Husband gets a new car ... I get yarn!

It's been a thorn in my side for a few weeks now, the husband's sudden raging desire to purchase a new car. It's not that he didn't already have one.

Back when he switched positions with the company he drives for, from over-the-road to local, he needed a car to drive back and forth on the weekends from Charlotte to the house here in Marion. He's gone all week so the car would be sitting at the terminal five days, he'd drive it home on Friday night and drive back to Charlotte at the butt-crack of down on Monday mornings to go to work.

The terminal has a large paved area for drivers/employees to park their personal vehicles, but the vast majority of the "yard" is dirt/gravel, mostly dirt. He didn't want to drive his Dodge truck and leave it there ... can't say I blame him. Not only would it get pretty dirty, the gas mileage would be on the expensive side. I wasn't going to let him drive my Jeep either. No alternative but to get a small, economical car for him to drive. As luck would have it I found a '04 Chevy Aveo at the local Dodge dealership where I take our vehicles to be serviced. It was perfect, with the exception of it not having A/C, it suited in all other aspects. Great price, $145 a month car payment, excellent gas mileage, nothing fancy to worry about leaving at the terminal all week. I felt like I had done a good thing and left it go at that.



Sadly, the husband is not as easily satisfied as I am. We agreed that come the spring we would have A/C installed, maybe a better stereo system, but that was about the extent of it. I'm not sure what happened to our arrangement but sometime in the last three weeks the husband got a wild hair up his butt that he wanted another car. The upside to the whole thing is he did like the Aveo and his choice for a new car was a newer Aveo ... only - with extras. The down side is I didn't want the added expense to our already tight budget. That's another issue with the husband - he tends to forget we live on a budget. *sigh*

So the hunt began. He spent hours on the internet. Spent hours on the phone with all of the car dealers for miles around. It was all he talked about and in all honesty, I didn't want to hear it, didn't want to discuss it, didn't want to trade the old Aveo for anything. I just wanted to save the money, focus on paying off our other bills and be done with it. Alas, that was not to be. The husband was determined and nothing I said would have changed his mind. It was not a battle I could win, so I just didn't say anything at all.

It all came down to finally getting the new Aveo at our local Chevrolet dealership. They had one he liked but, fair price, offered highest trade allowance on the old Aveo, had a $500 rebate offer, yet it didn't have the "premium" stereo system. Haggling ensued, upgrade to stereo agreed to, price all set and deal made. We were scheduled to go pick up the new Aveo on Saturday. As the Fates would have it, and maybe to appease me a little, our salesman called on Saturday while the husband was outside washing the old Aveo ... new rebates had come down the pipe and we were getting an additional $1,000 rebate. Dealership was drawing up new paperwork right then. *whoopie*

The husband was thrilled.

I couldn't have cared less. Was not appeased.

Anyway, he finished cleaning the old car and we headed over to the Chevy dealership. Two hours later we were the owners of a brand new Aveo.



After the whole process was over we were both hungry and decided to grab some lunch. I think the husband realized I wasn't exactly overjoyed with the new car so he asked if there was anywhere I would like to go instead of straight back home. *insert wicked laughing* I looked at him across the table and said, "We are going to Yarn Paradise in Asheville and you're just going to have to suck it up, Buckaroo."

He was a smart fella' and didn't twitch a muscle nor bat an eyelash.

I guess he was also thinking that having me drive the car to Asheville would somehow make me like it. I drove. I like the car even less now.

But I love Yarn Paradise and took my sweet time browsing the selections of yarns. I found the Noro Korchoran I had seen on the internet, but sadly, the color in real life wasn't what I had hoped it would be so I passed it up. On the other hand, they had Prism Indulgence that I fell in love with. Color - Tumbleweed. I bought two skeins at a shameless $24.95 per skein.



They also had the same yarn in a color called "Fog". I loved it so much I could have eaten it. Even the husband loved it. They only had a couple of skeins and I would have wanted enough to make my roll-neck sweater out of it. When we came home I did an internet search to see if I could locate it at a better price but it's nowhere to be found. So, this morning I called Yarn Paradise to see if they could special order it in a larger quantity. I'm waiting for the owner to call me back. If they can I'm going to be on Cloud 9 and you can be assured our savings account will be a minor chunk of change smaller. The husband will not argue. *hee hee*

I've already warned him ... "You just got $14,000 worth of new car after we had agreed to make no big/new purchases for the next couple of years - SO - I'm going to get $14,000 of stuff for the house after the Jeep is paid off in May. Anything else YOU want is going to have to wait until I am avenged."

Hey, works for me. Looks like I'm going to get to recover my living room furniture about three years ahead of schedule! *Rah!*

New curtains!

New carpet!

Hmmmm, I think I'm starting to feel appeased .....

Namaste, y'all ...

The Knit Bug

I can't help myself, the Knitting Bug is nibbling at me. I've been wasting time surfing the net for yarn I don't need and really can't afford. The Yarn Market kills me. I could .... okay, I have ... spent scary amounts of time perusing their yarn selections. Their current offer ~ $6.49 Shipping on any Order! Free Shipping on Orders over $100!* ~ is almost more than I can bear.

The yarn I'm lusting over is this:


Noro Kochoran #36

... with it's nice $19.85 pr. skein price tag.

I want it for my sweater pattern I bought last year after a long, long internet & yarn store search. I love this pattern.


Knitting Pure & Simple
Neck Down Pullover for Women #9724

I taught myself to knit because of this pattern. If this were the only thing I ever knit again I could die a contented woman ... as long as I was wearing my sweater.

Roll-neck sweaters are my favorite style. I fell in love with them way back in my 20's and was an avid J. Crew shopper, all sale items of course. They had a beautiful one in a winter catalog once that made my heart skip beats. It never went on sale. I never got the sweater.

I really want that Noro yarn, even if it does have wool, silk and angora - which my Vegan heart doth protest the purchase of. Still, I want it. Really, really want it. Unfortunately, I would need about 10-12 skeins. Obviously, my sweater won't be made out of that particular yarn. *sigh* But it would look damn fantastic as a roll-neck sweater and feel just dreamy to wear.

Maybe when I'm rich and famous.

For now I'll just have to be content with plain ol' cotton yarn. I got some last year to make the sweater out of but never got my nerve up enough to feel comfortable starting the sweater. I may have to wait awhile longer until I get some of my "List Of Stuff To Do" whittled down a bit ... but I will start my sweater this year.

Namaste, y'all ...

Gray morning, Earl Grey and gray brain fog ...

I've been up for several hours this morning and have succeeded in doing nothing more than wander around the house trying to decide what to do. I kind of feel like a dog must feel when chasing it's tail. It's not like I don't have plenty of stuff to do ... all too aware of my list of things to do ... but it's an overcast, chilly morning and I'm inclined toward just curling up on the sofa with a cup of Earl Grey tea and one of my books. Of course, a snuggly blanket and an orange fur-ball fat cat would have to be included in that scenario. Does sound really good, doesn't it?

Considering I didn't sleep very well last night I'm sure a nap would occur sometime during the course of this sofa/tea/book/blanket/cat event. Actually, I'm more than sure, I'm positive it would happen. I'm already yawning just thinking about being warm and cozy over there on the sofa. I'm also certain that about the time I got all comfy-cozy the phone would ring a gazillion times and disturb me. Murphy's Law would strike in response to my daring to be a lazy slug today instead of a productive individual. Damn you, Murphy!

So, here I sit typing this post, contemplating my options:

1. Do laundry & housework, ie: dust, mop, vacuum, etc.
2. Work on portrait #2
3. Work on Kwan Yin painting
4. Work on Namaste painting
5. Start a new painting
6. Work on website updates & changes
7. Start research for "secret project I can't talk about yet"
8. Work on Paul's quilt .... Hmmm - would be a warm snuggly blanket!
9. Study some more for my Reiki final master level attunement on Sunday
10. Work on stuff for next weeks' art class
11. Do tax stuff for Art Magic and Reiki businesses
12. Read, nap and snuggle with cat

What do you think I'm going to do?

Yeah, right.

Namaste, y'all ...

Sad things and happy things ...

Y'all, I know it's not a really big bump on the Happiness Highway of life for a lot of people, but it seems the time has come for my hummingbirds to mosey on their way to warmer climates in Mexico, where the Ruby Throated ones we have here in North Carolina migrate to. Can you believe these little guys (and gals) fly approximately 600 miles across the Gulf of Mexico? It's incredible.

I really enjoy having them around, waiting impatiently for them to arrive and full of sadness to see them leave. Hummingbirds are amazing to watch. They are able to fly up, down, forward, backward, sideways and can stop in midair. Hummingbirds are famous for their aerial display. Some displays are courtship displays; other displays are aggressive. Mostly what I get to see are the aggressive "Back off, Bee-atch - this is MY feeder, dammit!" kind of shows. But what thrills me the most are the times one gets curious enough to venture close and check me out. I always sit still and hold my breath in awe.

I love to hear them in the morning and evening, too. Hummingbirds lack a true song. Instead, they vocalize chirping notes, mostly short buzz trills and chirps. Hummingbirds' wings 'buzz' or make a whirring sound while the birds are in flight and is referred to as a "wing whistle." This past summer I had about 30 birds and the sound of their buzz and chirps constantly filled the air. On more than one occasion I had to dodge out of the way of them chasing each other. Creepy, of course, was always in a state of agitation when she would look out the window at all of them flying around. One brave little soul actually got right up in Creepy's face as she sat on the window sill. Needless to say, I thought the old orange fuzz-ball would have a stroke! Imagine, barely a quarter of an inch of glass between you and an extremely tempting cat toy!

So, it was with a heavy heart I cleaned the feeders, filled them and put them back outside this afternoon. Probably for the last time this season. *sigh* Bye hummers, I'll miss ya' lots!

On the Happiness Highway, there's always a nice, smooth spot or two. I hit a smooth spot the other day when I finally got the Reiki brochures and business cards from the printer. Being the persnickety graphic artist that I am, I do have issues with the color, etc. but I knew better than to expect anything less from a laser printer. But I wanted to show y'all the logo I designed for the cover of the brochures and cards ...



At some point in my crazy busy days I'll be setting up additional pages on my website for the Reiki and for Intuitive Tarot readings. Heck, I've still got paintings to update on the stinkin' site! Yep, makes me anxious and mildly irritated with myself that I haven't gotten it done, but Sheesh! I've been busy!

We, that is Paul and I, got our massage tables set up today and for all practical purposes, we're open for business! Rah! Hoo Yah! All we need are clients. That will come, I know it will.

The space is really nice. Paul did a fabulous job with painting the walls and cleaning the floor ... but I knew he would 'cause he's persnickety, too. We've got a few things yet to do, like put up some art, etc. but the lack of those few things doesn't detract from how calm and comfortable the space is. The lighting is soft. The area feels open and clean. The energy feels good. Makes me want to go and just hang out in our new space!

Okay, got to go into the studio and work on portrait #2. Hope you are all currently riding in the smooth spots on the Happiness Highway ...

Namaste, y'all ...

Signed, seal and almost delivered ... Hoorah!

At last, one portrait is finished! Phil came over today to check it out before I put the varnish coats on the canvas and, if I can judge by his reaction when he first saw it, I'd say he was pleased. Gave me two big hugs and a check. I protested the payment but he was adamant. Although this was supposed to be a "horse-trade" he obviously hasn't developed the knack for horse-trading.

As far as I was concerned the back door porch he built for me was perfect, exactly what I wanted, and worth every brush stroke on the canvas ... Phil felt like I did more because he didn't spend as much on building materials as would be equivalent to the actual cost of a painting this size had it been a straight commissioned portrait. Whatever.

Phil and Connie also have an issue with "reimbursing" me for my cat-sitting duties when they go out of town - as they did this past weekend. I've tried to tell them I have a blast going over and playing with their cats but they don't feel taking me out to dinner (which is usual payment) is sufficient repayment for services rendered ..... they have five cats who have particular habits and needs, twice a day. Crazy bunch of fur-muffins! So part of the check Phil insisted on giving me was also a bit of payment for cat duties. I understand his point in that they feel very fortunate to have someone like me who is willing to go over twice a day and take care of five cats. Not many neighbors would do it. But it gives them peace of mind their babies are taken care of - and - I get lots of good cat love and attention from some pretty darn sweet cats. It's a win-win situation. It honestly makes me feel bad that Connie and Phil feel they need to give me some form of reimbursement. Ah well, what do ya' do?

Back to the portrait ...



~ Connie and Nate ~


~ Connie and Nate, digital photo ~

Now, I'll admit I'm not yee-ha pleased with the final product (am I really ever???) but it was a difficult portrait to do. First, as I believe I've already yacked about in a previous post, the photo I had to work from was TINY, a mere 1.59" x 2.69". The canvas size is 16" x 20". Enlarging the digital photo made it pixelate horribly and the image became fuzzy and difficult to get detail and accurate color.

I also seem to have a much harder time painting faces when they are small on the canvas, as in this particular case. The faces aren't much bigger than the overall size of my hand. I guess it's got a lot to do with the way I paint, the whole blending thing, the whole need for detail thing. I have trouble just "roughing it in" as is what is typical in many oil portraits. I am inclined to refine edges and shapes as accurately as I can, not soft edges and blurred shapes to "create the illusion" of the eye or whatever. I find that very hard to do. I'm trying, but I still haven't mastered the technique. Some day.

I'm also not overly pleased with the quality of the photo of the finished portrait. I tried taking it in daylight, shadowed daylight and studio light but none turned out well. The colors are off, too much canvas texture shows, and a number of other nit-pick issues. I don't suppose it really matters in the grand scheme of things because this isn't a painting I'm going to sell prints of or anything. I do plan to post it on the website and a good image is best for that purpose, after all, it representative of my work as an artist, ya' know? I may try to take another photo of it before I take it up to the frame shop tomorrow.

Since this portrait is a surprise for Connie's birthday, and Phil wants to give it to her at a birthday party/dinner on Sept. 29th, I was in a sweat trying to get it finished quickly enough to give him time to get it framed. Glad I did. As I said, I'll be taking it to the frame shop for him and he'll go tomorrow afternoon on an "errand into town" to pick out the frame for it. He'll pay for that and I'll pick it up when it's done and take it with me to the dinner. That way, it won't accidentally be discovered by Connie if Phil tries to hide it somewhere until the night of her party.

I always like to see my work framed whenever possible. So many commissions I've done have gone away and been framed without my ever getting to see the final product. Framing makes such a difference it's amazing. I remember once, several years ago, I did a house-portrait commission for a woman. I delivered it to her, got payment, and didn't think much more of it. A couple of weeks later I was at the frame shop picking up something and I happened to glance over at a painting behind the counter. I mentioned to Ellen, the frame shop owner, that it was a nice painting and the framing really looked good. She looked at me real funny and said, "You should like it, you did it." I'm sure the look on my face was one of stupefied amazement. I had to go behind the counter and look at it again ... sure enough, it was the house portrait I had done. I couldn't believe the difference the matting and framing made in the end. Obviously, different enough that I didn't even recognize my own art work. Sheesh! So, given that, I'm anxious to see what Connie and Nate's portrait will look like framed. Mostly, I'm just hoping that Connie will like it.

Now it's time to get back to work on the other portrait commission. I got a really good head start on it before I had to stop and work on Phil's. If all goes well, I could be finished with it next week, or the week after. What's nice about it is it's only one face, nice size for my method of painting, and there is no definitive deadline other than having it done in time for Agnes to get it framed and under the Christmas tree as a gift to her husband. I do want to get it finished as quickly as possible because I have other things to work on. I also don't like having obligations of commissioned work hanging over my head.

I realize it's part of the job of being an artist unless you're really successful at selling nothing but original painting/prints/etc. and don't have to work by commission, it's still stressful. There's always that looming question of "Will the client be happy with it?" Agnes is a repeat client, and I'm sure she will be as pleased with this one as she has been with the previous work I've done for her. There's a certain amount of comfort in that, which I'm grateful for. But there's always the slight chance of mucking up somehow and not delivering what she's got pictured in her head. So, even though she's a repeat, I still feel that pressure to a small degree.

And I won't lie, I really want to move on to my own stuff. I want to have the freedom of working at my own pace, satisfying no one other than myself ...... which I'll be the first to admit is an, ummm, challenge. *hee hee* I'm most wanting to work on my 21st Century Kwan Yin. I think it will be a good piece when I'm finished. I don't know why, but I love things oriental/Asian, especially the faces of Asian women. They have such a delicacy and beauty to their eyes and facial bone structure, their skin tone, the contrast of their dark hair to a light complexion. They have a kind of natural grace and elegance which we Caucasian-American women lack. Even when they are advanced in years the wrinkles on their faces are still beautiful and full of wisdom and grace.

I also have a number of other projects both planned in my head and in the works. I have several paintings in progress and in mind. Paul's quilt is still not yet finished. My children's book is looking at me with impatience. I want to get started on making Christmas ornaments for my tree. I'm feeling the knitting bug nibbling at my butt to get busy on my sweater. I have a stack of books to read and a few new ones I ordered from Amazon coming in the mail soon. And there are some things around the house I want to do. I also received my first lesson packet from the Paramahansa Yogananda Self-Realization Fellowship in the mail the other day and haven't even had time to sit and read it - much less put it into practice. It seems time is going by so fast and I just keep piling up more stuff to be done. But that's basically a good thing, that's being productive, that's filling my life with things I love and enjoy doing.

With that happy thought ....

Namaste, y'all ...

In threes ... well, technically it's four

Okay, I've just posted three new entries ... swiped from my Y360 blog. I'm a blog-slacker. I admit it. Consider yourselves updated. Hoorah!

No, I haven't fallen off of the face of the Earth ...

Seems I've been rather negligent in keeping current with posting new entries here on my blog page. Yes, shame on me. So just what has kept me from indulgently blathering on endlessly about absolutely nothing important and providing morning coffee reading material for my fan base? *hee hee* I'm sure y'all are wanting the truth, right? Eck! Sadly, the truth is boring.

I've been painting. The pressure is on to finish one of the commissioned portraits. Connie's (subject of portrait) birthday is Sept. 28th. I have to give Phil time to take it and get it framed. As that could take a week, I need to have the painting finished no later than the middle of next week. I'm close, but not quite there yet. The portrait has two people ... Connie and grandson, Nathan. The background is all foliage - and I have issue with painting foliage; they are sitting on a wooden bench; Nathan is sitting in Connie's lap. Cute, typical family type snapshot. Sounds easy enough, right? No.

The problem is this - the photo I'm working from was taken with Carlee's (Nathan's mother) digital camera with the settings having been set to computer display mode. This means the original photo, sent via e-mail from Carlee to Phil to me, is 230 dpi yet only 1.59" x 2.69". While this is great for computer display, it's absolute crap for trying to paint from. When you enlarge such a tiny photo it pixelates horrendously. I'm trying to paint this image to 16" x 20". I'm virtually having to "fake" in detail because the enlargement simply doesn't have any. It's all fuzzy weird squares in crucial places like the eyes, the nose, the mouth, etc.

Of course, I've printed out a 5" x 7" of the image as well, which helps somewhat with figuring out detail - but not a lot. I'm fortunate that I know Connie enough that I can tell whether or not what I'm painting looks like her. Nathan I've only seen other pictures of. And he's two years old. His face is constantly changing, so his appearance in the pictures I've seen varies greatly. This creates problems. Not to mention he's got this super pale pinkish-white skin tone that is making me nuts trying to mix color for. It's got subtle hints of blue, lavender and also a reflected yellow cast from the bright yellow shirt he is wearing. Gah! I won’t even go into the strange color of yellowish-gray of their hair!

The other commissioned portrait is, as to be expected, temporarily on hold while I’m working on Phil’s. Not a problem with that because the client wants it as a Christmas present as in no hurry. As long as I’m done within in the next couple of months I know she’ll be happy. Personally, I want to get it finished and move on with other stuff I have in mind to paint. I’d really love to get back to working on my Kwan Yin. She’s sitting over on another table, patiently waiting. I’ve also had a number of other images pop into my head and they aren’t being so patient. *sigh*

I’m still waiting to get the call from the printer to let me know the Reiki brochures and business cards are done. I’m feeling a little concerned that I haven’t heard anything yet, but I told them I wasn’t in a rush for them. I’m hoping that’s the only reason I haven’t gotten a call. If there had been a problem with the file or something I’m sure I would have definitely heard something ... I’m keeping my finger’s crossed that they aren’t having a difficult time with printing the colors. I know they are using their laser printer/copier to print them and while laser printers have upsides, they also have down sides to printing things with full bleeds, etc. They aren’t the best for color reproduction either. If I ever get into a financial position of being able to afford a large format printer, you can be sure it won’t be a laser printer. Ink jet, Baby, ink jet.

Speaking of the Reiki business, things are moving along slowly but surely. Paul has gotten the walls of the space painted, the floor scrubbed nicely and is now working on the lattice panels that create the wall between our space and the rest of the “room”. I would very much like to put up a solid wall, which we have permission to do, but we can’t afford it right now. We have the essentials: Federal EIN, NC State registration, two Reiki/massage tables, lamps, rugs, consultation/Tarot reading table & chairs, filing cabinet, client information forms, receipt book, CD player, CD’s, salt lamp, art for the walls, etc. It all just has to be placed where we want it as soon as the “walls” are up. There are still a few things yet on the list to get but I need to start making some income from the space before I get anything else. Hopefully within the next week the space will finally be ready for use and we can start getting the word out. “Build it and they will come.” Works in theory ... let’s see how it goes in practice.

The acrylic painting class started this past Monday evening. Will be ongoing - Monday nights from 5:30pm ‘til 8:30pm for the next eight weeks. Most of my students are older folks ranging in ages from 40's to 80's.. Thirteen in all. They have varying degrees of familiarity with acrylics, meaning absolutely none to one being an “artist”. The first class was preliminary stuff, and as is typical, established rather quickly for me who I'll have difficulty with and who will be enjoyable to have in class. Inevitably there is always one who won’t listen, jumps ahead, asks stupid questions or holds up the rest of the class because he/she can’t shut up long enough to listen when I’m explaining technique, etc. and has to be given the instructions again. Honestly, that really irritates me, but it’s just part of the deal.

What else is happening in Carol’s World? Actually, that’s about it. Life is just moving along. I’m not feeling especially excited about anything right now with the portrait deadline looming over my head. Everything seems to be on hold until I get it finished.

On that note, time to go back into the studio ...

Namaste, y’all ...

Divine reasons and naked mouse catching ...

Unexpected financial developments yesterday morning in Rena's life have altered plans for the store, Enchanted. It's amazing how much can change in the span of a couple of hours. She's having to relocate the store to the downstairs area of the building in front of the space where Paul and I will be setting up our Reiki "clinic" and limit days she will be open. At this time I will not be going into partnership with her, though I still could if I wanted. Instead, I will just be helping to set it up and decorate the space for her.

In all honesty, I'm only mildly, passingly disappointed ... and that's more from not being able to decorate a larger area and store front windows. Silly, but that's the part I was truly looking forward to more than anything. What I immediately realized when we spoke yesterday afternoon was that it's Divine intervention and I'm willing to let that be without protest. Whatever Divine reasons are behind this change in plan I'm certain it's for my benefit. Maybe there were hidden things I didn't see or know. Maybe it would have been too time consuming and taken away from setting up the Reiki clinic. Maybe other thing just need to happen first and the store will come later. I don't know and it doesn't matter. I'm okay with however it's supposed to play out. I'm content with knowing Rena will not be closing the store completely and that Paul and I will have our space.

In reality, my deep, dark ulterior motive for getting involved with the store was to secure that space for the Reiki clinic. As things go, Vinita (owner of Djo-Go-Oh) will be taking over the upstairs store space and she has agreed to follow through with our original plans/agreements for the Reiki space and that's all I need to know. This afternoon I'm going to write up a contract clearly defining the verbal arrangement we made last night, get it signed by all parties involved and then have it notarized. It will be legal and binding without paying a lawyer. It should keep things as they need to be for Paul and I to start our Reiki business and see what it becomes without worry over the physical space. Our efforts can be concentrated to promoting and getting a clientèle established. Second only to my art/business, this Reiki clinic is important to me and I want to see it happen, see it grow, be witness to the help and healing it will be for people, and for it to bring something positive to the community. That's my hope, that's my plan, and that's what I'm working toward.

Speaking of art, the portraits are coming along. Phil took longer than I had hoped on getting the photos for me for his wife/grandson portrait, which in turn set me being under the deadline gun to get it completed before the end of the month. He'll need time to have it framed, and that shaves another few days off my painting time. I'm afraid I'm going to have to paint like a mad woman to get it finished. Ah well, it will be worth the effort if she's pleased ... and most likely as not she will be.

At an un-Godly hour this morning, 4:18 am to be exact, I was awakened by the sound of mad scurrying cat paws across the kitchen floor, bedroom carpet, under the head of the bed, under my nightstand, back under the bed, across the bedroom carpet again, then all around the treadmill on the far side of the bedroom. Though Creepy was definitely in bliss, with bleary-eyed dread I was all too aware of the cause of this orange fuzz-ball frenzy ... a field mouse. yee-hah.

I live "in the country" so the occasional mouse in the house is to be expected. Like ants at a picnic, it's an inevitable event at some point in country living. When I was a kid I raised mice and I loved them. Field mice are just as cute, but far more prone to bite if scared and cornered. They also don't live in a nice cedar chip lined cage and eat mouse food. Nope, field mice will live in your walls, eat your insulation and wiring, and get into anything in a kitchen cabinet they can. So yeah, I know they are part of my country living but I still don't like 'em in the house.

One would think that owning a cat would be like having a built-in mouse trap. Ummm, no. My Creepy is a professional napper, awesome snuggler, exceptional shedding machine, and all around eating champion ... but she is no mouser. She is amazingly inept for such a quick cat. I've see her snatch her toys (when I toss them for her to chase) right out of the air with incredible accuracy and lightening speed. I've seen her run through the house like a demon - hence the nick-name Red Rocket. But mouse catching is an ability that completely eludes her.

Must be like the automatic maternal instinct I'm supposed to (but don't) have because I'm female. Obviously, not all cats have fine tuned mouser abilities just because they are feline. But we have developed a method of compensating for our deficiencies and work as a team. She herds, I catch. With all the six or so mice that have breached our sanctuary walls over the past seven years Creepy has let me know it's inside, it's general location, and stands guard while I shove furniture around and trap the little vermin. Sadly, Creepy is so good at standing guard that she doesn't seem to quite realize when the show is over and the mouse has been exited stage left into the woods. She lingers and lurks for a long time in the last known mouse place and waits, apparently unknowingly, for nothing. If I didn't unconditionally love the ol' fuzz ball so much I'd be kind of embarrassed for her. Instead, I tell stories about her. *hee hee*

So, anyway, at the pre-butt-crack of dawn I'm rudely awakened by The Great Thursday Morning Mouse Hunt In The Bedroom. I seriously debated letting Creepy just have at for awhile, but the scuttling around noise wasn't conducive to my falling back to sleep. Like it or not I knew I had to take matters into my own hands.

I got up, turned on the overhead light, went to the kitchen to get a jar and lid, then back into the bedroom to trap the mouse. Creepy, as I said, was sniffing and poking her paws around the treadmill, but my first place to check was the tennis shoes I keep beside it. No mouse. I looked under the treadmill (it folds up for storage) and didn't see anything. Okay, re-evaluate. From previous incursions in the bedroom the second place I looked was in the corner beside a small two-drawer table/stand beside the chair. Bingo. Mouse between wall and table.

I placed the open jar at one end and used a curtain rod (I washed the curtains and haven't put them back up yet - handy!) to nudge the mouse into the jar. I popped the lid on and headed for the back door. Creepy, of course, is now all focused and intent on the spot where the jar had been. I flipped on the outside light, slipped on my outside muck-around shoes, jar/mouse in hand and went out. I turned the little guy/girl? loose in the ivy on the bank behind the house and watched as he scurried up into the safety of the woods, telling him good night/morning and asking that he please find another place of residence.

It was at that moment I realized I was standing there in the driveway at 4:30 am, stark naked save my shoes, talking to a mouse.

Sometimes my life is rather interesting.

Namaste, y'all ...

Gratitude and breathing ...

What comes to mind as I sit here and type this morning is that old saying, "Be careful what you ask for ... you just might get it."

I am, at this point in time, being inundated with what I "asked for".

Whew! Eck! Wow! Hoorah!

... and I must stop for a moment to breathe ...

It's been awhile since I've posted current Carol events, and I apologize for that. I've been busy. Very busy. Almost overwhelmingly busy. But, it's all good busy. I'm humbled by the abundance in my life of late. I'm infinitely grateful. I'm tickled pink and very excited with things that are in motion. What are these "things"? Allow me to update y'all on Kali's World ...

I've already told you about the portrait commissions. I have two in progress in the studio right now. One is due by the last week of September and the other is flexible on deadline as long as it's done before Christmas. One watercolor. One acrylic. Honestly, I'll be glad to have them finished, which I hope will be very soon.

In a previous post I told you about the possibility of doing Reiki and Tarot reading at Enchanted, the new metaphysical store in town with my friend, Paul. That has progressed to our being an official, legal business partnership with EIN and all that. I've designed our brochures and business cards and am taking the files to the printer today. I've gotten most of the stuff for decorating and my Reiki (massage) table came the other day. Rena (store owner) is going to purchase a second Reiki table for Paul's use. Hopefully this week we will be getting the paint to finish fixing up the area where we will be working and can start taking clients by mid September. We (Paul and I) are going to work on bringing Reiki to the doctors, nurses and patients at the hospital and the folks at the local Hospice. So many other possibilities available to us, too. I'm truly looking forward to starting this business and doing Reiki for people.

Our space will also have a particular area for my Tarot readings, etc.. Because of city/county ordinances, I'm having to call myself a Spiritual Counselor. I won't go into all the details of that crap. Anyway, I've designed business cards for the readings and have printed some here on my home computer. They look nice, but when finances allow, I'll have them printed by the local printer instead of doing them at home. I suppose I like the professional quality so much better than what I can do here with what I have printer-wise.

One of the most interesting new developments is Rena has asked me to consider becoming business partners with her. I'm flabbergasted. I'm flattered. I'm excited at the thought of it. Her plan is that I would be the decorator/manager side and she would be the financial/legal side. I will not deny I was tempted. Okay, I'm more than tempted, I'm actually considering it. Co-owning a metaphysical store would be, in a word, awesome. Being the primary controller of the store would be a dream come true. Yet, at the moment, there are some complications I don't want to get involved in until it's all resolved.

Basically, what Rena wants is someone to take over handling the store and she would front the money for operations until the store pays for itself (and us). She is busy with a lot of other personal things, works full-time as a paralegal for a local lawyer, and is also taking classes part-time to get her Master's degree. She really wants the store, but can't be there on a daily basis as an owner should with a new business. I believe this store could really pay off. Decorated well, stocked well, and run well it could be the start of bigger things. It just needs full-time attention.

For starters, I told Rena I couldn't be in the store as cashier and still do all the other things I have on my own plate. She said she could have her daughter running the register. That would free me up to do the other store things ... plus all the stuff I've got going on with my own businesses. (Art, Reiki, Tarot) I also told her I wouldn't be comfortable doing it with the way things are between her and Vinita, the woman who owns Djo-Ge-Oh Galleries - the business in the other half of the building. Rena and I talked at length yesterday about things which would have to change, things that would need to be done, etc. and if she follows through on them as we discussed, then I will be far more inclined to accept her offer as business partner. Right now, I'm going to wait and see what happens.

Truth is, I've only recently met Rena. I don't know her as a person yet. I don't know what to expect from her yet. My psychic antenna tell me she would be fine to work with if "things" get straightened out with her and Vinita. And, I would have to make sure Rena and I had our own arrangements in writing, with a set business plan to give focus and direction, and a little time to give the store a chance to grow and prosper. Again, I'm just going to wait and see what evolves before I commit to anything.

Still, there is that part of me that is so thrilled with the possibilities it's hard not to jump in with both feet. I have to remind myself to stay relaxed, stay open, and breathe. If it's meant to happen, it will. If not, a little time will tell. It's an exercise in patience.

So, that's my current events. Hope all of you are well and happy!

Namaste, y'all ...