Cold out and possible new band . . .

It’s cold out!  It’s –2º  - that’s too cold.  Started my car about 10 minutes before I left work and it still wasn’t warm when I got in it.  It looks like it’ll be quite cold for a few more days.  ■

May be starting a new band.  A three piece – guitar (Eric), bass (me), and drums (Charlie our drummer from Bullfrog.  The guitar player is one of our teachers at the music store – and he’s a great guitarist.  Vocals – both Eric and I will try to sing.  We have to see if that works – if either of us can sing.  One thing we’ll try is to tune down either a full step, or half step.  A lot of bands do that.  It helps the vocalist.  We’ll have our first try at it this Friday afternoon and see if it works out.

Strange . . . . .

Strange.  What does it mean to you?  Right now it’s having my mother pass away.  And not being able to see her for the last time.  Death happens to everyone – none of us gets out of here alive.  But I thought I’d see her one last time.  And now I feel very strange.  I miss you mom. 

The Holidays . . . . .

 

The holidays are almost done.  Above are all of the drawings and paintings that had to be done and in my customer’s hands before Christmas.  I still have a couple to go that were ordered too late to make it for Christmas.  ■  Aaron was home for Christmas.  It was so good to see him.  He’s back in San Diego now from his deployment to the middle east.  Libby and Jay made it up here after Christmas.  We had the whole family together.  ■  Now we’re just about to leave for our cribbage group’s holiday party.  Tuesday, new year’s day, we’re hosting our annual Bullfrog Family & Friends brunch.  ■  Got to go.

Lots of drawings to go . . . . .

. . . . this one went on its way today headed to Alabama.  Beautiful home with gorgeous staircase leading to the front door.  ■  I’ve got a lunch with an old friend and auditor today (since today is now Tuesday.)  It’ll be nice to see him.  ■  Short post, I know, but it’s time for bed.

Cards–my Comfy Cottage collection . . .

With more to come.  ■  Watched the Wisconsin-Nebraska football game tonight.  Wisconsin just ran over Nebraska.  ■  Lots of drawings to complete.  ■ TFB.

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.  ■