1st Star of the Day 12-31-2022

vgajic- Getty Images -Fit & Well

I’m patting myself – and my husband – on our heads right now. THAT -while typing this – is quite a feat! :0)

Because my husband found a new MP3 player and loaded some of my favorite music on it for me last night, allowing me to charge it overnight and have it ready for my elliptical trainer session today, I just finished 30 minutes of good exercise.

It had been quite awhile since I had been on the elliptical regularly, and the last two sessions I had to do it in complete silence, except for a squeak on my machine, making it just awful time. It seemed as if I had been on there forever, and it had only been a few minutes when I gave up each time. Just too boring and tedious. This old broad doesn’t need many excuses not to exercise…

So today, listening to songs I hadn’t heard for quite awhile playing on my MP3 player I had clipped to my shirt, was truly a pleasure. Doing my elliptical practice with my eyes shut, keeping time to the music, felt good almost all the way to the end. (Remember, I’m NOT an exercise nut and it had been quite awhile since I had done any real time on the machine.) I started peaking at the timer between the last three songs and then breathed a sigh of relief when I finished.

I thanked my husband again and put a sparkly gold star on my desk calendar. I giving myself one for the ellliptical trainer session or the warm-up and weights videos I’m doing in the mornings on alternate days, and a second star, this one silver sparkly, for my yoga session in the afternoons. Any other exercise I manage will be gravy.

Ronnie Gould Ceramic Dogs 2

Ronnie Gould Ceramic Animals

Luxury!

Vector Stock

___________

I’ve been alternating between a warm-up video and weights exercise video one morning and a session on my elliptical trainer on the next. The sessions on the elliptical have been a character-building exercise, to say the least, because they’ve been done in silence.

My MP 3 player was ‘lost,’ then found – only to discover it was ’empty,’ having dumped all the music recorded on it into the ozone. My husband tried to fix it, but finally pronounced it ‘toast.’ I was going to try to find another one on the net.

We went to Lunch Bunch yesterday, and Patty told me about Pandora – that it was free to use on my phone. I downloaded that when we got home, but the only earbuds I have are too large and hurt my ears. I ordered a cheap, but compatible pair that I should receive soon.

Meanwhile, my husband found another MP3 player on one of the high shelves in the office! Apparently, years ago when we ordered the one I’ve been using, we ordered TWO. It was still sitting there, ready to be used, except the black fabric-like covering on the earbuds was crumbling off. I cleaned up the earbuds while he figured out how to load music onto the player. He actually found a list of some of the songs I like on HIS computer and downloaded them for me!

SO –

• I switched the earphones I had been using on the old MP3 player to my computer, so now I won’t have to wear the huge, clunky ones that fall off my head when I’m trying to do the online exercise videos.
• I put the new MP3 player on the charger so it will be ready for me to use later this morning.
• I will receive the new earbuds I ordered for my phone, on which I now have a Pandora account and access to lots of music when I’m out

Woo HOOOOOOOOOO!

The Amazing Isabella Clever

First, it’s hard to believe this is “art,” rather than simply wonderful photographs. Then, you have to understand that Isabella Clever is 13 years old, living in New Zealand. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.

Isabella Clever

My Wish for You in 2023!

“May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!

May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires.

May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy.

May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words …….

May 2023 be the best year of your life!!!”

Source Unknown

___________________

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something.” ~ Neil Gaiman, British author

Truth?

Birthday Wishes Expert

More Whendi’s Bears

Whendi’s Bears

Tatiana Barakova Wool Felted Animals 2

Tatiana Barakova Wool Felted Animals

Ronnie Gould Ceramic Dogs

Ronnie Gould Ceramics

Friends on Friday 12-30-2022

Lunch Bunch – I think I’m the one in the middle. (Final Fantasy XIV)

____________

On the way to Lunch Bunch this morning, we’ll change the decoration on our mailbox.

Here’s hoping that 2023 will be a better year than this one has been.

I MAY be able to get outside this afternoon and lop or saw down a few weed trees. Fingers crossed.

On the two other challenges that we’ve faced lately – the fact that the clothes washer died mid load and wouldn’t restart and that my MP3 player had been misplaced have shown some progress!

After finally arranging for a tech to come about the clothes washer on Tuesday of next week, we tried a bunch of things to get the machine to reset. I found a blurb online about a ‘child lock’ and the icon looked like what we were seeing. We tried the two solutions given and one of them WORKED! Everything is working again! I rewashed the half-washed comforter and it worked perfectly. HOOORAAAAAY! We saved the at least $150 we would have paid for the guy to come out and look at it.

Speaking of that, the company we dealt with was Pro-Tech. The tech’s name was Jonathan. The lady I texted back and forth with at the company was truly wonderful, though I didn’t get her name. After we got the washer running again, I texted her, asking her to cancel the Tuesday appointment. She got right back to me, confirming that she had cancelled it. I highly recommend Pro-Tech because of the good communication we had when I had no luck with the many others I called or contacted trying to fix this problem. Their phone number is 479-462-7787. I think they serve the Ft. Smith AR and surrounding areas, like us in Greenwood.

I FOUND the MP3 player. I went out to the elliptical yesterday and turned it on. It said it had NO music recorded on it! None. Nada. I finally found an FM radio and listened to a rock station that played 3/4 commercials and 1/4 music, but it was better than nothing. Talk about desperation! My husband is trying now to record some of HIS favorite songs on it. I told him I would be very grateful to have SOMEONE’S favorite songs on it when I do the elliptical again tomorrow.

Today is “warm-up” and “weights” videos online and then yoga. (DAY 168).

Have a wonderful Friday.

Mirror, Mirror…

Source Unknown

Can you say, “yo yo” three times fast?

All the goodies are finally gone. My scales are not only smirking – they are guffawing.

guf·faw

/ɡəˈfô/

Learn to pronounce

noun

noun: guffaw; plural noun: guffaws

1. a loud and boisterous laugh. :0(

123RF

_______

This generates hostility and frustration, obviously. Since we’re not planning any more holiday stuff, I can hopefully get back on track. (I know. You’ve heard this before. Whine.)

SO –

today is a new day. I have not eaten breakfast yet, since I’ve been trying to reach a tech to work on our dishwasher. I also haven’t gotten out in the garage to do my elliptical trainer session for the day.

I’ll go do both NOW.

I Still Love David Zinn Street Art

“Carpe Quies”

David Zinn – StreetArtUtopia.com

“Franz Never Met a Place That Didn’t Need Singing In”

“Friends in Rocky Places”

“Frog and Butterfly”

“Nadine and the Emerging Perch”

David Zinn Street Art

Ronnie Gould Sculpture

Ronnie Gould – Arctic Animals Sculpture

Mother Nature is Getting Senile 12-29-2022

BBC

__________

I think Mother Nature may be joining me as a “senior” – maybe getting a bit confused. As you know, this past week almost the whole of the USA was treated to a front from Canada, putting us all in the deep-freeze, threatening to burst our water pipes, bringing havoc during the holidays, even causing tragedy. Now, while people are either STILL trying to get to their family to at least say, “Hi,” and or just simply get home, Mother Nature has decided to bring a touch of spring to Arkansas.

Yesterday was beautiful, with a high in the 60s. Today it’s supposed to be in the 70s! It’s really windy, though, so I’m not sure I want to work outside for very long. I was just dumping the cat box and felt like the wind was trying to lift me AND the box up in the air! Who knows what to expect next, but –

“Winter is coming….”

Mixed Bag

Deagreez-Pexels-GettyImages-iStockphoto

IN THE WIN COLUMN – I FOUND my MP3 Player! :0) I wanted to use it while I was on the elliptical trainer on Tuesday and it wasn’t in its usual place. I looked all around, but came up with no clue. I exercised in silence in the garage, each minute seeming like 5 or 10.

Later, I looked at the table again where the player should have been. I realized the charger wasn’t there, either, and that made me think in another direction. I found the player on the charger behind my left-hand computer monitor in the office. I don’t remember why I moved it now, but I’m happy I found it, since today is elliptical trainer morning, with yoga this afternoon.

IN THE LOSE COLUMN – The third load of laundry yesterday was our comforter. I’ve washed it several times before, but this time when I checked on it, the washer had stopped and “15” (I think) was flashing. I tried to get it going again, to no avail. Then it showed ‘locked’ with a key, that would flash and then go off. The door WASN’T locked, though. I could open it. The washer had water, soap, and the comforter and I couldn’t get it to work. My husband found the circuit breaker for the utility room. We tried turning that off and back on again after waiting, hoping that would get the washer to reset. No change. The basket finally drained and we took the comforter out, putting it in a laundry basket, where it waits. I need to get it rinsed, somehow, and I’ll think about how best to do that.

I started trying to find someone to come look at it. Of COURSE our stuff breaks down during holiday week, when everyone is closed or can’t get someone here until much, much later. I have a text in now to another tech or may or may not call me back. ARRRRRGH!

Whendi’s Bears

Whendi’s Bears

Tatiana Barakova Wool Felted Animals

Tatiana Barakova

Love for a Wednesday 12-28-2022

Bright Side

Woodturner Eric Lofstrom

Woodturner Eric Lofstrom – fvwg.ca

Eric Lofstrom

Do That

I’m finally doing this more. I try to make sure that I have a bit of time for myself each day, where I ignore all the ‘shoulds’ and just do something that makes me smile – or at least, calm down – in that life is sometimes a challenge, isn’t it.

I have a mental list of what makes me smile – (in random order, as I think of them) –

• Playing in my art room – trying a new technique – playing with color and texture
• Listening to music
• Reading
• Being outside, working in the yard
• Watching a favorite movie
• Spending time with a good friend
• Shutting my eyes and dreaming
• Talking with our son
• Spending quality time with my husband
• Finding creative people on the Internet
• Writing my blog

My goal is to spend more and more time smiling. What makes YOUR soul happy?

You OK Today?

Healthline

____________

My altered exercise plan is doing well so far. One day I’m doing a warm-up video and another with weights in the morning and then yoga in the afternoon. The following day I’m doing minutes on my elliptical trainer in the garage and then yoga. I did the elliptical for the first time in a LONG time yesterday. I can’t find my MP3 player yet, so I had to do the minutes in silence, making it seem like a really long time. :0( I’ll scour the house for it today so that hopefully, I’ll have it for tomorrow.) My arms and legs are slightly sore, meaning that my sweet old body is noticing that I’m doing something different – a really good thing.

With the weather finally warming up to ‘regular winter’ in Arkansas, I MAY be able to lop or saw more weed trees across our back yard soon.

VectorKIF-Getty Images-iStockphoto

Since we don’t have any plans today, I’ll see what I can get accomplished on running the bulldozer through the house. So far, I’ve changed our sheets and started the laundry. Amber has shed at least a dog’s worth of hair in the past couple of days, so I’ll vacuum the tiled areas and see what I can do about scrubbing the kitchen some.

I hope you’re doing okay, too, and that you have a really nice Wednesday.

Rita Kirkman Pastels 2

Krissy

Lily

Lorikeet II

Mimzy

Smoky Bun

Rita Kirkman Pastels

Parallelograms

Sent to me by Carol Jansons

Open Up!

SayingImages.com

I Love the Sculpture of Anne-Laure Peres

Sculpture of Children by Anne-Laure Peres

It’s Tuesday 12-27-2022

Cute Animals Rule – Twitter

______

I hope you’re doing well – feeling sassy – today. The sun is shining (at least I THINK that’s what I’m seeing in the sky), it’s 17 degrees F. right now, but it’s supposed to warm up to 46 today and be even warmer tomorrow! We may be able to stop dripping water today to keep the pipes from freezing.

Walmart

_______

I’ve learned another thing since this cold snap – that we should get more proactive on storing bottled water than we have been. The water companies had problems, asking for conservation, cutting off service to some surrounding areas for a time in order not to run out – all I had been actively thinking about was not having our pipes freeze. I should have been thinking that if everyone drips water, there could be a resulting problem. We’ll buy some more today to put in the pantry.

Get Healthy U

________

Yesterday I did the warm-up – then the weights exercises videos online for the first time in a long time. I then did my usual yoga in the afternoon. (DAY 164). Today after lunch (due to errands this morning) I’ll do a session on the elliptical in the garage and then my yoga. I’m hoping that these additions will be a good variation in my efforts to get stronger and more flexible, plus alleviate pain.

I’m HOPING that our weather will warm up enough tomorrow that I can try to get more weed trees down across the back yard. I’m now armed with loppers and a reciprocating saw, so I should be able to make some noticeable progress. Here’s to warmer weather!

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Watercolor Collage – Colours by Sheri

“Bright of the Night”

“Hostas to the Sun”

“Plentiful”

“Plum Rain”

Watercolor Collage – Sheri Trepina – Watercolours by Sheri

Never Enough Anne-Laure Peres Sculpture

Anne-Laure Peres

Books to Give Yourself and Others

I’ve enjoyed three books lately that I will keep and read over and over. I wanted to share them with you so that you can give yourself a gift, plus – if you feel the way I do about them – you’ll buy and give to others –

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne with illustrations by E. H. Shepard, this is a deceptively simple book full of hand-written quiet wisdom and illustrations that grab your heart. Here is a sample –

“I’ve discovered something better than cake.”

“No you haven’t,” said the boy.

“I have,” replied the mole.

“What is it?”

“A hug. It lasts longer.”

This is a good one to keep by your reading chair, where you can pick it up any time your heart needs a lift.

_______________________-

US by Curtis Wiklund

Curtis Wiklund and his wife are professional photographers. His wife participated in a challenge to take one photo a day. While his wife did that, he decided to draw one sketch each day. His subject matter was his marriage – their everyday lives, challenges, and love. His illustrations are heartfelt and his love shines through like a beacon. Some will make you laugh, others will fill your heart, some might make you cry. All are special. Here is a sample –

A beautiful reminder of what sharing your life with someone can be. How strong a bond can be.

____________________________________

How to be HAPPY, dammit – a cynic’s guide to spiritual happiness by Karen Salmansohn

This is a very quick read, but one you find yourself thinking about and absorbing. 44 Life Lessons presented with sass and humor and wit. Ideas that will make you rethink some things you thought you knew, that you believed, that you might not have been aware you believed and lived by. I’ve read it once so far. I smirked. I laughed out loud. And I’ve thought about it since. I plan to read this one again and again so that I can really absorb the breezy wisdom here. I like the way Karen Salmansohn thinks. I’ll go see if she has written other books. Here is a sample –

“Life Lesson # 7 – You — and those you’ve befriended/worked with/slept with – each of you – just like plants – comes with your own unique feeding manual. You each have your own needs and speeds for growth. You must read each person’s instruction manual carefully – then proceed with caution!”

________________________

I hope you enjoy these. :0)

Thoughts At Christmas

By Common Consent

________________

“Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don’t quite know how to put our love into words.” – Harlan Miller

“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.” – Mary Ellen Chase

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.” ~Janice Maeditere

“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.” ~Larry Wilde

“I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.” ~Harlan Miller

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.” ~Andy Rooney

Skeleton Crews for the Holidays

9gag.com