Working Hard & Hardly Working

I'm all moved in to my new house, after a few weeks of cleaning, and moving little bits at a time. I had a huge storage space I cleaned out. (Yeah! no more rent to pay and no longer having to make frequent visits to see my stuff) I moved several times last year, and the life I used to think I would love- transient, REALLY got old fast! It's funny how you forget all the crud you think is so absolutely essential to living. When you are forced to live with less, it's easy! You find other things to take up your time, rather than dusting and re-organizing and looking for a place for some silly chatzki that you really do not need.

Of course now that I've got my chatzki's back...Ha!..eating my words now!
As I watched all my stuff come pouring back into my life I was remembering my 'salad days'! Well, I'm barely out of them, except for now I own a car and a house, but I still eat salads and bring my own lunch. Saving $$ is always in style, and healthier for you and your bank account. I still love to live lean and stay close to the Earth.

I miss walking miles to get around campus or tossing my dirty clothes in a huge backpack and hiking to the laundry mat. I survived, and was in better shape.
Plus it was a gas to walk around town with people staring at me like I was a nut!
If they only knew! I also used to back-comb my long hair up into a bouffant and run
around for a few days like that, so my art friend Garret could take pictures of me
for his 50's/60's photo-shoots. What a laugh it was to see people pointing like they
thought it was for real! That's the fun in life: being able to have a good time
without hurting anyone, and gently poking fun at yourself while doing so.
I miss those silly college days. At least I still have long hair!

Well coffee break is over so I'm off to unpack more.
"The dude(ess) abides!"

Betsy

A New Home

I got my house! Closed on it at last Friday at the eleventh hour, after a long back and forth, inspections, repairs, estimates, a few more repairs waiting to get done.

The house is in good shape for being so old and has been restored pretty well.
I will enjoy learning about it's history if I can.

I spent the weekend checking out every corner & closet, cleaning, watching half the
yard fill up with rainwater from a clogged sewer drain somewhere near my house.
My crawl space filling up with water...not a good feeling the day after signing your
bank account away! But I have nothing to complain about compared to the people in
the Southern part of the state, most of whom have lost their house and stuff or had
massive flooding. Keep good thoughts for them as they pick up the mess and put lives back together. I am hoping for dry weather so I can get the grass cut and clean the
rest of the gutters out. There was a mini maple-tree farm growing up there.

I'll need to get my 10ft table soon and start setting up my new studio!
Can't wait- I even have great space for a design wall.

Today after a fierce morning storm I saw a beautiful rainbow.

Stay dry kiddies!

Memorial Day

A quiet day with friends and loved ones, and good eats. My sister made this fantastic colorful fruit pizza- had to get a photo before digging in to it. Corn and veggie burgers both on the grill, double chocolate brownies, chips and salsa, fresh veggies.

In addition to remembering special people in our lives, my sister and I each had something to celebrate, and we both have new chapters to begin and paths to explore!
New freedom for us both, in different ways, but equally important in their
own rights.

For me the dreaded negotiating has ended! The house is mine, pending the closing.
How I hate game playing, but I was stubborn and got a decent price for the house.
I am ready to get going and set up my studio!!!!! The huge table awaits.....

Our Boy, Ozwald

Today our world is smaller, and much less happy! Our dear boy Ozzie had been fighting off an auto-immune disease for a few months and was not responding to the meds as well as we'd hoped he would. It came upon him suddenly a few weeks ago- he was in pain when he opened his mouth, didn't want to eat, yawn. The vet diagnosed it as Masticatory Myositis, after elimanating other things. Ozzie was such a trooper, one of his medicines made him have to urinate frequently. That resulted in him needing to wear a diaper when he was inside. Poor guy- he never lost his wonderful happy spirit, not matter how bad he felt! To know him was to love him. His feet were always sliding around the floor so I once knick-named him "Agador Sparticus" after Hank Azaria's character in The Birdcage.

The other med he was taking caused his immune system to weaken- he had a high fever, lost muscle, stopped eating again. The options were limited, and we knew he was in pain again and not enjoying life. It is the hardest decision in the world- to let a pet go, even when you know it's better for them. We humans are the weaker in that sense. Our emotions won't let go, we feel guilt, and are selfish because they bring us so much joy! But what is best for our faithful friends? They would probably ask to be let go, even knowing we will miss them so terribly. Ozzie had a great life when my sister rescued him and saved him from heartworm, but this was just his body turning against itself.

I'm so glad that at least we were with him and it was peaceful and quick. We will never forget his sweet spirit and how he brought such joy to our lives. He was a blessing during some dark days in the past, and helped ease our heartache immensely.
We loved our Ozzie! He's gone over the Rainbow Bridge now, send him some good thoughts!

Give your pets a hug, take them for a walk, and enjoy the time you have left with them!!

Here's a big "woof" to you my sweet boy Ozzie!
Love, your aunt Betsy

Home Sweet Home!

Yippee! One step closer to the house being a done-deal!

The seller & buyer have come to an agreement!! Now on to the minutiea that must be done- inspection, loan-getting,....etc, etc, etc. (yes, an old joke line from 'THE KING & I')

Pending all that stuff- the 'old gal' is MINE! If I knew how to do the HAPPY DANCE, I'd be doing it right now! I can't wait to sit and stare out the stained glass windows....

Miss Samantha will have many new floors to lay on and snooze. Her new friend Panther the cat will be joining her soon- lots of places for a kitty to explore and hide.
Cousin Ozwald will come over to visit frequently too, since he'll be just down the road now. That's Sammy in the left-hand photo above, Ozzie on the right.

Election Primary in Indiana today. I voted early a few weeks ago. There may be light at the end of this long dark tunnel soon I hope.
My friend Jane Burgess won the seat for the school board council in Zionsville!
Way to go Jane!!!!!!!! You will be great!

Visualize 'whirled-peas' kiddies

Betsy

House-hunting

My quest continues to find a house! I think I've found it. I put an offer down today- now starts the negotiation stuff. With some luck I'll be the proud owner of a 100 year old, updated, money pit! It's a beauty- stained glass windows, hardwood floors & gorgeous woodwork. Cross your fingers or toes, but not both!

It's not so much the house, as I need a place to store this GIANT antique table I bought last summer... 10' x 5', and it weighs 200 + lbs. I'd guess! An old dry-goods table- it will make a great studio addition. It's the kind of table that needs to stay on the ground floor, since no one should be stupid enough to try and move it UP! So I'm buying a house based on functionality for a table!
Ha! My logic sounds as stupid as the people who picked their president based on whether they could sit down & drink a beer with him. Wow! That's intelligent thinking!
I saw a great bumper-sticker recently-"Why is our children not learning?" (the Shrub's face was next to the sentence)

But I digress....

I finally got my copy of Joan Lintault's new book about her wonderful art quilts and her thought process of working. Joan was the professor who got me in to art quilts in graduate school. What a fantastic person and teacher she was/is. I am eternally grateful to her for sharing her knowledge, skills, and heart while I studied with her at SIU, in Carbondale,IL. I always think about her words of wisdom and support when I get down in the dumps about art, and the sad state of our world.
Her book- M. Joan Lintault, Connecting Quilts, Art, & Textiles. Buy it!

Well Peeps- that's the latest exciting edition to my most unexciting life!
Be kind to all your fellow creatures, and smile at your enemies. It drives them nuts!

Going out to sniff some flowers now.........
Betsy

House hunting & Art

A long way back back from Artus-interuptus!

I sold some art a few days ago, and that combined with my tax refund, might enable me to buy
the most minuscule house around, but at least it would be MINE!
In my neighbor hood that's $100 per sq. inch!
Film at eleven.
Eat some carrot cake this week!

Peaceful thoughts