File pictures

File pictures
Fluffy

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Museum tour


we went to the Holocaust museum here In El Paso. I will write some blog entries on it after I settle in DFW. all the books,stories I heard, films etc all gelled after this trip here.
This is a dining room of what a normal Jewish family house may had looked like on a Sabbath day. There is pic of a survivors mom here who died in a camp.

Friday, May 20, 2011

OPERATION:Get me out of the heat

COUNTDOWN,6 days til our drive to DFW. It's an 11 hour drive.We're breaking it up into 2 days. We're spending the nite in Big Springs,about 1/2 way. I'm supposed to get out to walk @ 2hours prevent blood clots,
This is a MAJOR trip for me since i haven't done this w/ carrying my 0-2 this distance.We have never spent the nite away from the house.
This trip has had 3 mo's of preps for this move. I'm spending the summer @ my son's house to go into his central a/c.MY asthma & heart can't handle another El Paso summer.Our house gets baked w/ the heat in the a/noon so bad I have to camp out in my b/rm. I end up in there from 4pm to 2am. I can't handle another summer cooped up in my tiny room trying to breathe from my window a/c unit.
Gas is sky high that prevent us making monthly trips into the mtns to cool off. Those trips have saved my sanity by getting outdoors.Eating our picnic meals means more to me than a 5-course dinner in an expensive restaurant
Sat. is our dry run day to see what fits into our car.I have to take my 0-2 making machine,3 cylinders of 0-2 for to use in the car & my backpack 0-2 when out walking to go into the backseat. We ordered a roof bag,which supposed to hold as much as a truck. My w/c has to go into the truck fkat 1st,
We looked @ prices for pods,trailers & a small truck. I wanted to take my lift recliner w/ me since I can't get out of regular chairs. I was going to take a dresser since they didn't have one. It would cost from $900 to $1100!!!!
I found a new lift recliner for $600+ NEW!!! It's supposed to be delivered to F's house soon.
I'm also in the process of getting an Hoveround chair. It's a power chair that will replace my w/c. I got to ride on 1 Wed nite. I love it!! It really can turn in tight circles. I even did that in my tiny bdrm. Now I'm waiting on p/work @HA. F has carpet in his liv. rm.W/a power chair it will give me some of my Independence back I have lost w/ my PP muscle weakness etc.
Allen has to figure out how to get a boxful of journals,craft supplies,clothes, med's &some GF food in the car also.
I already have A VT assigned to me. It will be my pen pal Rebecca ,F's neighbor.she's been h/bound w/ her feet since Jan. she's an expert on family history, another scrap booker & card maker. This will give me a buddy,some needed company.
Allen will return back here. He has resumes out to find a job that pays better.
I have most of my craft rm packed up. Allen asked me to that.
I have all my 3 mo's of Dr's visits done. My cleaning @ the dentist was done this week. I go to the DC to get my bak adjusted today. New eye plugs for dry eye go in Tue. I have 3 dr's records. 2 of my dr's lost my signed medical release,I have to resign them.GRRR,these were my heart & lung reports which are crucial.
All of my med's for 3mo's have new scripts & in process of refilling some to take w/ me.
Next I have sew new velcro on my knee sleeve. If I have time put elastic onto 3 skirts to wear. My Thai friend gave me these as dress ,too small. I was able to take out the fabric. There is enough fabric to make new skirts for me. I had to throw away some of my clothes that were worn out.

68 S/BOOK PAGES DONE IN 3 WEEKS!!!!

I got all of my pic's out of the photo book from my mission onto L/O's now. I started Easter w/end when DH was in Conn.I finished last week. I have them all matted & placed on PP. I will do more titles & tags this summer.
The big key was organizing my paper scraps in Jan. into sizes & color families. I was able to walk to scraps to mat most of my pic's w/o having to cut the mats out. Other mats were easy cut from scraps that were a little bigger. I saved a lot of money here since I didn't use new sheets of c/stock.
I chose what type of PP to use thru the book. This saved a lot of decisions & agonizing over L/O's.STICK TO THIS!!! It will help on speeding up the process.
I only used seasonal paper for holidays etc. I used floral PP for Butchart Garden tour in Canada.
I made some of my own PP using some of my stamps in my stash.This stopped me from trying to hunt the theme PP in a store or online.
I used a tip from Splitcoasters to mix different types of lettering on a title. It gave me a way to use my lettering in my stash. I also got some cool effects doing this.I also got out my stencils to make letters I didn't have. I filled in the outlines w/ Glaze pen,Stickles ,glitter or embossing powder.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I PULLED THIS OFF!!! I started this project 3 years ago. It got shove away for a year on a shelf.Vol I is done & packed to give to my son for a late gift.10 years ago I would had laughed @ s/one if they told me I would do s/thing like this. "Old dogs can learn new tricks",3 cheers for me.!!!!
Resources on the web have been my teacher since I'm housebound .Learning to think outside of the box is a big key. Using UR scraps & items in UR stash is another key. Oangizing UR supplies so U know where everything when the creative juices get going.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Summer at my son's house

I'm going to Ft Worth for the summer.He has central a/c in his house. This has been in process for 2 mo's. My heart dr wants me out of here. It will buy me more time for my heart. My lung dr. said it help my lungs to get down to lower altitude.When it's a hot day, my heart puts me down flat.
I can't handle cooped up in my small bdrm trying to breathe in front of my small window a/c unit. I can't leave the bdrm from 4pm til about 2am.I have spent 5 summers this way. I can't deal w/ the fact of having another bad asthma attack & trying to breathe etc.I have colored digi's w/ my colored pencils. I look @ my card mag's & read books.
I'm leaving Thur. May 26th. It's a 11 hour trip. We're going to break in 1/2,& spend the nite @ Big Springs,Tx.I'm suppose dto get out & walk every 2 hrs tp prevent blood clots. I can't fly since I'm on 0-2.
I cranked out 50 pgs on my mission s/bk since Easter. I'm trying to get the rest of the pic's matted on 12x12 PP. I don't have a lot of room to take extra supplies in the car. I have to take my w/c in the truck.4 cylinders of 0-2 in back seat + the 0-2 making machine to use in the motel in the back seat also.
I'm taking all my ink pads ,markers, reinkers since the heat already hit 2 of my pads & glue sticks. I put the titles,tags & do more journaling this summer.
I finally get to meet my pen pal Rebbecca. She has been assigned as my visiting teacher My DIL made sure of that for me. We're all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints . It's so nice when U move U can fit into a new congregation & feel @ home.

Squeaky wheel gets oiled!!!

After 2 weeks of phone calls to my dr's office I got tired of being put on hold!! I could spend 25 min's average on hold. Then I would be told the Dr. hadn't signed the paper. I went in Wed. for lab work & signed up to see the nurse practitioner. My BP had been high Tue nite & my stomach looked 3 mo's pregnant.I was patient no.1
She asked me how my power chair was. I said the Dr. hadn't signed my papers. she was really shocked they had sat around waiting for him to sign the.She said I get him to do this right away. They gave me more of a diuretic. It's the heat that does it to me on retaining fluids. I found out he went in to see a patient & not sign the paper . I told them I'm staying until he signs the paper & it gets faxed. I have to have that power chair.I'm going to my son's house & I need d that chair to get around. Istayed there until they faxed it &I got a copy.
I get home & eat some lunch. I call Hoveround on the fax paper work. The Atena form didn't get signed.The Dr. already left. Then he wasn't Thur.Finally on Friday the form got signed after 2 calls, 1 in am & the other@4pm.
Hoveround is supposed to do a demo. Wed. here @ the house for me to try the chair out
Now for Atena's look @ letter of medical necessity & get the final approval.Hopefully I have my chair in time @ Forest house May 28th.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

More s/book pages

It was like pulling teeth I finally got to work on more pgs Sat on my ABC . I bit the bullet & took some pain med. It seemed to help w/ my depression.
I got over the hurdle w/ what to do w/ my RMCP show pgs. I used a lot of my red PP.I'm glad I spent the time sorting paper out by sizes,time consuming, boring etc. It works when the creative juices are flying. I was able to walk to scraps of black & red paper to mount my pic's on. I even had some sheets of Corenation paper sanded down to mat some pic's on for a l/o
I got a good start on the last section "people". I got Kamloops,2nd time in Richmond,Victoria BC pic's mounted & some l/o's started. All i have to do is start l/o's of Butchart Gardens then I be done w/ B.C.
That leaves me w/ the rest of the pic's from Sitka & Anchorage AK.
I did make my own paper w/ stamps Thur. nite. i used my solid horse stamp for my RCMP pages. I made my own sheet w/ the horses on it w/ black on brown paper for a theme page. I have also used my Alaska stamps I bought 2 yrs ago used. I even found a snowman on the set. I had stamped 3 of them in a row & had embossed them in clear powder. I later realize that would make a good page w/ some snowflakes. I used 2 different shades of blue to w/ 2 sixes of the flakes to make a border.I stamped up some Eskimo stamps even thou I didn't meet any!!!
The dry heat & low humidity is drying out my ink pads even w/ rubber bands on!!!GRRR!!My glue sticks, Elmer's Craft glue one ended up hard as a rock!!There the good kind.

OOPs

i found I didn't put comma's in my labels. Hmm it seems I hit the period button or don't put the comma's in so I get run on labels
My dry eye is affecting my vision really bad @ times. Also I get up early & i'm still sleepy so I make more errors.

I'm Blue w/o You!

I had the blues real bad Sat. DH is gone to Conn. for 5 days to go to his Mom's surprise 8oth b-day party. My twins, g/kids were there along w/ Allen. I can't fly since I'm on 0-2. It took Allen 12 hrs to get there from El Paso to Conn.
I'm blessed I live in a good LDS ward here, El Paso 1st ward.Our compassionate service leader & her DH came Fri. am. Allen had gone to the store Thur. nite. & washed 2 loads of laundry before he left. He didn't have time to wash some dishes in the sink. W/ a w/c dishing washing is a wet job etc.
Sis. Flores brought me a big chicken salad for lunch & some fresh fruit etc. They cleaned up the dishes, clean 2 brms, mopped the kitchen hall & brm floors for us before they left.This will be a nice surprise for Allen when he gets home. He has to do these chores on top of working,running errands & taking me to Dr's appt.
It made me realize how quickly they could do those jobs vs how long it takes me now to do s/thing & how long I have to rest after ward
It also is making me realize how quickly my heart is taking me down in the last 6 mo's. I can't fool myself anymore, I really can't stay in this house if anything happened to Allen. I can no longer take care of myself w/ others to help me. this is a bitter pill to swallow since I used to be a very independent person. Even w/ my post-polio, I could figure some way to work around the problem. It might take me longer than a normal person, but I got it done
I wouldn't be here the last 5 yrs w/o Allen's help. He really is my lifeline. Like my son said I have spent 1/2 of my life w/ him. We have known each other for 33 trs.I can't turn on the TV,because it's s/thing we do together @ nite watching our favo shows together.
I have plenty of food in the frig. I just don't feel like eating or eating by myself.
Fluffy spent the a/noon sleeping on my chest in the recliner. If I got up she followed me around. I slept a lot Thur since I was really tired from Wed. I had to rake my laxative before Allen left since s/one has to be around if I have a fall etc. This really wipes me out. DH was up late packing his suitcase since he was waiting on clean clothes to dry.
Taco my chihuahua stayed out in the front yard all day. He wouldn't come in til night. It was like he was this "mean hombre" guarding the yard. Anyone walking by he would run & bark @ them. I was going to leave them out in the front yard for the nite. DH puts them out in the back yard @ nite to run around etc. I did that & they let me know real quick they weren't staying out @ ALL!!Boy once U rescue a dog U have a loyal & devoted companion for life. George came in & slept on his robe in my craft rm last nite when I was s/booking. He kept scratching on the door to come in.
I don't think I could get thru what I have to go thru w/o Allen being here. I don't think I could handle the stress w/ my heart if he suddenly died on me.I t would be like losing my best friend. I guess U just get used to the routine & the mannerisms of Ur partner
It made me realize just how much he really does for me each day.
plus the frustration of my Dr's office putting me on hold on the phone x 2 days & not refilling a pres. for me. Also it be 2 wks & no one knows where my paper work is for me to get my power chair. I spent 6 hrs there in the process of getting the paper work filled out. I'm trapped in the house & can't get to the Dr's office tio rattle some cages.

In style!!

I was truly amazed when I was looking @ the latest Paper wishes Catalog Thur. nite. they had canvas, buttons & vintage items in a project together
I had bought my corner canvas piece a year ago in the clearance section @ Hobby Lobby. I had seen an a project in a multi-media mag. 2 yrs yrs ago? I had my g-ma's buttons in my sewing chest still on the paper. I had bought a block of Sculpty clay & stuck in a drawer.
It came together when Jan came to visited me & sculpted the dress maker form for me. It's the focal point on the canvas. I came up w/ canvas since it would be quicker than the original wood design, I had more buttons in form of a collage than the original project.
THIS IS SO WIERD!! 2nd time I have been ahead of a trend. The 1st was a 6 years ago. I took Katya's pic;s of playing the water from a s/booking format to putting them into a water mural on our living rm wall.
Vintage & sewing items are real hot trends now. I found they were in an old 2003 paer magazine. I missed them 1st time since I was starting out on cards.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

YEA!! A Electric chair

I just got a call from Hovercraft that Atena has approved a chair for me. They will pay 90% for me. I owe $420 for my share. I didn't think they would pay for this. The chair is $3500!! WOW a chair I can use in the house!!! It has a 23 in. wheel base, my doors are 26 in. It's known for turning tight circles. My old scooter is 25 years old & I can't drive it in the house.The tires are wearing out on my w/c.
This is cheaper than getting an used power chair.
This will make life so much easier for me w/ my heart & joint pain etc.

ABC scrapbook,1973-75






After 3 years of starting on this I now am finishing up vol 1 of it to give to my son in May.I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter=-Day Saints from 1073-75. I served voluntary w/o pay for 18 mo's. I qut my job as a nurse's aid, left college, told my friends & boyfriend good bye etc, We pay our own way.
O will post a few pic's on this entry & come back later to post more.
The first are reedited journal entries of me leaving Texas to get ready to go to SLC.,Utah. There is a pic of me in the yard in Burton,Tx before a final meeting w/ church leaders in Houston, Tx. My friends from UT @ Austin met us there.I then said goodbye to them. Most of them I never saw again
Entries of me entering the Mission Training Mission . I spent a very intense week of study there. I also attended the historic SLC temple while there.
I then departed for Vancouver, Canada.I met Pres. Weston Killpack our mission pres. I picked up my 1st companion. Sis. K had escaped from communist Poland & came to Canada
We pay our own way,give up TV,our friends,no dating,school jobs, to go teach people about the LDS church.

My 1st piece of art









Allen hung up my Vintage button collage this week. I made it from buttons from my G-mom's Hovey button collection I have had for years. I got the idea from Paper Scissors multi media mag
i have had the buttons for years in my sewing chest. They were still mounted on the original cards.They have illustrations from the 50's on them. I also found 1 last tag w/ my g-mom's name on it.Also 2 crotchet circles in a corner.
Jan made the sculpt clay dress form for me. I painted it w/ mixture of native acrylic paints. I then sealed it w. Modge Podge, I used Corenation c/s stock on it. I distressed it w/ sand paper to get the color I wanted to match & contract the pieces it was by. I found some vintage dress forms that I cut out. I put Distress old paper on it to age it. I used vintage photo around the edges. I took some of the newer buttons on the canvas,
I put some buttons around theedge of the corner canvas from my button collection I never would use

Monday, April 4, 2011

SHOCKING!!

I'm got out my mission s/book that I started 3 years ago. I actually worked on some of the journal tags this w/end. I have had it on my shelf for a while. I need to get this finished so I can give Forest Vol 1 of it. then I have over 100 pic's left to s/book left. I believed I have 34 pages s/bk so far.
I also have journal entries I edited & copied for him to read. This is about my mission I served in 1973-1975 in Alaska British Columbia Mission for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints
I also have started sewing on my Life story apron which the idea came from Paper, & Scissors multimedia mag. Allen went into Joann's for me to look thru the bolts of fabric for me. He helped me find 2 pieces of fabric for the top. 1 is is a black shadows on a rust covered b/ground of ranch activities.I took a montage of horse's heads & machine appliqued it
The long bottom is a piece of M.Engrebreit's fabric w/ sayings on it. I plan to make pockets on it for different roles I did in life,ex, mom,g/mom etc. I have saved some things from my kids & g-kids to put in the pockets. working on ideas when I was single. I found some rope like stuff to sew for the neck tie for the top."It'a boy" ribbon will be 1 of it's ties. 2nd tie unknown @ this time.
When done it will hang up in the liv. room

Vintage Button collage

Jan made my dressmaker form from Sculpty clay for me.I have it painted & Modge Podge on my canvas.
I found the idea in the Paper,Scissors multimedia mag. a while back. I have had a cigar box of buttons from my G/mom Hovey sewing stash for a few years.I have buttons left on the paper backs from the 1950's This artist sells her works w/ these vintage buttons. I got the idea to do this. I also found eye & hooks & a made by label in the stash also.
I painted the canvas 1st w/ a light b/scotch color. I also found a vintage pic of dressmaker forms. I cut out the side view. I put Old Paper ink from T. Holtz on it to age it. I also put vintage photo ink on the edges of the pic.
Allen hung it up in the liv. rm this am for me. Now we can enjoy those vintage 50's button cards. It's fitting for this house since it was built in 1950's
I'll take a photo of it later.

Miss my fairies

J& L bathe Fluffy Sun am when I was still sleeping & Allen was @ church. L always used to bath Lucky for us in R.H.Tx.They also washed up a sink load of dishes for Allen. I can't do those chores anymore. Allen wears a lot of hats here
Watched DVD pf Phantom of the Opera on DVD I have heard the music but not the whole story line. I loved how they brought in old vintage pic's in w/ the story line
All 3 of them played a long card game which I don't like. Laura won, after being behind. I dozed off in my recliner listening to their sounds @ the card table
I finally got my scratch board art Laura has promised me forever!!Does she do a good job on faces. Never do s/board, 1 wrong mark U ruined UR piece.

Early heat makes feel yucky!!

This AM is proof a cooler day I can get things done in the kitchen. After a week Allen got fresh made buttermilk pancakes w/ turkey bacon for brft.I had made a b/milk pie for the girls for a treat for them to have. I don't usually cook non GF foods but these were a treat for Allen to have. I also made tapoica pudding w/ coconut milk for supper. Fresh s/berries will go w/ it.
I finally got the counter cleaned off w/ spice bottles refilled. Also melted some wax in a container to reuse to store my buttons in
The early heat makes me tired & I sleep a lot or just lay in the recliner. The dust storms kick up my asthma. I can't wear my sleep mask @ nites w/ a s/storm.

Problems w/ my template

Jan looked @ my blog. We can't really find out why I have that annoying block show up She thought maybe a host is carrying a photo anymore. All I know it popped up 1 day after uploaded some pic's from my files.F,My son doesn't do blogs,he can't help
Until later I chose a darker b/ground & a template @ Jan's idea.
GRRRR! I DON'T LIKE THIS!!! I'm a card maker not a geek!!!
















1

My girls came!!

They came & are gone!!Only 3 days. Fri. we hanged out @ the house.Worked on some projects in the room. Jan made my sculpty clay small dressmaker form for me for the button collage I wanted to make.Had fresh tamales & empanada's for supper. Watched "Little Rascal's @ nite.
Mesilla,N.M. Sat @ noon left.This is a historical SW adobe historical town square. My 3 rd time there. I luv the ambiance.The bldgs have twig & stick roofs U can see. They are pretty thick walls.I had to show Laura & Jan this piece of SW history. Billy the Kid was tried in the courthouse, which is a store now.Douglas MacArthur been here. Pancho Villa probably threaten the local cit zens. He was know to go back & forth to El Paso & Mexico.
Jan took us out to dinner @ La Posta,an ancient Mexican restaurant that goes back to the 1930's. It was a bldg that goes back to the stage couch days. It had a big cage of birds in it. I saw a Toucan up close for the 1st time. can those birds screech loud!! Some tanks of flesh eating fish. I always thought they were small. These were pretty big fish from California.
My favo. place is the bookstore that is family owned. They have 4 dogs that greet U @ the door. They carry a lot of books on the west. I have looked @ books on Navajo sign talkers from WWII. w/ their pic's & a brief story .I have seen pic's of early El Paso before cars .I read book on early Jewish Settlers from Germany. They were the 1st bankers , merchants & cattleman in N.M. I loved seeing the early pic's of them dressed up. I would hate to iron those detailed bodices much less try to sew them. also pic's of silver pieces & other items brought w/ them from Germany that they used.
Digging in a stash of books in another small room, I found the book "Seven Crosses" a real story of an escape from a German Concentration camp.I wanted this book for my Holocaust to be saved for my g/kids to read some day, I usually don't pay $17 for a p/back book. This book is probably not @ Barnes & Noble.It's kinda creepy, but this really happened. We need to remember this really happened to people.
I have bought Jap. Kimono's paper dolls for Jan for C-mas from Dover. I also got Emma a horse story & K a Hobbit book. I bought a nice sticker book for the kids for C-mas also there.
I wish I had more money to buy more books. This is 1 b/store I love spending time there. The owners are so nice & knowledgeable about their books.I wish I could hang out their more.
I luv the drive out there. We go by several horse farms @ the 1st of the drive. I wish I could ride h/back again. Just to feel the wind blowing on UR face as U run w/ the horse. We go under a big arch of pecan trees bending over the road before we get to the Pecan farm. coming home The sun was setting in the sky w/ it's orange shades coming thru the sky.I luv my open spaces, room to breathe etc. I never liked be crowed in tight quarter's in Bpt.,Conn
We saw a big buffalo in a lot right before we crossed the river into Texas.

Still alive

We have had the warmest March since 1887. Broke a record Sat. of 92 F. New record of no rain this year. No poppies on the mtn. this year,no rain ,no poppies .Miss the brilliant orange on the desert mtns. The only spring flowers we get in the desert.
Looks like we're in for VERY HOT summer & a drought. Little s/pack in Colorado & upper N.M. Means little irrigation water for the pecans & cotton in N.M. close to us. Hatch chillies will cost more
The early heat is making me feel yucky!! It's making my heart & asthma kick up. The sand storms have plenty of sand to blow around. It puts me down in my recliner, sleep a lot & no energy. difficult to sleep w/ my sleep mask @ nite. I lost last week,3 appts & tired from girls visit. Didn't work in my room last week.
Heat coming too early for me.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

K's scrapbook cover


It's only been 6 wks since K's 9th b-day. I finally got her cover made for it. I took my water mural down. I gave K the pic's for her . I had pic's of her playing in the water since she was 18 mo's old to 4 years old. I also put pi's she colored & mailed to me.I couldn't throw them away& had saved them
I got the fabric from a swap w/ my Swap -Bot buddy. I luv the kids playingon it.

Outlaw's CAS card


I'm posting this 1 for this Sunday's challenge. I took 3rd place in the western challenge. the card w/ the saddle is here on my blog.
I made a set of these cards for my Relief Society Visting mail route for the LDS church

Thursday, March 10, 2011

An update

I'm glad I followed the impression to work w/ my son last summer on my family lines. It was correct, that we wouldn't get the time to do this again.
My health had gone down hill w/ my heart. My pumping capacity has dropped down to 40%.I get tired out much more easily on exertion I have also lost lung capacity which affects how long I can talk w/o getting tired.
I'm @ peace knowing that another generation has all the correct facts.
Also when my son & his wife came for a family visit T-giving 2009 I gave him 2 thick binders from my parent's line's of prints outs from LDS Family History lib ray in Utah.It was full of family generation sheets
He would later find these valuable in his search for info. He found out online a lot of info was missing & we had it.

He kept His promise.

Last June my son got laid off from his job in Dallas. He's a contractor for Dallas managing the city's library computer's data bases, repairs etc. He didn't have the seniority etc for a cut back.
He doesn't get paid holiday's etc. They had planned financially for emergencies. Coming home that day he felt impressed that if he worked on his family history & went to the Dallas LDS temple he would be watched over financially.(we're members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) He told me of this & said he give me a call on ?'s for me to answer.
Shortly after wards I got an impression that I was to work w/ Forest on this that we wouldn't get the time otherwise in the future. He called me the 1st week asking me ?'s on my family history that he needed details on. We decided I would make time to go thru my file cabinets that hold family records, birth, deaths etc .
This is where a "Small miracle" came into play.We live in a 1950's old house in El Paso that has no central a/c. This was in July. Usually I can't be in the middle room since it's too HOT to be in there in the middle of the day.Also my asthma is so bad in the summer s/times I can't talk on the phone.
I have a "Harris" line from Maine that we only had a few generations on.2 Harris married each other. 1 is from Pembroke,Maine, 2nd came from Nova Scotia,Canada.
We spent 2 days next week w/ me wearing my headset going thru each file giving him info off the birth certificates to compare to the new Family Search the LDS Church has available.I have a lot of divorces etc, so we had to double check we didn't miss children by what spouses, divorce dates etc.I was reading thru letters that had been written to me to look for additional info. to put into family info. etc.
I was reading thru 1 of my mother's letters. Her h/writing is small & can be hard to decipher. There it was a letter with info her g/father Harris we didn't have.Forest took that info. & found his parents were in Mass. He was tracing the wrong "Frank Harris"!!!!
Later after many days of doing searches online on the Harris line,he found s/one w/ similar info. He e-mailed him. He found out we were related. His info. took us way into the 1500's.
Now my son has my line's family history w/ fact's as correct as I can get them.
Later in August we would have 2 1/1 weeks of 100+ heat waves. We would hit 110F. We had 2 cool weeks of weather in July which is unheard here. I was able to talk on the phone for hours to him which I normally can't do esp. w/ my asthma.
He spent hours on the computer doing data searches for family info. He received an impression that the work he was doing would affect generations of time both in the past & into the future for him.
That as bad as he wanted children,there were parents who had waited longer to have their children sealed to them. He had spent time going thru census etc & found children that we weren't aware of they had have,Wrong dates, birth dates, death dates etc were all jumbled up that didn't make sense,he was able to find correct dates.
He & his wife were able to take a lot of names to the LDS temple to be sealed. Enough names for baptism for an Youth trip for our Mutual youth to do baptisms @ the temple.
He later got his job back.His contracting co, actually called in Sept. & begged him to come back. They gave him a raise!!! The library director begged them to bring him BACK!! He can do the work of 2 people. The guy that took his place gave up,he said it was too much work & couldn't keep up ,needed more people. My son had been doing it before by himself w/ no problem!!He had a big mess when he came back to work, the guy had been doing a poor job. So many people were excited when he came back to work.They commented now things will get done.

Katya's scrapbook gift





her book also has early pic's she made for me that i saved from her recieved in the mail
I only 6 weeks behind on finishing up her gift. I took my water mural down from my living room wall.K is is the main star on it. She loved the water as a toddler.The pic's were too cute to keep in a book. I came up w/ the idea to put them on the wall in s/book form 6 years ago. Now that is a hot item to do. Now they will go to her.
I had to clear off my table of card projects to make room for my sewing machine.
i see why i don't sew anymore. It's more demanding brain wise to concentrate. U have to be very precise sewing vs c/making.
I got the fabric of blue Toile like fabric of kids playing from Glenda,my NH pen pal for a swap. It took me longer than planned. should have made a paper bag pattern 1st but didn't
Also patched up my dress that super glue broke the fabric o. Don't spill a bottle of Super Glue on UR clothes. I tried getting it off w/alcohol. Washing it turned it hard. The fabric later became brittle & broke up. Now it's getting hot & I'm short on clothes so I had to fix it.
My Swap-bot buddy June Moon gave me the fabric to patch it. She sent me enough to make new Chef's apron that rotted out.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Major Dust storm

It took me 3 days to clean up my house from the really bad dust storm that packed about 5o mph winds blowing sand & dust every where. Yes, springtime is here in W. Texas w/ our yearly "eat dust"I didn't clean the floors earlier because the storm just leave more dust.
I didn't get to til Wed. I cleaned all the blinds which were just coated w/ layers of dust.The windows are just like sieves in this 50"s house. I used my Swifter stick to wipe them down to make it easier on my shoulders & arms. Thur. was a cloudy day which flares up my FM. Until I cleaned up my bdrm. I couldn't turn on the fan in there.It's already getting hot in here.Too hot in bdrm I can't wear my sleep apnea mask. Sand storms kicking up my asthma. I cleaned up the bdrm & my craft rm w/ the Swifters. I had to stop & rest since I had a 4PM Dr's appt.
I had to get dressed @ 3pm,since Allen is to be here@ 3:45Pm. It's all I can do to drag myself out the door. I get there. I'm waiting a few min's @ the desk.Then I told my appt is @ 2pm not 4PM. I tell them my appt card said 4PM. Allen backs me up
They try to find out what happened etc. Too make it worse the Dr. had just left. I'm so wiped out I come home & crash in my recliner exhausted. A wild goose chase!!I'm having more problems w/ my heart w/ a lower pumping capacity,the sand storms are bothering my asthma,+ I've some diminished lung capacity + add it's warmer than normal. 80F is making my fatigue upon exertion more pronounced. I have to reschedule another trip out.
So after sleeping over 12 hours Thur. nite into Fri. @ noon I manage to get up.
Taco was neutered this week. so 1st business is to get all my bracing & shoes on so I can take him outside on a leash to see if he go to the brm.For 10 days he has to wear his hood, not run etc. (he's an active Chihuahua)So I don't get his leash tangled up w/ my 0-2 line on my portable tank,I have been taking him out w/ out my 0-2 on.
So after taking my Allegra,allergy shot, Nasonex & face mask on, I'm ready to tackle the pile of dust in our Liv. rm.1st I take a clean yellow dust dust cloth to our TV
shelves. I've to take off the DVD's off. It just covered w/ a layer of heavy dust since it's right in front of the front door & a big window.The dust collects on the 1 whole side of a new cloth. Then I clean up our computer 2 tables which U can write UR fingers in the dust. These areas take 20+ min's to wipe down & move items around to clean up.
Next step is using the Swifters on a long stick to clean up the floor. Since I'm in a w/c this is the best way for me to clean the dust off the floor of dust & dog hair. I pull 2 plastic boxes of old video's out from the Futon. There is a big pile of sand,not just dust. I go thru 2 Swifters in cleaning up under the futon & dusting of the tops of these boxes.Cleaning off our air cleaner surfaces& in front of the door uses up another one. It takes 6+ Swifters to finally get of the dust etc off the floors,under the computers desks, behind my recliner & by the b/cases. I use the 7th one to finish up sweeping the kitchen floor again.
Allen will sweep up my pile of sand etc.when he gets home. Now we can turn on the fan in the liv. rm to cool us down.
This wipes me out for the rest of the a/noon. Allen helps me fix tacos' when he get's home from work.
Another wind storm is due in M& T. Temps dropped down last nite. This yo-yo weather is playing havoc on my FM. I'm having muscle spasms, joint pain etc as the weather changes. My body is not handling well these swings.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Ropes & halters

An event that happened while rounding up my father's stud on the Hurlbut Ranch in Dripping springs Tx in the 1960's as a teen.

In saddle

This is pic of me as young girl on my father's stud,Napoleon. I scrapbooked this as a series of pic'sas a story on the ranch life.
My 1st scrapbook entry on the Outlaw site for a Western challenge

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Postal grid stamp card set

I'm working on a big set of card using used postage stamps I've collected from favo's from US & foreign stamps from my Swap-bot buddies. I'm coloring them w/my new water color crayons. I luv how they color. I can color like when I was a kid. the colors are as vivid as the Crayola crayons we had as a kid in the 50's. The red is vivid like when we had as a kid. I can get a nice water color wash w/them. I can get a better effect than w/ my color pencils. I can't do water colors,they are too expensive to get a good product.I luv how easily they blend. I only have a 10 color set but I'm able to get the colors I want by blending.I use very little water on the paper. I wipe off my brush on a scrap paper 1st.I got the media cardstock set from Dick Blick @ C-mas time for 1/2 price.
I plan to use these for my card stash. I can quickly make them up into b-day card etc.I've been working on them during our BRR!! cold front to save my sanity. I do luv to color ,it destresses me out.

Russ's mulberry paper scraps

These cards were made w/ my friend Russ from NYC. The mulberry scraps were so pretty I kept the cards,clean & simple. I also made cards from dii's in my stash,peache ones were from an old tissue box. I luv the design & kept it. Others were from c/board pieces in my stash etc
















Sunday, February 6, 2011

Rolling blackouts in El Paso,Tx

We had 3 days of these. Our generators instruments were frozen & they couldn't generate power. So we had rolling b/outs. We must had been in the non critical grid of 17 areas. 35 grids.Frozen water pipes. We did have a share in a nuclear plant in AZ which we could buy power from.
I was prepared. Luckily I have a 2 big tanks of 0-2 I can fill up my portable tank with. When the power goes off an alarm sounds. My recliner doesn't move when it hits. so I made sure I had a flashlight, matches & my liquid paraffin candle handy . We have a gas stove,had to light the burner 1st. I learned to cook my supper during the daytime or to cook it be before the b/outs were scheduled to start.
I wore my Damart thermal long johns I got in Conn. They are nice & warm.I haven't worn them since Utah. Kept my double lined wool socks on my feet. My feet get cold & they stay cold.I layered myself. The dogs & I slept in the recliner w/ my warm lap quilt I had made.
We put an extra wool blanket that was my g/mom's. U can beat wool for warmth. I insisted w/ Allen when we moved from Utah to Texas to keep our warm clothing etc. Ice storms in North Texas can snap power lines & be w/o power for days.
50 power plants in Texas got hit. We're not equipped for such cold weather.A big cold Arctic front pushed all the way into North Mexico.some animals,snakes etc died in a Mexican zoo when the power faile
The day we had $f here,Anchorage AK was 18F. WOW zero F was warm there in the winter!!

3F in El Paso,Texas!!!

Broke a record set in 1956. 2 nites of 4F before that,record broke from 1962. Was in Ft Stockton,west Tx in 7th grade. Don't remember that,just the blowing sand in our faces @ lunch time.
Our houses aren't build for this kind of cold. Wind caused a lot of chill factors. My craft rm temp. got down to 47F Wed. when the storm came in.The wind just blew thru the glass. The walls were cold to touch. House built in early 50's,no insulation.
Luckily our pipes are all on the inside of the house. So we had no frozen pipes. @ of our chapels had frozen pipes.
Hondo Pass was supposed to have a Stake broadcast Sun. am. It had major flooding so moved back to the Stake center. Our had some minor flooding.Albertsons was closed Fri. nit from part of it's roof collapsed from a frozen pipe in the ceiling broke.

water restrictions

Now it's our water supply that's having problems related to the cold. It now has been extended to Mon. No school for the 4th day. they had to reduce power usage from the 3 days of blackouts. Reservoirs are too low No showers,laundry,etc.We're to boil water.
Do have water to drink,water by toilets, outside H2o may be frozen. Will use paper plates etc.Baby wipes for hands & face. No shower for me today.
So far so good. Mac Simpson from coon Relief society of the LDS church taught us to be prepared.Need to update my 72 hr kit meds& put GF food in it.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Laura's wierd card set






These are ATC's I got in a swap. I made them into a card set for my DD's late C-mas gift. I used my new watercolor crayons on them for my b/ground. I luv how easy they color onto the media c/stock. Then I put a small amount of water on them w/ a small paint brush to blend the colors. I luv the vibrant colors I got. a little goes a long ways. I took care to paint from the inside out so I didn't get a muddy look. I had a scrap of paper on the edges to brush off on when doing the border.
I cut open a bottle of Stickles to get dwon to the last of it & put it on the black witch card for a sparkly effect.

Altered box


I took a candy box & used beach paper & a SU set of stickers of kids @ beach playing. I Modge Podged it on so the box would wear w/ use. The sides have blue wavelike paer on it.
It holds a set of flat seashells in it.
A pic. of her @ the beach playing w/ a sand castle inspired this project.

our puppy vistor

our puppy vistor