Reading Dragon Diamond Painting is nearly halfway done. This one the glue and dots aren’t easy to line up properly.
Since taping pieces together it is harder to organize. But no messy page-turning.
I plop the piece I finish playing wherever then hop on the next. I’m starting to enjoy the piano again.
No, I’m not making money at this but I’m finding old ledgers are working for keeping track of what I’m doing.
After I play a piece I write the date, and how often I played the piece or section. I’m honest. Sometimes just reflect my thoughts. I even give myself a grade. I’m the only one in class so I judge with how I used to play it, or most recently played. I include my feelings of joy as much as disappointment. I do not write well with the journal in my lap. I can barely see at that distance.
Here’s for my other instruments.
Here are some of my ukulele workings.
And violin. I’m feeling I need more help with violin. Yes, this was a ledger I used for bills way back in 1999.
The increases for the heel are nearly finished. So I may be nearly finished with this pair.
The base of a small basket. The yarn works or artworks don’t seem to journal well. Any suggestions?
I’ve tried to place journals everywhere I can sit. Just in case I want to keep track of thoughts or life. It’s interesting. I’ve never done this but we’ll see how the experiment works.
Two names have popped up as characters for NaNo. It seems the random guys are not so wholesome. Possibly cagey or shadowy. Not my favorite but when you go random that’s what you get to work with. I plan another couple random picks so I’ll be ready for the night of writing dangerously.
I’m thinking with the losses this year I may spend some reflective time for Dia de los Muertos. Maybe a nearby journal will be the place for those thoughts.
The fork in the road is one we revisit often. Should I have said or done this? And, of course, with the benefit of hindsight, we know what we would have said or done. I guess that is why we aren’t given that knowledge when it would have been helpful.
I should have told her, when she complained of being so tired, to call the doctor immediately. But all I knew then was that she just needed to rest. Not that my COVID-addled brain knew more than coughing and needing to sleep. I was finally over the fever but my friends and I check in on each other often. And of the three musketeers who had known each other for a couple decades we knew age, pain, and strengths of each other.
Three musketeers. They came to visit me shortly after we moved so far away. This was a fun visit.
You know the Bible verse about entertaining angels unawares? I have and sometimes got the breeze from the wings. Michele was one of those
One of the forks in my life. My adult children all moved north. It made no sense to stay. So my husband and I moved north. Before the move, I looked up NaNoWriMo, writing groups, BookCrossing groups.
I found the writers and readers of the new community and found myself at home. Even if my adult children were busy with their jobs and lives, I found my people.
That Writers’ Group set up a lot of friendships for me. I think you have to be quite vulnerable to write inner thought while in a group. This group was open and welcoming. That was due to the one on the left and the one on the right.
Anyway (this stream is so hard to write!),the Sunday night after I finally was fever-free, one of my friends went in for emergency surgery. The very next day the other friend had a heart attack. It was touch and go for both. I’m 6 hours away from them. I couldn’t do anything for either of them. Sadly, Michele passed, or as her daughter said, she gained her wings. I always believed she had wings.
One of the hard parts of writing this is the heart-heavy stuff I want to say I can’t as deeply as I’d like because I don’t want to bring personal names here, to protect both friends.
Michele was raised in a abusive family and then had a few relationships that were equally horrid. But she decided early on to not raise her children in that kind of environment. She found a religion that served her heart, and she dedicated herself to love, God, family, and friends. She was one of those people that didn’t preach. Her love was in how she took care of everyone. Always patient. Always feeling empathy for others. Helping as much as she could, in any way she could. See, she already had the wings. I am going to miss her so much and yet, I feel she will be watching over her family and friends as much as ever, except now, I pray, she is painfree.
My other friend is still in medical care. She had that surgery and hasn’t been able to eat food or even move around for the stitches up and down her abdomen. I wish I could be with her and help her through this nightmare that is both physical and emotional, having lost our mutual friend.
I feel awful that I couldn’t say goodbye to Michele. We did chat on Instant Messenger so at least I know our last conversation was loving and hopeful towards our friend who had the surgery. We had decided we didn’t want to worry the one in the hospital surgery department. But of course with Facebook we can all see what is happening by a peek on our phones.
And my friend in the hospital still had a fever yesterday, and all I can hope is that she has had visitors and rest as I don’t want to call and wake her. Please pray for my friends and their friends and family. I don’t mind a few coming my way. I’m trying not to revisit forks in the road, traveled or not.
Besides finishing The End of Alzheimer’s (see previous post) these are things I’m working on this week.
I’m venturing off the sand and into the ocean!
Two more rows then, if I decide to, the arch hug.
Three more inches of ribbing to the heels.
Another ponytail holder nearly finished.
Starting the increases for the heel as of this row.
Yikes! Hard ones! Now I may have to peek at the answers!
Musically, I’m beginning to recognize The Dexter Theme. It has been hard as how it’s written is a little hard to interpret. After I get the basics I may rewrite it to the way I hear it on the show.
Succession, title song from the show. I didn’t much like the show, but I loved the music. I’ve finally played all the way to the end. It’s certainly not ready for anyone’s ears. Still it’s fun as I get to play the whole piano, less than an octave from either end. It’s cool!
Since the smoke causes my throat to hurt a bit I haven’t been playing the recorders, just in case it’s more than smoke irritation.
Enya, my ukulele, is getting easier. The B flat minor has been the toughie. But it sounded fine a couple times this week. I’m beginning to pay faster and smoother and having fun.
Violin! Whoa, what a challenge! I’ve barely gotten beyond tuning and putting resin on the bow. But I can finally say I’ve played Twinkle, Twinkle a few times now. My eyes get tired looking up the strings to my fingers. But I think that is good for my lazy eye and tracking issues. So I’ll take my time and learn.
I rarely report on my Duolingo, but it is such habit for me to pick up my phone and do a Duolingo 5 minutes here or there. In fact, it has joined me as I ride the stationary bike. It works when I’m just riding slowly but I have to put my phone down to get cardio.
Our weather is getting chilly. Though we get smoke from other places we’ve had huge rains lately that seem to help clear the air a bit. As of next Monday we will have a low in the upper 30s. I think we will welcome an early Fall.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “chicken or egg.” Use the “which came first” conundrum in your post, whether about the chicken and the egg or about a real-life situation that fits the question. Or just talk about chickens and eggs! Enjoy!
Found on Facebook just yesterday by our personal astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Like he knew the prompt for SoCS.
There are so many times in life that you wonder what came first the pain or the fear. Sometimes the very thing you fear brings the pain you most dread. Worried about stepping on glass you bump your head. Ya know what I mean? The thing you were alerted to had you blind to something you never thought of.
We’ve just finished bingeing Cesar Milan’s show on Disney. I’m trying to train myself to get ready for my new fur baby when the time comes. Cesar sees many people who have been traumatized by dog bites. And those animals were traumatized by past people. Now the new pet and parent have to overcome their fears and learn to trust each other.
The lesson is to control yourself in the moment. Be present. Trust you’ll know what to do.
An Enya. A nice case. Strings and tuner in the zipper pocket.
This is so much smaller than my Memorex but has great sound. It is matt black but doesn’t look at all black in the picture. A nice strap came with.
There was a box but I have shared and enjoyed a few.
I’m so glad to be home! So happy to be with my hubby. Glad to get back into my little routine. But I really miss my new friends. Including Mia and Hermione.
Mia was sweet but not feeling well, what with allergies and age against her.
Hermione is such a love I threatened to kidnap her. She’s still with her family. Don’t worry.
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
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