Big Blue Gets a Makeover

 

Glow of paradise shining down on The Blue! (Or it's just sunshine...)

When I bought Big Blue, I jumped all the hoops of rational purchasing...I asked the right questions, I took her in for an inspection at the local Ford Dealership, I studied the details and looked for signs of badness, I test drove (for over an hour) and she past every test. The previous owners did tell me there is a "scratch" on the roof to which I replied, "Does she leak?" I have a rational fear of mold since my last van started leaking, unbeknowst to me, and after a year it created a mold nightmare forcing me to sell.

When I took Big Blue into the Ford Dealership for the inspection, I asked if they could inspect the roof specifically because of this information. They told me they didn't have that kind of equipment. I found it odd no one in a company filled with men had a ladder? But I was desperate for an alternate living arrangement due to my horrifying rental experience with the psychopath. Desperation makes one stupid. How bad could a "scratch" be? I know how easy it is to underestimate the height of vans, especially a gigantic van such as Big Blue. How many branches have I already hit, how many bushes have I smacked? I have yet to drive into a too-low roof or tunnel. Thankfully. Big Blue is 8 feet tall. There is a reason I named her BIG Blue!

So when my new solar guy came to look with his handy ladder I said, "I heard there is a scratch up there, but I've never had an opportunity to see it." He climbed the ladder, hesitated, looked and said, "Scratch? You think this is a scratch? What the hell happened? There is a large dent from the front of the van all the way to the back!" OMG! I felt bamboozled. I climbed the ladder and saw it for myself. The sweet family who sold me the van were so lovely and seemingly trustworthy! You can't trust anyone these days especially when they are trying to sell a vehicle!

It looks like someone half-assed repaired it. I doubt if they claimed it on insurance or the title wouldn't have been clean. My insurance agency definitely has no inkling of the damage. And it doesn't look like it is rusted, nor does it leak. Solar guy suggested before he installs solar panels, I should Rustoleum the top just to protect it so it doesn't start rusting. It's not like anyone can see the top anyway (see top photo - I never had a clue) and with the solar panels over, it'll be totally camouflaged. 

Like a fool I said, "Sure! I love to paint!" LOL! The top is a bit sunbleached anyway so I figured it couldn't hurt. 

I've never even been able to wash up there because I didn't have a ladder. Anticipating my project and future cleanings of roof-inhabiting solar panels, I immediately purchased one of those awesome telescopic ladders that collapses very small so it would fit in the van without taking up too much room. I took Big Blue to the car wash. The ladder is scary especially with all the pink, smelly, slippery suds of the car washing scrub brush. I was convinced I'd slip right off and break my neck, but I fearlessly, or rather scared shitlessly, persisted.

Because Big Blue is a few years old and has spent her life in Arizona, the bright blue paint job is a bit faded, I couldn't really find a blue that matched. I also didn't trust I could do a decent job having no experience with spray paint. Solar guy kept assuring me it doesn't matter. No one sees the top. Hmmm...well, if that's the case then why not have some fun and do a wild, multi-colored pattern? Flowers? I love flowers. I visited several auto supply stores and Home Depot to ask questions about paint, process and durability. I ended up buying a whole lot of colorful Rustoleum paint from a Home Depot that had really knowledgeable workers!

I was psyched, but terrified. I kept reminding myself, no one can see the top of the roof and it'll be covered with solar panels so stop worrying! I couldn't help it. Even if it ended up looking OK, I still might fall off the roof or the ladder out in the middle of a desert.

Next step sand the whole thing. Eeeewww. Not fun. I did it early one morning. Then I took it back to the car wash to wash all the dust off.

Next tape off the windows. Home Depot guys said the spray paint will float to places unwanted...like the windows. If I get spray paint on the windows, there is no way to get it off! Be sure not to compromise the safety features of the van, namely the lights front and back. So I taped. This was the WORST job of all! How do people tape cars so perfectly when they are painting the whole thing? I have no idea! Then I ran out of plastic garbage bags and couldn't very well go to the store with my van half taped! I visited one of my boondocking neighbors and offered to pay. She graciously gave me a few to finish the job. I still didn't have enough and just used old towels on the windshield.

By the time I was ready to paint, it was noon. You'd think 75 degrees wouldn't feel that hot, but on a vehicle it was scorching. I tried a few flower designs, but the surface as so hot the paint just seemed to melt. The colors were beautiful though! I decided to stop and wait until late afternoon.

I painted huge flowers because I wanted to outline them in black and I didn't trust my ability to do details with a spray can. I did echinacea, camelia, tiger lily, sunflower, forget-me-knots, salvia and one really ugly tulip that doesn't really look like a tulip. I tried filling in the background with the bright blue. It was OK. Then I attempted the front slope of the roof which only made the paint drip. Oops. (I plan to paint the front-above-the windshield with blue to fix that.) Here is an aerial view taken by my camp neighbor's remote control drone before the outlines were added:

I love how they pop so I'm happy I made them so big! (The campground I am staying at is a big RC airport where people come and fly their airplanes and drones.)

Then I fell off the hood of the van and skinned both calves painfully. The only reason this happened is I stepped not on the bumper, but on the front license plate frame which came unhinged. OUCH! I never thought I'd walk away unscathed. I was just fortunate I survived day one!

By this time I was exhausted and didn't trust I could do the outlines after waiting 30 minutes. I opted to wait for 48 hours which is the instruction on doing a second layer. And I needed a rest.

The whole day I was cursing, "I'm too old for this! What was I thinking!?" I vowed when I moved out of my house no more construction, no more climbing ladders, and no more gardening. So I took a break, went out in the blazing afternoon sun, and clipped some of the evil needle trees that scratch up my van. I am masochistic.

I waited the mandatory 48 hours to add another layer, or the black outlines and white highlights that I always do with all my art. BUT how to make skinny lines? During the wait, I experimented. Spray painting does not produce skinny lines. I got online to do some research and graffiti artists use "skinny caps", little caps you can put over the spray paint can nozzle for skinny lines. I searched, found an art store in Tucson. I had no hope they would carry "skinny caps" as I've never seen them before in my life and I have patronized too many art stores in my life. 

They did! They had a whole wall of spray paint and skinny caps! Welcome to the city! So I bought a set for about $3.99.

Then I'm told they might not fit my Rustoleum spray paint cans. No, they don't. I bought one Montana brand spray paint in black. I get it all back to my camping spot and experiment on some old cardboard Home Depot guy donated to the cause. Hmmm...there are no skinny lines to be had. In fact, all six of these "skinny caps" produce spray painted lines that are much thicker than the normal Rustoleum nozzle!! What a waste of money! What do I do? I can't have flowers with thick, black, ugly lines! It would overpower the color.

I did ask the art store guy if I could paint with spray paint using a brush. He said no as it would dry too fast. Well, we'll see! That's exactly what I did. I had a little plastic container and a brush, sprayed a puddle of spray paint into the container and PAINTED! It was really hard to control. Spray paint is NOT my preferred art media...besides the stink! Not great, but it worked fine:

Wow! Can't even see the dents and scratches! Love it!

My next step is to seal it and paint the front-above-windshield area.

It feels like a secret. If I'm positioned right and far enough away, I can see some of the roof with the overhanging leaves or petals. I wonder if anyone else can see there might be something up there. I also feel like I've made my mark on Big Blue, she's mine, and this proves it. I like it she's a little beat up, too, so I can experiment without fear. Most importantly, the roof is now protected from rust and it's time to solarize!!

.

Tucson, AZ

Tucson has been at the top of my list for residential locations for a long time. After a month and a half, here is my summary:

BAD STUFF:

Psychopaths. I realize the psychopathic landlady destroyed my perspective, so I'll put her at the top. I am hoping the memory will fade and my love for Tucson will return, but for now, being in the city makes me sick to my stomach.

Traffic. Lots of vehicles and lots of bad drivers. Tucson has a bad reputation for weird signage making it difficult to find locations. It's non-stop stress to be cautious and not get in a wreck. As someone who came from a tiny town with no traffic, this has been a challenging adjustment.

Roads. The Republicans don't like to spend money on anything so they don't maintain roads. The potholes are as big as cars, the shoddy patchwork makes driving dangerous, and they still expect people to drive 75 mph on the freeway!

Zippy contemplating whether driving over this is a good idea.

This is a Republican road...

Republicans. Too many of them here not wanting the government to do anything but expecting the government to control everything? How exactly does that work? How did Dump win? It shocks me. 

Expensive Restaurants. Anytime I go out to eat it's $20 to $30 for a meal! Now I accept the fact I rarely ate in restaurants where I used to live so twenty years is a long time for prices to increase, but it never ceases to amaze me how much money one can spend eating out.

Internet. The internet service options suck.

GOOD STUFF:

Biking. Bike trails, routes and paths ALL OVER THE CITY! Most streets are designated bike paths and intersections have stop lights for cyclists. There is the 50-mile loop all the way around the city. It is a biker's dream. Lots of clubs and bicycle enthusiasts.

Art. Lots of art clubs to join. The great weather supports plein air painting. Lots of museums and galleries.

MCS. There is a large group for chemically sensitive people called HEAL. They have a newsletter and host potlucks. When I attended my first potluck I felt like crying the whole time. People just like me gathering in a social context. We could group and didn't have to worry about being poisoned!

Health. A lot of people profess miraculous cures being in this dry, warm climate especially regarding arthritis or mold toxicity. I have a lot of hope.

Radio. They have a great pop radio station.

People. Most people are really nice, exceptionally nice.

Health-oriented Stores. Lots of Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and Sprouts along with health food stores and a food co-op! The food seems to be a little more expensive than where I'm from.

Gluten-free Options in Restaurants. I've never seen so much gluten-free food. It seems every restaurant has something to offer!

2023: Review and Resolution

 

There is so much to be said about 2023! Let's get started:

EXCELLENT STUFF:

ART FESTIVALS, MARKETS, AND OTHER SUMMER EVENTS:  I've written a whole post on this called "The Escape Plan". It was wonderful, fun, exhausting, lucrative and kept me busy all summer. I got rid of a lot of art and made way more money than I could have imagined.

EBAY: I also wrote about eBay on the "The Escape Plan" post. If you need to get rid of "stuff", eBay is the place to go! It's a very steep learning curve, but once you survive it, it's very easy. If you enjoy thrifting, using this venue to resell can make you a lot of money.

ART: Doing art has always been life-affirming. It's great entertainment. I spent all year decorating envelopes, painting rocks, painting canvases, painting watercolors, painting frames, and painting signs. I had two commissions this year: one an acrylic canvas and the second a watercolor wedding portrait. Currently I'm painting sand dollars!

PEN PALLING: I have a great group of pen pals. It's been fun decorating envelopes for them. I appreciate their friendship and conversation.

FRAGRANCE FREE PEOPLE: I appreciate anyone I come into contact with who doesn't stink.

HEALTH CARE: For most of the year I avoided doctors and that always serves me well. At the end of the year I found a new health care practitioner. She seems wonderful, new, eager, open-minded. However, I've only had one appointment and I know they usually fail by the third appointment. For now this is a win and I'm hopeful.

FREE STUFF: I'm still getting free stuff at the local Christian thrift store, just not as much as they've cracked down. They are now taking time to clean and fix things rather than throw them in the free pile. Darn it all. Still, I've gleaned some excellent things throughout the year and years before. Christmas cards, for one.

CHRISTMAS CARDS: The free store is always putting Christmas cards in the free pile. Prior to Christmas I had about 300. This year I gather them up and sent them to three different senior care centers! I figured there are lots of people in these assisted living places who don't have family or friends and might like a cheerful Christmas card. It makes me feel good to imagine they might be giving someone Christmas joy.

HO HUM, IN THE MIDDLE, NOT GOOD/NOT BAD OR BOTH STUFF:

POST OFFICE: Selling on eBay and pen palling means I am subjected to the postal abuse too often. A lot of the time the postal workers are wonderful and helpful. Other times my letters never arrive and no one seems to know what has happened to them. Really? Tracking is useless. If the package or item disappears, even enroute, there doesn't seem to be anything they can do! It's just gone! Very irritating.

HEALTH DIAGNOSIS: I was finally diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. This isn't a surprise as MCAS has been linked to both MCS and Hashimoto's along with allergies and food sensitivities. It all goes together, unfortunately. It seems to be the answer to all my symptoms that every doctor in the last twenty years didn't seem to understand or had no answers. Ah ha! This should probably go under "Bad Stuff", but it's is good to finally have a diagnosis so I know what it is, but it sucks to have it. I've started a low-histamine diet and attempting a very expensive prescription. We'll see. 

NEW HOME SEARCH: What a hassle, but hopeful!

BAD STUFF:

VEHICLES: Oh the horror! Trying to buy a vehicle when one is chemically sensitive is a nightmare. I did find a non-smelly salesperson who I really like. He seems to have a keen sense of smell until he desperately wants to sell me a car that has already been detailed with stink then all of a sudden he claims he's had a cold so forgive his zero sense of smell. Totally untrustworthy for a buck. On top of that, used vans are rare...there are few and far between. If I want to order a new van (which I don't), I'd have to order it and it takes a year to get! Wow! On top of THAT (!) my old van is now so old it's leaking! What a hassle. My old van has been the best vehicle I've ever owned, but I waited too long to sell it. On top of THAT (!!), my adorable Scion IQ is so old and the model is no longer made so finding parts is a challenge. Damn. She may need to be sold as well.

DEATH: Old friends are dying! I tend to stalk my old friends as a way to catch up and stay in the loop. One hadn't posted anything for a while which is very odd. She died! So discombobulating. I went to tell another mutual friend we had and she has just been diagnosed with cancer and has been given two months to live. It's freaking me out. It's making me sell stuff and clean out my house much faster!

2024 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS: Stay alive...MOVE! It's going to be a great year!

The Escape Plan

 

Another year come and gone! As I review my 2022 New Year's Resolution in preparation to write my review of 2023, I pondered the goal of "plan escape". Did I succeed? Did I plan my escape?

I have planned my escape for eighteen years. Between bad neighbors with barking dogs, smelly laundry, inconsiderate rudeness, and houses that are just too close, the lack of basic community amenities like competent health care, organic food, decent phone service or postal service, and an overabundance of wet, damp and mold that I'm sure has contributed to some of my health issues, I have longed to escape, Rathole, my hell hole. I have dreamed of a place that is chemically sensitive aware, dry, warm, inexpensive with real health care and organic food. My state is one of the more expensive places to live although I didn't realize this until I started looking around.

I stayed where I am for so long for many reasons. First, was to gain equity in the house and property so it would end up a good investment and not a waste of money. Second, wait until I was retired. Third, save money. Fourth, find courage. Fifth, it's just difficult and usually unsafe to move. The past attempts have taught me that. In addition, over the years the world has intervened: economic recessions and depressions and then the pandemic. But is there a perfect place for me? Is it even possible to find a safe home?

I've decided to take a risk and venture forth! 2024 will be my year to move! How to proceed and take steps forward?

So 2023, I started planning and taking action. First, by trying to sell things. I went through all my closets and brought storage into the light. Good god, I have a lot art projects hidden away from view! Art has been my entertainment in seclusion. It keeps me sane and cognitively occupied. For years I was unable to attend festivals or markets since in-person selling was deemed too toxic. What do I do with all this boxed art and other unnecessary possessions I've hoarded over a lifetime?

My friends kept telling me to attempt Etsy. So I did. What a waste of money! First, they require you pay for every listing which sounds cheap until it starts adding up. Second, then if one wants things to actually sell, one must pay to market your items. After four months, I sold nothing. Now, I recognized at the time maybe my art is just ugly so I found the whole Etsy experience to be discouraging if not self-esteem damaging.

Then I decided I needed to sell my art history library, my expensive collection of coffee table and scholarly books, with the goal when it's gone I can move. Everyone said try eBay. I've always been leery of online anything. In fact I've never purchased anything from eBay or Etsy in my life, but I dove in head first. I got the feel for it with Etsy. Would eBay be more difficult or easier?

The eBay learning curve was hellishly steep! Trying to figure out how to work the shipping with all its rules and requirements was daunting. The scams and possible problems made the my probation stressful. After too many learning glitches, I figured it all out!  Once I had all the items listed which is the time consuming part, all I do now is wait for something to sell, pack it and ship it. Done! eBay does all the finances and deposits money into my bank account! How wonderful is that? Some people make up to $6,000 a month reselling things! I'm just selling my personal junk, but every dollar counts.

Things started selling immediately!! I didn't realize a lot of those art history books were limited edition collector publications going for $75, $100, and $200!! Others were just plain and old but still sold for $10, $25, $45...better than nothing! So far I've sold about 75 books. 

Along with listing 150 art history books, I listed personal possessions. Some of these possessions I've had all my life. Selling personal items that were sentimental was a little more difficult, but at the same time freeing. I kept thinking how wonderful part of my history was getting a new owner and start a new history. I sold my Girl Scout necklace, all my Partridge Family memorabilia, old records, dolls, jewelry, clothes, purses, travel mementos, collections and even free things I would find at yard sales and thrift stores. It amazes me what people buy and how much they are willing to pay for shipping! It's been really fun, cleansing, and surprisingly lucrative!

My next step was to sell the art stored in boxes in the back of closets. Etsy didn't work so well, but maybe I can do one summer art show and sell for cheap just to unload? I felt pretty intimidated due to my Etsy experience, but I ventured forth courageously and signed up for a local artist tour. I was hoping to get rid of my 200 painted rocks and 30 glass mosaics. I harassed two friends as helpers. One would be my assistant should a smelly buyer approach and the other would be in the booth next to me to serve as a partition from other vendors who might be selling smelly products. My booth was outside so plenty of fresh air and cleansing breeze. I sold way more than I ever thought I would, but I admit I priced things really low. More importantly, I survived! 

Realizing I could survive selling at art tours, markets and festivals, I started signing up for every weekend selling opportunity all summer long. My rules were it had to be outside, I had to have space around my booth. Often these booths are packed in like sardines and too close for comfort. Sometimes this required I purchase two booth fees and situate my canopy in the middle. The booth fee had to be relatively low so I would at least recoup its cost. I also requested I not be placed next to stink: scented soaps, incense, air fresheners, candles, essential oils. Most event planners ignored me, some attempted to accommodate me although since they didn't understand didn't succeed, and one was perfect, placing me on the corner outside away from others with a non-smelly vendor selling t-shirts right next to me.

I found I had a closet full of frames and another full of unused canvases. My goal was to unload anything I could. I started building inventory using anything I had. I ripped up sketchbook sketches and framed them. I starting doing watercolor paintings to use the frames, painting the frames, and painting the canvases. I even sold many of the watercolor sketches I've used to illustrate this blog! I used my collection of hoarded gift bags, tissue paper and recycled bubble wrap to wrap sold items.

Wow! It was fun, exhausting, lucrative, and productive. I watched happily as my boxes emptied and after each weekend my van became less packed. I lost about 15 lbs and got a lot of exercise hauling boxes, a canopy, tables and cement blocks. I met a lot of people. I even received a few commissions but I limited those as my goal was to rid myself of art I already had rather than create more art. Still, I used the canvases for the commissions. I encountered very few perfume wearers and when I did, stepped upwind to make sure the breeze carried the stench away. Several people asked me if I would teach classes and I had to decline. I can't be in an enclosed, inside room with stinkers.

Next I am attempting Facebook Marketplace for items I can't or don't want to ship for fear of breakage or furniture that is just too big.

2023 was a great year for escape planning and action! I also had my tarot cards read and they said I'm in the planning and thinking stage, taking steps preparing for action. Yep! Next year the cards say I am moving. I cried when I heard that!

Summertime Humanity Overload

It's December. Where did the year go? I haven't written a post in a YEAR! WOW!

Last summer I stepped out of my comfort zone and back into my old life, taking unnecessary risks with human encounters and living adventurously after existing too long as a hermit.

I'm in the process of trying to downsize and part of that includes getting rid of the hoards of boxes filled with art stored in my closet. Doing art over the years has provided a much needed entertainment in my reclusive life. It keeps me away from people. When the art project is done, it goes into a closet never to be seen again. I'm an amateur and I do art for entertainment so I've never really had the confidence to try to sell it, let alone face to face selling it with smelly people in my air space.

I decided to take the risk and signed up for an artist studio tour that welcomes other artists from outside the town to set up booths at locations. A museum in this town offered spaced at no cost! I didn't even need a canopy booth. But how do I protect myself should a buyer walk up to me smelling like a French whore?

I rallied two friends for help to provide buffers and a safety net. One was to be my assistant, and the other was going to sell her own art in the space next to me. My space was on the end so I was protected in a corner and we were outside with fresh air ventilation. I was still nervous. Would I be poisoned? End up in a hospital in anaphylactic shock? Sick for weeks? It had been a long time of isolation since my last bad exposure. Am I being unrealistic?

My first challenge was getting a real cell phone! Wow! I've only had Tracfones my whole life mainly because I hate phones in general, but cell phones give me headaches. I've tried to avoid EMFs as much as possible since MCSers are susceptible to exposure. New cell phones are a steep learning curve! Not only that I had to add apps for credit card payments, etc. Wow! It's a whole new world!

The second challenge was my assistant's family came down with COVID days before the event. Really? She was not infected and continuously took COVID tests to make sure. I threw all caution to the wind and said, "Come anyway. I can't do this without you!" We wore our masks all day not only to protect me from perfume exposure but as protection against COVID if in fact she was carrying any virus germs.

The stress was almost unbearable. I often wondered if I should have just thrown everything away instead of trying to "recycle" it by selling.

My instructions to my friends were code warnings if stinkers arrived. If they came into my friend's space first, her warning was to yell at me, "Do you want to go for pie after this?" Problem is she kept forgetting! Then I realized, she didn't even smell them! My assistant was instructed if anyone smelled to get between me and the buyer and say loudly, "If you have any questions, just ask." Fortunately,  the only person who stunk all day was the owner of the museum and she didn't come out to peruse the art often. Regardless, the masks worked wonderfully.

All went so well I wondered why I was ever stressed! I sold a mega amount of art. I was so encouraged by this, I signed up for festivals, markets and other craft-selling events all summer long! It was like having part of my old life back. I met a lot of other artists and made some friends. I continued to limit myself to outdoor events so fresh air was always ventilating my booth and I requested from event organizers to be placed on the edge and away from smelly products like scented candles, incense, essential oils, toxic air fresheners, and soaps. Sometimes I was accommodated, but sometimes not.  From time to time, I did encounter some stinkers wearing perfume, smelly vendors too close, or smokers, but I donned my N95 mask and all was fine.

I guess all my reclusiveness paid off and has made me less reactive? I don't know. The experience was fun, productive, exhausting, exhilarating, and financially rewarding. It was a great summer!

Moments of Joy, Part II (Works of Art)

Winter makes me a slug. I don't want to do much except sleep, watch TV, and pretend the world around me doesn't exist. I still have bouts of creativity, but they are few and far between.

My neighbor, the only one I kind of like, approached me about a year ago and complained about the potholes on the road down to the highway. It's used by truck drivers. He's a truck driver. Hmmm.... He drives his truck up and down that road daily, all the way to his house and parks it next to my house. I should hate him for causing my walls to crack and, of course, destroying the road that I have to attempt to drive as I negotiate potholes that are lake-size. It's life threatening. He complains. I made suggestions, but he's not real active. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...the guy is a slug year round. I still like him. He has a subversive streak.

So he approaches me the other day and says, "Tonight is the night. I'm painting the potholes. Are you in? Or are you out?" 

I screamed, quietly so no one would hear, "I'M ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITELY IN!"

At 10:00pm, dressed in black, and under the cover of darkness, we embarked on our secret mission:

PENIS POTHOLES!

It's a work of art!

We did about five before we ran out of spray paint. I felt very proud, exceptionally creative, and outrageously subversive. Adrenaline rushes are good for the soul. So is social consciousness...maybe the city will repair the road now. OK. I doubt it.

The whole way home we were planning our next mission since we assume the city will still do nothing and now that we have experience, we know what kinds of artistic improvements we need to make. First, we need better paint. I think fluorescent green or pink because white doesn't stand out much. We also need to stick with the bigger phallic symbols since they can be seen better. Bigger and brighter is always good when one is trying to make a point....or a penis. Lime green penises would be delicious.

I've been driving this horrible road way too often now because it just brings me so much joy to see the big, hairy-balled penises all over the road. If the city does nothing, I hope it makes driving up and down the road more pleasurable for others.

Moments of Joy....

2020: Review and Resolution

 OMG! Where does one even start with the year 2020? 

THE GOOD STUFF:

BYE-DON! Dump lost; Biden won. I can't even explain what a relief this is. And we have a woman vice president. It's about time.  I can now go back to not stressing about politics and feel confident that adults will be back in charge very soon!

FREEBIES. I wrote a recent post on my hoarding. It's such a joy and practically the only public entertainment I have lately. Most recently I acquired a blender. It was ugly, formerly white, covered in old black and brown dried food. Nasty. Scary nasty. I brought it home and plugged it into an outlet outside. That's how scared I was! It worked. I kept my mask on, wore gloves, carefully carried it to the kitchen sink and with all kinds of tools (tweezers, Q-tips, scrubber pads, soap, rubbing alcohol...) worked on it for two hours. It now looks like new. SCORE! Love it. I wish I would have taken a "before" photo, but I was afraid of contamination!

FORCED SECLUSION. I love it! I love it that we are expected to stay in our houses and people aren't wandering around wearing their stink and poisoning everyone as much as they used to. I love there isn't as much air pollution. I love it the animals want to come out in the open since humans have disappeared. I love I no longer feel like a weirdo secluded in my house when everyone else is free and bragging about how free they are all the time. I love the camaraderie of everyone's misery.

EMPLOYMENT. I'm still employed. In the spring when this pandemic started a lot of people didn't know what to do and many were told to go home and isolate which shut down a lot of businesses. This caused me to be on a lengthy staycation since no one was hiring me never mind I work from home and could very easily have kept working. Thankfully the people I work for figured it out, learned to work from home, and never went back to the office! Work is slow and I've lost money, but so thankful I'm still employed when some people aren't and have run out of options.

PAINTING. Or pandemic peace of mind. Or happiness. Or sanity. I've painted rocks, lamps, floors, rooms, bulletin boards, paintings, tables, switch plates...if it has a surface, it's calling for some paint on it.

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. I got a lot done this year: fixed my fence, replaced deck boards, and stripped and refinished my living room floor. At times finding supplies was a challenge with manufacturing slowing during the pandemic and finding the energy or know-how to do the work, but I persevered and got things done! The living room remodel inspired me to clean other rooms, reorganize shelves and closets and do a basic make-over. Then I painted my office. Next maybe the kitchen. One room at a time....

I seriously love this room now!

GARDENING. I downsized and cleaned the whole garden and added bark to the walks. Beautiful. It makes me feel happy and content, first, because it's nice to look at and second because there is so much less work now.

 

CHRISTMAS CARDS. Last year a friend sent me a recycled Christmas card she made. OMG! What a brilliant idea!  I love finding new art projects and I went a little crazy. I send maybe ten cards to friends and a few to my favorite businesses...sometimes...when I'm motivated, but I made about forty cards most of them snarky since that's the kind of Christmas card I like and can never find. Many were political since this is an election year. I ended up participating in an online art show, although that wasn't a great experience, it was still time-consuming and a distraction from the world around me while it gave me a voice to rant my complaints about society.

GLASS MOSAICS. I was determined to use up my supply of glass and the last of my large frames so I could STOP doing glass mosaics. Although I do enjoy it, it's a very expensive art form and dangerous. I got tired of my hands cut up and infected. I felt very productive and proud to accomplish so many with so little supplies!

Immersion

Life is Not the Beach

Male Privilege

Season's of Love: The Fall

TILE MOSAICS. I have been collecting free, brightly colored plates all year. I wasn't really sure why. I loved the colors, but had no idea what I would do with them. Then all of a sudden I was compelled to take a hammer and break them! Doing glass mosaics made me curious about tile mosaics, or, in this case, creating decorative frames from broken dishes. This is free glass so cuts down on cost and the edges are not so sharp so less dangerous. Pulverizing dishes with a hammer is exceptional for stress relief. I also needed some new, different and colorful wall hangings for my newly painted and colorful rooms. I was tired of painting. Not sure if I'm excited about this new media yet, but it was experimentally fun.

NEW STOVE! I waited fifteen years to get rid of the mismatched, rat-infested stove/oven that came with the house when I bought it. It lasted a good amount of time before it started having problems...during a pandemic. I waited for the universe to send me a free one, and I actually was offered a free, used one but it was too old and I didn't feel comfortable. I was told the old ones are energy suckers, and, of course, if it dies having it hauled away would cost. Many of the big-box hardware stores' products were back ordered to next summer, but I found this outstanding small, mom-and-pop appliance store that had exactly what I wanted. The customer service was outstanding, the FREE delivery was outstanding, and the FREE haul-away-the junk was outstanding. What an outstanding experience. So rare these days! Merry Christmas to me!

FRAGRANCE-FREE FRIENDS: I am so thankful for my friends. One drove hours to deliver food to me when I was sick. Another drove hours to visit. Another bought art from me which helped my finances. I so appreciate their online conversations, support, and constant advice when I am in need. Thank you!

LIFE!!!!!!!! I AM ALIVE!

THE IN BETWEEN STUFF:

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. I started running out of time and energy and hired two sleazy, lying workers to help remove and replace fence posts. What a waste of money! I know better, but I was worried I wasn't going to get it done and the fallen down fence repair was a priority. They did save me a lot of time and effort, but the expense was outrageous. Such a waste of money.

THE BAD STUFF:

THE PANDEMIC. Duh. It goes without saying. It's affected everyone on the planet and most would say this is the worst year in their lives. Even if we haven't experienced death or near-death illness first-hand, we are surrounded by it. The stress has infiltrated every facet of our existence. People are on edge either fighting to stay safe or fighting for their perceived personal rights. We are at each other's throats. We are inconvenienced in every way. Our health is constantly on the line as access to medical care is limited since all resources have gone to fighting this pandemic. Grocery shopping is a pain in the ass. Supplies are inaccessible. Going out in public is risky. Lack of income is affecting our ability to pay bills. This is all common knowledge by now. I had the coronavirus in the spring and continue to experience side effects that may or may not be serious, but thankful to be alive. My income suffered, but not nearly as much as others who have lost their jobs and/or homes. I'm so tired of the whiners complaining about how many parties and family functions they can't attend or how bored and lonely they are as if they aren't complaining about my normal chemically sensitive lifestyle. (Damn, I miss concerts!)

COVIDIOTS. For instance, my neighbors who send their grandkids to play outside my house during a pandemic. REALLY? A friend of mine went to a big family wedding and then had a big family Christmas gathering. People are tired and have stopped caring which also makes them apathetic to everyone around them. We live in a very self-serving world. I could list a million examples of the stupid, but more than likely you've seen them in the news or in your own neighborhoods.

DUMP. That incompetent, foolish, fake president needs to go away and his silly, unprofessional, immature, sociopathic antics need to go with him. Take all the white supremacists and treasonous GOP, too. His entitled family and rich cronies need to vanish. May they all disappear. I'm so tired of looking at his face or seeing constant complaints about him. Really tired of his ignorant, racist followers.

THE WAR. Yellow jackets, mice, rats, ants. Good lord. It's never-ending!

So...the year has sucked, BUT honestly, I look at this list and it's been a really good year for me!

New Year's Resolution....Simple....Just survive.

Rock Painting

I have found a new art project! Another paintable surface! ROCKS! It seems there are Facebook pages for circulating painted rocks by hiding them in the community and posting their approximate location. People search, find (or not), then post the painted rock.

I'm not really clear how this works. Some people say the rocks are then supposed to be recirculated after posting. This would be really fun if that is actually what people do, but some people keep the ones they want. I would hope they would then donate their own rocks to be found to keep the game going. I can see keeping the rocks for a short, cherished time, but I think it's better to give than to receive and I think it's more fun to hide and search than keep and hoard. Our society is far too materialistic. Share the love, pass it on. Just my opinion...

Some of the painted rocks shown online are absolutely magnificent and detailed. I'm amazed and humbled by the talent.

My local library did a rock painting activity. The participants were fairly nontoxic. The polyurethane sprays used to coat the finished rocks were toxic, but I learned quickly to sit far away from the door.

The above photo is the first one I painted. I wasn't sure how this was going to go so it's very tiny, maybe an inch and a half in diameter. On the back I painted a tiny pink flower:

For the Facebook rock groups, on the backs one should put which FB group it's from so people will share when they found it.

Then I got excited and did the sun face below. This rock is about five inches in diameter so much bigger.

On the back is rain:

Then I did a matching moon:

Stars on the back:

I have a lot of flat, round rocks in my garden. I'm inspired to paint faces on each one.

FUN!!!