Something

Cleaning 101 from a toothpick cleaner

2026-03-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

I am a toothpick cleaner, always have been. I can live in messy ... but once I start cleaning, I can't stop until it meets my standards.

Having a mother and grandmother who were constantly frying for dinner ... chicken fried steak, fried chicken ... I learned at an early age now to clean a greasy kitchen thoroughly. (I am sure this is one of the reasons I love to eat cucumber, bell pepper and humus!)

My grandmother NEVER deep-cleaned her greasy kitchen and once I started, I could not stop. I mean I would SCRAP the dried, old grease from her Formica back splash.

Having a 'clean' kitchen was a requirement in my childhood home. Thankfully, I really love to clean but more importantly, I love a clean room. The way it makes you feel accomplished when you finish the task. My finishing touch is always a spritz of good smelling room fragrance.

So the kids fry a lot of meals here and I am compelled to do my "grease" cleanup routine. This means, around the stove top, back splash and side tiles, the vent hood, wash the grates, wash down grease from teapot that sits on the stove top.

So when I say "I did the dishes" ... this is what I am really doing!

My favorite part of the day is when we start thinking/discussing "what's for dinner". Especially since I never have to cook it ;)

The Camellia is blooming in the neighbors yard, big, luscious, pink flowers. I tried to grow on in our yard a long time ago and it died. I always feel so lucky to have it right there at my eyesight from my desk window.

Bri reminded me the other day, we have a lot of cleanup and pruning to do soon in the yard.

The rain. It rains in one direction for a couple of hours, then in another direction. I am tired of watching raindrops pour down the windows, even more tired of having the wipe down poor Murphy, who comes in soaked. But he loves to be wiped down.

Murphy is such a 200-lb baby. In the middle of the night, he gets lonesome, or sad, or something and I wake up with a huge nose in my face. Him, just standing there, staring at me .... waiting for something? Sometimes he will get up and lay on my legs, which means, you can not move one inch. Or I check his food and water or give him a couple of pretzel/peanut butter treats from Costco. He is such a great, gentle dog with the kids and family members. So intimidating elsewhere. But Murphy is the most sensitive dog I have ever been around.

I am doing, watching anything to try NOT to pay attention to the madness going on. I think I mentioned I have LOVED watching Turkish Rom Coms! They are almost all dubbed whereas the Spanish Rom Coms or Novellas are subtitled. The Spanish could learn something from the Turks.

On Netflix: Love Tactics, Thank you, Next, Old Money are a few. The women are beautiful (usually all lawyers), the men are fabulous, they are all rich, the plot, silly, even they classify them as "goofy, romantic". But I can not get enough. You can thank me later ;)

PS the trailers are not dubbed but the show is.

The reality of death

2026-02-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

I have been spending time in the car driving back and forth to Seattle and have been writing this post in my head for a couple of days now.

It is a little painful but I was talking to another friend who said she had been thinking about the same thing. Death. At my age, I think about death a lot, not in a morbid sense but the thing of what is to come. And I saw my old place of work from the highway and was thinking about the loss of my job. Then I was insulted by a friend of mine and decided I don't think we can be friends anymore. Another death, death of a long-time friendship. I have experienced lots of death with the ending of my relationships with friends and family in this political climate. The loss, the feeling of loss really took shape in my brain. Death of family, death of spouse, of parents, of careers, of jobs, of friendships. These things just happen at our age, it is inevitable and coming to terms with it is the healthy way to go.

I brought this up with another friend who wishes I wouldn't be negative about life but I don't see this as "negative", I see this as acceptance.

Ending a friendship is painful but when you have been shown how that friend really feels about you, you must take action.

I am not afraid of dying. The kids and I talk about it all the time. I want us all to be prepared for it will happen, if we want it to or not. In the meantime, we have a great life we are living in the here and now. I think us all watching David pass, laying on the grass in the backyard made life and death even that much more real. I lost Pixie not long ago, a 16 year relationship. We all know how painful a death of a beloved pet can be. I held my mom's hand as she passed away here in her bedroom, then Matt and I stood at the end of the bed, crying and saying goodbye.

And even though these losses are hard, I feel privileged to having been there, being a part of their lives until the end. Mason and Noah talk of David daily as if he was just in the other room. We tell stories and laugh at his expense. We all have great memories and I am glad we share them with each other.

I am also hoping as I end my long-time friendship that I can think of her in the future with love in my heart and remember all the memorable times we spent together. But when someone shows you how they feel, revealing a truth that they had not meant to ... how can you ever go back?

We are also giving David's old Subaru away to a family member in need of a vehicle. The car has been sitting in the driveway for years. And as much as I hate to see it go, it is really time.

Matt was cleaning it out and told me that the interior smelled just like David and I should go out and "have a sniff". Matt cleaned out 100's of cash cards, loyalty cards, gift cards, he came in with a huge stack of them. I was thinking how many places that car has taken David and I and Matt over the years. Back and forth to Winthrop to the skate park every weekend. Matt and I going on Oregon trips on the weekends. David and I taking out road trips. It was a very good car for almost 30 years!

On a brigher note, Bri has been faithfully feeding the birds and our yard is the most popular in the entire neighborhood. We have a flock of bushtits that fly in and out, flickers, chickadees. It all makes me happy! And a couple of visiting squirrels that keep the cats at the door window in a riot.

I don't know what this is ... but I love it

2026-02-13T17:13:00.000-08:00

Sedjroxx is creating his own fashion magazine. Sign me up!

A cast away

2026-02-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

It is so weird to be so passionate about something for 30 plus years, and then in a blink of an eye, you are not.

I am helping my friend with her new book and I can not remember ONE SHORT CUT KEY to anything. It is very frustrating. Something I loved for years, Abobe Illustrator and Indesign just mentally cast aside. I miss them but they don't seem to have meaning to me with an ultimate goal of creating something. Oh, but cast aside just hit me hard when I typed that. I guess I do feel like I too was cast aside in a field that love. And then of course, no one is going to hire an old lady close to retirement years. All bad timing.

Interesting I should type those words that have so much pain for me now.

I keep finding little work files on my computer like this one. I thought I threw them all away. Someday perhaps I will clear it all away.

I think more than anything, I am just frustrated with myself for not being proficient at Indesign anymore.

Magical connection

2026-01-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Ours was very quiet. Bri, Matt and I decided Christmas will never be the same without David. But we tried! All the holidays seem uneventful, unmemorable the last couple of years. I probably could put more effort into the process. Maybe next year will be different. I received a few Christmas cards and they just made me feel guilty for my complete lack of effort.

It would also be the hateful state of our country. I think about the years I have fretted over this madman and it makes me crazy. I hope I live long enough to see him GONE FOR GOOD.

With all of that said, I told Bri the other day that we will look back at this time in our lives as being very calm and peaceful. Matt is home, working on the house, cooking dinners. Bri works a part time schedule, her salon is about 10 minutes drive down to Edmonds. NO commuting. The girls are happy and have lots of friends that they hang out with, run around the neighborhood with, they give me little "shows" most of nights of dancing and gymnastics, or do lots of art. And I just hang out with essentially no worries, watching the birds hang from the suet cages, flutter around the yard eating and chatting. Bri has a bird feeder obsession, so we have lots of birds.

I enjoy watching my really silly shows. Occasionally I find a really good movie and feel thankful. I pay bills, do the dishes, keep the kitchen clean, watch TV, watch the weather float by. I feel calm and content and it is a wonderful feeling. I do have some dental work that needs to be addressed but I am trying not to get all agitated about that.

I hope everyone had a nice holiday and New Year! Let's make this on better than the last.

Charlie Moon's work celebrates the beauty and complexity of life by blending specialized techniques with personal stories and experiences. It offers a moment of refuge from the harshness of reality, inviting viewers to focus on the softer, more enchanting sides of existence.

Loving the beetle details.

Dreamscapes

2025-12-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

My SIL comes in one day! And we are still trying to get the drains fixed. We have been "roughing" it for a couple of days and the house is out of control. But whatever ... is my new motto. The rain and wind have been out of control. Raining today. Predicting high wind again today.

The entire house smells like a sewer right now, the plumber is here replacing a drainage stack. It is that or the cat shit I just found in my closet!!!! Welcome to bliss. At least we will have a working sink very soon.

Jonathan W Gemmell is known for his vibrant detailed use of color and dynamic brushwork, creates pieces that blur the line between imagination and impressionism. His Instagram.

Between a dream and reality

2025-12-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

I can't even start to understand the complexity of AI. Nor am I completely onboard with what is about to hit our society, world with AI taking over everything. But I did get caught up watching some of these beautiful AI creations and could not turn away.

I saw an AI trump scam today on YouTube selling crypto currency! It was obviously AI but you know they (not trump, someone) is going to scam lots of money from some viewers. You can tell this was AI by watching his horrible mouth move.

Birds Dancing Between Dream and Reality | Surreal Music & Art, AI Dreams Gallery NeuR.

Visual Poems | The World in a Van Gogh Painting | A Canvas of Living Color [AI Music Video] by Nox

“Betrayal” – A Surreal Journey Through Strange Beauty (AI Animated) by Kelly Boesch AI Art

It is Tuesday, cold and raining

2025-12-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

When I am cleaning, I always have pithy ideas to post, start writing it in my head. Then I sit down here, at the computer and I am not sure where they have gone!

After watching Sean Combs documentary of shame, I am convinced the he and piggy president are related. It is pretty salacious. He comes off as a complete narcissus who uses and abuses everyone around him ... he has to be on top.

It has been two months since Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to four years in prison as a result of his landmark federal racketeering case. The hip-hop mogul was cleared of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, and only found guilty of the lesser charge of transportation to engage in prostitution—a more lenient verdict than some expected, all things considered. But that didn’t stop one of Combs’ longtime rivals, rapper 50 Cent, from going ahead with his previously announced plans to executive produce a documentary chronicling Combs’ alleged misdeeds. Last week, that docuseries—Sean Combs: The Reckoning—arrived on Netflix, where it rocketed to the No. 1 television slot on the platform.

The series aims to cover a lot of ground in four hourlong episodes, going over the recent sexual assault allegations against the entrepreneur (which are still mounting in filed civil suits that currently tally over 70) as well as various prominent questions of his past, like, What, if any, is his alleged involvement in the murder of beloved rapper Tupac? Netflix has certainly promised a number of bombshells in the docuseries detailing Combs’ rise to prominence in the industry—but whether the streaming platform delivers on those promises is another matter. Here’s a breakdown of what to know from Sean Combs: The Reckoning.

I really love the depth of texture of Lindzeanne's handywork! It inspires me to want to create something.

When darkness falls

2025-12-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

My brain can only take so much piggy president bullshit until it shuts down. This morning I have watched too much.

But I admit, I had soooooo much fun yesterday watching piggy president received his participation prize. The entire ceremony is worth watching over and over again! I really hate our country right now. The trump corruption scheme is enriching them beyond belief and the rest of the US watches on, ignores? and goes hungry.

I am trying to eat a bacon sandwich with Murphy hanging onto my every movement. I am having a hard time biting into the said sandwich. I am having teeth issues. If I do what the dentist says he needs to do, it will be a $40K cost. In the meantime, I have a cap in the front tooth that I have to eat around so I won't pull it out. Of all the old shit one has to put up with, this has been one of my challenging movements. I guess my big question to myself, am I going to be around 40K worth of dental work? I had paid $1,000's of dollars to the dentist and David didn't stay around to enjoy it.

The girls treated me to a Christmas show this morning with a couple of tunes, one being Grandma go run-over by a reindeer.

And the cats are fascinated by the crows, birds and squirrels feasting in the yard.

Apparently we are having a severe weather warning, lots of rain and wind on the way. All I know is it is cold, although Siri says it is only 50 degrees outside. Dark, rainy, cold calls for blanket and Britbox.

It gets dark round 3:30p ... Siri says sunset is at 4:30p. By 4:30p or 5p, I have already taken one of my 1mg melatonin (the kid's version) to ready myself for sleep. I usually take one more before I go to sleep.

People laugh, but I really do get excited when I think of going to sleep around 5pm... What has happened to me?

The girls knowing how to put something in my Amazon Wish List, really saves me effort in my Christmas shopping!

The internet never disappoints! They were right on the memes.

Home is where my heart is

2025-12-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

My house, home is far from perfect. It is dirty. Dusty. Dog hair everywhere now. The dog-destroyed carpets are partially cut out while we try and figure out what to do. I have blinds that need to be hung. The leather arms on chairs are destroyed by cats. Wood surfaces have seen too many drinks spilled on them. I need to vacuum (desperately). I do manage to keep the dishes done daily or we would be in a world of hurt. But I LOVE my home. I am content here. I feel alive here. I have all my favorite things here. I know each of you knows what I am talking about.

I can look at every object and know who gave it to me, where it came from, how much I paid for it at the Goodwill or Antique store. Every dusty item has meaning and makes me feel extremely happy, connects to my time in this world, with my loved ones.

With our transitioning from me to the family here and trying to make room for their stuff, their precious belongings, their memories can be pressing. Of course we do not have the same aesthetic, or sense of style. They don't understand the clutter (I call them collections) and I don't understand them sometimes in what they find valuable. It can be puzzling, on both ends. But we must adjust and make room for each other, respect each other's space.

I have decided to start selling most of my cowboy/indian/Oaxacan art that is around the rest of the house. Most of it is just covered in dust and I never see it.

I agree with the AD editor who said she judges a house on if there are books there or not. I think a home without books is just SAD and it does not compute. But that said, David and I had hundreds of art books in the studio that has become the kid's playroom/art room. Bri and I got rid of 80% of those books. Years of collecting. I am sure David was turning over in his grave but it was time to move on.

I have favorite areas. Books. Baskets of colorful wooden block for kids to build things. Little boxes of all shapes to hide things in. Lots of bowls of shells and rocks to pick up and ponder.

We should do a big blog post of our favorite things and each of us post it. Dust and all. I would love to see what others treasure the most.

I think about my grandmother and all the cool stuff she had. She had some of those chicken made from beans, peas and corn art ... you know... I sure wish I had that now.

Below: Feathers sent to me from Texas. Faith finds little feathers, or a feather she plucked from a fallen bird and will send me one. On alligator clips. A moose, from David. A vintage cowboy ad from magazine. Three Indian penny banks, found here and there. Small vintage books, mostly from my SIL. Lots of little boxes with "stuff" in them. David had that duck box since he was in college. David gave me that dark piece of art, it is Girl in a Secret Garden. A postcard of an Indian Chief from my friend. A hydrangea from my yard. Velveeta Boxes full of jars of 'stuff", probably tiny shells and sand.

Basket full of shells, two magnifying glasses, shell book. Rocks and more shells. Poured concrete pots and art supplies.

Lots of great books. One dead plant. Bowls full of rocks. Box full of tools, Matt's tools are all over this room. He has been working right outside.

Books I want closer to me than the bookcase. Baskets of colorful building blocks.

Into the woods

2025-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Carol K. Brown is someplace else.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” –Henry David Thoreau

A new cat, a new color

2025-12-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

I forget, because I hardly leave the house, that it is indeed a new color!

I saw this ad the other day, the same color as we painted the house.

I have been cleaning out my photos. The girls have taken 100's of photos and videos of themselves. But here a few documenting our lives.

The cats love Murphy and he loves them. And this is the newest cat Bri snuck into the house.

Collecting thoughts on collecting

2025-12-04T11:38:00.000-08:00

Collecting! I get an email about estate sales in my area and my mouth starts watering. Window shopping via my phone. I mean I saw a quilt the other day for $21 bid that I squealed. I see vintage work cabinet drawers that I would die for. But ... I don't collect, buy, purchase, lust after anything anymore. My house is full. I am giving stuff away that I love. But it IS HARD TO LET GO.

And speaking of lusting after ... little silver spoons popped up the other day. I have a few of them that individuals have gifted me over the years. It is so hard not to want these Indian Spoons,

I tell the kids every year (and I told David), please just get me some feathers to go with my collection. I have a few that I have picked up or my friend has mailed me from Texas. But I could use a few more. They aren't expensive and I even sent them a link! I have a small Indian vase of them. This year I might just buy my own.

Hello in there!

2025-12-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

I ventured out of my house yesterday. Hardly ever do that anymore. But it felt good. A little scary! The sun peaked through the trees and shone in my eyes, a cold breeze came through the car. I felt good.

My main reason was to go for birdseed and something for the squirrel. We have a virtual zoo in the backyard. I think we are the only people in our neighborhood feeding them. Bri has a whole set-up in the front yard and we have one in the back. I spent $100's at ACE hardware... always feels good to support our local businesses. This little guy was caught on the bird cam ... I thought I heard him say ... hey, hello in there ... do you guys know we need food out here?

The Camilla next door has it's bud set to bloom soon! And very very soon the Sweet Box, Sarcococca will bloom and the entire yard will smell so sweet. We have them planted all over the front yard now too. If you do not have a couple of these in your yard, you should!

The flowers may go unnoticed as they are rather small and hidden amongst dark glossy leaves, but their scent will grab you. On sunny winter days (yes we do have some of those in Portland) the sweet fragrance they are named for fills the air.

Sweet smelling flowers are enough to make us love a plant forever, but Sarcococca keeps on giving. It’s dark, glossy, evergreen leaves, bird-attracting berries, comfort in shady gardens (even in dry shade!) and pest-free nature clinch the deal. We’re all in.

White flowers in January, red berries in fall turn black. Grows 3-5’ x 3-5’ if left alone but it can easily be pruned into a lower hedge (see below). Shade-part shade, Z7 (0-10f).

Cuckoo for kale

2025-12-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

I have TWO bowls of kale, blue cheese and balsamic vinegar! Yum! My stomach is gurgling now, should I be worried? My coffee maker met its maker this morning but I managed to make some coffee and still drinking it.

I am soooo frustrated. Helping my SIL format her Christmas poem and have forgotten every little thing about Adobe Illustrator. A program that could master with my eyes closed, now can hardly open a file. I have hardly logged on to my computer in years, except to print some art out for the girls. It is all a mystery to me now and I can't believe it.

I want a cuckoo clock for Christmas. I love the modern versions.

KOOKOO BirdHouse modern cuckoo clock, modern design wall clock with cuckoo or 12 natural bird voices (field recordings)

Cloudnola Cuckoo Wall & Desk Cloc

KOOKOO AnimalHouse modern cuckoo clock, with 5 farm animals, field recordings from nature

I am really drawn to the color, chaos, symbolism and pattern of Asad Faulwell's art.

The Iranian American artist Asad Faulwell works with formal as well as thematic repetitions and symbolic attributions, which in its artistic execution is based on the patterns and decoration movements of the 1970s, but above all emphasizes the artist's interest in his family roots. The background of the large-format works is covered with small-scale painted ornaments, whose aesthetics are reminiscent of woven carpets or wall ornaments, and which stand out three-dimensionally from the picture carrier with spun threads, needles and sequins. The collage technique is in the tradition of Persian craftsmanship, which in Faulwell's case is symbolic of his personal connection to the culture of the Middle East.

On to Christmas!

2025-12-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

I just polished off the last of the Thanksgiving Dressing! Have had it every meal. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Ours was very quiet and small, full of good food that I did not cook.

Having run out of Hallmark Christmas movies to sleep through, I have moved on to Emily In Paris.

Emily in Paris follows Emily Cooper, an American from Chicago with a master's degree in communications, who moves to Paris for a new job opportunity. She is tasked with bringing an American point of view and social media presence to a venerable French marketing firm. Cultures clash as she adjusts to the challenges of life in Paris while juggling her career, new friendships, and active love life.

I had started watching this ages ago and gave up after a few episodes, but have returned. I think I slept through season three last night and have had it on all day through season four while I paid bills, changed over my insurance, worked on a poem layout for my S-I-L, did dishes.

This twenty-something, living in an expensive apartment, has an endless wardrobe of designer dresses (which even has it's own Instagram account). Your never see her or her boss or her friends wear the same exquisite outfit twice. What a life, you might think to yourself! Which is why I had many eye-rolling moments. Not to mention all of the beautiful, mostly wealthy French and Italian boyfriends. I should just enjoy the fantasy and quit being such a stick in the mud, old curmudgeon but it is hard for me.

It has that Sex and the City feel about it, fantasy TV series. Season 5 coming in a couple of weeks. Of all her boyfriend choices, I would have stuck with Gabriel, the French chef.

The girls have made theirs.

If you have an extra $4,000, you could have this one!

These are a great idea from Pottery Barn! Gingerbread inspired Christmas plates.

After two sunny days, it has turned really cold. The rain is back as of 10 minutes ago and I think it might turn to snow! The crows are all rushing to roost and it is only 3:30pm!

"Mrs. Bucket speaking"

2025-10-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Oh, did David and I have some good laughs watching Keeping Up Appearances. I hated to hear of Dame Patricia Routledge passing. I almost always yelled out to David, while I was back-seat driving "Mind the lorry!", for a good laugh. Makes me miss David.

The grift goes on

2025-09-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

I am looking out to the sky, and Gosh, it is a beautiful sunny day! We got lots of rain yesterday. They still have the back of the house to paint, but I they will get it done, before winter sets in, I hope.

I did find something to take my mind of the shit show for a day or two. I happened upon a series called 9-1-1, season 6. Watched it and enjoyed it. Decided to go back and watch the previous 6 seasons. It didn't get too silly (you know every TV series gets silly after so many seasons). It did have a lot of fires, building collapsing, deaths, car accidents, airplane falling from the sky, a holiday cruise ship sinking, just enough silliness to keep my mind off of the present mess. AND now I will need to go back and catch up on all of my Acorn British mysteries.

I wake up every morning with words in my head to write for this blog. With a point of view, a rant and by the time I have enough coffee in me to blog ... the words have left me in exchange for tears. I follow what this administration has done in the morning, have a quiet weeping session and then move on. Aware that is little I can do about it. But today with the announcement of TrumpRx and Hegseth's little lecture to highly qualified military officers, my crying-spell was a little longer. After watching the disgraceful behavior of The Ryder's Cup MAGA crowd, throwing a bottle at Rory's wife ... everyday we sink lower, just when you thought we can sink any lower. Now he is sending in military force to quell the radical left in the PNW. ') Oh and did you see that his granddaughter was selling her Sweatshirt merchandise using the White House as a backdrop of her commercial. The GRIFT NEVER ENDS. The new Saudi Arabia Trump Org resort project. Jared's $55 billion of Saudi backed money for a new gaming venture? Farmers are going broke and need a bail-out because of Trump's tariffs.

Torben Gammelgaard, loving the bigger-than-life vases.

Flowerwear

2025-09-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

Inspired by "The Beauty of Paper" collection and for its runway show, Maiko collected flowers and leaves from wild meadows and other places, individually pressed and dried flat in-between piles of books, before transforming them into a series of floral eyewear and headpieces. I would wear these.

My anger is red hot

2025-09-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

Orbital sanders, in tandem, are outside my house. It feels like we are being attacked by large mosquitoes banging on the walls. They have pressured washed, now sanding and filling preparing to paint. I think the sanders will be going off for awhile.

Last night the kids went to play golf and I stayed behind with the grandkids. Mason was watching a movie with her friend (connected online) and made herself a "snack tray" with nuts, chocolate, cheestos, crackers ... an assortment to stuff. Then Noah decided she wanted a snack tray so she made hers and wanted me to watch DANCING WITH THE STARS. I have not watched that in years but Noah was to excited to share her experience ... how could I say no.

The show was so much worse than I remember! Cheesy, big white veneered smiles, the irritating personalities. Not a sincere moment. Fortunately Noah was dancing in front of the TV so I didn’t have to watch too much. Mostly watching Noah, clapping for her performance. And I voted for Noah to win! David and I would watch the kids dance in front of the TV to some songs ... it felt like the good ole days.

My head, my heart hurts with all that is going on. I wish I could turn off my 'caring' button but I can't.

I went down the rabbit hole of hate this morning, following some Christian goofball that had made a comment on a post. I inspected his facebook, his friends, his wives ... all good, God loving Christians, full of love for Trump and hate for everyone else.

Making kirk a martyr. THE VICE PRESIDENT taking over a kirk podcast to spew hate and shit. I read through this stuff in the morning and feel so helpless and alone. Then the kids gather for lunch and we have a quick discussion about the morning's events and I feel a little better, less alone. At least I know there is a little balanced sanity, if only in my kitchen, with the kids.

I went to sleep watching Hallmark movie and woke up this morning with a Hallmark movie featuring a gay couple getting married!

My anger is red hot right now. Mainly at my banned friends and family that I will forever hold responsible for giving our democracy away to narcissistic child who loves gold and money above all else. People, friends that while growing up, in school together, I would have thought would scream just as loud as me at the ridiculousness of donald dump, but instead ignore, accept or worse just go along with whatever he is saying to appease family members. Or worse, they actually believe what he is saying. I will never understand what is going on now. I don't want to understand it. My heart breaks for our country.

Innocent art

2025-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Matti Pikkujämsä has childlike wonder.

Screaming tweens

2025-09-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

I have recorded Noah going off on a screaming tangent many times. She can hit top noise levels in a matter of seconds. It can be she and Mason fighting, or she doesn't like what has been made for her for dinner, or that we have run out of ice cream. But at its' peak I am sure the neighbors are going to call Child Services on us. Which is why I worry about the house being sold next door. I hope we get a family with screaming tweens about to start their periods, or toddlers who lost a their iPad privilege. I truly feel for anyone moving next door.

I just sent my investment company another "worried old lady" email. I do this on occasion when my nerves can't take the "tanking economy" news anymore. And today was one of those days. We are getting the house painted in a couple of days and Matt is trying to replace a few of the wood siding that are completely rotting. I know these are expensive because I have called about replacing them before. The house is over 50 years old so it is the old growth cedar siding. Anyhoo, I always get nervous spending money since I am not making any money. Oh, the cost of painting my big box house, $9,000. It was $7,000 estimate a couple of years ago. Ouch.

The kids are in school right now, so besides Matt hammering on the side of the house, it is quiet. I hear a cat purring on top of my box of paperwork I need to go through and destroy. I have no idea why this cat always loves sleeping on top of my paperwork, but that is where you can find him.

None of the cats are that close to me, which is weird. I was always a safe haven for sleeping cats. But they are not my pets. Murphy and Remy like me because I feed them but I am not their chosen human.

Pixie was my last friend who liked to sleep with me. In the past I would have all the small dogs, wrapped around my legs, under the blankets with me. It feels weird to now sleep alone.

I was telling my friend yesterday, although I have my kids here, without Pixie with me I feel very alone. I think it is because she was my last touch stone to David, my mom and all the other dogs. I keep thinking I see her walking around the house, just catch a glimpse of her and then I realize ...

Joel Escalona clean, cool, wooden shapes makes me happy. I made a wooden sculpture in college with very similar feeling. It was walnut, big warped tear with a rock sitting inside of it. I can't remember where that even went. I wish now I had continued working in wood sculptures because even back then, it made me very happy. His Instagram.

Chaotic color pieced neatly together

2025-09-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have been perusing thorough Pinterest again. I get the feeling more and more, "seen that", "done that", "made that", "thought of that", "been there". These recycled sculptures caught my eye. Very fun!

Damien Hoar de Galvan Instagram. His work here and here.

The sweetest stroke

2025-09-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

I love that Per Adolfsen's show is titled "Walk with me". All the titles of his works are sensitive and sweet. I feel like I need sensitive and sweet right now.

Trees

2025-09-07T06:00:00.000-07:00