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!

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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. 

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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.

 

 

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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?

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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.

 

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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.

 

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 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.

 

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This is for you, Barrie!

 

 

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 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.

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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?

 

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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.

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"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.

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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!

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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.

 

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

 

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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.

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Still no sign of lost dog Porter.

 

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

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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.