Happy, Little, Time Waster

 I love Lewis Black's  irreverent wit. If offensive language makes you clutch your pearls, you might want to skip my post for today.

Paint Names Are Silly - A Lewis Black Rant

The Friday Five Good Things

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. Great-Grandpa picked up the baby books and was pleased with the work.

2. An uber productive day. I decluttered some stuff to go to charity, washed the kitchen window and changed the kitchen curtain.

3. A package went missing. The company sent another and the missing package arrived the same day.

4. Enjoyed the free class in how to draw a medieval rabbit

5. Teague gave me some frozen bake and eat chocolate chunk cookies to take home.

How was your week?

TBT: Reprints from CJ's Whine and Cheeze

In 2003, Ma had a stroke. Dad was her full time caregiver until he he had a car accident that totaled the car. So in 2006, I became their chauffeur among other jobs.

At the time, to deal with the stress of running two households and working, I kept a blog entitled CJ's Whine and Cheeze. Egged on by some friends who enjoyed the first read through, you'll see your part when it comes by.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Another Week

Holidays always seem to take me by surprise. I always think there's one more week before I have to clean and prepare for the holiday.

I had taken Dad to another doctor appointment yesterday. When we arrived home, they started discussing holiday plans. Usually, the holiday plans involve Himself going to pick up the Weebles and bring them to our house. I stay home cleaning like a fiend and preparing the roast beast.

This year, Ma wants to pre-order the holiday meal from the grocery store. I've done it in the past when she had her stroke and brought meals on wheels to them. Dinner comes in a box. It's all cooked, from gravy to pie, and you just heat and eat. It's great. So, after several go arounds about "Don't worry, Ma, I'll cook and take care of everything" it was left that she would call, you guessed it in the cheap seats, Market Basket to order dinner.

I'm tearing down the Pike when it occurs to me. Thanksgiving is next week! And what's this about her ordering dinner? I'll have to fight through the Wednesday crowd to pick the damn box up!

I was much happier when I thought I had another week.

Work in Progress

 

This is from the Zentangle Shell Symphony Workshop  taught by Stefanie van Leeuwen, CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher) from the Netherlands.

This was a live online class, but I didn't have all the necessary materials though I played along as much as I could. Students have access to videos of the class forever.

Because the piece is done on a round, 4 5/8 in. paper tile, it's called a Zendala. (a portmanteau of Zen, Zentangle and mandala)

I used Strathmore Tone Tan paper cut into a slightly smaller circle as the cutting machine wouldn't go to 3 decimal places.

This part of the lesson involved Prismacolor pencils to color the pearl and inside bottom of the shell.

Next up: Coloring the sea and sky

T Stands For Tea Sampler

Another Tuesday. Another tea from the tea sampler. Harney and Sons Paris. Described as a fruity black tea with vanilla and caramel flavors and a hint of lemony bergamot." I wasn't sure what to expect. Black tea and Bergamot are usually and Earl Grey blend. I thought this tea might be a take on Lady Grey.

I added a splash of sweetener and Silk Sweet and Creamy creamer. What I got was a delicious cup of tea. Not quite as bold as Earl Grey, but with a hint of vanilla and caramel as described.

Put another tick mark in the I like it column.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Monet and Me

got a rush job of lettering in two baby books for a baby shower yesterday. Actually, I did the lettering while Monet supervised.

The books were presents from a great-grandpa. Initially, he wanted me to write in the books. To Baby Name and From Great-Grandpa.

I have written in books before, but it's quite scary as there's no room for error. When the books were delivered, I told Great-Grandpa, I wouldn't be able to write in the books as the pages were printed on glossy paper. My ink wasn't going to adhere.

What to do? We brain-stormed a few ideas, and he liked the suggestion of a bookplate. I cut a scrap of Arches 90 lb. watercolor paper to the size of a business card (3.5" x 2 ") (It was a relief to know I had more paper to use when the pen caught in the paper and dragged a fugly, thick line of ink instead of the graceful ending to the letter "e".)

The area on the front piece (verso or left page) wasn't large enough to fit the two lines of writing.  He decided the bookplate  could be glued onto the title page

and that's what I did

Finding a spot for the book plate on the second book wasn't easy. There wasn't a front piece or a title page. There were felt flaps, but again, not large enough.

On the last page there was a felt cloud which when pulled down revealed a mirror. Since the left page had a square cutout so part of that blue felt could be seen, the bookplate had to go on the inside of the cloud. Problem solved.

Job dusted and done.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

The week began with a staring contest between the chipmunk

and the hawk

I thought this was going to be the Bleeding Hearts, but nope. The plant identifier app decided it's a Smooth Blue Aster.

The Mission Impossible squirrel leaped from the top of the wishing well

to the baffle on the bird feeder. He climbed the pole and pulled himself onto the bird feeder

He couldn't figure out how to get at the seed. There's a hole by the perch just large enough for a bird's beak. The squirrel jumped down to try again.

The hawk came back but no sign of the chipmunk

Out by the woods a lone daffodil. From the kitchen window it looks like a grave.

How does your garden grow?