Kingdom - Giraffe

And this one...

...belongs to me

Thanks for coming along to tour some of 

Maria's pieces from her show,

Kingdom.

I hope you enjoyed it!

Kingdom - Walrus

This is another of the large paintings...

... very impressive!

If you just tuned in, go here to see why I'm taking you all to an online art show.

Kingdom - Panda

This one was really cool!

You can't really tell but it is quite a large painting.

Kingdom - The Royal Family

Here are some photos I took of Maria and family at her art opening event.  They were like royals!

Cordelia, fashionable as always, was stunningly charming.

She and her friend, Sadie, played hide and seek and chase 

through the sea of legs, munching on cookies along the way.

And Maria...

...smiling and greeting people the entire evening, often with Elise on her hip.

That was so appropriate, given that she did much of the painting while actively mothering.

Click here to see what I mean.

Eric, an artist himself, was enjoying seeing his beautiful wife shine that night.

Elise spent her night moving through a sea of legs, looking for 

those attached to someone familiar.

Grandpa was happy to give her a higher perspective.

I had to show you a close up of the hat!

Is that a happy artist or what?!

Kingdom - Skunk and Sea Horse

I hope you are enjoying this art tour.

This skunk was a fun member of the Kingdom.

The Sea Horse was just too sweet, don't you think?

Birds of the Air

Matthew 6:26

New International Version (NIV)

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

(photo of artwork by Maria Rose from her Kingdom Collection)

Kingdom!

Last night we attended our daughter's first solo art opening, Kingdom. What an experience! I felt very proud to be the mother-of-the-artist.

I took a lot of photos and I will be happy to share some of them with you over the next several days. You are in for a treat!

These two were very popular. I wish I'd taken close-ups of each but I didn't. With so many people there, photos of the artwork were a challenge.

It was a wonderful evening. One of the biggest surprises for Maria was to look up and see her Aunt Karen and Uncle Gregg, who came from out of town. Gregg wasn't too cooperative when the camera came out but Karen was very photogenic. It was so sweet of them to make the trip.

It really was a nice art opening and such a big night for Maria. I think those who purchased her paintings will be so glad they did. I think they will enjoy their Kingdom friends for years!

Check back for more photos!

Notes From Work

I've had a cold this week. I wore a mask at work so I wouldn't share my germs with patients. I had a bit of a coughing fit and a coworker gave me a cinnamon candy to soothe my throat. Later, after more coughing, I realized my mask smelled really nice, rather cinnamony. I just thought you would like to know that.

One of the jokes I put up on my board this week said, "I was addicted to the Hokey Pokey but I turned myself around." Did that make you smile?

People who get motion sickness are more likely to have nausea and vomiting from anesthesia. Because of this, every day, over and over and over, I ask people about motion sickness as I take their health history. Usually, that isn't a very memorable question. One day this week, though, I accidentally changed it up a bit. I asked a MAN, "Do you have any problems with MORNING sickness?" Oops.

THEN, I was looking through some doctor's notes (not one of our doctors) that were in a patient's file. I cracked up when I read this...

    She is a well nourished, well developed male.

Uh, ok.

Muffin Panic!

Yesterday I told you about Sam getting his first place. This is Sam and his roommate, Kai, along with Maria, looking around their new living room. This photo did not turn out very well but I wanted to post it to document the moment as best I could. 

I remember another emotion that comes with a kid moving out. Panic! I briefly panicked, wondering what we've forgotten to teach him. I was wondering if he'd want one of my muffin pans. Then, I remembered that I had never taught him how to make muffins! Oh no! What if he wants to have a muffin party? What if he wakes up one morning and has a serious muffin craving? Oh no! Poor Sam! His mother has let him down!

Wait.

Breathe.

Suddenly I remembered my Mom's sassy remark when I was about the same age Sam is now. I asked her why she hadn't taught me more about cooking. My Mom is a great cook and I suspect she actually enjoys it. She never made me do much of it during my years at home. I guess I didn't volunteer to do it either. When I asked her that question, though, she had a good answer. She said something like, "What do you mean? I taught you how to read and I gave you a cookbook!?"

Good point, Mom, good point. I guess Sam can probably make muffins if he wishes. In case I forget to tell him, though, I hope he reads this important message: USE PAPER MUFFIN CUPS AND SPRAY THEM WITH AN OIL SPRAY BEFORE FILLING THE CUPS WITH THE BATTER. There. Maybe now I can sleep tonight.

Sam on His Own

1981. That was the year Mike & I began our parenting career. In case you are math-impaired, that was 32 years ago. This week, our youngest signed his first rental. After 32 years, we are about to have an empty nest! Weird. I wonder how that will feel.

 Last night we got to see the place Sam and his roommate have rented. It is empty still. I really love the potential of an empty living space. It must be because of all the moving I've done; I start thinking of how I can make it homey. But wait! That isn't my job anymore!


This is Sam's time. He gets to make the decisions. The choices are all his!

When Sam was first telling me about this big news, he was almost apologetic, explaining why he wanted to move out. It was very sweet, really. Sam really is a tenderhearted kid person. I didn't feel sad, though. I felt happy for him and I remembered the fun of setting up my first place. He should be able to have that same fun, that feeling of being a new adult, just as I did.

Sam has kind of eased us into this in some ways. He's been working nights and sleeping days and spending a lot more time out of the house for months now. Even this is move is more gentle than it could have been. He's moving only about 15 minutes away from us. He can still be here for Sunday night suppers. We'll still see him at church.

One thing I learned from my own mother was that I need to let my adult children be and do and go as they need to. Mom never said that to me. Mom showed me this by example.  The thing is, when something good or exciting is going on for one of our kids, I feel their anticipation and joy as well. I'm proud of them when I see them following their own path.

Ok, I admit to a little bit of feeling sad. It does seem like Sam's childhood went by too quickly, just as did Maria's and Ben's. Nope. I'm not going down that road. I'm HAPPY, happy for Sam, happy for his maturity, happy for all the adventures that lay before him, and happy that for now he is not going too far away!

Congratulations, Sam!

Unsolicited Advice

Yesterday morning, on my way to work, I was listening to KLOVE, as usual. In between songs the DJ's were talking about an interview with one of the singers and his spouse. I don't actually remember who they were talking about but one of the questions asked was something about marital advice. Apparently they'd been married for some time and they wondered what they'd learned about marriage that they'd like to tell others. I didn't get to listen long enough to hear the answer but I still thought about it, wondering what my answer would be if I were asked that question.

So, I just asked myself that question. After all, I've been a part of a marriage for almost 36 years now. For the record, that is my ONLY qualification for giving advice so don't take me too seriously.  Anyway, here are some of my answers, not necessarily in order of importance...

• Laugh! Everything doesn't have to be so serious. Play games. Watch silly movies together. Laughing is good.
• Cry! Go to each other for comfort. There will be days without laughter, days when you receive heartbreaking news or overwhelming challenges. Be willing to share those days as well. When the world is too cruel, be "home" to one another.
• Forget about fairness! Did that one take you by surprise? I mean it. If you are always worrying that you might be getting the short end of the stick in a relationship, you are missing the point. When something good happens to your loved one or they get something that makes them happy, that should bring you joy as well. Period.
• Stand up for each other! Don't go speaking poorly of your spouse to others. That is just bad form. Keep in mind, you are part of a team. Team members have to protect one another, not bring each other down.
• Always, always, always look for the good in your spouse. It is easy to get into the habit of pointing out flaws or focusing on the rough edges. Stop it!  Look again with loving eyes and you'l be able to see the goodness. Then, let them know what you appreciate about them. 
• Have a firm foundation. Don't forget to pray for your marriage, for each other.  

I also want to say that I've observed many broken marriages. I am well aware that one person can do all of those bullet points perfectly and still end up with heartbreak. No marriage survives on the efforts of one person alone. For all of those who have endured a crumbling marriage, my heart goes out to you. I'm sorry for what you've had to endure.





Having said all that, I want to know what your advice would be. What bullet points would you add?

What advice would you give this young couple (if they really were a couple and not just two models)?

photo by stockimages

found at freedigitalimages.net

FINALLY! Weird Question Number Ten

OK, so let's wrap up this nonsensical business of the ten question interview my husband devised.

10) Have you ever gotten lost in your craft room?

Nope, never lost.

I do, however, get lost in time while in my craft room, also known as the Paisley Room. Like yesterday, I went in to my room full of yarns and fabrics and beads and all sorts of glorious things. My plan was to make a quick necklace for myself. Two hours later I kind of came to, realizing I'd gotten so into it that I'd lost track of time. I suddenly realized my clothes in the dryer were likely sitting there getting wrinkled. Many other chores I'd meant to accomplish remained undone. But, if was fun to have that bit of time to do my own thing.

You may be wondering why Mike would ask such a question anyway. Well, it is because that room is so overstuffed right now, it looks a bit like a scene from hoarders. I admit it. He dared me to take a photo. Sure! I'm not ashamed.

OK, maybe I am ashamed. It's pretty messy. This picture came from Pinterest. As soon as I get the Paisley Room looking more like that, I will post the photo. 

Matt Maher - Lord, I Need You

Weird Question Number Nine

I'm winding down with Mike's interview questions...

9. Why did you kick me when I was only trying to help you with your diet? Should I have reported you to the authorities?

With this question Mike is referring to an embarrassing event that occurred when we were first married. You can go here to read about that if you wish. The story is in the last part of that post. Or, if you are in a hurry, here's the short version of that newlywed adventure.

Told Mike I was going on a diet

 he found me eating 

Cheetos 

snatched them away 

I chased after him 

kicked him 

big mistake 

broke my toe 

on his boots

very painful

That's the truth, most of the truth, and nothing but the truth.

So, I think the story itself answers the "why" of kicking him. Anyone would have done the same. Instead of taking my Cheetos away he was SUPPOSED to tell my 20 yr old 120 lb self that I didn't need to lose weight. Oh, he had so much to learn! 

The second part of the question is preposterous! The authorities would have locked him up and thrown away the key on at least two counts:

1) He was clueless about women.

2) Taking someone's Cheetos away is a major, major crime...pretty sure of it.

photo from freedigitalimages.net by sakhorn38

Weird Question Number Eight

I'm telling you, Mike is not a normal interviewer. For instance, here is his 8th question for me...

8. Do you want to be Vanna White or Pat Sajak?

Well, Duh! Vanna, of course. I have several of the usual reasons for that, and one really important reason.

First of all, what's not to like about being slender with an unlimited supply of fancy dresses to wear?

She gets to travel to do their show at different sites. I would enjoy that! I even love hotel rooms, as long as they are clean. It would be rough to have to make those long trips to Hawaii and such places, but I think I could do it.

I would enjoy having Vanna's accent. I don't know anyone who sounds quite like her.

Most of all, though, Vanna gets to play with yarn! A lot! Vanna even has her own line of yarn through Lion's Brand. How cool is that?! I bet she doesn't even get stupid tendonitis when she crochets.

Much to my surprise, there are a bunch of clips on YouTube of Vanna just talking about yarn. OK, it may not be that exciting to most, but I get it. I understand the addiction.



Yea, kind of silly, huh? I would do the same, though. Shopping for yarn is a lovely experience.

Weird Question Number Seven

Mike's next question to me wasn't really a question. He's making fun of my food choices. That isn't very nice, is it?

7. Potato chips and ice cream? Really? 

Yes! Really!

One of my favorite treats is ice cream, but it just seems too sweet. I find that if I eat potato chips with it, my taste buds just dance with delight! I believe my Mom taught me that. Mom's know best!

(photo from the internet...I'd tell you where it originated but I don't know)

Weird Question Number Six

6. Since you are so enamored with your husband is there any chance you would want to start most of your sentences to me with, "How can I serve you oh most great sultan?"

Well, my beloved husband, that is such a ridiculous idea, I am going to ignore it.

Let's look at cute photos of our beautiful granddaughters instead, shall we?

Weird Question Number Five

Mike's fifth weird interview question for me follows.


5. If you got the worst hair cut in the world would you still leave a tip?

The answer to that is, I did and I did.

Weird Question Number Four

The fourth question Mike asked of me was rather pitiful, really...

1. Who is more annoying? Your husband or your loving dog, Bode?

Is that a cry for attention or what!?

I have to tell you what happened just before Mike gave me that question. It was on a day that was well below zero and I had just come home from work. I was tired and I felt chilled to the bone. For reasons I can not recall he squirted me with a squirt gun. It was soooooo cold! I felt instant anger! So, my first reaction is to give him the most-annoying award. But, I decided to think it out a bit more. Here are some thinking points...

Mike doesn't usually chew up the granddaughters toys.

I don't recall that Mike ever strung toilet paper throughout the house.

Mike never chewed up our vertical blinds - twice.

Mike never ate my fabric measuring tape while I sewed.

Both Mike and Bode are likely to steal cupcakes or cookies as they cool on the counter.

Bode always greets me with a favorite toy to give me. Well, actually, Mike did that not long ago. He greeted me with his favorite toy in his mouth.

That was pretty funny, I admit. However, I tried to get him to recreate that moment so that I could capture it on camera for this post. He wouldn't do it. That was annoying. He did, however, try to knock my slippers off my feet. Bode would never do that.

I don't think I'm going to outright answer this question and I have a good reason. OK, do any of you remember Junior High? I'm thinking of that awkward period where boys pull girls hair and such in order to get attention and to show their love. Well, I'm just saying, some men (and dogs) don't really outgrow that phase. I'm not going to name names. I'm just going to say that I feel well-loved.

Weird Question Number Three

Continuing on with the strange interview questions from my own husband...

3.  Do you consider yourself scrappy or flamboyant?

At first I was going to say that I was scrappy because I think I am good at fighting...for happiness that is. What I mean is, I can take a lot of disappointment and still wrap it up into something that makes me happy. I think I am skilled at that.

On the other hand, the only time I had someone ask me to "step outside" (no kidding! a NURSE from my past was mad at me for questioning her judgment and wanted to take it out to the parking lot!) I blurted out, "NO! You would beat me up!" So, I guess I won't get any scrappy nominations.




All right, I will go with flamboyant. I'm making this statement solely on my use of color. I often buy clothes for our granddaughters that I wish came in my size.



I like color! Usually, I do NOT dress the way my heart wants me to dress or you'd see things like orange and hot pink paisley swirls or maybe lime green and yellow checks. How about bright red and purple stripes?



Yes, I am definitely flamboyant, at least on the inside.

Weird Question Number Two

In case you missed yesterday's post, my wonderfully weird husband texted me 10 odd questions as his way of interviewing me for my own blog. Additionally, he suggested the questions are so good, they each deserved their own post. 

Well, I love him so I am giving it a go. Here's today's thought-provoking question.

1. Do you consider yourself groovy or far out?

Well, both of those labels are rather a flash back in time, don't you think? Hmmmm... As I pondered this, I thought maybe I should take my own trip back in time to help me make the choice.  I looked through old photographs, hoping for any hint of groovy or far out qualities in myself.

My Mom took this photo of me. I was 19 years old, probably at my peak of groovy.

 Oh, but then there is this one.

I look pretty back-to-nature here, surrounded by mountains and trees and all.

John Denver himself would have declared

I was far-out!

 But here's the tie-breaker.

Or is it?

Actually, I kind of have a  Beverly Hillbilly look going on.

Hmmmm.....

I think my groovy, far out days are so far gone, I really can't answer Mike's original question so I'm going to change the question to this...

Are you a little bit country or a little bit rock-n-roll?

Country. Definitely Country.

Weird Question Number One

Recently I received 10 questions by Mike via text.  He thought maybe they would be questions to spawn some thought-provoking posts for me. He's so helpful, isn't he? The weird thing was, we were sitting side by side in our own living room so I'm not certain why he felt he needed to text the questions to me. Really, though, as you read the questions over the next few days, I think you'll find hints that my husband is not a normal run-of-the-mill kind of a guy.

Mike feels certain that his questions are so fascinating, I need to provide an entire post for each of his clever queries! OK, I will try. I think through this process it will be revealed that I live with a strange and curious man. Here we go with weird question number one.

1. If the U.S. passed a law that allowed people to chew with their mouths open would you move to Canada?

Absolutely! If you are insinuating that all Americans would be chewing with their mouths open, I'd simply have no choice but to leave. Really, it would be comparable to living someplace where you were constantly inundated with the sound of people's fingernails on a chalkboard! Who could deal with that?

On many occasions I have quietly left a room when someone was chewing with their mouth open. It seemed a more acceptable choice than what I really wanted to do. What I really want to do when someone is smacking away on their food with their mouth open is to reach over and pinch their lips together for them! Seriously! Maybe I could just say something like, "Dude, use your lips!" The rule is, once the food is in your mouth, those lips need to come together!

photo from allisalleyway.blogspot.com

So, here's the thing...

Did you know that digestion actually begins in the mouth during the chewing process, medically known as mastication? In case you don't commonly use that word, here is the definition:

mastication - chewing, tearing, or grinding food with the teeth while it becomes mixed with saliva

Doesn't that sound rather private to you? I do not think anyone's digestive processes should be on display for others to see or hear, do you? I mean, most of us try to keep digestive sounds to ourselves, right? 

So there you have my answer. Digestion is a private matter, from beginning to end. Let's keep it that way so I don't have to move to Canada. (No offense, Canada!)

Frigid Beauty

Slick

Smooth

Stunning

 Crystal  

Calm

Clear

C O L D

Jangely Jewelry

Looking though my recent photos I realized I'd left another loose end out there. Remember the day I said I was going to make some jewelry? I'm kind of going through a jangely necklace stage so here's what I came up with...

I kind of like how it turned out so I think you'll

be seeing it at Wyoming Rose Boutique soon.

Dueling Sermons

Mike puts a lot of work and creativity into his sermons. One of the things he does is to have photos on the big screen that help solidify his points. A lot of times they are funny. Our church secretary helps find some really great photos. She prepares the slides to go along with the sermon. Once it is all set, it is not something that is easily changed at the last minute.

Recently, I was asked to do our children's sermon at work. All the kids are invited down front and a little lesson is given. It is nice if it kind of goes along with Mike's sermon so I asked Mike what he would be preaching about. He told me it would be on the 10 Commandments. That's all I asked and that is all he told me.

I prepared my sermon for the kids without telling Mike about it. The children's sermon comes shortly before the regular sermon. Here's what I did.  I discussed rules I didn't like when I was young (no jumping on the bed), rules that are useful for safety (speed limits) and silly rules. For the silly rules I went online to a site that listed some ridiculous laws. I chose the ones that I thought kids would enjoy. 

In Baltimore, Maryland it is illegal to take a lion to the movies. In Kentucky it is illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket. In New York a man cannot be seen in public while wearing a jacket and pants that do not match. Those were enjoyable. One of my favorites... In Oklahoma it is illegal to have a sleeping donkey in your bathtub after 7:00 p.m. How did that come about?!

I then moved the discussion on to some of the 10 Commandments that ARE important. We are to honor our parents, refrain from stealing and we are not to use God's name as a swear word. It went well. All good points I think. Of course, I ended by telling them I didn't find any rules that stated kids couldn't eat candy at church. I handed out Smarties and all was well. 

THEN...

It was time for Mike's sermon. Guess what?! We'd had the same idea and EVEN WENT TO THE SAME WEBSITE FOR OUR SILLY LAWS!  Mike couldn't just change his sermon as the slide show was already in place. Poor guy! I stole his best lines! He had the great photos, though.

I felt bad at first. I would not have intentionally done anything to lesson his sermon points. Maybe I didn't, though. Maybe it just helped reinforce. It was kind of funny, though, don't you think?

SUE-per Bowl Party!

Yesterday was my birthday. I thought it was cool that people all over the nation held little parties and named them after me... get it? SUE-per Bowl Parties! That's what my son, Ben, told me those parties were for. Oddly, no one invited me, but still...

At church yesterday a lady brought a big helium balloon for my birthday. It was tied around my chair where I sit at the front of the church with the Worship Team. So much for flying under the radar for this birthday!

By the time we got home from church it was apparent that Mike was not well. Sam had been sick the night before. We decided it was better if the little granddaughters didn't come over and catch anything so I went to them. I also knew all the guys would rather be watching the game.

Even with this last minute change of plans, Maria had already decorated for me when I got there. She and I and the girls had our own little party. We didn't even have to listen to a football game.

 I felt special!

I received a delightful array of gifts, many for project "Happy Room".

 I received one of Eric's prints, one I'd been hoping for!

 Cordelia gave me art work as well.

Even Elise gave me a pretty framed drawing of her and me together.

So precious!

 The cupcakes were delicious and featured my favorite color.

Elise enjoyed the cupcakes.

When she was done she said, "Mess."

Interference by sickness and the Superbowl did not ruin my day.

I got to communicate with my Mom,

all my children, 

my granddaughters, many friends 

and my siblings.

I felt very loved.

I am blessed to have people 

in my life who know

how to love well.

A Girl's Message To All Christians

My Weird TENDONcies

I have a weird tendency toward enjoying monotony. Crocheting is rather monotonous, doing the same or similar stitches over and over. One thing I enjoy about monotonous tasks is that I can feel productive but my mind can wander wherever. I can listen to books, watch Netflex, visit with people...whatever. 

However, monotony has a TENDONcy to cause me problems. I think that is just sad. Not many people enjoy the beauty of monotony as much as do I. Why oh why does it have to turn on me like that?

Nope, I didn't misspell tendency. I am literally talking about my tendons. You can already tell that this is going to be a fascinating post, can't you? Everyone wants to know more about my tendons, don't they? Well, maybe it can be educational. Maybe you also have had some weird tendoncies. 

I don't think I can remember all the tendon injuries I have developed over the years, affecting my elbow, ankles, foot and wrists.  Almost always, though, they are embarrassing and make me feel elderly. There's nothing quite like hearing a neurosurgeon, after having just done your exam, chuckling down the hall as he tells his assistant that he has a lady in there who developed lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) from CROCHETING.  OK, it was pretty funny. You can read about that one here. 

With my new job, I've been doing a lot of handwriting as I document people's answers to my health questions. We are about to go to electronic forms, just in the nick of time for me. Here's why I say that... Monday morning of this past week I woke up and before I even got out of bed I knew something was weird. My thumb didn't work right as I tried to move the blankets off myself. I was able to bend it and unbend it, although it took a bit of effort. The weird thing was, it didn't move smoothly, it "popped" open. It was so interesting, I made the motion quite a few times (20?) just to marvel at the oddness of it all. I can't say it felt very good, but it was most definitely interesting. It felt a bit like it was dislocating, but not that painful. Soon, it worked itself out and was normal the rest of the day. 

As it turns out, my thumb does that weird trick every morning now. In fact, it has become worse and hurts now down into my wrist. It isn't that painful but just a bit noticeable. Well, I'm a nurse. I work at a surgical center where trigger finger release surgeries are done. I know what is going on here. I've had patients come in with a thumb or finger stuck in a bent position. It isn't really an attractive look. I don't think I need that! Since it is my thumb, I'm thinking it would be hard to start IV's or to even hold a pen if I let it get worse. 

So, what to do? What to do? I suppose some would make an appointment with one of those doctors I know who are experts in this kind of injury.  Instead, I went to Mayo Clinic (via the internet) and read about stenosing tenosynovitis aka trigger finger. Yep, that's it! Diagnosis complete for a cost of $0. (Disclaimer: Nurses do NOT diagnose medical ailments...unless it is their own ailment.)

From what I read, especially since this has not gone on for very long, I may be able to stop the progression, maybe even heal completely. Splinting and resting it is the first step. I went online to see what is available to splint this condition. I found big ugly splints  that would do the job but not much of a fashion statement, now is it? Then, I found a pretty splint! I'm not kidding. It looks like cool jewelry. I knew that everyone would want one if they saw how pretty it was. I wouldn't  have to admit that I had a tendon problem... yet again. Here, take a look at it. Yea, nice. The price, although way cheaper than surgery, seemed a bit high for this minor injury.

But wait! I had a flashback! When I was in high school and playing basketball, I often hurt my fingers, a direct result of my inability to ever figure out how big the basketball really is. When it was thrown to me I often had my hands a smidge too close together, resulting in my fingers getting hurt. As we lived a very, very long way from a drugstore and Amazon.com was years away, we learned a cheap method of splinting. All we needed was tape and a plastic utensil. We would just break the plastic spoon, knife or whatever. Place it over the joint that needs to be immobilized and tape it in place.  It helps to cushion it with gauze (or kleenex). 

I actually got as far as breaking the plastic knife this morning before I came to my senses. I suddenly realized that I no longer live in Turner, MT and I have a wide choice of nearby drugstores.  Maybe I will go buy one of those ugly splints after all.

How about you? Do your tendons get cranky sometimes as well? Have you ever had trigger finger (or thumb) problems? Any advice?