Spa Day

For Christmas Betsy gave me a gift certificate for a facial and lunch day. Today was the day. She and I met in Pine Valley and she drove us to Lakeside for our spa day. It was wonderful. Afterward, we went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Alpine. This was an all-day event. I enjoyed it very much, so why am I so tired? I guess I missed my nap.

A Great Day

Wednesday turned out to be a great day. Betsy and I decided to take pictures for the January calendar showing a windy January day. Boy was it windy! Doc was great, despite the racket of the wind rattling the barn and whistling through the trees. We got our photos and got out of the arena before some flying object hit us. That was fun.

Also fun was opening birthday presents from Betsy. I got a big woven basket for my craft room, a beautiful horsey t-shirt, and socks. Betsy also made me a beautiful chocolate cake. Mom, Vivian and I had a piece of cake later in the morning.

In the afternoon I played with my beadmaking, made two beautiful beads. They both broke. I did some thinking and researching and figured out they broke because they went from hot to cold. I need to put them in the fiber blanket to keep them from cooling too quickly. If I had a bead annealing kiln, I would just put them in there right away. Instead, I am going to have to let the beads cool slowly and then later put them in my big glass kiln for annealing. Lots to learn.

Finally, around 1:30 I went to my new hairdresser in Alpine and got a hot oil treatment. My hair has been getting dry because of all the coloring over the years plus the lack of humidity here. I will get another treatment on Saturday when Mom and I get our hair done.

All in all, a very good day. (Plus, all the cats are back. I got Ivan last night. He's been missing for 3 days. I guess he got hungry because he came to the living room window so I went outside and got him, carried him though the house and put him back in the cat house and he went immediately to the food.)

Cat on the Roof

For two nights now I've been trying to get Peaches to come down from the roof. She meows and rolls around up there but won't take the jump to the top of the Rubbermaid shed, a drop of about two and a half feet. So this morning I got her friend Bob-B and put him on top of the Rubbermaid. Then I called her and she jumped down--eventually. I put her in the cat house and Bob-B ran off somewhere. Cats, cats, cats!

It was extremely windy last night and is windy again today. I dressed for my riding lesson, but I'm not sure if Betsy will come out. Seems to be Santa Ana winds from the east.

Movie Tuesday

How is it you can have an excellent cast in a terrible movie. Just my opinion, of course, but August: Osage County was a mean movie about a mean family. Talk about disfunction, everyone in the family was a mess. The previews gave the impression the movie would be a comedy, but there was nothing funny or redeeming about it. What a waste of time and talent.

Frozen Thumbs

On Saturday I thought I'd better get busy making beads before my class on Monday night. I made about four horrible beads before I got tired and thought I would take a break. After I shut every thing down I got a terrible pain in my left thumb and then noticed my right thumb was hurting, too. I think the constant motion rolling the mandrel (left hand) and glass rod (right hand) made my arthritis flare up. I started putting Voltaren cream on my thumbs every few hours but they continued to be very painful for the rest of Saturday and Sunday. By Monday I was able to use them again. I practiced making beads again but took frequent breaks. My thumbs are still a little sore, but at least they are not frozen. I was able to use them in my class, thank goodness. I might be too old for this.

Mary Poppins

After seeing Saving Mr. Banks, we wanted to see Mary Poppins again. It's been years. The movie was released in 1964 and I think that was the only time I saw it. So tonight I cooked artichokes, Dennis made Saginaki (cheese appetizers), and Mom brought over homemade dessert rolls and we watched Mary Poppins while eating a fabulous dinner.

It was great.

Little Bug and Bubba napping

Look down: there's Little Bug in the big bed; Look up: there's Bubba in the tree perch bed. Eating breakfast is hard work; time for a nap.