Angels are around

Three posts in one month - WOW.  That's definitely a record for me.

Anyway, I am feeling better, but still tire really easily.  And, I'm working full time last week and this week 😢  I'm definitely too old for this.  Unfortunately my boss is out from some surgery so it's just me.  Thank God it's an easy job where I can sit down a lot.

So, back to the update.  I had an x-ray and CT scan and they showed "COPD" 😡 and a few other really annoying things.  I've never smoked or worked around asbestos.  Yes, I have an aggravating cough and a few other symptoms, but I do not believe this diaagnosis.  Appointment next week with Pulmonologist so we'll see what he thinks.

I fell yesterday; tripped over Koda (my little dog who sticks to me like velcro).  Not his fault, I obviously wasn't paying attention like I should.  Basically landed on left side, so have a few bruises.  Worse thing was a "rug burn" on my left arm - about 2" long and it pulled all the skin off.  My skin is so thin anyway.  I thought I'd never get it to stop bleeding - and it even bled more during the night.  Think I've finally got it stopped now.  I'm here to tell you that peroxide on a 3/4" x 2" place with no skin - BURNS 🔥 like the very dickens!!!   If there was a germ there and it survived it's a lot stronger than I am.

So that's it.  I'm paranoid about falling anyway.  Way too easy to break something at my age...

so those angels that  "catch me in their hand" (Ps 91) did their job quite well - thank you!  

Has it really been that long

.....since I posted here?  Yeah, guess it has.  Just can't seem to make this a regular part of my activities.

I know, priorities!  So, I guess it just isn't up there these days.

I do manage to stay busier than I thought I would at this stage of my life, and I guess that's good.  I surely never get bored and always seem to have a list a mile long of things I want to do.

Am missing my big, ole indoor-outdoor cat today.  He's at the 'kitty hospital'.  He was limping on his right rear leg - had to wait to take him in because we had a weather event in Alabama.  Anyway, he's been there since Thursday.  No broken bones, no abscess, she thinks it may be a pulled muscle or sprain.  So, he's on "bed rest" - meaning he's on medication and confined, so hopefully he's healing.  Here are a couple of pictures for your viewing pleasure.  That's Frosty with him in the second picture.  Frosty weighs 3-1/2 pounds, Boots weighs 14.  He's a sweetie and I'll be glad when he's home and well.

Happy Birthday Frosty

It's Frosty's birthday - he's 13 today and still as cute and sweet as ever.  Here's a couple of pictures made on the day I got him (he wasn't quite 8 weeks old)

I've always loved poodles and Frosty is my 4th. He was a gift from my late husband who knew I'd always wanted a 'tiny' poodle.  My others were miniatures - so I was especially pleased with him.

Unfortunately he came from a puppy mill (that's another story I guess) and had some issues, but it was definitely love at first sight for me.

He's got the very best personality but is definitely a "mama's boy".  He's crate trained but howls if I leave him and he thinks anyone can hear him.  Don't leave him a lot - and wouldn't leave him at all if I could take him into all stores.  Actually, he's cleaner and better behaved than most kids - and his feet don't touch the ground when we're out and about.

He was just over a year old in this one.

Another older picture - just after he was groomed.  We have a great groomer, but Frosty isn't particularly pleased when he goes.  He's cut shorter than that now as our groomer is temporarily closed because of health problems.  His fur grows fast though, so he'll be a puff ball soon enough.

This is him with Boots - my outside cat.  Boots weighs 20 pounds, Frosty 3-1/2. Needless to say, he's considerably smaller - but he's definitely the boss.  Emma Grace (inside cat) is his favorite though and they play together.

And, this is Frosty today.  That's his bed at work - oh yeah - he's a working dog. He takes his job seriously - guard dog and greeter at our local Cross stitch shop.  He's starting to get cataracts and can't jump quite as well as when he was younger, but he's still going strong.

Frosty sticks to me like velcro, sleeps with me, goes most places with me and is my loving companion.  I pray he's around for MANY more years!

Who's bed is this?

... well, actually it's Frosty's - but Emma Grace tries it out occasionally.

Heard Frosty barking the other day and went to see if he wanted to go outside - no, he wanted Emma Grace to get out of his bed!

Coffee table is finished

... and I'm officially out of the furniture refinishing business.  I'm TIRED of painting furniture.  One table wouldn't have been so bad, but of course, I had to get carried away and do 3 pieces.

Aside from the 'hunt' to find the tables (several months actually), I started the first one on January 19 and the coffee table was moved into my living room late yesterday (February 8).  Almost 3 weeks.

My coffee table actually has 'sage green' legs - they don't show nearly true color in the photo.  I used a fabric swatch of my drapes and had the paint matched to that.

In case you missed the original post - here's what it looked like when I started... pretty ratty and scratched up - but all wood and quite solid.

So, I sanded... gave it 2 coats of primer (then curing for 7 days), 3 coats of sage green on the legs and skirt, 2 coats of stain on the top, then 3 coats of polyacrylic on the top.  In case you're counting - that's TEN COATS of some sort of paint, with all the waiting/curing time time between each one which means it wasn't a quick project!  I don't understand how they do this kind of stuff so quickly on HGTV.  Oh wait!  It's TV, right?

And, here's the inspiration photo (which did come from HGTV):

And here's what it looks like altogether:

I considered doing the coffee table in yellow (did I mention, I love yellow?), but decided to use the green.  I'm really pleased with the results - but I did get pretty tired of painting stuff.    (note - that's a cat on arm of love seat, and dog sitting on love seat... though he does like his new dog bed.)

Refinished furniture - almost done

Both end tables are FINISHED.  So, here are a couple of photos - recapping the process (which was very slow - by my standards anyway).  So, here we go.  I found this ratty old table - and it was ratty.

Took the doors off and sanded... and sanded and sanded and... well, you get the idea

Primed with two coats of primer - let cure for 7 days, then 3 coats of yellow and then 3 coats of Minwax polycrylic on the top - which took more time and had to cure 24 hours.  Interior has upholstery fabric glued with spray adhesive, and stapled inside with the nail trim finish.

Emma Grace wasn't shy about trying it out.

So after the last coat cured, they were FINALLY ready to use today.

Instead of adding the custom cushion, I decided to simply move Frosty's existing bed inside it for the time being.  Thought he might be more willing to use it with his own bed.  Had to 'encourage' him at first.  And, Emma Grace is still curious.

So a little while after putting it all together went back in the living room and there's Frosty - I think he likes it :-)

This picture is the inspiration piece:

I'll post the before and after of the other table in another post - it's already being used also and I'm loving the bright color.  Did I mention my favorite color is yellow.

Coffee table starts getting paint on Monday.

Frosty has a New Raincoat

Frosty is a working dog and has to look good.  He's got a better wardrobe than I do.  Isn't he adorable???

This will be his 'winter raincoat' as it's heavier and has a hood.

This picture makes him look bigger than he is - he's wearing a sweater under the raincoat :-)  I gotta say, he wasn't real enthusiastic about the hood, and it comes down over his eyes if I'm not careful.  

It's a pretty purple color, lined and trimmed in pink.  It's okay, "Real Men wear Pink".

Our 'boss' gave it to him.  We work a couple of days a week in our local cross stitch shop.  He's the "greeter, guard dog, and all around conversation starter" and he takes his job very seriously.  

He always thinks we're leaving for work when I put a sweater on him, though he wears one most of the winter because he's so little and gets cold so easily.

Here's Frosty taking an outside break at the shop and sittin' in Rita's lap (note the sign in the window);