Wednesday

I just came back from a residents' meeting for the apartments.  There were quite a few there, and I have discovered that I have quite a few neighbors who are whiners and complainers.  I think some of them must lie awake nights thinking up things to complain about.  If they don't complain, they can't hear what is being discussed and make comments totally off base.  Or ask questions that have already been answered. 

Ah, back to my book!

**********************

 

Kasey had a cinnamon raisin bagel when she came this morning.  Then, about 10:30, she had a bowl of cereal.  She just finished a peanut butter sandwich (3:00)  Looks like she might get three meals in today.

 

************************

Yesterday, I started something that I said I was not going to do any more.  I started printing the blank greeting cards on the new printer.  It did such a good job, and it was so easy to set it up and print, that I got carried away.  Then I got the message the tri-color ink cartridge is already running low.  I guess I have done quite a bit of printing since I got it, but I wish the tank lasted longer.

 

*********************

 

 

I know I've used this picture before, but it just makes me giggle every time I see it.







Tuesday

Someone, maybe the same person who ordered all those art supplies, has loaded me down with computer paper.  Note cards, post cards, address labels, greeting cards, printer paper, and photo paper.  The glossy photo paper I have is mostly Canon brand, and it does not get along well with this printer.  The ink smears and does not dry. The semi-gloss and matte paper makes beautiful prints.

I need to get everything together and see if I can sell the printer on Sublette for Sale.  It is a great printer, but too big for my needs.  I have extra ink tanks, and extra 11" 17" paper. 

**********************

 

They will start to clean my apartment on Wed. instead of Thurs. this week.  They have too many scheduled for Thursdays.  I think Mandy gave me a compliment, because she said they asked me to change my schedule first, because I am always so agreeable.  Well, I don't know about that!

 

Mandy said that some of the residents are so picky that they won't change housekeepers.  If their regular person is unable to clean, they just cancel it until the next week.  My next door neighbor is like that.  She was upset today because they put a shirt on her husband he doesn't like, and she was trying to get to the nursing wing to change it before taking him to the dining room for dinner. 

 

The nursing staff takes them to the dining room, but she says he feels abandoned if she doesn't show up to take him.  Then she says that sometimes he doesn't even know who she is when she comes in to see him.

 

I think I'll just sit here and read my book.

 

 

  ***********************

 

I think it's fall.  I woke up this morning to the sound of large flock of blackbirds on the lawn, all being very noisy.  My girls and I always said they gathered in the fall to argue about who got to be the leader when they left to go south.



Monday

Nice, quiet retirement community - NOT.  There is a huge truck outside my window with a big tube noisily sucking something from a big hole in the street.  Or maybe they were pumping something into it.  There were about ten men standing around.  Oh, did I mention a noisy helicopter was flying low overhead?

***********************

 

I am wearing a red shirt today, and the humming birds are checking me out through the window, and wondering why they can't get to me.

 

*******************

 

I knew the printer was too good to be true.  Well, maybe.  I tried to print a 5" x 7" photo with Photoshop.  I got a little confused on orientation and photo placement.  Finally downloaded the free printing program that came with the printer - you know, to make calendars, cards, etc., and got it printed.  The problem now is with the glossy photo paper.  The HP ink doesn't seem to like the surface of the paper.  It did a better job with plain paper.  I don't really like glossy prints anyway, so will see if I have some matte finish paper somewhere.

 

****************

 

 

 Tracey tried out the new clubs at the Gypsum Creek course in Gypsum CO over the weekend.

 

And Barrie worked on her truck with her Dad.  KC was visiting with Kelly.

 

**********************

 

This is for you, Barrie!

 

 

**************************

 

 Here is something everyone HAS TO add to their Christmas list!

 

 



 The Vermont Novelty Toaster Corporation sells custom toasters that can toast the image of a person’s face into bread. The company starts by transforming the customer’s high resolution photo into a metal plate with the help of Photoshop and a CNC plasma cutter. The plate is then fitted into a special toaster for the final toasting effect.

 

I guess this would be called a "selfie toaster"?



 

 

 

Sunday

Gina said that I would really enjoy a scanner, and I should mention that I had a great scanner once - it scanned photos, negatives from different size film, both black and white and colored, and slides, I spent a couple years going through boxes of slides, old photo albums, and envelopes of negatives.

Once in a while I think of an old picture I wish I still had, but I have everything I really need digitized - even my old Marty Robbins autograph, and the ticket stub to a bull fight in Nogales!  I've pretty much scanned everything I might ever need, but I do have a small hand held scanner that has worked fine.  But like I said, they don't seem to even make printers without those features any more.

**********************

I should have made a "to do" list so I could have the satisfaction of checking off a bunch of things today.  I have filled the hummingbird feeder, cleaned the litter box, did my laundry, washed three days' worth of dishes, and cleaned leftovers out of the refrigerator.

 

Have you ever made a to-do list and included things you've already done, just so you could have the satisfaction of checking it off?

 

*******************



 

My "social interaction" attempt did not go very far today. When I took my laundry down the hall, some ladies were sitting in the big room, visiting.  I thought I would maybe sit and visit with them a bit, but while I was putting my clothes in the washer, I overheard the conversation.  They were talking about all the miscarriages they had.  Back to my book.

 

Another failed attempt - Kasey and I were in the big room while my apartment was being cleaned.  A man came from the dining room, and leaned up against the wall.  I asked him where his walker was, and he said he didn't know.  He thought he had left it in the nursing wing where he had just finished visiting with his wife.  So I told him KC and I would help him.  We went to the nursing wing and found that he had lost his walker three days ago, and they were all watching for it. 

 

Back to the book.





Saturday

I got my new wireless printer set up and used it today.  It's the HP Envy, and has a scanner and copier.  I will probably use those features, although they're not that important to me. 

I'm a pessimist, and I still am expecting to get messages that some part of the installation failed, or something similar.  It was just too easy to set up.  I printed one picture and it did a super job, even on plain paper.  I haven't tried the scanner or copier features yet.

The printer is supposed to print from Apple devices on the network also.  Wonder if I can print from the iPad?  If I can, I don't want KC to know about it!  There are hundreds of photos and videos on there that she has taken. 

I'm sure Barrie can print from her phone, too.

*****************

 

 

"Gee, playing on the iPad at Grandma's house is super fun!  See how excited and happy I am?"

 

 



Friday

I was knitting yesterday, and Kasey was very curious about it.  She had never seen me knit before.  I had her look at the sweaters on the shelf in my closet and told her those were just a few of the things I knit.  She discovered the scarf made with "eyelash" yarn and fell in love with it.

 

It's nice for snuggling while you watch TV.

 

It's knit on circular needles, so it is shaped like a big tube.  She thought it made a great dress.  She wanted it so badly, and I might have to make her one some day.  She batted her eyes at me.

 

 

I've had this new palette and the paints for over a week and still haven't got the palette set up.  It takes concentration to decide what colors you want on the palette and where you want to put them.  I invariably end up with a color I wanted to put between two other colors and didn't leave space.  And I really am fussy about how the colors are arranged.  



Wednesday

I almost didn't make it to art group today.  When I pushed the snooze button this morning, I accidently turned the radio on.  I got it turned off, but somehow changed the time for the alarm, and didn't wake up until 8:30.  And Kasey isn't here today to keep me on the ball!

 

Robyn called me last night and I assured her I would have her pencil drawing finished by noon today. I'm pretty pleased with it.  I think antelope are kind of ugly, but they are my favorite animal to draw.  Robyn liked it when she picked it up.

 

 This is Betty's fish, in watercolor.  Isn't it great?

 And this is Vicky's beautiful palm tree.  I love the colors in this one.

I screwed up badly with these pictures.  I took pictures of all four of Vicky's paintings, then came home and cropped them out of the image, forgetting to make a duplicate first before I saved. Therefore - - - I've lost two of the photos. 

So next week, I'll post pictures of the other two paintings.

***************

 

My new wireless printer came today, and I haven't even opened the box yet.  I doubt if it will be hard to set up, but I like to do things like that in the mornings, while my mind is still high on caffeine.

 



Tuesday

A big thanks to Ken and Annette from Sublette Center for spotting Porter, Barrie's dog, on the Willow Lake Road last night. Barrie didn't find him last night, but went out early this morning. Porter is now back home, with sore feet, a full tummy, and probably sound asleep in his own personal doghouse!

************************

 

 

And the other big news is KC lost a front tooth.  She still had it when she went to bed last night, but it was totally ready to drop out this morning.  Not a very pretty sight yesterday.

 

*****************

After Claire accused me of being sociable yesterday, maybe I should get this shirt!!

 

********************

 



 







Monday

I was accused of being "sociable" this morning!  Kasey and I decided to get some "good coffee" from the dining room, and then we sat down and worked on the 1,000 piece puzzle for a while.  Monday mornings are busy at Sublette Center - Catholic women, Episcopalian women, Jeanene E. from Rendezvous Pointe, housekeeping staff, and various other people   Claire F. told me I was being sociable, and I guess she must be right, because I did enjoy visiting with people I know.

 

  I took this picture of a swallowtail butterfly out my window yesterday.  I am always a little amazed at the quality of photos I get with my little Canon compact camera.  This was a telephoto shot, taken through dirty window glass.

Kasey and I have watched the little vole scurrying around this morning.

******************

Still no sign of lost dog Porter.

 

**********************

 

I have finally given up and am upgrading my printer.  The printer I have is large, will print a 11" x 17" high-quality photo, and takes eight ink tanks. 

 

I am replacing it with a normal size HP wireless printer with a copier/scanner built in.  Don't need those features, but all printers seem to come with them now.  I will be very disappointed if it doesn't print good photos.  All the reviews I read said it prints high quality photos.  I know I will really enjoy the wireless feature.

 

***********************

 

 

Okay, let's all have a laugh at Duene's stupidity.  While reading about features of the printer, and printer tests, this advertisement showed up on the side of the page.  I didn't look at it carefully until I had clicked on it.  I just assumed it was something to test a printer.  I don't think my new printer will have to be tested.  I'm sure I ordered a boy printer!  And it shouldn't be ovulating.







Sunday

This morning I wondered why I ever bother with new recipes and try new things.  Why not just stick with the old tried and true?

I made sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast, an old standby, and it was delicious.  A good start to my day.  But then I should have just gone back to bed. 

I sat down with my coffee and a good book.  Later, I decided I better clean up the kitchen and discovered I had left the gravy burner on "simmer".  Not hot enough to burn it, but don't know if it can be salvaged or not.  Then I took some old leftovers from the refrigerator and promptly dropped (and broke) a dish with some tuna noodle casserole.  Well, there's one leftover I won't have to eat.  I could have thrown it out without breaking the dish!

I was going out to see if I could get a good picture of the birds who are feeding babies in the birdhouse out front.  Then I heard accordion music coming from the dining room and realized I had forgotten another party.  Convenient, right?  I would  have to walk right by the door to the dining room.  So I am back on my couch with my book and a beer.  The dirty dishes can wait.

**************************

I took this picture at art group last week, and kept forgetting to post it.  Linda painted this for her husband, but told him she had to hang it up in the art room for a while before he could have it.  I'm glad we get to look at it for while.

And there are a few more pictures I want to take.  Vicky has two beautiful ones finished and up on the wall, and Betty has one of a fish.

*********************

 



Barrie took this picture of Kasey eating sunflower seeds last week, and I really notice the muscles in that little girls' arms!

And this is part of the reason she has muscles.  She is a big help to her mom watering the dogs. 

Saturday

 

There's a new cat in the neighborhood.  A man moved into the apartment across the hall from me, and he has a cat.  James told me the man's name is Joe, and he has a big black cat.  This cat doesn't look black to me.  He is moving into an apartment from the nursing wing.  James is evidently doing some part time work for the family, and is checking up on him periodically, even if he's not working. 

I've not yet seen the man - nor the cat.

They are painting two apartments across the lawn area.  I wonder if more new people are moving in.  I always seem to miss the greetings parties they have for new residents.  I don't think I miss them on purpose, but maybe I'm forgetting them on purpose.  That make sense?

***********************

 

 

 

The woman from the Alaska Fish and Game Department wanted to see more pictures of our trip to Alaska, if I could find them.  I have this photo of what is now called the Trans Labrador Hwy.  It is an old Logging Road from Port Cartier to Relais-Gabriel.  I did some Internet searching, and evidently this road is mostly still unpaved.  At the time we were there, it was raining, muddy, and much of it was one way.  We kept meeting huge logging trucks and had to back track and pull off somewhere to give them room. 

 

After we pulled off the road to spend the night, a man with a flashlight came down the hill toward us.  It was a man who saw us park and came down to see if we were okay.  He said he had electricity at his house and invited us to drive up and spend the night in his driveway, and plug into his electric power.  We had four kids already in bed, and we didn't take him up on his offer, but what a nice guy.

 

 



The next day, we stopped at a lake somewhere.  This is what the Winnabego looked like, and the motorcycle on the back.  It still looked like that when we got to Jackson and parked near the square.  A lot of people came up and asked us where we  had been.

*********************

 

 

Barrie still hasn't found Porter.  Someone thought they saw him along the biking trail going to the CCC ponds.





Thursday

Just had the apartment cleaned today by a different girl.  Her name is Rose, and English is NOT her second language.  She did a great job, and was easy to talk to.

*****************

 

Barrie had a sled dog in the garage in a kennel.  He had just been neutered and was supposed to be relaxing and healing.  Being penned up in a garage in town is not relaxing for a sled dog.  When Barrie got home from work yesterday, he had forced himself out of the kennel and had managed to wriggle under the garage door.  Everyone is looking, and so far there is no sign of him.  If he should accidently find the Soda Lake Road, he would probably go home to the dog lot.

 

Kasey didn't come until about noon.  Barrie has a lawn to mow this afternoon, and they have been out looking for Porter.

 

*********************

 

I got a call from a woman with the Alaska Game and Fish last night.  She is setting up a Facebook page for them.  She had somehow found my blog with photos of the trip we took to Alaska years ago.  I had posted pictures of both Barrie and Tracy riding Bucky, the big stuffed moose in Tok, AK and she wanted my permission to use it on their page.  That's pretty neat.  I wish they were better pictures.  Somehow, those little Kodak Instamatic cameras didn't produce very good photos.

 

********************

Kasey wasn't too creative at art group yesterday.  She watched a movie on the iPad, and ate Vicky's cookies.  Works for me.



Wednesday

I forgot to mention the cost of the prescription pain pills I got yesterday.  When the woman at the drug store told me the price, I asked her to repeat it, because I didn't think I heard her right.  They were $2.78.  I'm thinking that's cheaper than Tylenol. 

She told me they might make me drowsy.  That's an understatement.  I took two naps yesterday afternoon.  They also made me thirsty.  I bet I drank six or seven full glasses of water yesterday.

Oh yeah - and my back feels better.

*******************

 

We had a great rainstorm and an impressive lightning display last night. It didn't last long, but was beautiful.

 



 

 

*********************

 

Kasey and I were working on the jigsaw puzzle when a woman from down the hall came out with a Rice Krispie and asked if KC could have it.  It was on a napkin and was sticking to it.  I told Kasey to come down to the apartment and get a paper plate.  She came right back and said to me, "Grandma, will you describe to me exactly the location of the paper plates?" 

 

Where the heck did that child learn to talk?  She doesn't always talk like that, and it surprises the heck out of me when she does.

 



 

 



Tuesday

 

This is the kind of day I am having.  I am actually watching one of the episodes of "Zena, the Warrier Princess."

I crawled out of bed with  a painful back, and I decided I was tired of that.  My back has been bothering me for about two months now. So I called and made an appointment at the clinic.  Nothing new - Everything is just as it was last fall except I am a little older.  I did get a prescription for some pain pills.  I think they are helping some.

****************

 

I have never used the little walker I have, but today I did.  The wheels screamed like a Banshee!  So I sprayed them with WD40, and Kasey has been playing with it all afternoon, pretending to be an old lady. 

 

I also found that the walker is the property of St. John's Hospital.  Barrie brought it home to me a long time ago when I hurt my ankle.  Her dad had it. 

 

*****************

 

I got two packages from Dick Blick Art Supplies today.  What fun to get some new art supplies.  Got some new tubes of watercolor and some drawing paper.

 

**********************

 

The new apartments are irritating.  So much noise, equipment that seems to back up all the time, big trucks and hammering.  This morning both KC and I got hit at the same time with a terrible odor.  A truck was pumping out the outhouse, which is sitting on the edge of the street not far from me.  The breeze was just right to bring the smell right into my windows.



Monday

Not much going on here today.  Kasey and I watched parent birds bring in bugs to the nest in the birdhouse out front this morning.  They were sure busy, and the little ones were loud and hungry!

Visited with Bob Thompson for a while outside, then a little with Mary inside at the entrance.  She was upset that people smoke out front and the cushions on the furniture smell like smoke.  I didn't tell her I liked the smell. 

********************

 

Tracy called yesterday.  She is still sorting through boxes at the new house, looking for things.  That will probably go on for the next year!

 

******************

 

KC told me this morning they were all out of cereal at home.  She keeps some here, but I decided I would make pancakes for us.  After they were all fixed, she told me, "Oh, I'm stuffed.  Momma made waffles and I had an egg on one of mine."

 

So I ate lots of pancakes.  That famous waffle iron is finally getting a lot of use.  The one that started out in my shopping cart in Target in Silverthorne, Co.

 

 

 

It's for sure I will do my back to school shopping at Walgreens!

 



Sunday

I got my laundry done this morning.  And something has occurred to me.  I always use a dryer sheet, but I never find one when I take the clothes out of the dryer.  What happens to them?  I have a bad feeling that they are falling out of the bottom of my pant leg when I am out in public, causing people to laugh at me. 

*******************

 

 

This is amusing.  A very appropriate question for Rendezvous weekend.

 

*******************

 

As soon as the mozzarella cheese melts, I am making a big pan of lasagna.  I'll eat one meal, have one meal of leftovers, and freeze enough to last for a month or more.  An easy way to cook for the month.

 

 

 

Barrie took this picture of Kasey at the rodeo last night.  Looks like my grand daughter is flirting with all the cute cowboys.

 







Saturday

I should feel almost unpatriotic.  I'm not even making the effort to go out to the street to watch the tail end of the Rendezvous Parade.  Instead, I'm going to get the antelope drawing transferred to the drawing paper and get started on it.

I guess I've attended more than enough Rendezvous activities over the last forty or so years.  Good memories of some fun times. 

************************

 

I always get a kick out of some of the research projects and studies that are done on the strangest things.  This one has to top the "strange list".

A new study at the University of Exeter suggests that smelling farts could prevent disease and even cancer.

The study, published in the Medicinal Chemistry Communications journal, found that flatulence could be a key factor in treating diseases.

******************

 

I bent the frame on the screen on my living room window trying to get it off.  Yesterday, a professional carpet cleaner was working in the apartment across the lawn from me.  He had taken the window screen out for his big hose.  After he left I noticed he really bent the heck out of the window screen.  Made me feel a little better.

 

Almost had a disaster with the new refrigerator.  After a few  hours I opened the door and noticed the light was out.  The guys had accidently unplugged it when they pushed it into place.  I pulled it out a bit and discovered the cord was about two inches too short to reach the plugin.  I moved an extension bar over there and got things going again.

 

 

As someone who loves bacon, I thought this was a cute picture.

 

******************

 

Kasey won't be riding a sheep at the rodeo this year, but Barrie wants to get her entered in the calf riding at the Fair Rodeo.  Kasey is excited about it.

 

She turned her butterflies loose in their yard yesterday.

 

 

Watching for voles is very tiring. Kat doesn't pay a lot of attention to the hummingbirds, but the voles sure keep her occupied.



 





Thursday

I can't flippin" believe Century Tel.  This is the second time I have had almost nonexistent internet service.  Last time I even ordered a new router before I called them.  When I called, I had perfect internet service within five minutes.

This morning, neither the computer nor the iPad would work correctly.  It was worse than a dial-up connection, and pages wouldn't load.  So I called the technical support number.  Just like last time, I didn't even talk to a real person.  Got the little robot guy who said he had my phone number and would check for problems.  Then he said there were no problems detected, and that was the end of the call.  Just like last time, the Internet connection was perfect after a few minutes.  Makes you wonder????

********************

 

 

Kasey took her butterflies outside yesterday and set them on the lawn in the shade.  She didn't take them home last night because her mom had to help with surgery at the Animal Clinic this morning.  Maybe tomorrow.

 

Kasey took this photo with my camera.  She also took about a dozen videos.  Don't ask me how she figured out how to do that.

 

*****************

 

I have a request for a pencil drawing of an antelope doe with two fawns.  I guess that means I have been commissioned?  The lady who wants it bought one of my drawings last year of a doe and her fawns.  She wants me to do one for a friend. 

 

 

Busy morning.  The crisper drawers in my refrigerator were broken, and were very hard to open and close.  Made a screaming noise, too.  So Today Kevin brought me a different refrigerator, and I moved everything from the old one.  I didn't find too many surprises in the old one, not even in the far back corner of the bottom shelf.  I'm pretty spoiled here!

 







Wednesday

 

Kasey climbed on top of their truck out at the dog lot and her mom took a picture of her.  She's a monkey!

************************

We went to art group this morning.  Judi's grand daughters were at swimming, but they came to Rendezvous Pointe when they were finished, and the girls worked on some art projects.  They were making "turd birds" with the moose turds I picked up for them last winter.

*****************

Four of the butterflies are hatched, and that is all there will be.  Two caterpillars were duds.  I want Kasey to take them home today, so she can turn them loose in her yard.  They need to be free.

*******************

 

There is a little vole living in the flower bed under my living room window.  Kat first noticed him, and alerts me to when he's out running around.  I can see signs of his tunnels under the lawn.  When I had them at the house, they ate the roots off some of my flowers.  I don't know how people get rid of them.  We had outside cats at the house, so the voles disappeared quickly. 

 



I'm NOT a crazy cat person!

Monday

My get-up-and-go has got up and went.  I went to the bank to cash a check.  I've had an account there for more than forty years, (yes, I know, different banks take over) and had to go back to my pickup for more poof of identification. 

Then I went to fill the truck up with gas.  Then to Ridley's for groceries. 

By the time I got the groceries put away, I was done for the day.  I have just enough energy left to open a beer and make ink dots on a piece of paper!

******************

 

 

Humming birds are busy at the feeder.  And this little finch would sure like some of what's in the feeder.  Maybe I'll take one of the bee guards out so he can get to it.

 

 

Kat watches the bird feeder, but she is more interested in the butterflies.



 



Sunday

The first Painted Lady butterfly isn't doing very well.  Its wings don't seem to be formed right, and it's not stretching them out or trying to fly.  The second one, who emerged today, has large, straight wings.  I've seen them stretched out, but he hasn't tried to fly yet.  I have their sugar water feeder in the bottom of their "house", and just put a stem of blooming lupine in with them.  The bees seem to like the lupine, so I figure a butterfly will too.  The directions that came with them said they probably won't eat for the first two days.

And I just refilled the humming bird feeder with fresh sugar water.  There are at least two humming birds using it.  There is a little red headed finch who comes in once in a while and tries to drink from it.

*********************

 

Spam!  Yes, Spam.  I bought some on a whim some time ago and had fried spam and eggs this morning.  It wasn't bad at all.  I think I could develop a taste for Spam.

 

********************

 

Not long ago I took a picture of a woman who lives here who takes her dog for a walk while she is in her electric chair.  Today, a woman who lives down the hall had her little dog out for  walk.  But she was walking and had the dog in a baby stroller.  What the?  She talks to her dog with baby talk and refers to herself as "Mommy".  If I ever start treating my cat that way, will someone please hit me in the head?

 

*********************

I started working on a pen and ink drawing of a bull moose.  I am using a Micron pen, and the nib is fine enough that it is working for me.  I only have one of those pens, and it is old.  So of course I have to order a couple new ones!

 

Those of you who know me know how I am about buying new art supplies and goodies.  Some women buy shoes.  I buy pen, pencils, paper and paint!

 





 



 



Saturday

I think Kat's heart rate has returned to normal after last night's fireworks.  Too bad she missed them from wherever she was hiding.  They were beautiful.

 

I used to set up one of my camera bodies on a tripod, fiddle with all the settings, and use a cable to trip the shutter and hold it open.  I got some nice pictures that way but last night I just snapped pictures with my little compact camera, and the images were surprisingly good.

We have a butterfly!  and Kasey is not here to see it.  It's still drying its wings.  One caterpillar died, and one is hanging on the fabric but hasn't entered the chrysalis stage yet.

********************

 

I was not happy with my last pen and ink drawing attempt.  I thought the "dots" were too large.  I was using a 3X0 size nib.  So I put ink in the 4x0 pen yesterday, and can't get it to work.  So, of course, I have to buy a new pen.   

 

*******************

 

I have a butterfly stretching its wings, a humming bird at the feeder, and a baby robin looking at me through the window.  Can't decide which to watch!