still unable to type directly in the editor... its discouraging *sigh* seems every place I visit regularily online has suddenly changed to a point where I no long ENJOY it! My old photo spot, Flickr, is horrible after the upgrade, Facebook is very confusing, and now blogger is trying to lock me out too...BIG GROWL!!

BUT I have to blog about my melon....so here goes in html mode...
I KNOW Its a LOT of chatter and limelight for just an old melon...but ITS MY FIRST so I have to bragg and share. I picked it today, it weighed in at 5 lbs!!!





I hope its ripe, I didnt really know how to tell, but I was getting scared since its turned really hot, I dont want it to get over exposed! I have had pumpkins not make it through August due to the heat, they will literally cook, then rot n die...


I will save these seeds because they must be very hardy since they came up on their own from the compost pile and grew a melon to this size, there were 3 melons originally this one took off the other 2 shriveled up and died right away.

...and my tomatoes kinda went nutz they are outgrowing the pots...I get about one per day off them..one is a cherry the other is also a small pear shaped tomato..

Believe it or not last fall I collected some seed pods from the pitcher plants that grow in Goodale State Park, near me...and I put the seeds in some seed starter and made this little terrarium from an empty Fast Food container I got out of the trash! I cut a small slit in the top for ventilation and ITS been in there since last October, and the little pitchers are actually growing! IF these do actually get large enough to transplant that will be amazing...I never thought they would sprout, it did take about 16 weeks for them to sprout!!



IM still working on the DIY home project that helps me to stay in shape...Flossie stays in shape doing YOGA!



She calls this one Upward Facing Dog!!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Free and Not so Free.

Today the girls had to go meet the Care-A-Van, the mobile vet, for their shots, blood tests and heartworm pills.  I got a yrs supply cause its always a pain running around trying to get supplies..so they are set for a entire YEAR! AND we were first in line...I got there at 10 till 10 and no one was there yet.  I go to the IGA parking lot, they are there about every 3 weeks so its a great thing for the community..and dont you know that the DVM's are trying to stop the mobile vets from providing some services! I swear soon the under priviledged and ME are not going to be able to make it in this wealthy society where only the well to do will be able to afford anything!!! Can you tell Im a little fed up? As it is it cost me $212.00 for the 2 dogs, blood test, heartworm pills which I cant get without the bloodtest result of negative.  Then the yearly booster shots, and their vaccine tags.  IF I had to go do this at the VET's office I would have to pay an additional $40 for an office visit per dog! So I hope the DVM's are defeated with this latest attempt at making life harder for the majority of us!

I've never successfully grown a watermelon or cantaloupe in my garden, it generally gets too hot, BUT this yr...a volunteer came up in the compost pile...I dont know what it is yet what do you think? It could be a squash of some kind too....medontknow!

I may see some slight ridges and that may mean cantaloupe

Been getting a few of the small tomatoes for the window ledge along with a sunflower and a dahlia flower broken over by the hard rain so they had to come inside so I could continue to enjoy these Beautiful faces, OH the birds planted that Sunflower for me :o)

So I got a nice melon on the vine, and sunflowers all thanks to the efforts of mother nature..OH and in my compost pile are more avacado trees! ONE did live that I transplanted last yr.  I thought they all died but then I found it...Ill have to keep you posted on that one...and I will try transplanting the two new ones.

I love my rooster plates got these in the "dime store" for a buck a piece! They are just cheap plates but for everyday they make me smile!

and Im not working on the inside of the "windows" room.  The old sunroom.  Im putting up new paneling on the walls I had to remove and putting the trim around the windows on the inside..

Ive got the inside casing & ledges done and have the small one finished...just the finish paint needs to be put on. I primed the wood already...the paneling I like it the way it is, but I didnt tear down the dividing wall so I will paint that wall I'm gonna go BRIGHT more on that later.

Im going to put a shelf the length of the wall in that space....a great spot for starting seedlings....I created a LARGE ledge for the South Facing Lower Window I figure plants will want to sit there and enjoy that window! This end of the room will be the new potting and winter plant storage area..and who knows what else.

IM waiting for the finale of HGTV Design Star, comes on at 8 pm... this is the first time I've watched it...fun to see what ideas other have...some are outrageous--- others are pretty dang cool!!

PEACE

6th time around...the sun

Hope everyone had good 4th of July, my dogs Annie and Flossie had a birthday they are now 6 yrs old! I cant believe that...seems like only yesterday they were a pack of lost and unwanted 7 puppies... I found homes for all of them! We kept these two girls...almost kept 3 but at the last minute my X found a good home for Daisy Mae she was the runt of this litter.  The pups were starving and sick when we found them..

Daisy, Flossie and Annie all had Parvo a horrid intestinal disease, but I nursed them back to health they each got 30cc's of Ringers IV drip twice a day!!

We did it right on the kitchen counter I hung the IV bag on the cabinet knob and gave each a nice subcutaneaous dose of IV Fluids and IV antibiotics.. I kept them  cozy on warm heating pads, and eventually they all came around...I was prepared to keep all the sisters together but a great home on a farm opened up when a family's old dog was put to sleep due to his age and bad health so they needed a good dog to run on the farm, Daisy was the girl for the job..since she got well first! I WOULD love to see her again!! She had the shorter hair like Annie, Flossie was the only long haired one in the pack.

Spooning 

Shoes as a pillow?

 

Daisy Mae

 I hope she is happy and healthy like her sisters! 

Back to present day... 

Last weekend I finished up that East Wall on the project house..and did the demo on the South Wall..

! It was a LOT of work!!

                                                                before       

                                                                   after

Here is the Demo part....

                         And then i reframed and sheathed for the new windows...the openings are under the black felt paper, but I didnt cut it cause I had to wait till July 4th on a day off to install the windows!!

                                                                         

                                                 Before          

                                                 after

So on the 4th I installed the new windows and today I put up the siding

...although all those big windows were cool and gave lots of light all were rotten and I couldnt afford to replace each with a new window, so SOME are better than NONE.. I like the windows that slide side to side so thats what these are. The new siding matches perfectly!! YOU cant tell where the old is ---Check it out the color is perfect I had to order it so I went to  my Local Builders Supply and they hooked me up. I think I can afford a couple of small shutters...BUT what color???? And I have to cut a Gable Vent in the peak...that thing cost $40! I have 3 things sold on ebay to pay for it soon as they pay Ill go get the vent!

NOT all work today tho...

I had fun playing with this guy that lives in the BIG Hosta! One of the flowers opened up today so I wanted to photograph it, and THEN I saw something move--- a flirty flash of orange..

WHAT the........?

                                                               OH>>>>>hello!

                   

He has the perfect spot to hold up during all the rain we've had.. a total of 10.8 inches  in June and July has been WETTER so far!

 Makes me feel really bad for the ones out West who need some rain...wish I could send some your way...till next time...

PEACE