Boy, Am I Late! SoSorry!!

From my keyboard… for five short minutes at first!

Despite my having a calendar alert, despite my new Echo Dot device and Alexa reminding me to do this, despite my opening a new doc, I still couldn’t get started on the column on time this month!

First it was trying to get messages to my various doctor offices on queries I had, and forgetting to do that till almost too late, then Mew’s new water fountain arrived and set up was a big deal, then I did remember to make my travel appointment to go to Walmart – that’s today – and bouncing from one crochet project to another, I still couldn’t get started on the column! I paid bills – that was good – then I remembered I needed to eat something so I’d have energy, then, then, then!! Total brain discombobulation!! I have an appointment next week for my psych nurse, so I’ll talk about it, IF I remember! It’s in the notes, it’s just trying to remember to look at my notes! And then crocheting different projects, and my nephew Michael sent me the Lego Flower Bouquet for Xmas, so when I did start putting it together, it was hard to keep to one type of flower per day. I also got my Lego Everyone is Awesome set put together! Now to take it apart and glue it together! Since everything fits right, I can do that. The first pic here is the bouquet in a vase taken from above, with three lego tulips in there too. The second pic is my Everyone Is Awesome set!! After it’s all glued together and fully dry, I’ll wrap and pack it. The third pic is the first crochet flower I’ve managed to make with a 2.5 mm hook which is TINY!!

I’m working on a crocus flower right now, learning to crochet around wire.

Ok, I went grocery shopping between this! Once again I goofed on the time… I’m so bad with numbers! I was to be picked up at 220pm, go to Walmart, shop and get picked up at 345pm. Well the bus was a bit late, then the driver and I were engaged in conversation as well as looking at a really bad accident on the freeway, and he pulled into Fred Meyer… I thought that was the stop for the other passenger, then we realized it was wrong and went over to the Walmart, which is a quarter mile away. By then I had 30 minutes to shop, pay and be out for the ride, so I hot-footed it! But I wasn’t able to be the 15 minutes early you need to be, but I’d have to wait till 4 pm to call in for missing. Just as I got out I saw the small bus turn into the lot, then a man yelled at me that I’d left a bag, he went back and fetched it to me just as the bus pulled up!! I’m so glad that he helped me out. So I got on and home. Then it was put away the perishables, the rest is on the floor waiting for me to put them away. I sat with some food and MewMew did her usual “now you’re home, I get to lay on you for a while,” bit. I’ll tend to the rest later, I’m too damn tired to right now. One of the fastest, intense shopping trips out, and I’m glad my shoulder is getting better! Tomorrow will be 8 weeks since breaking it. I can do more, just not all the way yet. Healing is predicted at 12 weeks AT LEAST, so I can’t overdo. But so much on me…

… for the Books part, I’ve been a bbbbaaaaadddddd writer – in that I’ve not been writing lately. Reading, yes, research, yes, gotten more ideas and managed to get basics down, yes, but actual writing, not a bit. I try to take Sundays off to do all sorts of other things, and starting Monday, I want to try writing for a small amount of time at first, and work up as days go by to where I’m writing a good amount. Two new short stories are in mind, start work on parts of the new series, the Airbnb Murders, and doing more editing on almost finished ones. With my dyslexia bouncing me around her lately, I can move from story to story to lay down the first draft without losing too much. It’s getting ideas as I’m falling asleep or dreaming of some that’s driving me nuts. I’m also having trouble with my Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) bookshelf page. For some reason it won’t let me go to the second page where other books are at. Amazon says it’s working on the issue, but nothing is happening. I’m not sure what to do about it, and one of the newer books is on that 2nd page. I need to get a revised size cover done, and I’m having a problem there too. My Fiverr artist isn’t getting my messages for some reason. I’m going to see if the admin on Fiverr can help me. She did manage to send me one message, where my arriving messages are marked “hidden” and she can’t open them. I’m also having Word 2019 program issues. Since I upgraded to Windows 11, the newest platform, my writing docs keep displaying that they’re disconnected from the internet and I had to constantly reconnect to save them to One Drive as well as my hard drive AND to thumb drives. I’m almost paranoid on saving to different drives, and once a month I update one large thumb drive with EVERYTHING I want to save and keep that one on a keychain incase of a crash or my being burglarized again and losing the laptop. Knock on wood it’s not happened again (twice was enough!) but since one never knows, well… I’m keeping my data as securely as I can.

… for the Hooks part, I’ve made a new pattern hat that has the rows on a slant!! Yes, and here’s the pic of the hat I made.

I’m loving it, it’s thick and warm as well as visually appealing. It can be one solid color too, and I can do different color stripes, either with the same angling or straight across!! That last one would cost a little more for the extra work to do. It can be a brimless beanie or a long slouch as well, so if you want to have one, contact me for the order!! Other things I’m making – one is a surprise for my brother, so I’ll show and tell that one next month. The flowers too… I’m an Extra-Strength Black Thumb, not even cut flowers last a day and I can’t grow anything, I’ve tried. But I want some prettiness (especially when I get to move to a new place… spring or summer I’ll look again) and these will be pretty and permanent. (The Lego flowers all total – the bouquet and 3 other small flower sets, sunflowers, red roses and tulips – need two large vases, so they’ve got those.) I’ll need new vases for the crocheted flowers too. More hats, of course, and I found a great pattern for a braided cowl and yes, it’s big braids!! I also went overboard in Dec and Jan, buying a bunch of yarn on sale. I now have a large load of all sorts of colors and types of yarn, plus a bunch of colors of sparkly yarn! There’s more I want to get but right now I can’t afford more. Problem is, the sales are on now, wah!! Oh, well, I’ll live. It just there’s a new yarn called Big Twist and it’s got some new colors and styles that I really want. So I’ll set aside money for them for the next time they’re on sale. Crocheting has turned me into a yarn addict!! I’m also going through and giving away smaller amounts that I won’t use, and separating into solid colors and variegated. I also have some 100% cotton for projects that don’t need stretch. I’ve got hats with attached scarves in the works too, and I’ll show those next month as well.

So, I’m keeping busy. Despite living on my own (which I love!) and doing all sorts of things, I’m at a point in my life where I don’t care if the house is a mess and there’s no one to complain about it either. I do have most everything packed up, it’s been that way for two years now. That’s how much I’m trying to get the hell out of this place. I’ve sorted through most of my stuff, giving away what’s no longer important to me or not being used. When I do get to a new place, I can unpack and already know what I’ll do for set up and decorating, since I’m doing this. My health is at an “ehhh… at least I’m alive,” place, always have something going on. The pacemaker is working well, my morphine pain pump is also doing well. It’s nice to have lower pain in my spine!

And today I’m watching the Poltergeist series, just for fun. Amazing how old it is and how still incredible! I love to watch movies all weekend long, if I’m home long enough. I rarely watch actual TV shows, it’s on just for the noise. Oh, noise, that reminds me… went to a hearing clinic that specializes in tinittus. I’ve had it since 6th grade from inner ear damage from a Pep Rally inside the gym. I’m getting hearing aids, but they’re teeny things, with a program to help overwhelm the constant shrill I live with. It’s also changing volume and type of squeal lately, driving me a bit insane. (Yea, I’m already there, but it adds to it!) I couldn’t believe the size she showed me, and they’ll be rechargeable, so no more batteries! Yay! It’s just going to take a bit for all the paperwork to go through. It’ll be nice if it works. Some quiet would be wonderful.

Here for the ending is another recipe – enjoy!

Russian Tea Cakes

1 C. butter, softened

½ C pwd sugar

1 tea. Vanilla

2 ¼ flour

¾ C fine chop nuts

powdered sugar

heat oven to 400 degrees

mix all ingredients in large bowl until dough holds together. Shape into 1 inch balls; place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar, cool a little longer. Roll in powdered sugar again. Set in single layer on plate, or cover first layer with waxed paper, then put more on to store. {This was a favorite of my kids and I all their growing up years!}

I’m sending out energy waves to all of you readers, friends, family and all. I hope your days are good and that you sleep sweet at night.