Playing Favorites Is OK When It's Furbabies, Right?

There are 2 adults in this house and 2 cats. Until this past weekend this allowed both adults to have a lap full of fur whenever we kicked back to relax. Precious made it his life's work to follow my husband around the house like a shadow. Except, of course, at mealtimes. Then he would join Butterscotch in seeing how many ways they could trip me up in order to get the food down to their level quicker. Never works, but they do seem to enjoy trying.

Friday, Hubby was on the couch and I chose to join him in the living room in the recliner. As soon as I sat down, Precious jumped up into my lap and proceeded to make his furry self at home. Well, once Butterscotch got over the shock of seeing HIS lap get stolen out from under him, he saw the spot that Precious wasn't occupying and boosted himself up to claim it. In order to occupy that spot he had to sit his butt onto the chair arm but he didn't seem to care. Neither did I. It was during this lovefest on Friday night that I fully understood how much those cats own us. Neither one of us will disturb a sleeping cat unless we absolutely have to. A situation which forced my husband to get up and get his own snacks instead of asking me to do it. Poor baby.

Oddly, since Friday night and my acquisition of a fur lap blanket, both cats have attached themselves to me instead of dividing and giving us one of our own. This is leading to me not having just one but 2 cats accompanying me if I nap, or go to bed earlier than my husband. I now must cook with 2 cats underfoot and my days of having a chance at going to the bathroom without companionship are gone. With only one cat following me in there I stood a chance, once in awhile, of privacy.

Precious is enamored, for some reason, with moving water. He likes to sit on the dividing shelf while I do dishes and bob up and down trying to figure out why the faucet is running. In the bathroom it's the toilet flushing that he has to see. I'm not sure what happens when my husband attends to his need to urinate. Not sure I care to know since at almost 70 his aim ain't what it used to be. Not even going to think about that since Precious chooses to stand on his hind legs at the bowl to watch. All I know is he waits patiently until I stand and turn to face the flush lever when he's with me, which is now almost all the time. Butterscotch was never interested in that part. For him the important thing is petting.

Rather than being an annoyance to me, this is a new situation that makes me feel a little guilty. I am not bonded to Precious in the same way I am to Butterscotch. We only have the pleasure of his company because his prior human neglected him and he got sick. He wasn't going to do anything about it so we stepped in and took him to the vet. Precious spent much of his life locked out of the house in all kinds of weather. He was loaded with ticks and fleas, had tape worms and ear mites. The end result of the vet visit was that $700 was spent getting him well. Dave had agreed to pay it back a little at a time and then changed his mind. At that point I insisted on taking him. I made sure Dave notified the vet that he was giving him away to us and we will be caring for him.

I insisted that he become ours and yet I lack that warm fuzzy feeling for him that I have for Butterscotch. He's a good boy. Goofy, sweet and endearing when he's active. Loves to play and cuddle. Has manners and greets all our company as if they're his best friends. From the beginning he showed himself to be Daddy's Baby and I was happy with that. Selfishly I think. I didn't have to bother too much with him since he seemed to prefer the company of males. It appears that is changing and I guess I'm just going to have to see if I can change with it.

Taking Care Of Myself

The internet steals my positive energy.

If I were the kind of person who is only interested in sharing recipes, pictures of grandchildren, my cats and other mundane stuff, it wouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately it is also my way of staying informed. Informed on what I haven't yet figured out, since everyone lies, but at least I'm informed about that.

Another thing I'm informed about is just how nasty people are when mine or anyone else's opinion doesn't agree with theirs. Heaven forbid if you supply them with facts that call into suggestion the veracity of their opinion. It can get really ugly then. If you can't refute the facts provided with a fact or two of your own, you must kill the messenger. Of course, you can't literally kill the messenger so you just malign the reputation of said messenger and then you brag about how you won. I'm apparently stupid since that tactic won't change the facts, but whatever floats their boats. I haven't yet lowered myself to asking if they're a special kind of stupid but I'm guilty of thinking it.

After realizing that some of the programs used by seniors to stay comfortable in their own homes will be given some fairly harsh cuts in funding and being unable to make certain older Americans understand they're screwing themselves with their support of this impending budget, I quit speaking to them. I'm in hiding, in the real world where my cats can replenish my supply of positive energy. It's a good thing they do that since it helps me figure out what I'm going to be able to do in my old age.

We had figured out that once my husband decides to quit working that we might need to apply for some assistance from HEAP to pay our heating fuel bills in winter. That's being cut entirely in this budget. Along with Weatherization and Community Block Grants which help provide assistance to seniors and disabled veterans so they can live independently in their own homes.

I also figured out that should something happen to my husband I might need HEAP and food stamps to stay in my own home. I live a ways out in the country so I will have to have transportation and that might be an issue, but the bills on the home should be paid without HEAP on my income.

It appears that my Uncle's estate is on the verge of settlement finally. The check I am getting isn't as large as it would have been since we chose not to fight my Uncle's step-children's claim. I'm going to lose $2000 from it as will my surviving Uncle but my share will be placed in a money market fund and added to as much as I can while both my husband and I are in good shape health wise. That should provide a bit of a cushion should the necessary programs be cut off entirely.

I can only do so much, but at least I'm doing something so I can meet my own needs with a minimum of trouble. I just can't help but feel sorry for those who, for one reason or another, can't find a way to help themselves, either because they're too ill and have lived for so long on next to nothing.

Monday Musings About Storms

Someone said to me last night that "this country will survive Trump because he's not a king". I'm thinking someone forgot to send that memo to Trump. I'd laugh but there's too much at stake. There's a part of me that thinks those who voted for him deserve the reality check of actually having to live with the consequences. On the other hand, those who will be hurt by the changes don't deserve what I think will happen. I simply do not understand how people can blame their struggles on those with lower income than they have when the income inequality gap is so wide and under Trump will widen more. I don't understand people and I don't think I ever will.

We had a few warmer days up here in the frozen North and many people started their Spring cleaning. I haven't and don't plan on doing so for at least 2 more weeks. I see no reason to expend that much effort to thoroughly clean when the weather isn't conducive to open windows and Spring breezes. I fail to grasp how one can open windows in the midst of a 2 day Nor'easter. I live where it isn't at all unusual to have a snowfall on Mother's Day which is close to the middle of May. Cleaning will be done by Easter and maybe it will be nice enough to actually open windows then. However, with a Nor'easter on it's way here, this week would not lend itself to open windows. Spring cleaning will have to wait until closer to actual Spring.

While making sure we had what we needed in case of a power outage during this upcoming storm, we've discovered that we can't find Hubby's Coleman propane lantern. We do have those headlight type flashlights but not one that can be held in our hands. The storm is going to start tonight and it's predicted to bring some very heavy snowfall. Today I will round up some containers in which to keep water for flushing the toilet. I can sit them in the bathtubs in both bathrooms although we'll probably only use the master bath since it's in the part of our home that will benefit some from the propane heater. Without power I have no running water since we have a well with an electric pump.

I have 3 large blankets plus the down comforter which works so beautifully to keep us warm at night. I have sandwich makings, milk and cereal so we won't go hungry and plenty of water in gallon jugs in the kitchen. Without power I will have no way of cooking anything hot since my stove is electric but we won't starve or dehydrate. Should the power be out for a few days we might have a frozen pipe issue but there are steps we can take to minimize that. I have never experienced a power outage here for more than a few hours at any time. However it's best to be prepared for one just in case. Especially since we now live where we are responsible for maintaining our water and sewer systems.

The weather report is saying we should get somewhere between a foot and 20 inches of snow Tuesday and Wednesday. That's a normal snowfall total for this region so I feel comfortable that life this week will go on as it normally does. I planned on staying home until Friday this week so a couple of days of snowfall won't force me to change any plans. I love retired life.

Honey, I'm HOME!

On Sunday March 19, my Aunt and Uncle will be coming for a Sunday dinner. I'm making Lasagna and a salad. I haven't decided on a dessert yet, but there will be one. I haven't had the ability to invite more than 1 other person for dinner in my home in at least a decade, maybe more. We were lacking in space in our old home due to having each room serve us in more than one capacity. There was absolutely no way to move our small table around to accommodate more than 1 other person.

In our living room there were 2 computer desks with computer chairs, filing cabinets, a large coffee table and a couch. The bathroom was both bath and laundry room and our bedroom also served as a place to sleep and cramped into a corner was my art table. I had 2 plastic drawer stacks underneath to house all my materials and a stack of boxes with the other things I use in them. Trying to keep that place neat and clean was an undertaking, yet it felt like home.

Then we bought this place. A home of our own that didn't sit on someone else's property. It is bigger, with a dream kitchen, a utility room for laundry. Three bedrooms, 2 baths and the rooms are big. Clean and uncluttered. A space that I could have the fun of decorating and spending money on to make it home. For 4 months I unpacked, found places to put the things that I need and still have uncluttered surfaces that would be easier to keep clean. I had space and enough income to do what I wanted in it.

After the first round of unpacking was almost completed, I realized I would need a new dining set in order to invite people into my home for a meal. I mentioned that to my Aunt at Christmas time as I was opening her gift to us of a brand new set of dishes for 8 people.. She responded by telling me she would look forward to my acquisition and an invite to have a meal with us on the new dishes she bought.

I said it would be a bit before the invite happened since we had depleted our bank account and needed time to pad it up some. We chuckled and went on with our lives after Christmas. A couple of weeks ago she called me to ask if I was still looking for a dining set because she had one that wouldn't cost me anything if I wanted it.

It's probably 30 years old since it was her Mom's. I love it. It isn't just the fact that I got this for nothing, it's the knowledge that something she treasured because of who it belonged to, has been entrusted to my care. This is not just a dining set, it's proof of how well I am loved. 

The dining set was the last of the more costly things I wanted to help me make my house a home. It wasn't until just a couple of days ago that I realized I was thinking like that. I don't know how it happened but my attitude seems to have been that I wasn't home until this was purchased or that was taken care of. It wasn't something I was even conscious of so I'm not sure what it was that caused the adjustment to my attitude. All I know for sure is that I walked into this house on Tuesday and felt that it was no longer this big empty space that I had to keep filling up, it was HOME.

HOME is not a picture in a House Beautiful magazine. HOME is not someplace where life doesn't happen. HOME is not a place where someone feels they can't put their feet on the coffee table, or spill something on the floor. Today HOME is a place that my husband entered and found his mess exactly where he left it because HOME means having enough mess to feel lived in. HOME was something I lost sight of while trying to make this house feel like HOME.

The Paintbrushes Won't Leave Me Alone

From the standpoint of design elements that go awry, the following picture has more than it's share. However, despite the oh so many wrongs, I love it.

What I need to do is paint out the center tulip and bring it up higher on the piece, then I need to lower the bud on the left side of the picture. It's dreary out so that's a good job for today.

I've also begun a kitten in a teacup picture on the wood plaque that I had prepped for work. I've positioned the kitten and teacup and begun the wash of background color. 

Kitten will be gray and I'm planning a white teacup with light pink rose motif.  Behind the kitten will be stems of leaves and flowers in light blue and lavender. That is metallic gold painted framing and I plan on adding gold trim to the teacup. 

These will be the two pieces to work on this week and when I'm waiting for paint to dry on these pieces I will be working on the glass bowls and I'm going to try my hand at upcycling tin cans into Easter/Spring floral containers. Another idea I had for the tin cans is summer containers for picnic items like plastic dinnerware and napkins. A tip to Dollar Tree for flowers and plant pokes for the floral containers and whatever else I can find to put in them is on the schedule for this week.. I probably should also price shrink wrap and ribbon for the containers used for things other than florals. 

I still need to seal these pieces but they look so nice on my shelf without varnish that I'm loathe to go and varnish them. I need to do that so they're easier to dust, maybe sometime this weekend when the paint has cured to the clay. We'll see. 

Creative Works Final Edition

  All that is left for me to do now is to let them cure for a few days and then seal them.

I haven't made up my mind exactly what resin figures I will be buying to place around these items on the shelf. I've seen some very colorful owls which are a possibility. I've seen some small resin birds with a channel under them that appears to clip down onto a flower pot edge. Those I saw at Dollar General. I still want to look at Family Dollar, Big Lots and Dollar Tree before I make up my mind.

Big Lots has some really cute fairy garden motifs that I saw in their weekly ad. Not sure how they look actually which is why I need to go there.DG and Family Dollar have the frogs and other garden motifs which also would work with the fairy motif pieces from Big Lots. With the careful purchase of a few dollar store items I can have a really interesting indoor garden idea happening on the shelf. 

I also need to check the craft stores for something to put in the pots. I don't think I want flowers, I'm hoping to find artificial greenery, maybe faux succulents for that. The pots are colorful enough without the addition of flowers. I'd have something that was too busy if I placed flowers in them.

So, I stopped to smell the roses and then I sowed pansies and reaped smiles. While doing these pieces I also found that the winter that returned this week after some really gorgeous spring days didn't give me a case of the winter blues. I need to remember when something bothers me that I can control the dreary with a paintbrush, a surface to work on and my own creativity. 

Creative Work In Progress Part 2

With the exception of the sealant on the pot, I have the rose motif on moss/cashew pot completed. 

I didn't start work on the second pot yesterday because I couldn't decide whether I wanted hydrangeas or pansies. This morning I decided on pansies so as soon as it's light enough, I'm heading in to complete that pot. 

The rose motif is painted on both sides of the pot but the sentence "Stop and smell the roses." is only on one side. I may add it to the other side today or I might not. It would be on both sides if I planned on selling it and because the shelf it will go on when finished makes the front and back of the pot visible all the time, I probably will add it to the opposite side of the pot as well.

I did the lettering with a Sharpie fine point pen. I'm finding it easier to work with than trying to brush the lettering onto the pot. I do think I'll see about paint pens or at least medium point Sharpies. Some of the brush control is returning, but not enough to letter pieces I plan on selling. 

Yesterday after I finished the pot I sat in the living room with my husband and watched a little TV before getting supper. I had Butterscotch on my lap, he had Precious on his. At one point I looked over at him and he was scratching behind the kitty's ear and smiling. I don't remember a bit of what was said on TV, but the feeling of peace I experienced while watching him is with me still. 

Looking at the picture I see I could stand to straighten up the line between the two colors I used to base the pot. Somehow it just doesn't seem all that important to me. Nothing in life needs to be perfect, it just needs to...well...be.