We’re making progress, despite the loss of male bits yesterday. Sammie was very scared and disoriented when he first got home. It was like he didn’t know any of us or where he was. By evening he seemed to feel more at home.
By the way, it was so nice of the spay/neuter team to come out to our everything desert on their weekend to take such good care of our puppies and kitties.
Today we had a couple lap sessions and recliner time. He initiated. I was elated.
Sammie seems a little more tired today, but very loving.
Because of him, and aches and pains due to weather changes, I’ve gotten very little done today.
NaNoWriMo isn’t going well either. I reduced my word count goal to 25k.
Even piano was a short session.😥
The only thing that might show progress:
Mostly working on the sky it is easier to reach. Hopefully, I can start working on the dragon soon. The lighting show how sparkling the gems can be.
I hope you had a happy, safe, thoughtful Veterans’ Day. Thanks for your service folks.
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.
Wow. With summer heat and humidity, not to mention ADHD with non compliant stresses, progress is slow. But my super power is running.
Even the smallest amount of progress will get the job done eventually. It is in the giving up that nothing happens. Except drama. Reliving trauma never brings positive results. Acknowledging the downside, not jumping in and feeling sorry for myself, helps me survive and thrive.
In this case:
Talking too much, distracting thoughts, feelings, actions, and resulting health issues. They all are there. It was worse when I was working in jobs that weren’t healthy for me.
I wish when I’m interrupting I could say I’m sorry. But I believe that sorry implies a will to change. Sadly, in my 74 years that change is detrimental to my health. Every time.
I was Hermione raising my hand with the answer. But being fair, I let others answer first. By the time the teacher called on me my mind had already gone a thousand places and I couldn’t even remember the question. Then someone else would get it right and it was exactly the answer I knew I knew. And I knew what I had to say was unimportant. That my gold star was unimportant.
Yet learning was the reward. Still is. And friends. And family. But ADHD threatens all of it. Unless I do little bits. Many, many little bits.
I’ll never be a concert pianist or win great awards from my efforts of anything. But I have to be happy with my little wins. And keep trying to be a human who does her best to be kind.
Anyway. My little win is my new slipper socks.
I move the stitches as I work the last ribbing row onto separate 9 inch circular needles. That makes the cast-off work so much easier.
Shorty slipper socks with arch hugging ribbing.
Yep. For me.
And because I love how that arch feels I’m trying it on the watermelon shorty socks.
Two rows into the ribbing.
The heat makes yarn too hot. My brain needs something to stimulate it. But often, I find I get sloppy and make a ton of mistakes.
My Duolingo is still going but Chinese is as hard as Hebrew and Navajo. I tend to lose a lot of hearts. But I find a successful language like Italian to play with until I build the hearts up.
My music is even harder to get to because of heat and disruptions. But. I will keep trying to get all my passions back into my daily schedule. I miss having a good routine that pushes me to try.
Across from my piano that didn’t get touched is my sunset beach. But that’s the south side of the house and it gets hot in there. Bring back nice temps!
The lighthouse is nearly finished. It was very inexpensive. And VERY POOR quality. The diamonds move around due to glue ‘rivers’. And the diamonds are not very smooth. So as soon as I finish the last little bit I may throw it away. At least I had a small painting to try out the light pad. This was all on my lap on the recliner. It worked.
But…
From farther away it looks better and sparkles.
I love this rechargeable long life battery light pad. Here is a little info about the light pad.
Remember how Linda had the coloring prompt? It kind of faded for a lot of us. I still want to, but find the setting up and needing a place to comfortably color difficult. Instead, my husband got into the coloring apps. He even found an app that does surprise pictures. There is no outline of shapes in the picture. You just tap the number of the corresponding color. Eventually, there’s a picture. It’s funny/cute when he and I are coloring together. Retirement has it’s surprises!❤️
After I tire of a game or two, while listening to my audiobook, I start coloring. I started the above last night. My eyes got tired so I finished this morning even before coffee. ‘Masquerade’ from Phantom of the Opera played in my head as I finished.
Though I’ve not done much knitting, I did manage 45 minutes on the stationary bike then played a couple pieces on the piano. Yay!
And not to brag, but to celebrate, lookie here! Sorry if you already saw it on Facebook. But I do feel good that even with the road trip I didn’t miss a day. One lesson takes 5-15 minutes. Some days I do all 10 languages but mostly the ones I feel most passionate about. Right now, Italian and Japanese are my favs.
What are you making, how’s your Monday? Have a great week!
This yarn is so much fun, visually I worked far more than I should have. Shoulder and hands are crying. But aren’t they adorable?
These haven’t progressed but maybe a row or two. The watermelons were much more fun!
Same with these. They are closer to the heel now.
The dock is coming along.
This is a ukulele chord trainer. Just for practicing without disturbing the household. I still need the ear training but my fingers need more touching. This I can do while watching TV.
This two sided poster helps with positioning and the second side helps with composition, harmony, and scales, etc. It’s been a long time since music theory classes
So these are the things in the making here. Hope you had a marvelous Monday.
My #2 son’s slippers are now to the arch. Chiaogoo red-laced cable needles, 40″, size 8, Two-At-A-Time. Turkish Cast-on, ribbed arch, will have Fleegle Heel.
I don’t know who these will belong to. But heading for the Fleegle Heel. Chiaogoo red-laced cable, 60″, size 1 needles. Because they have finer yarn and needles my hands have to take it slow.
Mediums are harder in this book. But I feel proud not to give up and I still try. Maybe someday mediums will be easier.
Making music still. Still working on Ash Grove. Learning flats. Playing both alto and soprano recorders. One of these days I will be coordinated or brave enough to record my own duets. This book is still quite challenging.
I know, now, the underlined chords. I’m working on the circled ones. My fingers are callused but so uncoordinated.
I’m also learning to play melodies. After decades of piano, I find this non-linear scale tough but fun for my brain.
I am learning scales, too!
Besides Bernadette’s 30 Day plan on YouTube (which is taking far longer!), I’m working in this book, too. Though I’m getting ready to order the next grade up. Maybe not a kid’s version. Suggestions?
A song involving chords and melody. I’m getting better.
Shooting the Curl will be finished tomorrow. I just need to fill the strays, seal and stash away.
12 languages. I don’t work on all of them everyday. But I do most of them most days. Sometimes I barely make it through one. But I only work on things I enjoy. Follow the passion.
I don’t know if I’m behind or how I got there but I’m seeing others beyond R and I’m barely think of Q.
For some reason I feel like streaming. No plan or plot is showing up. I feel like the queen of lazy. No rhyme or reason.
Since I’m tired I’m in a quandary both mind and body wants to quit. Be quiet. And seeing no rescue in sight, I’ll go with the Monday que: what’s being made?
I’m calling this one, Shooting the Curl. Still working on this bottom section. Lots of black and dark drills make it tough. But tomorrow lighter colors promise an easier paint.
Nearly finished. Heel done. Just ankle and cuff left.
Decrease of heel but nearly finished.
Finishing arch heading towards the heel.
Watermelon yarn caked and ready to start a new pair.
A new challenge. How to repair a heel.
And
Another challenge:
Figure out how to make these fit better. Tinking for start.
A zombie needs assembly. Thanks, Yve.
And a Christmas gift in April (my favorite kind!) Thanks again, Yve!❤️ Aren’t they cute!
I’ve added Chinese to my Duolingo lineup. I highly recommend this show. Not a movie but a series. My husband and I couldn’t stop the binge.
I’m trying to find a way to put my biggest guilt trips here. The end of the month is looming. Two goals haven’t even been touched. I haven’t edited anything. Nor have I worked on my read-alouds or podcast. Finding privacy and time seems the biggest issue. Nor have I touched the real piano. Boo! Next month is Camp NaNo. I have no idea what I’m doing. And so I’m Muddling my mind.
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?
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!
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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