Back On the Air -- Slowly

     Well, hi there, Gentle Readers!

     It's an interesting feeling to be posting again. On one hand, I've been looking forward to it...and telling you what's been going on at the Brick house these past few weeks.

     On the other, I feel a bit of nausea, getting caught up on the latest murders, attacks and sick accusations that seem to fuel our media these days. In fact, I might just limit myself on these in the future -- so frankly, I can live with myself.

     We've been out of the country, visiting Madrid, Paris and Amsterdam with our dear friends, Tommy and Chris. (They gave me permission to use their names.) And we had a wonderful, exhausting, incredible few weeks. But the Brick's and my internal systems have no idea what time it is now.

     I'll return tomorrow. But it's nice to be home.

Woof! Like Crazy

 I love this antique Crazy quilt, displayed recently at St. Paul's Church in Oxford, MD.

    (Yes, it has an exhibit sign -- I wish I could read it.) 

Okay, the cats are nice, too.

                                                     Photo by Kay L. Butler -- thanks for sharing it!

                 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Taking A Break

     After the week we had, you wouldn't blame me.

Not one, but two overnight visits to the Emergency Room. Plus stops to get prescriptions and other items.

Bo the puppy had to have her head lanced -- so another day at yet a different hospital. 

Very little sleep all week, taking care of my loved ones and getting stuff done.

And finally, a four-hour trip each way to appraise for a couple of days at the Black Canyon Quilt Show. (Which was great, by the way -- beautiful quilts and very nice people.)

I got back late Saturday night...and got up early Sunday morning to do Worship Team. (The Brick just didn't feel up to it.) Then after church, I took a very long nap. 

You'll be hearing from me this week. But I think I will take a few weeks off after that. Consider it a sabbatical: to rest up and Do Some Things. I'll be back August 1st, hopefully full of vim, vigor and who-knows-what. 

Meanwhile:

A medieval era sword discovered in a Dutch river.  What's with all these swords being discovered (or at least announced) lately?

Relics from a school for black slave children are discovered in Williamsburg -- in a cellar-under-other-cellars. 

Last (or thought to be last) photographs of famous people.  Fascinating.

Financial risks you need to think about -- especially if you're planning for retirement.  (From the White Coat Investor)

Microsoft cuts 9,000 jobs -- more than 15,000 in the recent past. Why? Because AI is being used, instead. Or so it seems. Hmmm...perhaps AI is not the benevolent savior it's proclaimed to be. 

A Fra Angelico fresco reappears...and is restored. 

Have a great week. Stay comfortable, friends. Talk to you soon.

Fun (Will Be) Had By All --

 --after we recover from this recent spate of emergency room visits, that is.

Yes, Gentle Readers... I spent yet another night in the emergency room with my darling. The kidney stone refunsed to move. When they finally let us out, about 6 a.m., Walmart's pharmacy didn't open until 9 a.m. We had breakfast, stopped by a few places...then of course, had to wait at Walmart while they leisurely filled the prescription. (When it's 45 min. drive to and from town...you wait.) The weather is hot and sticky right now, which makes life just that much more pleasant. 

We finally got home, fell into bed...and that's all I remember for four hours. Thankfully, Daughter #2 and Son #1 were still here, taking care of the dogs. They made supper, took out the trash, and made breakfast for us this morning before they left. Good friends -- who also have been through the Great Kidney Stone Movement recently -- dropped off a pan of chicken parmesan for supper.

Sweethearts. All of them. 

And the kidney stone finally exited late yesterday afternoon. How can one tiny stone cause so much pain??

Tomorrow, I'm at the Black Canyon Quilt Show in Montrose, CO, doing appraisals. I'll be there Friday, as well. Stop by and commiserate, if you like. 

P.S. Bo, in case you're wondering, feels much better. She's been banging around, chasing Tiger and raising mayhem. And in case you're also wondering -- yes, the blood came out of the quilt.

     Bea the Bear -- the 2023 Best of Show winner, by Margaret Noah

A Fun Few Days Were NOT Had By All

 Why is it that more than one (bad) thing happens on a day? Or two?

I spent nearly all of Monday in the emergency room -- thanks to kidney stones. (Not me -- a family member) Which also meant sitting in the truck most of the time in the parking lot, due to Granddog Freya, who loves to bark/growl at every Intrusion, imagined or otherwise. I must have told her to shut up a dozen times.

Thankfully, Daughter #2 and Son #1, who were coming down soon anyways, made an executive decision and arrived early. They came into Alamosa...

Fiften minutes after we were finally allowed to go home around midnight. 

It's been great to have the kids here, and helping out. 

Then Miss Bo banged her head somehow. (Or got a bug bite - who knows.) She developed a huge abcess that made her look like a duckbill dinosaur. 

  Bo, in better times

'Are you gonna eat that??'

      I finally got a vet appt. Today. So Bo was dragged off to the vet's, sedated and had her head lanced. She was NOT thrilled about it, either. Even the vet said, "She'll be happy to leave."

She is back home now, exhausted and a bit woozy, with a bloody spot on the side of her head. She got some blood on our bed quilt, but I didn't have the heart to punish her. Hopefully the blood comes out of the quilt. 

And now you know what I've been doing the past few days. 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Scrape, Scrape, Scrape

     Here's hoping your Fourth of July was a relaxing one. It was certainly a good break from our other activity all week -- scraping the peeling paint off the back deck. The Brick and I both enjoyed sunburns from it -- and a lot of iced tea. 

     This week, it's continuing to catch up on work, putting away stuff from the storage trailer -- and later this week, being the pet appraiser at Montrose, CO's Black Canyon Quilt Show. If you're in that area, stop by and say hi!

Summer's Night, 2024's Best of Show

pieced by Caroline Ellerman, quilted by Glenda Davis

(Spend some time on the Show's Gallery page of past winners -- it's fascinating.)

Meanwhile:

Scary notes. REALLY scary.

AI Systems WILL attempt blackmail if they're threatened with a shutdown. If you're not concerned about the results of this study... you will be.

'Speak your mind -- even if your voice shakes.' Courtesy of The Nonconsumer Advocate.

More new files and info released about D.B. Cooper... sort of.

A Diamondbacks fan is booted out for the year -- and possibly permanently -- for hogging balls. 

Musings of a cheapskate.  (From the White Coat Investor)  And on the flip side:

Loosening your purse strings -- for the right reasons.

The lowest point in Colorado is higher than 18 US states' highest points. Plus other height facts. 

One of the stranger stories I've ever heard -- Lose your husband, then his 'best friend' from college plans a separate memorial service from yours. She not only claims he was planning to divorce you (not true), but that she's carrying his child (also not true). Whoa, this is complicated!

A very nice (and easy) summer Asian salad. It's equally good without chicken. I made it, adding some fresh greens, with canned shrimp for the Fourth.  Thank you, My Tireless Retirement!  (Here are her homemade salad dressings, too.)

Have a good week. Stay cool.

"Don't You UNDERSTAND?!?"

 

Our darling Daughter #1 used to spell out the stop signs as we pulled up to them: "S-T-O-P!" (said with emphasis.) Could she have thought I would just screech through, if she didn't?

Hmmm...

Happy Fourth!

 

Off To the Races

 "Don't be late, Honey-- I'll have supper waiting!"

    (If you're not thinking of The Jetsons at this point, you're not old enough.)