So, I wanted to show that I have actually been working on the house again. It's not a huge amount, yet, but I have slowly been getting back into it. My spirit is very willing and my flesh just needs to be beat back into some shape for working. I've completed a bit more on the tile fireplace surround; installing the run below the hearth and continuing on up the wall and wrapping around the sides. Until just very recently we were still occasionally running the fireplace so I didn't want to disconnect it. Hopefully, the cold is now over and I'll be pulling the unit out of the way soon so I can bring the mosaic part on up and grout all that. It's kinda slow going but I'm getting there and pleased with how it's coming out so far.
I've had so much enthusiasm lately, in fact, that I finally tackled this horrible ol' corner in the basement. Well, it looks fine now but as long as I've been here I have always just crammed junk in this corner to get it out of my sight and it was a horrible mess. Junky crap in the floor and everything. So...I got all those towels and rags together and washed and sorted them and installed some new shelves to keep it all neat. I use the towels for my messy clay work and just general messy garden/ yard stuff etc. I freed up another shelf on the metal ones to the right; although you can't tell on the forth one down. I had saved a bunch of old defective or ugly pottery but it is now all bashed up waiting to be reborn as a mosaic. Heck, I even mopped the floor in that corner and hung up our fishing poles and such. I'll probably install one more shelf there to hold some of the supplies that are now residing on my pottery shelves. I want to get those clear so I have plenty of room for making pots.
I know this blog has possibly changed a little in the past year and I haven't written a lot like I used to. Not as many funny stories and such. I guess it didn't occur to me how much it may be different until the other day though. We all went to my Mom's for Easter and a few days later Mama called me to see how I was feeling. A storm front had just gone through here on Easter morning and that day I was still struggling with one of the migraines I often get during such weather.. Mama told me that one of my nieces asked her afterwards what was wrong with me lately. All the times they had seen me for the past 6 months or so she said, "Annie doesn't joke around and laugh like she used to."
Of course, I'm not apologizing for feeling bad but I just wanted to say I'm aware this blog hasn't been what it was. But I AM trying. I'm also fully aware that some people don't like it when others talk about health problems or flat out don't believe the person, especially if it's a rare disease or problem. "Oh, they're just doing that for attention". Yeah well, if I wanted attention I'd go around with my boobs hanging out. They're still in real good shape! Hey, this is a real blog and I talk about real problems; always have and ya'll have always encouraged me to. If I can help even one other person feel not so alone then that's what's worth it to me, not whether everybody likes it or not. But, if you will hold on with me a little longer I think I'll have more to show ya'll, like I used to. Maybe even some funny stories again.
I don't know how many of you deal with pain, but it's a hard thing to take every day. I marvel at people who say they've never had a headache, or rarely. If I could go just one week without a headache, or my feet not hurting, I think I'd pee on myself in excitement. I'm trying some new stuff though and finding some relief, which I tell you all about after I've experimented some more.
So, enough of that sentimental crap! Looky what I saw this week! I believe this is a red-breasted grosbeak! You can correct me if I'm wrong. And yeah, I know the photo is not so good but I haven't managed to get that great new camera yet, so that's yet another thing ya'll will have to endure here. Plus, I was standing on a tall ladder stuck to the side of the house as I cleaned some of the windows, so it was a little difficult to maneuver to take the photo. This is the first time I've ever seen a grosbeak, so I had to look him up in my field guide. He's a Yankee bird, I guess taking a rest stop before heading back up north to their breeding grounds. I saw him for 2 or 3 days but did not see him today so he may have headed on.
And in other news, my 2 Partridge Rocks have let their hormones run wild with the beautiful spring weather and insist on trying to hatch golf balls or other fake nest eggs. We are letting one of them hatch some real pheasant eggs for Allen but just couldn't spare the nest space for two, so Ms. Etta here gets to stay in the broody-breaking pen until she gets over it. Which should be only 2 or 3 days. In the meantime, she is very unhappy with me and puffs up like that any time I come around. I guess I'm not very popular on several fronts right now! lol! At least Chigger and Allen still love me.
9 comments:
Your tiling job is looking great. I can't wait to see the whole thing complete. I especially like the strip of mosaic that you are doing off center. It is those artsy things that I love but struggle to conceive of them in my projects.
Man, that hen can sure puff up! The fireplace is looking good to me! In fact, the whole place is starting to look a lot like spring!
Always a pleasure to come by and see ya!
The fire place is looking sooo good.
We can only do what we can and when.
I never did get to see the specialist I guess I just wasn't that important to them to not find a time for me. So I just did my best to get by with the nasty pains in my shoulders and left arm and then both wrists. It isn't the best but better so I sure know what you mean.
I hope what ever is seems to be making you feel better continues to work. Keep on pluggin.
When I get a cluttered area cleaned and straightened with a permanent place for everything... it frees up my mind and spirit. Do you find that also?
Update on my zonal geraniums I am growing in west facing Windows. To give more energy to developing buds I clipped off the flowers that had bloomed. Eight! Enough to make a gorgeous bouquet.
I hear ya on the ailments. While reading you on more than one occasion I knew what you were going thru having been there done that. So yes, it is good not to feel alone... especially when your condition is not visible, obvious or easily explained.
I enjoy hearing and learning about the chickens. I can't wait to hear more about the pheasant eggs!
Hey Ed! thank you! well, a lot of times those "artsy" things are actually a way to camouflage a problem; like the tiles not working out solid across the wall without me cutting some! ha! I guess it does take a certain eye or imagination to see these opportunities for creativeness though. That and I look at a LOT of books for inspiration.
Hey Jim! thank you! I appreciate all that.
Hey Jo! thanks! Well, that sucks they cancelled you and never rescheduled; maybe you could remind them? Sometimes I think 'what's the use though'. I'll tell you all about what I've been trying soon. Hope you find something that can help you feel better.
Hey Erin! Yes! I find that cleaning and straightening does wonders for my peace of mind.
Yeah, non-obvious ailments are hard to deal with in many ways and then to deal with people's reactions is hard too soemtimes. thanks.
I'll do a post on the pheasants soon.
Down along the coast we are getting lots of migratory birds. I've had rose breasted grosbeaks, blue grosbeaks, saw my first ever scarlet tanager today. In winter, I even got to see some sandhill cranes in a field nearby. I guess they were headed to Florida. I've had probably 50-100 indigo buntings this year. I haven't seen a painted bunting in a few years. Keep hoping.
Hang in there and hope the experimental stuff gives you relief and you regain some energy to do the things you love.
Tammy in LA.
Hey Tammy! thanks! I'm doing better and hopefully it will continue. I would like to see a scarlet tanager and wow! sandhill cranes!
I had 2 little indigo buntings up here last week but haven't seen them lately.
Hi Annie, there's never a need to apologize for anything especially health and changing post subject matter. Just keep on doing what you can and feel like and we readers will be here, perhaps not every day as I too get behind in many ways.
Vorgot to add that the fireplace is looking great each fime ypu show an update!
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