I just finished writing all my progress notes for the week. Saw my last client for the week yesterday and am just waiting for phone calls to be returned from  social workers for 3 of my families.  I'm happy to have the work week mostly behind me. A light one this week. Next week will be a different story.

It's another wet, gray, blustery day that feels more like October weather than July. I'm feeling quiet today, not much to say. I am anxious to get to work again on Ashlyn's christening gown.

I am content.  :-)

Terri, here is your daily smile :-) This picture makes me smile too!

I'm feeling so much better today.  I think I have finally kicked the virus to the curb!  My voice is still wonky but my energy has returned and coughing is at a minimum. It's a cold damp morning here. Feels/looks more like October. We had glorious thundershowers last night. They interfered with Tom's viewing of tthe All Star game. But he did catch Joe Mauer's performance. We loves us some Twins!

Today also appears to be my "Friday" as I couldn't get a couple of clients to schedule this week.  I've got phone calls to make this morning and a new family to prepare for this afternoon.

I got my hair permed yesterda after work. Man she cut it so short! So it's short and frizzy and in need of color. It looks greyer since it's permed.  But it will settle down. I just forgot to mention that I wanted it colored as well as permed when I made the appointment. So will have to go back.

I've been hooked on a new author since John and Angie gve us a stack of books by one of their favorite mystery writing teams. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child with the recurring character Detective Pentergast. Fantastic reads!! We're quickly going through the stack! We';re going to have to find the older ones to read too!

Well, I'd better get to work! After work today I'm going to finish cutting out Ashlyn's christening gown and start sewing.

I woke up an hour ago dreaming of my dad speaking to me telling me "C'mon Duff, snap out of it!" I could have sworn I heard the fading thread of a tin whistle playing "Danny Boy" as I woke up. When I hear that song/melody I always think of my dad.

I miss you Bub Dad!

It comforts me to believe that he visited me while he slept. I think he probably visited my mom and my youngest sister while they slept tonight too. My mom has a nasty respiratory bug too, and my sister is still recuperating from her salmonella and pneumonia.

I find upon waking that I feel like the bug has lifted its grip on me. I feel so much better! Inspite of awakening in the middle of the night I feel rested. But I will eventually go back to bed.

Yesterday I made it through the day without a nap. I had a consult meeting in Roseau so was actually working half a day for the first time since Monday. I was really tired when I got home. Bobbie Jo was around doing things around the church yard and church getting ready for an open house at the church later today. (It's Back Home Days here in our little village this weekend. It is a yearly event, a time of  coming "Back Home" There a numerous activities that only a very small town can pull off) She had her two youngest, Will and Christopher with her, two little tow headed blue eyed cherubs. Chris is still at her breast. There is something so calming about sitting with a nursing mother. We sat on the front steps and chatted  a bit. The blue sky, the sun, the warm breeze, the adorable company and all the love I feel for and from this beautiful young friend was most healing. We usually hug and I usually hold the baby but I didn't allow that this time. I kept my distance but funny how love briges the gap even when there is a physical separation. It's a paradox. Spending an hour with them was better than any tonic I could have taken. 

The evening was quiet. I watched a ball game with Tom. One of the better evenings for the Twins of late!

And now, the dregs of my tea cup are cold, and there are only crumbs left from the piece of cinnamon toast I nibbled on while looking at blogs and checking e-mail. Over the ridge to the east I see the slimmest ribbon of the new day. I marvel at that indescribable color where the retreating indigo shadows of night mingle with the faintest peach of first light. Birdsong has replaced tin whistles and the chammomile tea has me drowsy again.  

I'm off to bed again, I wonder what dreams await?  

Still fighting this virus. Doing all the things I should and occasionally getting really pissed off at still feeling so crappy! I am hearing the voices of my two sisters reminding me to think positive thoughts and breathe. Does Laughing at yourself count as positive thoughts? Mostly I manage to stay positive, even in the moments of sheer humiliation provided courtesy of this unknown virus who I have decided to name Dennis. (my apologies to any of my friends who might not understand why I would choose such a name :-) you had to be there, in another lifetime!)

I've lost 10 lbs since Saturday. Been pushing liquids and making sure I get my electrolytes. Every coughing jag is a game of roulette; which body fluid will leak from where next? All I can do is laugh at my body's treason! I imagine there's a wiki out there somewhere that could tell me how many calories are burned by coughing.

Perhaps there would be some dignity if I could pull off a silver screen like impression of a Camille wilting away quietly, tragicly, still young and beautiful. Nope, instead I'm pretty much sure I look as ridiculous as I feel; like some ridiculous caricature in a penned cartoon. A chubby middleaged woman with really bad beadhead wearing a pink "Dogone Best Mom" night shirt, propped up in bed with a dozen pillows. Kleenex, drinks, books, zines, two cell phones and the land phone nearby, and for comfort, chocolate covered peanuts in a measuring cup from a can of SlimFast powder (which for some reason strikes me as hilarious in its incongruity!). The thought of another cough drop makes me gag, and my sphincter rebels at the memory of what ravages cough syrup has wrought at that end! My bedroom is hot and steamy not from some torrid love scene worthy of the pages of one of Rosemary Roger's bodice rippers but from the hissing vaporizer that Tom refilled for me before he left for his meeting (does RR even write anymore? Been a long time since I read a bodice ripper,) and it's not the musky scent of passion, or romantic flora that hangs in the air, it's Vicks Vaporub.

It's times like this when you realize that you really did luck out in the marriage lottery, when without a blink or snicker or protest he says "sure, I can do that." When stuttering and stammering you ask him to buy you some bladder control products when he's out buying the makings for the umpteenth pot of chicken soup for you, because sometimes comfort and necessity are more important than dignity!

But inspite of it all I continue to laugh (just not too hard as it's likely to start a coughing spasm and an avalance of all kinds of unwanted accompaniments) I need to go now before all thr steam melts the chocolate off the peanuts :-)

I've been feeling really crappy since Friday night. I went to the doctor this morning. She ordered labwork, tested me for pneumonia and strep. Tests were negative, it appears to be viral, nothing to do but let it run its course. This bug stinks!

Being Grandma suits me. I wish I could be a fulltime grandma. :-)

We arrived in Fargo Wed. afternoon. Wed. evening my darling DIL Angie showed me where everything I would need to care for Ashlyn Rose could be found. She and John left early yesterday morning for the Black Hills to attend a wedding and have some fun. Tom and I have been enjoying our delightful little granddaughter. She is a remarkably content and happy baby. She'll be 3 months old on July 4. I am amazed by the gagets and inventions that young parents have today to make it so much easier. Kinda cool! :-) But somethings are ageless and can't be replaced. There's still a need for burping and cuddling and conversation, and soothing that gagets and machines can't replace so I have been busy. No time for art journaling, or blogging, or reading much. But what a joy it is! And the peace here in this lovely house is so appreciated! The phone has rung only twice in the last 32 hours, both times just John checking in on the baby. My DIL Angie and I have been texting occasionally. She goes back to work on Monday. It's going to be so hard for her! But I'm glad she has a fun weekend before she has to go back to work.

It's after 3PM, Ashlyn and I hung out in jammies all morning. She was dressed, I'm still in jammies. Seems pointless at this point to get dressed but maybe I'll take a shower now while grampa feeds Ashlyn her bottle.

Life is good.

The unexpected pleasures of life are what make a life feel rich. I had an unexpected pleasure today. Lunch with my first born on a day when I least expected it. John is employed by a national rental chain as safety and operations director for the store in Fargo. But long story short because of the economy he's doing a lot of the physical labor connected with the business' store in Fargo. Today he and another worker who usually is a truck driver for the company were in Roseau setting tents for the Scandanavian Festival this weekend. He called to see if Tom and/or I were going to be in Roseau (about an hour from here) today so we could meet and eat lunch. I jumped at the chance and off we went. It was so much fun to see one of the great loves of my life when I least expected it. John has changed since he became a father, there is an openess, a softer, more affectionate side of himself that he allows to show now. I love him so much! It made my day to see him. I got back home in time to meet with my 3:00 family session. The joy from having seen and embracing one of my children today carried me through a rough session. I do have a bit of a headache, but now am home for the weekend and am putting work aside until Monday.

I'll be working on "the dolls" this weekend as planned. I was touched by  a post by my sister 6authored2  </span>who wrote about some dolls I had made. She reminded me of a doll I altered back in 1981. It was my gift to her for Christmas that year. Mostly the alteration was to tear off the nylon plantation gown it wore and replacing it with a black turtleneck (made from one of tom's matchless socks, and a tiny minature of the tunic that she wore to perform in her college choir that was touring Europe. I had made her tunic for her as well.  It was interesting to hear her thoughts on the dolls I have made especially for her over the years. The little altered doll  made for my sister was the first time I dared to tear apart a doll and "remake" it into what I wanted it to be. I made a completely freeform doll for my son Noah's 4th birthday out of  recycled clothes, it was his companion until it fell apart. He called it Sam and at times it seemed to be his alter ego. I made a Raggedy Ann for Julie Wren the year that I made Terri's doll. The next year I started making soft sculptured dolls and sold dozens fo them and gave away even more. I stopped making the soft sculpture dolls around 1985. Then I made apple head dolls with wire armature bodies for a few years. How I loved them! They really do take on a life of their own while nature forms their faces. it's eerie. I wish I had taken pictures of some of them.  Making dolls has always seemed so spiritual and endeavor to me, even more so than an artistic endeavor. Each doll I make seems to change me as I work, and as I look back I can see my own spiritual evolution in the types of dolls, the themes, the materials I have used. I wonder how the dolls I am working on will affect me this time. Whether they turn out as I had planned/envisioned or not doesnt' really matter. Like all journey's, it's the journey and not the destination that is what's important. My youngest sister has always been my strongest cheerleader about my creativity, she recognized it long before I recognized and embraced that part of myself as one of my best parts.  She is currently working on a novel and is one of her characters will be a dollmaker representative she says, of me. I am touched very deeply by her characterization.

My computer is really messed up and I haven't been able to set it right. We will be going on vacation begining with our trip to Fargo in a couple of weeks to watch Ashlyn Rose while her mommy and daddy are out of town for a few days. I'll have to take the computer along and drop it off at Best Buy and let the Geek Squad see if they can fix it or else I"ll have to buy a new one (I'd rather not spend that money right now. I'd like to pay off bills instead of using credit so that I can quit working in 2 years. That's my hope anyway.).  In the meantime I'm spending more time on my blackberry, which is great for checking mail and checking in to read live journal, posting on facebook,. but not great for blogging or actually answering e-mails in more than a few short sentences. It's laborious to compose anything longer on that tiny keypad. Most of what I need to "write" for work can be done by hand rather than computer for now so it's okay. And I can borrow Tom's when he's not needing it. (like I am now)

Today was a much better day than yesterday. The weather was better. We had power ALL day. (they replaced meters yesterday and that was a pain in the butt)  I was home from meetings by noon today and then worked on paperwork for a few hours. Had hoped to play at the art table this afternoon but ran out of energy. So the most creative thing I did today was cook dinner tonight.   I"m not sure where to go from here with the dolls I started to alter. I shall think on that as I go to sleep tonight. Maybe something astounding will show up in my dreams to give me an idea. That happens occasionally.

I'm very happy it's almost Friday...about 15 minutes to go.

When we think of "Barbie" the color  PINK comes to mind.

What color comes to mind when one thinks of Ken?

I'm altering Ken and Barbie Dolls, or at least beginning today.

When it comes to using colors, if I decide to do that, what color comes to mind when you think of Ken? (okay, so you don't all think about Ken all that much I know, but help a girl out here will you? ;-)

It's been a lovely quiet day.

No roofers this morning. They finished the repairs they were making yesterday. Now, with the next time it rains we'll see if the problem is indeed fixed.

I thought about not working at all today since all clients cancelled but decided to write one of the assessments that is due. But aside from a couple of phone calls that report is all I did. I was finished with work by noon.

Tom and I went out for lunch today at The Rustic Diner. Very Yummy!

This afternoon I finished reading GODMOTHER:THE SECRET CINDERELLA STORY. I really like it when a book leaves you with something to chew on after the last page is turned. There is such an interesting twist at the end of the story. I think it would make a grand screen play! I am looking forward to reading her first book, RAIN VILLAGE.

Unabashedly stolen from my friend Tina Marks' Facebook page:
I absolutely loved this little piece!
Juicy old crones!

MY IMAGINATION

Imagination and I were rocking by her hearth the other night, two old crones in the firelight, knitting a coverlet to blanket the world with love. Imagination and I go way back - back to those days when I was playing with my toes, ogling at my parents.
"Maj," I asked, "have you been up to some mischief? 'Cause last Tuesday I was feeling you mighty strong."
Imagination threw back her head and let out a laugh that shook the world like jell-o, her rainbow tresses gyrated in the firelight.
"Oh my, last Tuesday!" Maj chortled, her voice rasping like a saw blade laced with honey. "Last Tuesday I was howling at the moon like a wolf in heat, howling at the moon to drive uppity old Luna crazy. Luna told me, 'Hush your odious face!' So I stuck out my ruby tongue and started leaping from star to star, shaking stardust all over the place.
"Now you know stardust tickles like nothing else, tickles like an army of ants marching under your skin! Before hoity-toity Luna knew it - she was shaking and rolling and jiggling about with one serious case of the giggles. She almost fell right out of the sky! I howled with laughter and Luna howled right back at me, smiling despite herself."
Some people have imaginations who are charmingly refined, lady-like and proper. That's not my Imagination. She and I are bawdy broads, ready to laugh, embrace life - two old crones, rocking in the hearth light late at night, knitting a coverlet to blanket the world with love.
~Stacy Anne Murphy~

Tom's shirt says "Life is Good"
It is indeed good when a baby smiles at you for the first time. Here Ashlyn is awake again and I caught the beginning of her smile at her Grammie. I just want to weep in the beauty of that moment when she smiled at me for the first time when I was talking to her. To catch it on camera was a joy.
I love this little bit of heaven so much!

Tom is just as enamored as I with Ashlyn.

I am absolutely totally in love with my granddaughter Ashlyn Rose. I could hold her for hours!