The year is almost over and a new year is about to start and life goes on.

​I had a quiet birthday which is what I wanted and now I am on semester break, from school. I have many things planned with all my free time and yet I have, at the moment, no desire to to any of them. I am enjoying just sleeping in, staying in my jammies, and watching lots of show on TV and playing with my new toy - a 3D printer.  

BUT I know I will soon tire of sitting on my butt and will eventually address that TO-DO list.

See you next year.

Yes, today I my birthday.
A few days ago it was our anniversary
And a few days before that it would have been the Shop Elf's birthday.
Between it all was Thanksgiving too

Now a-days, November is a difficult time for me.
It is getting easier but I doubt it will ever be normal again.

I stayed home for Thanksgiving and watched some movies and made myself a nice steak dinner with a baked sweet potato, brussel sprouts, and wine. I also spoke to my cousin and Elisa of Scotland; it was a guiet day.

Last weekend I found that I was getting dizzy with spinning when I stood up or laid down and when I bent over to tie my shoes... Not just a small dizzy but to the point I fell over twice and had to stay on the bed or floor for a good amount of time before the spinning would stop. I questioned if I was experiencing vertigo! It continued into the beginning of the week too. Luckily my classes on Monday/Wed don't start until 2pm so I had time to make sure I was OK before I drove to campus - very slowly. 

I researched my symptoms and looked into my antidepressant side effects as a possible cause due to the reaction I had to my (ex) heart medication 2 years ago. Sure enough, it can result in Orthostatic Hypotension: Low blood pressure, especially when moving from a sitting or lying position to a standing one. This can lead to feelings of lightheadedness, faintness, and dizziness. So I called the doctor and went in for a quick appointment and he said that combined with my weight loss (43 pounds so far and just 2 more to go) and being a bit dehydrated resulted in a perfect storm!  I was to move slowly and drink LOTS of water and even salty foods and no sudden moves up/down until everything was under control. WHEW!

And why was I dehydrated.... I normally drink upwards of 2+ liters of water a day, one while at school and another and more when I get home in the evening. When I am not in school, I carry a liter bottle with me where ever I go - running errands or around the house. I can't drink or eat anything while in the metals studio at school and so by the time I get home from classes I have only drunk half the bottle and so I finish that before I go to bed. This means that over the course of the semester I have been slowly dehydrating myself because I was not drinking that missed water the other days. 

This happening was on top of TWO big projects, one for each class, at school which of course stressed me out even more and I was not having fun working on one of them. As I said before I am taking these classes to learn and have a fun enjoyable time! The project for metals was the one I was not enjoying and I understood the project process was so the youngins would learn but it's not how I roll; added to the fact I was not thrilled with the topic idea we were supposed to use as a starting idea. Wednesday, while still not feeling well, things took a U-turn on what I was making and I was ready to not only get a big-fat zero on turning in a finished item but actually NOT going back to class for the rest of the semester.   Well, after a good night's sleep I felt better and came up with an alternate idea I knew I could finish by the due date on Monday; I emailed the teach and got approval.   The other decision I made was to take only a single class next semester - Intermediate Metals to give me more time for big projects and to allow me more time to play in my studio.

​Yes, this picture represents the original project gone bad.​

Less than a week to go and then it will be October. 
I have settled into a new routine. On Mondays and Wednesdays, when I have classes, I get to campus around noon and I can usually find a parking spot in the main commuter lot. Then I walk, IF it's not too hot, across campus and get to the art building. Once there I settle into the computer lab and do some work for the Digital Fab class at 5 pm. Around 1:30 I go the Metals classroom and get settled there for my 2 pm class. Having packed "dinner" I eat something as DigiFab gets started. When class let's out around 7:45 pm, I then walk back to my car (gotta get those sets in) and drive home. Once home, as it is now 9-ish, I make a cuppa tea and have it with a protein bar and watch a bit of TV, to unwind. Then it's to bed by 10 pm.

Over the past few weekends I have been making some simple earrings, bracelets, key fobs, and trays, in the hydraulic press to sell through the Metals Guild at school. The guild will have a booth at the Art Squared show(s) at the courthouse in San Marcos once a month.

The semester, so far, has been going well. I am glad I am only taking 2 classes because at times each has a project due at the same time so I am spending my weekends in my studio either doing metals or working on the computer. With just two classes, I have more free time to attend to chores and less stress. 

This weekend I am attending to the 30,000 mile maintenance on The Warrens (the car), having dinner with friends, laundry, and grocery shopping and maybe some knitting while watching a move tomorrow night.

The calendar year is now half over; we now begin the slide into the second half.
The drought in Texas continues and despite getting some rain we are, here in Canyon Lake, over 5" behind the YTD average on top of being far behind what we would have gotten over the past few years. The lake is still very very low - it's only 46% full and the last time it was at this level was in the 1960's. Those in the know say it will take a few years of average rain to get it full unless we have a MASSIVE rain storm and then it could fill within a few months.  

I have FINALLY finished cleaning the house and I am currently working on the purging of stuff, again room by room. No, I am not spending all day doing it, which, would get it done in about 2 weeks. I a do some purging and then record what is being donated to Goodwill or Habitat or even friends. When that's done I go play in the studio and watch movies or other TV in the evening. I do hope to finish this before school starts at the end of August but if, that's OK because I would assume there wouldn't be much left to do. 

Last week I purged vacation pictures by tossing general scenery pictures; if it did not have either or both of us it was tossed. I decided to do this because my sister and I spend daaayyyysss going through thousands (at least) of slides when my parents passed and I figured I would say my heirs from doing this.  I am also starting to purge art stuff. I had to buy supplies for classes and some I won't use again or never used at all. There are crafts I tried and don't do anymore so those supplies are being purged as well. I also have craft books I have collected over the years that I no longer use or do or need. All of this will be taken to an Art/Craft Re-Sale store in Austin where I can get a donation letter and even shop, at a discount, for other things I do not need.  Along the way I am putting larger items for sale on eBay. The small 8 shaft folding table loom, warp yarn, even fancy serving dishes I don't use.  
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I think you get the picture. Here's a picture from a HOADER's house - IT isn't mine.

Well, I do know - it was school which completely took over my life as I was working on big homework/projects. As a result I not only neglected writing on this blog, the house chores were not attended to and so now I get to spend time cleaning, doing laundry, and getting the place back into a good clean condition.

In review, the semester was very stressful and having assessed the situation I think, for me, taking 3 art classes while trying to take care of a house, a cat, and all the other adult things in life is a bit to much for me. I am scaling back to 1 or 2 classes per semester and this will allow me to enjoy things more and not stress.

As for my grades - I am certainly getting A's in Core 2 and Studio 2, and in Beginning Drawing it could be an A or a B... so I wait.

My plans for the summer are to clean and even purge more stuff. There is still stuff I never gave away last year and having not used lots more things over the past year I feel it's time to pass it on.  There is a second reason for all of this too. I would like to move into New Braunfels. There's several reasons - the first is that the house is now just too big, there are several rooms that aren't being used; secondly being in NB would cut my commute distance to school in half; third I would then be closer to my friends; and lastly the new house would be a single story which is important as we get older and live alone... and being in NB puts me closer to a local hospital IF something would require the use of one. 

I also plan on sewing 2 quilts, one for Elisa of Scotland as she's not been gifted on in over 10+ years. The second quilt will be for my niece's son who turns 1 year old soon. 

Finally I will be doing stuff in my studio - some metal work, possibly some more drawing and coloring.

Here's the last thing I drew and colored for my beginning drawing class - an Amonite​

I have thought long and hard <grrrr> about this new year.
The 2nd Yahrzeit (anniversary) of Erich's passing was last weekend; I this point it's a given that he's not coming back (yes, that's a joke). Boots is pushing 19 years old and at night I wake up and touch her just to make sure she's still breathing; I don't know how much longer she has left but let's hope it's until 2026.

School's going good and even though it's just the first week I am enjoying the classes and the teachers.  Last year I took the bus from the parking lot to the LBJ Student center and then walked to the Art building for my morning classes. My afternoon class was on the quad so I would walk there and usually have lunch in one of the dining areas and after class then walk back to the car. On average, per my Fitbit, I was walking 2700 steps, 1+ miles, and 7 flights of stairs.  I plan to walk both ways this year unless I am carrying too much stuff, it is brutally hot and/or humid or freezing or raining. I did this Monday and I walked 3+ miles, 24 floors, and 8+ thousand steps.  I am also NOT going to each lunches in the dining areas... I am packing a sandwich, fruit, veg, snack, and water. I might each lunch or dinner either in a dining hall or nearby restaurant if I forget or stay late on campus. I am also planning on going to the Rec Center on Friday mornings to get in a weight workout; I shall get my walking in as mentioned in the prior sentences. My GOAL is to drop another 10+ pounds, at least. I lost 20 pounds last year.

The rental property is having work done on it. The floor in one room needs fixing, the inside and out needs to be painted, and the entire yard needs work too. Then it will go up for sale. The sale will then fund the purchase of a new, to me, home in New Braunfels. It's after I move in the the new home that I will do some fixes on this home and then sell it. I am in no rush and I have a list of requirements such as a good space for my studio; this could be a home with a workshop, a 3-car garage or a game/media room that would hold the tools and equipment. Another requirement is to NOT be in a flood zone. Realtor.com and Homes.com display the flood risk to I want a 1 of 10 but a 2 or 3 would be acceptable too.

Last year my sleeping was OK but below my goal of 8 hours per night, it was 7.75 hours. During the winter break it was less than that. I have set an alarm on my phone for bed-time with an hour earlier notification to take my meds, fill Boots's bowl with food, freshen her water, push shit in messenger bag for the next day if needed, etc. 

Lastly I am organizing my Things-I-Want-Make list - some things are make a baby spoon, make a new quilt for Eliza of Scotland, master making/soldering pin back, more drawing/coloring/painting, and make stuff to sell through the metals guild on campus to just make and get some pocket *mad* money. 

I started to plan this trip back in April or May when I decided to attend my 50th High School reunion. 
Day 1 - Drive to Memphis, Tennessee
Day 2 - Drive to Roanoke, Virginia
Day 3 - Drive into Pennsylvania and scatter some of Erich ashes on his father's grave site; continue into NJ. Have dinner with Liza Nechamkin.
Day 4 - Drive to Tom's (H.S. friend) in N.J and hang with him and his wife.
Day 5 - Drive to Long Island and go to the informal get together in town and talk to friends who were not going to the dinner
Day 6 - Pick up Pam (another H.S friend). Visit our old houses, visit with another friend I have knowns since 3rd grade and her mother, scatter some ashes on the beach. Attend reunion dinner and see lots of people I never knew in H.S along with many I did.
Day 7 - Drive to my parents gravesite and scatter more ashes and then take Tom back to NJ and head to D.C
Day 8 - Hang with my sister and go the the Cryptologic Museum at the NSA and a quilt exhibit
Day 9 - Hang with my sister and go to the FBI Experience at the FBI headquarters and another exhibit at Smithsonian which were fiber arts and quilts
Day 10 - Drive from Washington D.C to Williamsburg, Virginia
Day 11 - Hang with my brother-in-law John and take a side trip to Colonial Williamsburg
Day 12 - Drive from Williamsburg, Virginia to southern North Carolina
Day 13 - Hang with my cousin Amy, her husband Andy, their daughter Jen, and her son Conner.
Day 14 - Drive from southern North Carolina to Memphis, Tennessee 
Day 15 - Drive from Memphis to HOME!!
Day 16 - PICKUP BOOTs
Some pictures are out of order; I think you can deal with it

I missed writing in June, sorry about that. 
Here's a recap of the month - 

• The grief hit me really hard last month and so I spent a lot of time just sitting, missing Erich and crying.
• Other times I spent on the cleaning/purging/reorganization of Erich workshop which is now done. 
• I went to the Tobin Center to see a lecture by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, my second time, and treated myself to a nice dinner beforehand. I paid extra to attend the after Q&A session; there were some very good questions and of course answers too.
• I took the quilt I made in May to the quilter and got it back; it's now on the couch to snuggle under while watching TV. Then I made another quilt which is now at the quilter. I have been collecting Asian themed fabric for 20 years and I thought that since I need a new quilt for my bed why not use ALL the fabrics. I went with a scrappy pattern called Turning 20 which uses 20 fat quarters but I had not only fat quarters but YARDS so I used fabric from all of it and ended up with a King sized quilt.  See the pictures below 

Now I cleaning my studio which has been sitting idle since the start of the pandemic. It's important this get done NOW - see the news below.  Before and after pictures will be posted when it's done. 

Now for the big news. 
I am now in the Class of 2028 at Texas State University - San Marcos.
I am going back to school to get a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio Art with an emphasis in Metals.

I investigated this when we moved here, for when I retired, but of course some much has happened over the past year it just got delayed. I started to pursue it at the beginning of the year -I I filled out the application, I wrote 2 of the 3 optional essays, and then had my H.S., B.S., and M.S. transcripts sent in. Then there was a delay because the M.S. transcript never arrived and I had to have it sent again with verification of receipt.  Three weeks later I received the email that I had been accepted (now you can understand why I am getting the studio in order).

I will be a 3/4 part-time student with 3 classes in the Fall/Spring semesters and 2 classes in the Summer so I can still finish in 4 years but have more free time to take care of me, my hobbies, and the house.  

​I start classes at the end of August. 

Well February was a crappy month, how about we start again in March!!
After my accident in January I went to see the ENT and I finally had my nose fixed. 
Besides having issue with breathing before the surgery, I could not breathe for another week afterwards due to the splints shoved up my nose, so things could heal in the correct position. After they were taken out I could kinda breathe due to crusty clots in my nostrils. That is now resolving itself.

Yesterday I went for my first walk, no a hike, in over a month around the community. It was only 2 miles but with the sun shining, birds singing, and deer lounging in the woods it was a very enjoyable outing. 

Here is a deer doing said lounging by the house. They were there when I left and came back.