Tuesday, May 26, 2009
5/25/09
I'm watching a Baltimore Oriole flashing his wings and chattering at the female Oriole. She's just interested in the grape jelly on the orange.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
5/23/09
Long, long day. We got the living room and half of a bedroom cleaned out. Stupid jerks who broke in to Mom's house just trashed it, threw things down on the floor, tore the door off the pump house. What is the sense in that?
I hope I NEVER get to the point of saving every receipt, every magazine bill or every magazine I get. One of my goals has been to simplify and de-clutter. I can see now I haven't pursued it nearly far enough! I'm afraid too much of Mom has rubbed off on me. I need to be more ruthless in getting rid of things.
So next weekend we're going to be doing the same thing. There is furniture that needs to gotten out of there. I'm afraid the next thing the vandals will think of is to torch the place.
I hope I NEVER get to the point of saving every receipt, every magazine bill or every magazine I get. One of my goals has been to simplify and de-clutter. I can see now I haven't pursued it nearly far enough! I'm afraid too much of Mom has rubbed off on me. I need to be more ruthless in getting rid of things.
So next weekend we're going to be doing the same thing. There is furniture that needs to gotten out of there. I'm afraid the next thing the vandals will think of is to torch the place.
5/23/09
Going down to the farm today to try to get some stuff out of Mom's house. My brother said someone broke into it again and really trashed it. Stupid, senseless people!
Friday, May 22, 2009
5/22/09
Spent the morning doing bills. What a waste of time!! I'd rather have been making beads or being outside. The Baltimore orioles are sucking up the grape jelly off the orange I put out, and they are so bright!
But I've got two more doctor bills paid completely off. Next month another one will be done with. Yippee!!!
But I've got two more doctor bills paid completely off. Next month another one will be done with. Yippee!!!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
5/18/09
Why do we need health care reform in this country?
Last month Lukas' seizure medication's price was $377.73, of which the insurance paid $302.18, and we paid $75.55. This month's price is $527.99, of which the insurance paid $422.39 and we paid $105.60. The drug company raised the price over $150!!!!
Last month Lukas' seizure medication's price was $377.73, of which the insurance paid $302.18, and we paid $75.55. This month's price is $527.99, of which the insurance paid $422.39 and we paid $105.60. The drug company raised the price over $150!!!!
Friday, May 15, 2009
5/15/09
And so the battle continues...
Background, in 1990 we bought 45 acres to build a house on. The bank wouldn't finance a house on more than 10 acres, so we went to the assessor's office and had 7+ acres partitioned off into a separate parcel for the house.
I received a letter from the assessor's office yesterday and called them this a.m. to find out what it meant. Seems that it's illegal to partition off a parcel for mortgage purposes. What the heck!?! This is the assessor's office, they're the ones who did it, and have been sending me tax statements for the two separate parcels for the last 20 years, and they didn't know it was illegal?!?
So what this is going to do to the refinancing, I'm not sure. At 9:00, I'll call the bank and find out (and hopefully I'll get an answer yet today).
Maybe people who bungee jump do it because they're so overwhelmed with everyday life.
Background, in 1990 we bought 45 acres to build a house on. The bank wouldn't finance a house on more than 10 acres, so we went to the assessor's office and had 7+ acres partitioned off into a separate parcel for the house.
I received a letter from the assessor's office yesterday and called them this a.m. to find out what it meant. Seems that it's illegal to partition off a parcel for mortgage purposes. What the heck!?! This is the assessor's office, they're the ones who did it, and have been sending me tax statements for the two separate parcels for the last 20 years, and they didn't know it was illegal?!?
So what this is going to do to the refinancing, I'm not sure. At 9:00, I'll call the bank and find out (and hopefully I'll get an answer yet today).
Maybe people who bungee jump do it because they're so overwhelmed with everyday life.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
5/12/09
Farewell to a dear companion
She was such a goofball, and loved to play:
And one of my favorite pictures, Lukas and Tynha:
I miss her.
She was such a goofball, and loved to play:
And one of my favorite pictures, Lukas and Tynha:
I miss her.
5/12/09
Made an appt. to have Tyhna put down. She can't get up at all now. I was hoping to have the vet make a farm call, but neither of them can until next week. So now we have to try to get her on a blanket and loaded into the back of the van. This is so horrible. There has just been too much pain. I am so tired of it all. And I thought last year was bad. This year has it beat hands down.
Monday, May 11, 2009
5/11/09
Did you know that you can give hydrogen pyroxide to a dog to make it throw up? Just saved a trip to the vet.
5/11/09
Will it never end?!!?
Now my tiller won't start, won't even turn over. I just used it last week!
After chores, I went to the garden to work. Had to come in because the cows were bawling and the horses whinneying so much. They're not used to seeing me down by the barn other than at chores time, so they equate seeing me with food. Well, they already got fed!! Sheesh, so much for the peace and quiet of the countryside!
I'm going to go make some beads. Maybe in a while they'll all go out into the pasture and I can sneak back into the garden.
Now my tiller won't start, won't even turn over. I just used it last week!
After chores, I went to the garden to work. Had to come in because the cows were bawling and the horses whinneying so much. They're not used to seeing me down by the barn other than at chores time, so they equate seeing me with food. Well, they already got fed!! Sheesh, so much for the peace and quiet of the countryside!
I'm going to go make some beads. Maybe in a while they'll all go out into the pasture and I can sneak back into the garden.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
5/10/09
This has truly been the year from hell.
Friday I started the kiln to anneal a batch of beads, a week and a half's worth of work. I forgot to put the kiln controller's temp probe in the kiln. I wanted to go see Star Trek, so I asked Christian to check on the kiln. I reminded him several times before I left. He checked once. If he had done as I asked, he would have noticed the temperature not moving, and hopefully would have had the sense to turn it off and call me.
When I got home, I asked him if he remembered to watch it, and he looked at it and said it was at 780°. Actually, it was at 78°. I told him to turn it off. Saturday morning when I opened it, it was black on the bottom. All of the beads had melted off the mandrels and onto the kiln floor. And then when I plugged it in, and the elements didn't heat up, I realized the elements had burned out.
I didn't quite cry, yet...
I looked online to find a replacement, and ended up deciding to go down to St. Paul to J. Rings to buy a replacement. I got Lukas up and dressed, since I seem to be the only one who can do that around here. He handed me his remote, and I set it down, and promptly forgot where I set it down. At that point, I really was ready to sit down and cry.
David found it on my computer desk. I don't even remember going in there!
So I met Elaine at J. Rings and bought a kiln with a built in controller so I could never again forget to put the temp probe in. $600 later...
So today, after Lukas and I got home from meeting, I had a quick lunch and went to lay down because I had another headache. Opened the bedroom door, and there's water everywhere. The washing machine was overflowing, and it flowed into my bedroom!!!!
An hour later, Christian and I had it all mopped up. We've done 2 loads since then, and it seems to be working properly. But you can bet the first $500 that I have floating around, I'm buying a new washing machine! As Christian said, it may be 5 or 10 years before that happens, but I sure hope not!
I would love to be so bored with life that I wanted to go bungee jumping.
Friday I started the kiln to anneal a batch of beads, a week and a half's worth of work. I forgot to put the kiln controller's temp probe in the kiln. I wanted to go see Star Trek, so I asked Christian to check on the kiln. I reminded him several times before I left. He checked once. If he had done as I asked, he would have noticed the temperature not moving, and hopefully would have had the sense to turn it off and call me.
When I got home, I asked him if he remembered to watch it, and he looked at it and said it was at 780°. Actually, it was at 78°. I told him to turn it off. Saturday morning when I opened it, it was black on the bottom. All of the beads had melted off the mandrels and onto the kiln floor. And then when I plugged it in, and the elements didn't heat up, I realized the elements had burned out.
I didn't quite cry, yet...
I looked online to find a replacement, and ended up deciding to go down to St. Paul to J. Rings to buy a replacement. I got Lukas up and dressed, since I seem to be the only one who can do that around here. He handed me his remote, and I set it down, and promptly forgot where I set it down. At that point, I really was ready to sit down and cry.
David found it on my computer desk. I don't even remember going in there!
So I met Elaine at J. Rings and bought a kiln with a built in controller so I could never again forget to put the temp probe in. $600 later...
So today, after Lukas and I got home from meeting, I had a quick lunch and went to lay down because I had another headache. Opened the bedroom door, and there's water everywhere. The washing machine was overflowing, and it flowed into my bedroom!!!!
An hour later, Christian and I had it all mopped up. We've done 2 loads since then, and it seems to be working properly. But you can bet the first $500 that I have floating around, I'm buying a new washing machine! As Christian said, it may be 5 or 10 years before that happens, but I sure hope not!
I would love to be so bored with life that I wanted to go bungee jumping.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
5/5/09
Got a new shipment of glass today, stocking up on some stuff, and a couple of different TAG glasses, not that I can get it to do much. I just can't get the colors to come out in the TAG glass. I don't know why I keep buying the stuff.
Here's a photo I took this afternoon:
That's Honey. She slept in the box all afternoon, until Christian came in and tickled her ears to tease her.
I've been trying to attract woodpeckers with suet blocks for years now, but haven't had much luck, until last fall when I was at Menards, I saw a suet feeder that was round and had 1" holes drilled to insert plugs of suet. I got to thinking and went home, cut a foot section of an old tree limb, took a spade drill bit and drilled holes through it and filled them with suet. Success! I've had downy or hairy woodpeckers (can't tell the difference) and nuthatches come to eat from it.
A beautiful day today, except for the wind. We do need rain though. It's getting quite dry.
Here's a photo I took this afternoon:
That's Honey. She slept in the box all afternoon, until Christian came in and tickled her ears to tease her.
I've been trying to attract woodpeckers with suet blocks for years now, but haven't had much luck, until last fall when I was at Menards, I saw a suet feeder that was round and had 1" holes drilled to insert plugs of suet. I got to thinking and went home, cut a foot section of an old tree limb, took a spade drill bit and drilled holes through it and filled them with suet. Success! I've had downy or hairy woodpeckers (can't tell the difference) and nuthatches come to eat from it.
A beautiful day today, except for the wind. We do need rain though. It's getting quite dry.
Monday, May 04, 2009
5/4/09
Ready for a laugh? I grabbed a bottle of cherry syrup to put some flavoring in my smoothie and set it down by my computer, right next to my bottle of hand lotion. Nice red, sticky syrup. Are you laughing yet?
Yup, I grabbed the syrup thinking it was the hand lotion. Red, red syrup on my desk (thankfully not on my keyboard!) and all over my hands. I have RED hands! Even after scrubbing with hot water and soap. Nice red hands.
Yup, I grabbed the syrup thinking it was the hand lotion. Red, red syrup on my desk (thankfully not on my keyboard!) and all over my hands. I have RED hands! Even after scrubbing with hot water and soap. Nice red hands.
5/4/09
I have a conundrum. When I first started bringing my beads to work to show, and then to sell, they started to refer to them as 'betsybeads.' So when I started selling them online, I decided to use that name, even though my website is Greyhaven Art. I had the idea of separating my beads from my drawing and painting. My banner at Etsy and ArtFire says betsybeads, and when I sell on ebay, it's under betsybeads.
When I opened my Etsy shop a couple of years ago, I opened it under the name betsymn, which is my signature in my email and on online forums. Now, the conundrum: last year someone opened a shop on Etsy under the name of betsybeads. She's not a lampworker, just a bead reseller. So what do I do? Some people suggested opening a new shop under the name Greyhaven Art. But I LIKE betsybeads. It's easy to remember and it just kind of flows off the tongue. And I've sold beads under the name for quite a few years.
Well, fortunately, ArtFire allows changing shop names, so now my ArtFire shop name is betsybeads.ArtFire.com. Now I'm going to go to Indiepublic and BeadArtists to see if I can change my name there too.
Should have been thinking ahead, huh?
A busy day today, 3 orders of beads packaged and shipped, made a few beads, took my nap, and this evening I made 26 newspaper pots and got all of my trees transplanted into them. I'll give them a couple of weeks to get established, and then start planting them out in the field.
Now I'm off to take photos and get more beads posted.
When I opened my Etsy shop a couple of years ago, I opened it under the name betsymn, which is my signature in my email and on online forums. Now, the conundrum: last year someone opened a shop on Etsy under the name of betsybeads. She's not a lampworker, just a bead reseller. So what do I do? Some people suggested opening a new shop under the name Greyhaven Art. But I LIKE betsybeads. It's easy to remember and it just kind of flows off the tongue. And I've sold beads under the name for quite a few years.
Well, fortunately, ArtFire allows changing shop names, so now my ArtFire shop name is betsybeads.ArtFire.com. Now I'm going to go to Indiepublic and BeadArtists to see if I can change my name there too.
Should have been thinking ahead, huh?
A busy day today, 3 orders of beads packaged and shipped, made a few beads, took my nap, and this evening I made 26 newspaper pots and got all of my trees transplanted into them. I'll give them a couple of weeks to get established, and then start planting them out in the field.
Now I'm off to take photos and get more beads posted.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
5/3/09
I had a very nice day today. Lukas and I went to meeting and enjoyed an encouraging talk. Then I dropped him off at home and I went to pick up my sister and we went to the Green Expo at the state fairgrounds. I wasn't too impressed with the exhibits. The few alternative energy exhibits were contractors looking to sell whole systems installed. Target and Walmart were passing out grocery bags made of recycled plastic. I told the Walmart man they would be better off passing out the cloth bags that I bought at the Walmart in Florida, instead of using plastic. The plastic bags aren't as durable as the cloth ones. I got one from Target a couple of months ago, and it ripped open after the 2nd time using it. So where's the advantage of using one of those? It's plastic and it's flimsy!
I did find out that I can use electrical wiring from Home Depot or Menards (as long as it's rated for outside use) to wire my solar panel to the charge controller. So the next time I get down to Elk River, I'll stop in and pick some up and get my system wired and up and running, instead of sitting in the basement doing nothing.
The best part was going through the landscaping section at the expo. I don't even remember the exhibit's name, but they were selling trees 12 for $10. I bought 2 dozen birch, red cedar, norway pine and white pine. Tomorrow I'll get them planted in some newspaper pots and put them in the greenhouse to harden off. Oh, and my upside-down tomato has a baby tomato on it!
After dropping Elaine off, I went to Menards and bought a couple of fruit trees. They have them on sale for $20. I bought a Rainier cherry tree and a pear tree. Yummy! I do hope the Rainier cherries are better than Montgomery cherries, which is the cherry tree I bought last year. They were quite sour.
My cherry bushes are starting to blossom. If you want a good tasting sweet sour cherry, get Nankin cherry bushes. They are delicious!
This is truly the best time of the year. The bugs haven't really started yet, so I can work outside without being swarmed. Ah, yes, spring time... I live for the month of May.
I did find out that I can use electrical wiring from Home Depot or Menards (as long as it's rated for outside use) to wire my solar panel to the charge controller. So the next time I get down to Elk River, I'll stop in and pick some up and get my system wired and up and running, instead of sitting in the basement doing nothing.
The best part was going through the landscaping section at the expo. I don't even remember the exhibit's name, but they were selling trees 12 for $10. I bought 2 dozen birch, red cedar, norway pine and white pine. Tomorrow I'll get them planted in some newspaper pots and put them in the greenhouse to harden off. Oh, and my upside-down tomato has a baby tomato on it!
After dropping Elaine off, I went to Menards and bought a couple of fruit trees. They have them on sale for $20. I bought a Rainier cherry tree and a pear tree. Yummy! I do hope the Rainier cherries are better than Montgomery cherries, which is the cherry tree I bought last year. They were quite sour.
My cherry bushes are starting to blossom. If you want a good tasting sweet sour cherry, get Nankin cherry bushes. They are delicious!
This is truly the best time of the year. The bugs haven't really started yet, so I can work outside without being swarmed. Ah, yes, spring time... I live for the month of May.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
4/21/09
Brrrrr! There's a cold NW wind blowing, and even though it's sunny, it's COLD out there (and in here). Warmer days coming, it's going to be close to 80° by Thursday. I don't like the heat either, but right now I welcome it!
Cindy and Jill stopped off yesterday to check in on Lukas. They're willing to take care of Lukas if he has a seizure at the Kingdom Hall and I'm not there (I'm just a wimp about driving after dark, so I don't get to Thursday night meetings much). And they've lined up several other people who can give him Diastat to stop a seizure, which is not the most pleasant thing to do, since it has to be given rectally. What wonderful, supportive friends we have!
My beads have been just ripping off the shelf the last couple of days, and I love it!!! It's a nice feeling to have people willing to pay you for something that you enjoy making.
Here's some more Aurae beads:
Cindy and Jill stopped off yesterday to check in on Lukas. They're willing to take care of Lukas if he has a seizure at the Kingdom Hall and I'm not there (I'm just a wimp about driving after dark, so I don't get to Thursday night meetings much). And they've lined up several other people who can give him Diastat to stop a seizure, which is not the most pleasant thing to do, since it has to be given rectally. What wonderful, supportive friends we have!
My beads have been just ripping off the shelf the last couple of days, and I love it!!! It's a nice feeling to have people willing to pay you for something that you enjoy making.
Here's some more Aurae beads:
Sunday, April 19, 2009
4/19/09
Lukas had another seizure this morning, not even 2 weeks since the last one. The good thing about it was that it was just a break though seizure, he didn't go into full convulsions. He was able to talk throughout the whole thing, so I didn't give him Diastat to stop it. Hopefully this is a sign that the increased meds are starting to build up in his body and will work to prevent any more seizures for a while.
I was really looking forward to going to meeting this morning. He had called Jim and Cindy to tell them that we were bring Scottie, my 8 yr. old grand nephew, along with. Lukas had really been thinking ahead. Last night he said we needed to explain to Scottie that he wouldn't be able to get up and wander around during the meeting, and we needed to bring an extra magazine along with for him, and an extra song book, and something to draw on in case he got bored. Very disappointing.
Scott and Garin came up yesterday to work on my deck greenhouse. They're going to come back today to finish it up (yippee!!!). I was really surprised last night when they were ready to leave, that Scottie wanted to stay overnight. He is such a cute little boy, I just love the dickens out of him. So he got to sleep on the air mattress in the living room, and all night Pip was up and down on my bed because she wanted to go visit him. You could say they grew up together, because it was on our first trip out west in the RV that we got Pip, as a little puppy at a rest stop in Montana.
Since I'm stuck at home, I'm going to go make some more Aurae beads. I listed a set on Etsy last night and it was snapped up. So here's another one on ArtFire:
I was really looking forward to going to meeting this morning. He had called Jim and Cindy to tell them that we were bring Scottie, my 8 yr. old grand nephew, along with. Lukas had really been thinking ahead. Last night he said we needed to explain to Scottie that he wouldn't be able to get up and wander around during the meeting, and we needed to bring an extra magazine along with for him, and an extra song book, and something to draw on in case he got bored. Very disappointing.
Scott and Garin came up yesterday to work on my deck greenhouse. They're going to come back today to finish it up (yippee!!!). I was really surprised last night when they were ready to leave, that Scottie wanted to stay overnight. He is such a cute little boy, I just love the dickens out of him. So he got to sleep on the air mattress in the living room, and all night Pip was up and down on my bed because she wanted to go visit him. You could say they grew up together, because it was on our first trip out west in the RV that we got Pip, as a little puppy at a rest stop in Montana.
Since I'm stuck at home, I'm going to go make some more Aurae beads. I listed a set on Etsy last night and it was snapped up. So here's another one on ArtFire:
Thursday, April 16, 2009
4/16/09
I do believe it's about time I went back on the happy pills. It seems all of my energy is coming out in tears. Jim and Cindy are out of town, and the couple they asked to take Lukas to the Kingdom Hall for tonight's meeting didn't know about his seizures. When I called them to ask if they knew, and told them if they didn't want to take him, it was OK. They declined, and to be honest, I don't blame them one bit. Even after 22 years of it, the seizures still scare me. And the neurologist's office called today, and he wants to get another blood level on Lukas. When I explained that they had to puncture him 4 times last time to get any blood, she said she'd talk to the doctor.
Just a struggle to do anything today. My big accomplishment, washed some rugs and finished putting a gate on the horse stand for Amber. She's broken 2 halters while trying to trim her hooves, and this is a last resort. And now, being I can't find any inspiration to do beads, I'm scanning negatives to put on my website.
Just a struggle to do anything today. My big accomplishment, washed some rugs and finished putting a gate on the horse stand for Amber. She's broken 2 halters while trying to trim her hooves, and this is a last resort. And now, being I can't find any inspiration to do beads, I'm scanning negatives to put on my website.
Monday, April 13, 2009
4/13/09
I have GOT to start writing down what colors I use when I experiment with glass. I've got a strand that I really like, but can't remember which glass I used!
Here's a couple using Double Helix glass. I really like the way the silvered ivory webbing underneath shows through.
And here's one using Raku,
A very nice day today. Made some beads, took a nap, planted potatoes and pulled some quack grass. It's almost barefoot time, my favorite time of the year!
Here's a couple using Double Helix glass. I really like the way the silvered ivory webbing underneath shows through.
And here's one using Raku,
A very nice day today. Made some beads, took a nap, planted potatoes and pulled some quack grass. It's almost barefoot time, my favorite time of the year!
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