Thanksgiving … great day……

Had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Our daughter, husband, and our new grandchild drove up from Louisville.  It’s wonderful to see our granddaughter again.  ■  We had our next-door-neighbors, our good friends-forever from Crystal Lake and their daughter and son-in-law-to-be for dinner.  A nice sized crowd.  ■  The food was more than plentiful.  Three turkeys (you can see two of them there – mine done on the grill and Holly’s done in the oven.  Jay brought up a smoked turkey from Louisville.  All were delicious. As were the sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry-apple dish, grandma’s green Jell-O (if it just weren’t green!)  And on and on with the food.  Too much.  I know I’ve left some dishes out.  I couldn’t fit one of everything on my plate.  ■  And we learned that the daughter of our good friends in Lombard got engaged.  Congratulations, Devin.  ■  As usual, I’m up too late and it’s time for bed.  ‘Night.  ■

Some company is leaking info . . . . .

. . . . when I get advertisements for The Scooter Store.  Hmmmm ………

Back in the saddle again . . . .

Or close to it.  Saw my cardiologist’s nurse on Tuesday.  She tested my defibrillator/pacemaker (it handles both functions) and everything is OK.  At one point in the exam she said she was going to make my heart beat faster – and it did!  I could feel it.  Strange feeling.  I’m restricted from any heavy lifting – mostly on my right side for a few weeks.  But I’m back to work at Dr. Wood’s.  It’s good to be back.  ■  On the drawing side I still have a few orders – just got another one today, so that’s keeping me busy.  ■

 

Also have finished some Christmas cards.   

   

Lots of stuff to do this week.  TFB.  ‘Night.  ■

Getting better . . . . .

Woke up this morning very sore.  As the day wore on the pain lessened.  They said it would get worse before it got better when I left the hospital.  I think I’m over the worst.  ■  Home health care nurse visited me this morning.  We went over instructions, etc.  It was a very valuable visit.  ■  Got an order for a drawing of a building that an accounting company resides in.  That’s a quick pencil sketch of it above.  I’ll probably do at least one more quick sketch to get a better feel for the project.  ■  IM’d with Aaron last night.  He should be coming home from the middle east in the next couple of weeks.  ■  Got to get to bed.  It’s getting on to 1:00am. 

Home . . .

I forgot to push the “Publish” button yesterday on the previous post, so while it says it’s from November 6th it’s really from the 5th.  ■  At any rate, I’m home from the hospital.  The installation of the defibrillator went well.  I’m very sore in my left shoulder, but that should subside gradually over the next week.  One of the nurses told me that it takes a week for the pain to disappear.  In the meantime I can’t lift my left elbow above my shoulder for the next six weeks and I can’t life anything heavy for a few weeks.  ■  I’ve got an appointment with the surgeon next Tuesday for him to check it and to see if I’m able to return to work.  ■

Defibrillator this morning . . . .

On Saturday I worked while Holly and Ellyn tore the carpeting off the stairs.  Still some pieces to get off that are stapled into the joints, but it’s lookin’ good.  ■  Cheryl and Stephanie stopped over and Stephanie asked me if I could play a song at her upcoming wedding.  I’m honored to be asked.  Now I’ve got to learn the song, but I’ve got time to do that.  ■  Saturday night Holly and I and Ellyn and her sister Nola went to a local restaurant/bar to have dinner and hear the Wiggelos play.  It was fun.  ■  Sunday we went to our friends Dave & Debbie’s home for cribbage.  We don’t play cribbage anymore – haven’t in years – but it’s an excuse to get our cribbage friends together once a month.  ■  And that brings us to today – Monday.  I’m leaving home in about 15 minutes to go to our local hospital to have a defibrillator implanted in my chest.  It’ll help control the afib that I’ve had a couple of times.  Am I nervous?  Yeah, a little.  The surgeon has to fish a wire through a vein into my heart.  Yes, that makes me a little nervous.  ■  If you don’t see anymore

Yet another thing .. . . . .

If it’s not one thing it’s another.  Had an echocardiogram done last week.  Cardiologist’s office called today with the results.  Seems my ejection fraction had dropped from a high of 45% a couple of years ago to 30-35% now.  This apparently makes me a candidate for an implantable defibrillator.  I need to make an appointment with the cardiologist they call “The Electrician.”  The Electrician did both of my electrocardioversions – where they stop your hear and then shock it to start it again.  Last time he had to try and turn the motor over twice.  I could feel the burn from that one.  ■  Kind of scares me.  A while ago I went into afib and after that had a short stroke.  The stroke really freaked me out.  Thank goodness it was what they call a TIA (I think) and there was no permanent damage.  ■  Finished one drawing this morning and then worked more on one I had started yesterday.  A couple of more hours on that one tomorrow and I can ship it.  ■  Late and time for bed.  Just have to get the girls off the bed.  ■

That’s my granddaughter with

  the Halloween card I sent her.  I think it’s her first card.  Libby say’s it’ll go in her baby book.  ■  This past Thursday Holly and I manned my pen & ink business booth at our chamber of commerce’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” event.  It’s a very well run event – kudos to our chamber – and I got about 50 people that showed an interest in my work.  Hopefully some of those will turn to orders.   I’m thinking next year I’ll do a little demonstrating on digital painting on my ipad.  That may generate more interest.  ■   Man, it’s late.  TFB!

Painting of a dog . . .

I think I did alright with this one. 

Finished card #1 & #2

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two cards done.  One was actually done last year, but I was requested to add their new dog Gracie to the card for this year.  ■  Finished a drawing and shipped it today.  So far 3 drawings done and lots to go.  ■ 

Afghanistan . . . . .

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Ok, we’ve gone from Kuwait to Kandahar.  He’s moved east quite a bit.  Not pleased with it, but I support his decision 100%.  And he hasn’t told us that it’s his decision, but I strongly suspect that it is/was.  ■  Now we’re just waiting for word from him..

Pen & Inks and holiday cards . . .

Working thru a list of about 10 pen and inks and 2 digital paintings.  Of the digital paintings 1 is for a Christmas card and the other of a dog – half cocker spaniel and half golden retriever.  I’ve started the Christmas card (it’s the one in this blog post), but I think I need to start it over.  I’m not happy with the relative sizes of items in the painting.  ■  Tomorrow the girls and I (Abby & Zoe) need to run to UPS to get some note cards printed and then onto an art supply store for some more 11x14 drawing paper.  ■  I also need to order some special paper from UPS for printing and framing these paintings.  That’s $80, so I’ve been putting it off.  I’ll have to order that tomorrow.  ■  TFB.  Night.

Another drawing almost done . . .

and more to go.  I’m working steadily to get all the orders done.  It’s a challenge.  ■  Not only do I have orders for pen & inks of homes, but I also have 2 digital paintings on order.  .■  Wednesday morning starts off with our Lighthouse Networking Group meeting in the morning.  I could use more sleep and it’s almost 1:00 am.  TFB.  ‘Night.

Chili Fest is over for another year . . . . .

. . . and this is the poster I used for it.  The drawing depicts Bill, Steve, Jac, and Jean working on our garage.    They’re drywalling, painting, putting in electrical and sweeping up.  The garage looks great!  It’s got to be the envy of the neighborhood.  ■  Chili Fest went great.  Good muisic, food, and friends.  And the weather was great too.  ■  I’ve had a booth/tent at our town’s farmer’s market for the past few weeks.  It’s been good for business.  I’ve earned a few orders from it.  I’ll definitely do it next year.  ■  And speaking of orders I’ve got about eight orders between pen & inks and Christmas cards – oh and one of them is of a dog – half cocker spaniel and half golden retriever.  ■  Time is flying and I’ve got to go to work in a few minutes.  ■

Snow . . . not yet . . .

The snow on the ground in this painting looks deliciously cool.  Not that I’m wishing for snow, but it was hot today.  ■  I’ve been coming down with a cold for the past few days.  I’m tired, I’ve been running a fever (just checked and is very slightly over normal right now), sweating, stuffed-up, and a never-ending headache for the past 3 days.  ■  Getting some orders in – one today from a previous client.  I drew their home a year ago, they love it and have it hanging in their in their foyer.  Love to hear from past clients.   ■  Now I’ve got a bunch to get done.  Finished one yesterday and delivered it today.  That’s one down and more to go.  ■  Chili Fest is coming up in another week.  Got to get prepared for that.  ■  TFB.  ‘Night.