Category Archives: Photos
Pillow 0, Olive 1
So this happened while I was in the shower this morning.
The pillow did already have a hole in it but she’s pretty much left it alone. Usually I come out of the shower and she’s laying on the couch. Oh well. It was a nice run.
A fairy eye look!
Trying out a fairy eye look for Halloween! I started by attempting something I found on Google but that quickly went south so I improvised and came up with this!
It was really easy because there wasn’t much blending at all—just a touch so it looked like I put forth some effort.
And I think the Violet Volt lipstick looks amazing with it!
POTR, Day 4
I bought $20 worth of raffle tickets and put them in a variety of things. Imagine my surprise when I got out of class to discover I won this ostrich egg!!
In case you thought I was kidding about wanting to do Pysanky now… I present my purchase — 10 dozen blank eggs! Already fully blown out and cleaned!! They were cheaper than actual eggs (she wanted to get rid of them so put them on sale!) so definitely worth the cost!! I’m actually debating getting more because they don’t go bad!!
(Yes I know there’s not a full 10 dozen here. Some are still being worked on!)
SURPRISE! A visit with some family who only lived about 20 minutes away from where we were staying!
POTR, Day 3
Group photo day!
POTR, Day 2
Pysanky on the River (POTR) Day 2 started with our first class—Beginner Drop Pull. We practiced on a paper plate first and then moved to an egg. I did better on the plate…but overall I did pretty well for my very first attempt!
The rest of our day was spent working on eggs of our own! These are two of mine!
And then lunch with pierogi, sausage, and sauerkraut!
And then I worked on copying one of my mom’s Halloween designs:
And the finished products!
They’re pretty bad (compared to the more experienced eggers) but they’re pretty good for what I’ve done thus far. I’m learning that no one draws freehand and everyone uses (what I used to think of as) cheat methods. But after starting to use them myself, I totally get it. And can’t wait to do more!!
Pysanky on the River 2022
We were up early this morning to hit the Ukrainian Museum Archives in Cleveland. Surprisingly the bathroom lighting was pretty good—I love Hampton Inn!
I bought a new necklace there (because I broke my necklace on the way here).
With my mom at the museum.
Then it was off to State Meats and eating lunch at Mama Maria’s Ukrainian Kitchen!
Then we visited a Ukrainian cathedral (to see the gold spires in the sun), grabbed a donut across the street, and then some ice cream at the Honey Hut!
Then it was back to the hotel to grab our stuff to setup for the event!
OMG all the “naked eggs” for sale… Typically you’d have to blow them all out yourself and it’s not complicated but it is a lot of work. These were already blown out and cleaned! And on sale! For less than it would cost to even buy them in the store! Turns out the vendor was getting out of the egg business and just wanted them gone. Stay tuned to see just how many I ended up buying!!!
And then I bought my Christmas present! A goose egg from Pysanky Master Lorrie Popow! It’s absolutely stunning. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it!
I asked her how she could even see to do that and she said “When my eyes were younger!” I eventually looked through her Facebook page to see if I could find it to see when she did it…and it was 2012!!
Lorrie Popow: LorriePopow.com and on Facebook
Cleveland(ish), I am in you.
A few months ago my mom asked me if I’d go with her to a 4-day Pysanky Retreat in northern Ohio. I jumped at the chance—I think I said yes even before she finished asking! I’ve long been wanting to get back into Pysanky—and I never get to spend any alone time with my mom—so it was a no-brainer!
So this morning I was in the car and on the road by 9am (in a super quick and easy road trip look) to Middleburg Heights/Berea!
Tom always does the driving so it kinda stunk not being able to work while on the road, but I did listen to an audiobook (which eventually made me sooo tired I took to eating popcorn to stay awake)! But I made it!
After we got settled and visited for a bit it was off to find dinner. I found a local Chinese place with really great Yelp reviews (Little Hong Kong) about a mile away…where we had some of the best General Tso’s chicken I’ve ever had. Highly recommend!
Then it was back to the hotel to make 65 goodie bags for the event…
And take a Covid test to be able to attend.
Her ears are still wonky.
But still hella cute.
Resting Besties
We took Olive when we went over for dinner and of course they all go apeshit bananas for a long time…but then they do eventually settle down.
It’s probably fibromyalgia.
Today’s the day I hopefully get SOME answers. I’m already annoyed because I never got a phone call with any results and it’s been over a month! I even called to check and they told me (paraphrasing) that he’s really busy and wears a lot of hats — implying that this wait is normal.
So the lab results and x-rays showed absolutely nothing. There was something in the lab work that was ever so slightly elevated but nothing to worry about at all. So at least there’s nothing like rheumatoid arthritis or anything serious going on.
So he wants me to see a rheumatologist just to see if they find anything else. But in the meantime he said he’s 95% sure it’s fibromyalgia.
In the meantime, I need to lose weight, watch my diet, and start taking blood pressure medication because my blood pressure is really high — HE WANTS ME TO LOWER MY SALT INTAKE AND EAT LESS RED MEAT.
When I told Tom, he said I needed a new doctor. LOL
She likes her toy bin.
I was in the kitchen and heard a different noise that I couldn’t tell what it was so I went to inspect…and found this.
She had pulled her toy bin out by the tag. Silly dog!
Leaves are yummy!
The view from our yard.
Her newest toy is a headband.
She has sooooo much fun with this.
How I got a refill!
Drinking wine and reading by the fire… Finished my glass and sent this text to Tom.
Yayyyyy!
The anatomy of a Boston Terrier
Baseball morning!
We had an away game which means we’d be gone for like 4 hours so we took Olive to Anna’s so she could play with Honey. She always ends up in the front seat.
I haven’t posted much about baseball this fall season… Tom is coaching again. They’re about 50-50 for wins and lossses. Owen isn’t pitching but it still liking first base…and has been catching more!
It was a wee bit chilly. Katie even stayed in the car!
I’m still making the lists!
I’m a clown today!
I was challenged to do a clown Halloween look…and as fate would have it, we just watched Killing Eve last night and a character played a clown! So this is the look I decided to recreate! Unfortunately I didn’t have a clown nose and the makeup looked silly…so I changed course and did my own thing.
She brings us anything she finds.
I’m a maiden again!
Four of my customers signed up for the Distributor account last month and three of them placed qualified orders which means I hit the rank of maiden! (It really doesn’t do anything major for me other than “yay I did it” but since I’m not into building a team it’s rare I even got this far!)
I also hit Ruby SeneSales, which makes 11 quarters in a row I’ve hit one of the three SeneSales levels!
Cuddle face!
Olive likes her Sparty
We found this Sparty dog toy at Horrocks and of course had to buy it!
I feel ALLLL of these.
Christmas book equals…
If I’m reading a Christmas-themed book I can listen to Christmas music, right?
It’s been 20+ years!
When you travel to Michigan and are close to your first apartment you officially shared (after my cousin Lisa moved out), you stop for a selfie.
The name of the complex has changed slightly but it looks exactly the same. Tom had to stop me from knocking on our actual apartment door and asking to look around.
We also stopped to check out Horrocks. Holy shit has that place grown (since we were last there 20 years ago)!! I would kill to have something like that by us now! We managed to spend a few hundred dollars on fun food items like flavored meats and cheeses, bulk dried goods and treats, flavored bulk olive oils, and Michigan-themed products just to name a few. If you’re ever in the area, you MUST stop: Horrocks of Lansing
Today’s tip? Don’t get old.
I apparently tweaked my back last night leaving the reception—and didn’t realize it until this morning when I tried to get up and out of bed and realized I had more than my usual amount of pain.
Walking out, I had half stumbled on some rocks (in my stupid heels—why did I try to be fancy?!) and “caught” myself. (But aren’t they fancy?! They looked amazing!)
I can walk (thankfully) but can’t bend at all. And Tom had to help me put my underwear and pants on. But isn’t that what marriage is all about?!
A beautiful wedding day!
An outdoor wedding in Michigan on October 1? It was a daring move but it was the most amazingly gorgeous day to watch my cousin’s daughter (I googled and that makes her a first cousin once removed or I can call her a niece) Jessica marry…a marine!!
Holy crap I’m 49!
Yes you bet your ass I’m wearing my crown!!
No fun errands or escapades… We were on our way to Michigan for my cousin’s wedding (technically like second cousins – whatever my cousin’s kids would be to me!).
Birthday dinner at a super yummy Chinese restaurant in Saginaw.
And a birthday margarita, because of course. The waitress guessed it was my birthday – telling me her mom wears a crown, too. Hey, it got me $1 off. LOL
And then we realized we wanted water for the hotel room so stopped here.
