Christmas 2017

I realized that I haven’t posted anything for a year on this blog. (And I drafted this and never posted it. So 3 months later, here it is)My life is very busy and I just don’t think about it but a friend told me she really enjoyed reading it so I’ll try to be better.  Yesterday and today was cookie day(s). I make my Grandma Slife’s sugar cookie recipe every year and then decorate them. I takes a lot of time so I really need to do them in 2 days. I miss having my boys help me with this project. I wonder if they have fond memories of it. I know they loved eating the frosting!

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They aways turn out so cute. And they are very tasty too! 

Even though it’s “winter” I still have some flowers blooming. Here are a few.

Again this year I made watercolor cards for coworkers and friends. 

Have a Merry Christmas everyone

Art for Christmas

Every year I make Christmas gifts for friends, family and coworkers. It used to be hand stitched ornaments or food. This year I decided to paint some watercolors on cards, what fun. Hobby Lobby had cards made out of watercolor paper - perfect for this project! Each one was different and unique. A lot of people were very complementary about them so I think it was a winner. Here are a few of them. Some people said I should go to work for Hallmark. Wouldn't that be fun?

I also painted this wooden box for my 7 year old grandson to store his treasures, he likes it. It also helped that there were Legos and $5 inside.

And for my boys I painted some pictures and framed them. My daughter-in-law got a needlework that I worked on for a year. I'm not the turbo stitcher I used to be. She loves Christmas stuff so I thought she'd like it. Finding a frame for it was a challenge because of the size. It's not something you can get anywhere but this one looked nice. It's more white than it looks in this picture. I wasn't sure if my boys would like the artwork, but maybe it will be something they treasure some day.

I also made lots of yummy food. I used up 2 pounds of butter in 3 days of baking. YIKES!
So now another Christmas is over. Time to start working on art for next year, and baking, and gardening, etc....
Happy New Year!

Thankful!

There are times where I'm sitting alone in my house and feeling sorry for myself - mainly because I've had 2 failed marriages which makes me feel like a failure. But I have to stop and slap myself and remember that I have TONS to be thankful for.

1. I have many, many friends. Friends that will be there for me when I need them. They are friends from past jobs, coworkers now, choir friends - from 2 choirs, church friends - from 2 churches, old friends from grade school, high school and college, and mostly my family - they are all friends too.

2. My job - it is a job that most people would never want, I hear that a lot. But I like it. I am woefully underpaid for what I do, but with only 5 years to retirement I'm not anxious for a change at this point. And because of career choices I've made I WILL be able to retire, unlike others that are working well into their 70's.

3. That I have a house - lots of people don't. And I complain that this place is too big for one person, but it's mine, it's "me" and I can change it to make it what I want it to be. I am thankful that I can pay the mortgage and the upkeep. When I can't do that any longer I'll find a smaller place.

4. Food to eat - I'm a great cook, and like my Mom, even though it is just me, I cook a nice meal every day and I eat healthy. She's almost 91, maybe I can reach 91 if I keep this up.

5. My health - I work out every day, ride a bicycle for 20+  miles without a problem, have good blood pressure and take no medications. Not many 60 year olds, male or female can say that.

6. That I live in a country were we have a voice in our government, both local and national, and a court system that is based on a justice for everyone.

A few years ago we were challenged at work to write down 3 things that were blessings in our lives and to do that daily for 21 days. I saved all of those post-its and look back at them now an then as a reminder to always be thankful.

Photo Friday - Mirrors (or is it Self Portrait?)

Photo Friday - Middle of Nowhere

I'm currently on vacation in NE Montana where most of my family lives. We often joke about this being the middle of nowhere so when I saw this was the challenge for this week I knew I had a perfect photo - or several of them! Here is my favorite.

Photo Friday - Contrast

I love the contrast of these different flowers in my garden. 

People can't believe I can grow flowers like this in the Arizona desert. 

It's magic! 

Photo Friday - Ocean

On the North Shore of Oahu - Pacific Ocean

Vacation Snap

Photo Friday - This was from a vacation to Hawaii in Sept.  A good book and the beach and I'm happy.

Pond Revisited

As most of you know, I had a big pond in my back yard. It was dug by the ex, and was one of his projects. When we became no longer WE, I decided it needed to go. Mainly because it was a lot of work and worry to maintain, and it wasn't my dream that had to be managed, it was his. So along with purging the other crap in my life, it needed to go.  I successfully relocated 4 turtles and about 100 fish and drained it, then the work started.  That big hole needed to be filled in. Unfortunately I tore a tendon in my arm doing some of the initial work and am restricted from lifting anything with my right arm. Bummer!  I have a college student who mows my lawn and is always looking for extra money and he was more than eager to help me with this project. So I had 10 tons of fill dirt delivered and he went to work.  I did help, probably more than I should have, but I just can't help it.

 

It took him about 5 hours to fill in the hole.  I let that settle for a couple of weeks and then my college boy and I went to the nursery and bought 15 bags of potting soil and what I lovingly refer to as earth worm poop to cover this. I had also put in a drip system so it will get watered every morning.  In one section I have been transplanting some tiff grass to fill in a bit more of the lawn. That is growing really well and by the end of summer it should be nice and thick.

Today, the one year anniversary of my divorce, I went to the nursery again (they know me by name there) and bought plants for the flower side of the bridge. I got those all planted and I'm excited to see how they do in the months to come. I even went out and moved my gnomes so they can watch over things.  (I took this picture before I moved those guys)

Photo Friday - Blossom

This week's photo challenge is "Blossom". I thought these Iris from my front yard was perfect.

One Year Later

It's now been a year since Bill moved out - Feb. 7, 2015. A lot has gone on in that time. Apparently he remarried a few months after the divorce was final, to someone he just met, so I guess he got over me pretty fast and that proved to everyone what I told them about his insanity. One of my sisters told me she was surprised when he left me because I was the only one who loved him and made him "somewhat normal". I should probably add that he went crazy in Dec. 2013 as well, and he moved out and I let him come back about 3 months later - big mistake!

I feel like I have peace in my life for the first time in about 5 years. One of my boys told me that I wasn't "me" when I was with Bill, and he's right. I was always on edge when we were with my kids because later I would have to defend what they did and said. It was the same with my family and friends. And with them I had to try to explain Bill's strange behavior. I'm lonely, but I was lonely with him in the room too, and I don't have to put up with the crazy behavior, emotional abuse and stupid financial decisions.

I'm singing in my community choir, and I joined the Methodist church in November and sing in their choir too.  I also joined a women's group at church and have the most wonderful friends there that I can share my joys and sorrows with no judgment. I have a large group of friends from all the different facets of my life, so I consider myself lucky.

My family has been amazing. 2 of my brothers have been here and helped me with things around the house. Mom and I think they should come every few months to help both of us with our Honey Do lists since we have no "Honeys" to "do" them. 4 of my 6 siblings, a brother-in-law and my oldest son, Christopher, visited in December to help celebrate Mom's birthday and we had such a great time. In September I went to Oahu with 2 of my friends from the law firm and we are planning more trips. I'm also looking forward to going home to Montana this summer.

I've found there are some things around here that I can't manage alone. A friend's husband had to help me get a bike tire off - turns out I needed a metric wrench which I didn't have. He also helped me jump the battery on Mom's car when it died. The guys at the pawn shop have been great too. They've given me some tools for free, and taken a lot of old junk off my hands. I reciprocate by taking them goodies that I bake but don't want to eat. Nick helped me hang a ceiling fan and wash windows, Myron and Marty put up my Christmas tree and a friend of my sister's and her husband helped take it down, and there are some things have to just wait until I can figure it out. I really need a pickup truck and a saws-all (I don't even know if that's how you spell it but I know what to do with it), but that will come in time.

Oh yes, about my last name. For now it is still Elliott. I didn't go back to Redfield because my Mom and I have the same first name and when I was growing up it was confusing for everyone. I actually had people ask me if I was Sylvia Jr! Don't they know that women aren't Jr's? I thought about going back to Graham so I'd have the same last name as my kids, but that would mean a conversation with their father, and we haven't talked since about 1998 so that might be awkward. Christopher wants me to change it to Skywalker so he can say he's really the son of a Jedi - hmmmm, maybe....

So to all my family and friends out there, thanks for being there for me. I appreciate you all!

My Art -

I had a request from a friend to post some of my recent art on my blog so here is a little update for those who don't follow me on Facebook. 

I took an online art class and learned a new technique for painting in which you first do inkwash shading, then apply color over it. The picture below is that technique without the color. I liked how this looked in black and white so much that I decided to leave it that way.

This iris below is done using that technique. 

This was a Christmas gift for a friend. I realized after posting this that I had added some "beard" details in white before I gave this away but I didn't take a picture of the finished project.

 This painting below was a Christmas gift for one of my sisters. She likes butterflies and I had taken a picture of one in my garden that made a perfect model.

This was the start of a painting I did for my sister-in-law. She loves flowers about as much as I do and has beautiful gardens every summer. I thought she would appreciate these zinnias.

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This is the finished painting.

This was what I gave my Mom for Christmas. A friend of mine had gotten a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her coworkers. I took a picture of it so I could draw and paint this. I framed it in an ornate black frame and it looks wonderful.

This sunflower was done with the inkwash technique. I love how it turned out.

I painted this iris for a commission but I didn't like the color so I didn't use it for that project. I did give it away for a birthday present.

This one I did at the hotel's outdoor bar when I was staying in Hawaii. It was too windy for the beach that day so a glass of wine and some painting was in order for the afternoon.

This one I did for a good friend for her Christmas present. I love the bright colors and the vase turned out great too.

I wish I could do this all the time. I have so many paintings and projects in my head! Some day...

Blessings

A few days ago I had my air conditioner maintenance company come for their routine check of the system. They were here back in February and warned me that there might be a problem developing but I was in such a fog then that I didn't pay much attention. The news on this visit was not so good. The compressor was dying and because it holds freon it would cost $4000 to replace, or I could get a whole new AC system that was up to current building codes for $8000. It was a hard decision but I decided to get the new system so I don't have to worry about it. But now there is the part about paying for it. I worried and fussed over that for a few days and nights but then came to the realization that I do have options that other people may not have, great credit, a good job and resources to pay for this unexpected expense. I have a coworker who would have to go without AC if this happened to her. She has no resources and no credit - I am blessed, sometimes I just need to stop my whining and realize it.

This is the crane taking the old AC unit off and the new one is sitting on the ground ready to go up.

Then I was thinking back over all the other 'bad' things that have happened to me since January, and found the good in them too. My husband moved out and filed for divorce, and as soon as the divorce was final a few months later, he was engaged to someone else. How sad is that?  This whole episode, as well as the 3 awful years before that made me realize that he didn't love me, or care about me the way a real man should. I was just a stop over for him to get what he needed at the time, and he had no problem walking away and convincing another poor woman that he is the perfect man for her. I should have known that someone who would not talk to his own children for 8 years could/would do the same thing to me. My blessing was to come out of that relationship stonger, smarter and more determined than ever. 

I had a scare in June that I might have breast cancer. That whole episode showed me that I have wonderful friends who will be with me through thick and thin. I am blesssed to have these friends and my family in my life.

I'm still trying to figure out the blessing behind the broken water pipe in my front yard that took $5000 to fix. I'm sure there was something in that as well - maybe that my tree out there got a good soaking and made it through our extremely hot summer in good shape.

I Stand Before My God Alone

Our choir has a new song "I Stand Here With My God Alone" and that's what I named this watercolor. It says that I will put away blame and be responsible for my actions. I think this whole song means that in the end, it is just you and God, and as I told my choir a few weeks ago, when the time comes for your death, you better be right wtih God because it will be just you and him. I plan on going in for a hug!  I am blessed to be in this choir and blessed to be able to do my artwork as well. I'm so excited and blessed that other people actually like it!

A few months ago our daily newsletter at work suggested writing down 3 blessings a day for 21 days. I did that, putting them on post-its on the fridge. I think it does help to stop once in a while and write down your blessings so you realize just how good your life is, despite the trials you face. I had no trouble filling up those post-its.  And like the old song says, "count your blessings, name them one by one..."  I plan on continuing to do that.

Too Many Choices

Today I needed to make cookies to take for church tomorrow. Our ladies group is serving the goodies between services. I had everything I needed except peanut butter chips so I ran to Walmart to get some. I hate shopping for food at Walmart but I needed a glass water bottle that my friend said I could get there - but I never found that.  Anyway I grabbed the chips and headed home. Little did I know that they now make packs of "chocolate" chips that are a mixture of PB and milk chocolate. I don't really like milk chocolate, and the recipe I was making calls for PB chips only so I had to separate them.  Remember when all they had was semi sweet chocolate? We got excited when they came up with butterscotch chips, and then PB chips. They could have stopped there. Too many choices just leads to disaster in all kinds of ways! Hopefully I'll figure out something to put the milk chocolate chips in one of these days - until then they are hanging out in my freezer.

I also made some wonderful almond shortbread cookies with raspberry jam in the middle. I found the recipe on Pinterest. They were simple to make and SO yummy!

The heat of June and July is oppessive here and keeping things growing is a challenge. I planted 4 varieties of sunflowers a few months ago and only 2 came up - rats! This is the big one and it was quite spectacular.  It has since given up the struggle and I cut it down so I can save the seeds from the birds. The other one is blooming how and it has 5 buds on it. Kind of strange to see that tall stalk with 5 flowers.

I like to find unusual plants when I go to the nursery and a few months ago I found this one. I forgot to write down the name of it so can't share anything but the beauty/oddity.

I also have gerber daisies, 4 o'clocks, cannas and some groundcover flowers that are happy. My herbs are also doing well - mint, sage, rosemary and basil. I still have a lot of cherry tomatoes.  I've eaten hundreds of them and given away hundreds as well. They are all voluntary and I have no idea where the seeds came from, except they were probably in my compost.

The purple flowers below are palumbo. I love this color. I even traded in a diamond ring and got an ice blue sapphire which is almost the same color. Not a bad trade for a ring I'd never wear again.

I have planted 4 packages of flower seeds in my front flowerbeds. I'm hoping this fall will be very colorful! Stay tuned for the show!

Photo Friday - Patterns

This sunflower head definitely has a pattern! Nature amazes me.

Good News!

Yes, we all need some good news, especially me after the year I've had.  About 5 years ago I had an abnormal mammogram and had to have a biopsy. For 4 years after that I had to have mammograms every 6 months to watch that spot. Last year it had shrunk and the doctor said I didn't need to come back for a year.  Good news right?

The year was up and I went to my doctor and told him I wanted a mammogram. He said I didn't need it because the new recommendation is to do it every 2 years. I said "no, I want one" since I had the prior history of some abnormalities. So I went for a routine screening the middle of June. The day after the exam I had a call from the doctor that I needed a biopsy because they found an abnormality. WHAT!!! He told me I didn't even need the mammo but I'm glad I insisted. My advice is to get one every year, whether they say you need it or not!

Last week I had a stereotactic biopsy which is done at the mammogram center under local anesthesia. Even if it wasn't part of my workplace I would recomend the Women's Imaging Center to anyone. They were wonderful and treated me so well.  My boss, who is also a friend, took me to the procedure and waited with me. Another friend brought me dinner the next 2 nights although I really didn't need her to. They are just wonderful like that.

The last week has been hard waiting for results. I have 2 friends who have been diagnosed with breast cancer this year and although I love them, I don't want to join their club. Today I got the results and the words "negative for malignancy" was the best thing I could read. Of course I cried! And thanked God that I don't have to go through what my friends did.  So for those of you who knew what was going on, thank you for your prayers. I appreciate and love each of you.

My friends at work decided to celebrate I need to go shoe shopping. Sounds good to me! I think I'll have a Bailey's or a glass of wine too.

A Wedding and Roadkill - What?

This past weekend I traveled to Montana for my nephew Chase's wedding.  They live in the far northeast part of the state, just a few miles south of the Canadian border.  To get anywhere in Montana your options for airports are pretty sparse. This time I flew into Bozeman as one of my brothers lives about an hour from there. I spent the night at his house and then he and I and his 2 daughters headed for the wedding the next day. Can you say long roadtrip? It takes about 7 hours if you can keep at 75, don't have construction delays or car problems. To make things interesting on these road trips when I was in college and when my kids were little, we used to play games - like "can you name the 2 house town we just went through?" or "what was the name of that bridge?"  I used to be an expert at that. This time I decided to write down all the roadkill we saw, as well as other interesting sights. So here it is (in order):
Deer
Raccoon
Jack rabbit
Antelope
Unknown - big mess!
Bunny
Deer
Gopher
Grouse
Pheasant
Porcupine
Snake
Gopher
Gopher
Gopher
Gopher
Gopher ...(there were a lot - I kind of lost track)
Skunk
Raccoon
Raccoon

Interesting sights:
Wild turkey
Chinese ring-necked pheasant
White buffalo
A Hutterite woman with a wagon and horse selling something beside the road
Sea gull
Llama
Man in a green top hat driving a pickup that must have been held together with baling wire and duct tape
Camel statue made out of car wheels
White donkey

I just had to sing along with my brother's old CD's from the 70's - old country and Neil Diamond for the most part. I'm sure he loved me serenading him to "He's Not Heavy, He's My Brother". Not sure what my nieces were laughing about in the back seat. Hey, it's a very long drive.  Here is a pic of those wonderful nieces Jodi and Katie.

And of course the wedding was wonderful We know how to throw a Redfield wedding! It was held in a hayfield on the homestead. As typical for NE MT, the wind was howling, but it was wonderful none-the-less.

 Before the wedding Hanna came to see Grandma - looking beautiful as a bride should.

 Glad to see she had on the right shoes (correction, boots) for a country wedding.

Here she is with Mom. She fits right in with our family and we're proud to call her a Redfield girl (and she cleans up well too!).

 Mom and the other grandparents. See what I mean about the wind?

 My sisters Lisa and Lynn. We're a fun bunch when we get together.

The groom who is a real life rodeo cowboy

Waiting for the bride

She arrived in a horse-drawn buggy driven by my brother Les, her new father-in-law.

Here we go! Say "I DO!"

Father of the groom - and assorted Redfields

This was cute.

These little girls were precious. The little one really liked the music.

The bride and groom

And what country wedding would be complete without the Best Mutt?

The couple with my brother and sister-in-law.

Me and Lynn

So, the bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, and a good time was had by all. Just like a wedding should be. I sure miss all these people when I come back to AZ!

Mom and Lisa