I’m sitting outside this morning. It is almost 70° here at 10 AM, and balmy. Tropical. Feels good. Feels like the Florida I kind of expected. It rained yesterday, for a couple of hours. A gentle summer-like rain. I had my party set up for the deck but we ended up inside because of it. Which was ok too. I just always would rather be outside.

This morning my companions have been 2 squirrels chasing each other along my fence and up and down my tree. Then a red-headed woodpecker perched up in my palm tree for awhile. That was kind of cool, haven’t seen one of them in a long time. I thought they were northern birds I guess, but apparently they are here too! And of course, the geckos. Up and down my deck railings.

At the artwalk last night I bought a Buddha to put on my tree. Just his head. I had seen one earlier, but it was stained blue, and I wanted one that was stained green, to match my deck. It’s kind of a speckled stain, green and white. So today I need to go to Home Depot and get a drill bit that can drill the tiles on my house without cracking. They are asbestos tiles, ad someone told me a regular drill bit might crack them, and they are really hard to replace since you can’t buy them anymore. I also need some pots for the herbs I bought yesterday, and a couple more herbs too.

I got the floor foundation kit for my shed, but not the shed. I still have to get a permit for it anyway, but I thought I’d have it all by Friday. I can’t wait to have all the stuff that belongs in it, in it, and out of my house.

I’m also going to go to the grocery store and buy some cookie mixes for my son, and send them to him. Just for fun. I miss that kid so much. I can make them later today, and mail them tomorrow.

I’d like to get a walk in down by the waterfront too.

Well, there’s a promise of a nice day. I kind of hope I end up here by myself most of the day. Yesterday was fun with lots of friends around all day, but now I just need my own space.

Love and light, everyone.

The postcard writing party was a blast!!! There were 5 of us, and we each did 10 postcards. And we had wine and a bunch of snacks. We spent a lot of time just talking, girl talk. All of us have some kind of creative bent, most more than one outlet. Three sing. One sculpts and taught acting her whole life, and is also an actress. One of the singers makes jewelry. One is a painter and also one of the singers. The one who is an actress/sculpter is also a writer, like me and I also make jewelry.

There were a lot of creative messages going out on the postcards. We had so much fun. Three of us are close friends, but now all of us are close. We talked about doing this again, but just working on our art together. Or whatever we want but we all enjoyed it so much. I’m so glad I did it, I have been wanting to expand my circle of friends here. I’ve always had a lot of friends, and my circle has been so small for 6 months.

Then we remembered that tonight was the artwalk down on the water front, so we went down there, and my friend Pat and I talked to a lot of artists about the Veterans Art Center. We found a few vets who were selling their art there, and we found a few people who weren’t vets but wanted to be involved in the project, teaching or in some other way. It’s beginning to feel like home when I go. I’ve become friends with a couple of people who have booths at the show, and a few of the restaurant and shop owners now.

It was a great night, there were lots of vendors, lots of people. We are in “season” now and there are tons of tourists, though, this town is still kind of a secret, so it is not full of tourists the way other FL shoreline communities are. There were so many restaurants with live music. One of my bff’s from up north is coming next month, and will be here for the Saturday artwalk in March. I will have a ball with her. She and I were always going out trying to find live music.

I haven’t heard from L for a couple of days, but he’s at Disney now, lol. I am not worried at all. He’ll be home probably Monday or Tuesday, and I know I’ll hear from him then, if not before. I know he’s having a ball with his friends. Looking forward to seeing him when he gets home.

It was a great day, and a great evening. Feeling very blessed, in every way.

Love and light.

I’m off, to get to the store, to get some munchies to feed the 5 or 6 friends who are coming to write postcards this afternoon. I already have wine, iced tea, water, and chocolate, lol. I made chocolate last night, just chocolate. I bought 50 postcards, pre-stamped, for $19. I want to get them all sent.

I think we’ll have fun, and we’ll be doing something. Something, at least, small though it is, to try to be heard, that what is happening in this country is so wrong.

I listened to Prime Minister Tredeau speak at the UN, and OMG, it is so wonderful to hear someone speak who gets it. I hope his attitude spills over the border from Canada to the US. I think I’m in love, lol. You Canadians are so lucky. And smart. And kind. And funny! But right now, I am just envious of your leadership.

It’s going to be a beautiful day here in FL. We will be able to sit out on my deck, I’m excited about that.

It should be a fun day. I’ll let you know.

Love and light.

Ohhhh, it’s cold in paradise tonight. 52°. Cold! I was at open mic tonight. It’s at an outdoor restaurant, they had a couple of gas heaters going, but it was still cold. Fun, as usual. But cold. Always a few new people, the crowd was good, the entertainment was fun. And when it was over, I was ready to go home.

A friend who is a sculptor, among other things, brought 2 pendants to me that she made, sculpted. She wants me to see if I can wire wrap them. They are really beautiful. So I brought them home, and I have been looking at them. They are terra cotta colored. I think copper wire would be beautiful with them. I’ll mess with them this weekend. If I figure it out, I’ll take a picture.

I went to the oral surgeon today. He said I can have the surgery to my gum done with a local anesthetic if I want, or he can knock me out. I said I’d much rather the local. Then I can drive myself there and back. He gave me a prescription for antibiotics and Percoset to have filled beforehand. I hope I don’t need the Percoset. I’d rather take 3 or 4 ibuprofen. But I’ll fill it, just in case.

I also managed to get my walk in today. And a quick chat with L, who is now in Disneyland, having a ball for himself.

So, it was a good day. And a good night. So, I will call it a day and go to bed.

Love and light….

This morning I am feeling all over the place. Lots of things on my mind.

A friend came over last night. She was on her way home from the community garden, which is a few doors down from me. She brought me some veggies, and some papaya. I only kept a couple of the papaya, because I knew that she’d make better use of the veggies than I would, having just gone to the store. So I have 2 fresh, organic papaya sitting on my counter to ripen.

She is not involved in the veterans art center but because our common friend and I are, she is trying to help somehow, I guess. She came over all excited because at her job she’d found 2 grants she thought might be good to apply for. But they had to do with employing people, from disadvantaged areas….and I had to explain to her that the vets project is not about employing people, in any way. It’s about providing a place for vets to create and sell their art, as therapy for their emotional problems, like PTSD and similar problems. It is for active military, vets, first responders and their families. It’s not about getting them jobs, even as artists. I think she was upset that I wasn’t more receptive, but if she wants to help she should get involved, and learn about what they are trying to do, read the mission statement, go to their website, etc. Not just randomly spend time, her time at work, on things she thinks they should be involved in. I still am unclear as to what she was trying to do.

I love her, but she kept trying to find a pathway from their mission to these employment grants, and wasn’t listening to me, just was off on a tangent of her own. Then she began to go off on another tangent, about our common friend, and how she could help her get a house…. Our common friend has nothing….really. No belongings of any value, a 20 year old car that is breaking down, basically no credit. I just kept saying, no one is going to sell someone a house who has no credit, no money to put down on it, no collateral….please don’t talk to our friend about this, because it’s not going to happen. She kept trying to convince me it was, and finally I had to cut her off, and tell her I just can’t talk about any of this. It’s too far beyond what I consider possible, that I know she wants the best for our friend, but that our friend is going to have to manifest her own destiny….

The thing is that this friend, with all these pretty crazy pie-in-the-sky ideas, has nothing herself. She has no car, her house is falling apart, no washer or dryer, not even a real working refrigerator. I told her she can’t dream about our common friend, she can’t manifest for someone else, she can only manifest for herself. I told her she deserves a better life, to have those things, to not struggle so much. It’s good to want good things for others, but take care of yourself too. I am always giving her rides somewhere, I have let her come here and do her laundry, have fed her often, including last night. Yet I have not ever been invited inside her house, because it is in such terrible condition. I don’t mind doing any of it, just…if you’re going to come up with some way to help our friend, maybe come up with some way you can help yourself first.

For me, a plan must first be based in reality. And really, nothing she said made sense in a conventional way. Maybe I’m just not creative enough, but she wore me out trying to tell me how the vets could hire our common friend for their gallery, through a training program, even though that’s not what they are about, and how this same friend might be able to buy a house despite the fact that she has no assets, no money, and no credit. Just friggin wore me out. Finally, I told her, “night is not a good time for me to talk about stuff like this. I just want to put on my pajamas and veg out in front of the TV.”

I had to work long and hard to make sure I was going to be in ok shape to retire. I had no long periods in my life where I didn’t work, in fact, the only time was when my son was an infant, and even then I was doing the books at home. It’s about working hard to achieve a dream, and believing you’re going to manifest it. That point seems to be lost on this friend, who did not work for 10 years, and now has nothing. She just started working part time for minimum wage in a training program, but will have to find a real job in a couple of months. I’m not meaning to put her down, her life choices are her own. But all this pie-in-the-sky stuff, just can’t go there with her.

So, today I plan to get my walk in down by the water. I have a dentist appointment about my tooth. And I have open mic tonight. In between I may try to get to Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics and get some jewelry supplies that I need for the necklace I’m making for the vets. And let go of my angst over my friend’s visit last night.

Life is crazy at times, for sure. But it’s wonderful, and I’m so grateful that I’ve managed to manifest for myself, the life I’ve dreamed of.

Love and light.

My eyes have recovered. Still slightly blurry but there’s not a glow around every light. Last time I had that done it was nighttime, lol. Stupid. Had to drive 22 miles home, in the night with dilated eyes. That was fun.

Close work, like reading, or making jewelry is possible with my eyes like that, so I made jewelry and caught up a bit on blogs. An old necklace I’d made for my sister broke and she brought it with her so I could fix it. So, first I fixed that necklace, then I began to design a necklace for a silent auction that will benefit the veterans art center.

It was good to use that part of my brain for a few hours.

I had a nice long text convo with L, he initiated it. He sent me another pic, posing with Snoopy the Astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center. He made me laugh out loud, for real. Put a huge smile on my face and I told him so. It made him happy to know. He said they were having a lot of fun, he looked really happy in the picture. I really love that he has lots of friends, old friends, and that they hang out together like I do with my girlfriends.

Chased away any niggles I was having earlier in the day. Did a little reset of my attitude.

I heard the wind blowing hard, and thought I heard it raining. I looked out my kitchen window and the street that runs by the corner was dry, so I thought, “oh well, it didn’t rain.” Then I went back to my desk to work on the jewelry, and looked out that window, at the street that my house is on (I’m on a corner), and it was wet, but the side street still was not, lol. Then it thundered really loud and started pouring, so it soon was wet everywhere. It’s exciting news here when it rains, lol, at least right now. And everyone is glad because there’s a huge brush fire in more central FL, Polk County and it’s not under control. They evacuated a bunch of people. So, rain is really good, but chances are it won’t last as long as they need. 1600 acres.

I found a huge palmetto bug in my kitchen by the door this morning. I took a pic of it, but think it’s too creepy to post, lol. Anyway, I opened the door to my deck and swept it outside. To my horror, when it flipped over onto it’s feet, it ran away! It had been alive! UGH!!! Scary fuckers!! God I hate those things. I guess I need new traps, lol. (She shivers…….)

I am planning a good dinner tonight, using the spices I got the other day at the spice shop in Sarasota. Salmon, rice, some veggies. Guess I should get busy, lol.

Love and light, all.

I had an eye exam this morning, my first in maybe 4 years. Not good, if you’re diabetic, not to do it annually. But I had crappy insurance in CT. Now my insurance covers the exam, 100%. So, I’m sitting here, with real blurry vision from having my eyes dilated. I can read, but distance is ridiculous. I’d thought I would go walking down on the waterfront when I was done, but I think I’ll wait awhile and see if it wears off some. It’s awful bright out.

My eyes are fine. There is no evidence of diabetes in my eyes. I have minor cataracts, which the dr said are not ready to come out yet. She said everyone gets them. But you know me, I’m gonna look them up in Louise Hays book and see what I can do about them. I have a few other natural healing books I can check too. Overall….one eye is 20/30, one eye is 20/25. I only use readers, and the dr. gave me a prescription to correct the very slight issue I have, but I won’t get them. I can even read my phone without glasses. I just need readers when I read a lot.

I heard from L this morning. I am anxious today, for his return, which won’t be til next week. But it’s just a passing phase anyway. I’m fine, and it’s really nice that he stays in touch when he hardly knows me. I’ll probably make jewelry this afternoon, since close work seems best, less blurry. I told the Veterans Art Center I would make something for their silent auction. I have an idea what to make.

There’s something niggling (thank you for that word, Megan) at me today. I suppose it’s just a simple “what if”, playing with me. I know it will pass, it’s just an old habit, and I won’t do anything to find out “what if”, anyway. “What if” always becomes “WTF, Why did I do that?” LOL.

I ordered my shed for my back yard. Now I have to find out about getting a permit for it. I think there was one previously, as there’s electricity to the pad, and a breaker for it. I think it’s $15 for the permit. I’ll find out when I go drop off my Homestead Act paperwork. Once that’s up, I will be done with all the major things I needed for this house. More time for writing, jewelry, the vets. Maybe L……..

I also ordered twinkle lights to string around my banyan tree. Now if I could figure out how to deal with the bugs, I’ll have a nice place to sit on my deck in the evening. Especially with March approaching when the weather here is so perfect most of the time. Not that it hasn’t been this winter. Been in the 70’s most days, nights in the 50’s, sometimes low 60’s. Still wearing shorts, or skorts, most days.

Life just rolls on. Easy, laid back. Have a bunch of functions for the vets art center next week. Not sure if I’ll make them all, because L will be home. I’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.

Love and light, all.