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Much looks the same as last time. But you want to know what I’m learning as I go? All attempts get me closer to not. Not a baby beginner. Not a total loser. And if I take a moment and look back I find more proficiency. Faster, not so lost. Progress. And it’s not linear. There are times I pick up the recorder and find that somehow God put holes in my fingers. Air is escaping, somewhere.

Sometimes I get the chord progression of these simple songs. But if I don’t, I only have to remember a month ago. I could tune my uke. Now I can sing little songs and not look as I move from F to G7 to C to C7 and more, and I know without looking at my hand that I did it.

I can remember being 12 and learning to crochet and knit. How I got so frustrated when I had to rip it out.

Now I look forward to trying again. The thing that makes these hobbies frustrating is placing time constraints or perfection goals.

I may not be producing the way society deems worthy, but I’m 74 and enjoying my life. Learning is my fun. Seeing changes in abilities, even as I’m told growth can’t happen anymore, THAT is the fun.

I am keeping my goal on the stationary bike and other exercises. And I see tiny improvements.

My only disappointment in me is trying to find my way to the reading aloud/editing goal. But I’ll figure it out.

Here’s the pics of progress.

I rarely finish a crossword puzzle book but I threw this full one away and am looking for another. The other thing I rarely finish is a bottle of hand lotion. It usually goes bad before I’ve used it all.
These balls are to crochet a strap for my uke. I’m following Bernadette’s YouTube
I’ve only added a couple rows since I posted these. But only 2 inches until the heel. I’m planning to try the Fishlip heel. I bought the pattern. You can Google where to get it. I’ll include it when I find out it works for me.
Only a couple more rows added here, too. I can’t get hyper-focused on the thinner yarns and needles. They can hurt my hands or eyes.
I’m loving this beautiful bird. Can you see how much more color lights up this picture with each section of drills?
Not as happy with this one. It is tiny and the colors are not so vibrant.

I feel good about developing discipline. Why is it only now growing?


The Mammoth Hunters (Earth's Children, #3)The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just finished my second reading of this book a couple of days ago. Below is the review from the first time. It is funny that my feelings changed on this book. I still think Valley of the Horses is my favorite so far, where as last time the Mammoth Hunters was my favorite. That proves my theory that where the reader is in their lives affects how the story comes through to them.

One thing coming to mind in this reading is how talented the narrator, Sandra Burr, is. She flawlessly changes voices for any person who speaks in the story. Her males are all different, and her females vary, too. Old people even have different personalities per voice. I’d love to learn to do this kind of narration. Of course, Sandra also has a gem of a series to read. I am equally blown away by the amount of research included or purposely left out just for the story’s sake.

I didn’t cry at the parting of the couple from their new friends this time. I was so busy doing my diamond painting that I wasn’t as emotionally involved at that stage. I also didn’t let a beat go by without loading up the next book.

~~~

How can one read with tears racing down one’s face? Good thing I had Audible’s version with Sandra Burr’s narration to keep the story moving. And it was moving!

I think I liked this one the best so far. I wanted to thump Jondalar more often than not. Communicate, was the word I shouted to the book, communicate! But then, I guess that would have left a very short book.

I have already ordered the Audible version of the next book and downloaded the Kindle version. I have no idea why I had never read all these before. Jean M. Auel is quite the storyteller! Oh, yeah, the books are all so heavy that my hands would have ached trying to read them.

Sandra Burr’s narration was more flawless than in the previous books.

Well, I can hardly wait to get started on the next one.

View all my reviews


Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “clump.” Use it as a noun or a verb. Have fun!

As many directions as my mind wanted to go with the prompt, this is what I thought of. How many years of putting on mascara only to have it clump or smear. I haven’t worn makeup for at least a decade. Between eyes that are smaller than they were before, not to mention the crop of wrinkles begetting wrinkles, I don’t have a mirror situation to work with my old eyes and inability to stand that long. Not too mention so many other things calling me to get busy. All more fun than makeup. Though, I do enjoy nail polish, a pluck or lotion. But yarn! Diamond painting! The newest binge or book. All far more fun than standing in front of a mirror attempting facial improvement.

I used to have a vanity I inherited from my grandmother. It smelled of her perfume and powders.

It looked kind of like this one. Mine had a cushioned stool. The wood was blonder. Ah, I miss it and the hours I spend singing Beatles songs while primping.

“Yesterday…”

How I feel in my head as I stream along. Actually:

March First


Finally Floundering February bids us adieu. And right on the Mark March brings ideas to move forward.

A couple years ago my cousin sent me a tape recorder and asked me to write (record) my memoirs.

I chickened out. Plain and simple. But I did write my memories.  So here’s my idea (and I’m already a day late!) I will record, read aloud and edit the memories and edit as I go. I put it in NaNo as this month’s goal. I added my last Nano novel. Both books are 15k each. I plan to read aloud and edit that one, too.

I may have bit off more than I can chew. Maybe I’ll prioritize the memoir. No more Floundering, just get busy!

By the way, for those who tried,thanks for playing 😀

In other news we have winter starting now. Alaska is sending us a cold front.

Just as evening was descending. Cold but blue skies.
Yesterday morning. The sky was not that blue.
Blue than it actually was.
That’s more how I remember it.
Coming down. Cold and gray.

Meanwhile, for Finishing Friday:

This is a fun project. Haven’t touched the lighthouse.
Almost to the heels.
Still proceeding with learning the uke. I actually am needing the next book. I think my fingers are toughening up!

I finished The Mammoth Hunters but haven’t had the chance to write the review. I’m loving reading the series again.

It’s snowing again. It’s so pretty. I’m glad the rodent was wrong!

Not feeling well…


Thanks, Nan!

Diamonds (drills) are a Dar’s Dabbling Den best friend

Loving the peacock. Even the dark parts are colorful.
Only one more flounder day!

The diamond painting that I Flounder with is the recliner lighthouse.

The lighthouse is coming along. But not in the den.

This came in my memories today.  Kali, Rosey, and Teddy taking over my bed. Now it’s up to Rosey to do the job. 😥

On, the other side, my peacock got a corner filled in.

I worried about the black. But it’s a mixture of dark blues mixed with dark purple and pink. I’m loving it already. I wouldn’t be able to leave the art out with Teddy, or younger Rosey. Kali would have made it more fun as she would have kept me company.

Floundering is almost over. I think I’ve decided to use March for editing to get ready for April’s camp NaNo.

I’m going to be glad not to see this guy every day.

I can’t believe I’m involved in three diamond paintings at a time.  I straightened and sealed the Sea Turtles. So that on pay day I can mail it. It still looks the same so I’ll use a past pic.

This was a fun project!

While it was drying, I decided to go with the peacock next. So I’m geared up ready to go. Here’s the opening.

The usual pen, cushion, tray, wax and baggies. Those cellophane bags the drills come in were so full of static. I think because today was windy, snowy, rainy, and back to wind.
I can’t wait to start this beauty! I have books on that center fold hoping to iron it out by tomorrow. We
I got this much done so far on the lighthouse. Click on the picture to see the diamonds and empty symbols. I learned, just now, that this lightpad doesn’t need to stay plugged in. It can be charged! Yay! Small wins, ya know?
Except for hiding the yarn ends, I finished these.  They seem larger than the size 7. But as slippers they may work.

So the founding of the day was trying not to dump diamonds everywhere especially with static making them fly. I only have two hands people!


A while back I made the suncatchers. It was fun to sit in my recliner and save my back. So I picked up the bag  to hold smaller projects.

https://a.co/d/34p63If

I have the lighthouse project and a lightpad in it near my chair.

It was nice that this little picture came with a separate key to the symbols.
It came with little baggies, pen, tray and wax, and tweezers.
I set up my containers. The picture is in that little cylinder.

I started today. I’m not very adapted to working like this.  The symbols are harder to work with than numbers and letters. I forgot to take a picture as I ran out of energy. Just know the picture is about two hands’width and one hand in height. So, tiny. It may be fast or a pain. We’ll see. So far the top right of the sky has happened.

Tomorrow I’ll straighten and seal the sea turtles. It is easier to work at the dedicated table than my recliner, so far. I know there are a lot of people who work from their beds. I find myself floundering around trying to keep neat and tidy. I don’t like scattering drills, that’s what the diamonds are called.

ADD means many projects. Keeping those separate and easy to get to is a struggle. ALWAYS!

How do you all keep your hobbies contained?


Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “rhymes with ale.” Find a word that rhymes with ale, regardless of the spelling, and use it in your post. Enjoy!

It never fails to amuse me how stale everything feels in February. I long to get outside and start my daily walks. I dream of trails exploring the unknown areas.

Birds are setting up nests. We have chickadees and starlings sharing space above our front door. They take turns while standing on the porch rail. It is fun to watch them negotiate that space peacefully, it puts humans to shame!

The chickens wander out yard more freely as spring takes over winter space.

Quail run together in families. They always make me laugh. They have perfectly good wings but think they are more sophisticated than all that. February shows the beginning of new babies. Each family has structure and language. I almost think I understand. There’s a call that sounds like, ‘she’s outside!’ then ‘okay, relax’, then, ‘she’s gone now.’

February seems too early for mowing the hay. It’s interesting to watch the machines bale into cubes or cylinders. But alfalfa is getting ready to sprout.

With my diamond painting, I wonder if there could be a way to make the painting accessible to sight impaired. Might I call it Braille painting? I’ve always wanted to learn that. I can finger spell and have baby level sign language.

Oh, and here’s the finished sea turtles:

Ah, but the Flounder of the day, wouldn’t it be nice for a whale here? Aw, no worries. Please don’t all start wailing!

And not a whale!

Streaming along. I haven’t had kale in a long time. Mmm, kale chips sound yummy. I need to make some hummus.

Many of you don’t realize how wonderful it is to have mail delivery. Once or twice a week we drive to the post office. When we didn’t have a vehicle we walked the seven mile round trip. My walking goal is to walk that for fun!

Oh, another issue of February is how pale we’ve all become. Maybe it’s good we have to start slowly. But most of the time now, we don’t have to break thick ice in the outside water pail.

No matter what time of year, but because we’re longing to be outside, we see eagles, hawks, and owls that soar and sail in the sky. They are magnificent if not deadly to outside small furry friends.

Hmm. I think this stream went to the birds. Yep, that hit it on the nail!

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