This post is a collection of my Christmas Poem Series from the Christmas season of 2013-2014, with links to each poem in the series.  Some individual posts

Wordless Wednesday: O Christmas Tree

Since we're not actually putting our tree up, i added artist's tape to the front door, where Max would normally tape our Christmas cards anyway

Professional Artist Lisa Clough on Improving Your Art

Five Values from Dark to Light
  Lisa has a huge website under the name Lachri Fine Art.  Her email today was so right on that i tried to find the ideas on her website.

  Things You May Find Surprising

  • Tracing is a Learning Aid, not the end of all drawing.
  • Don't leave it partially finished.  You probably can't do your piece in an hour, but 8 or 80 would give the look you want.
  • Contrast, Contrast, Contrast!  Use a whole range of values.
You can find more, in her delicious words, here:
https://lachri.com/7-tips-for-improving-your-art/
and here:
https://lachri.com/5-steps-to-improving-your-art/

Embarrassed

  As i've explained before, i use my cane not so much so that i can walk today, but so that i can continue walking three days from now.
  It may not make sense, but it's so.  The pain adds up and i simply can't continue.
  After lunch tyesterday, i went to the drink machin for a refill.
  And left my cane at the table.
  The guys at the table beyond ours were staring at me.  i felt, rightly or wrongly, like they were thinking i was putting over a scam, since i obviously didn't need that cane.

Fall 2018 Craft Fairs

  Last weekend i set up at the fair at DCHS.  None of my things sold, but i helped Indy Decorative Artists by selling $100 worth of quilt tickets.
  Our quilt is a group effort.  We all submit hand painted squares, the best are chosen, then we hire the quilting done.  With the proceeds, we fund our seminars, but also donate half ot them to Riley Hospital for Children.
  Next Saturday, November 10, i will set up at Perry Meridian Middle School.  Stop in & say hi.

FC event

https://www.facebook.com/events/270443293604603/?ti=ia 
Tuesday night books and brews broadripple. Perfect opportunity to get together with nonspeakers who type to communicate!  Please share with autism families especially those with teens and adults who do not have typical conversations! 
Sharon Smith
Sharonsweb autism foundation 

FC: A Conversation

This is a written "conversation" Max and i had about his first Saved by Typing experience.  i can't promise my handwriting was legible, or that i framed the questions as well as i should've,but this is a copy of our exchange.
Here, i  wrote the italicized words after he had answered.

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday: FC experiment

MyfriendSharon invited us to an open house. One of the options was facilitated communication, which Max was very eager to try.  He told me that the words typed were his own.

2018 Reading List

  Lately i've been doing a lot of reading.  Possibly too much, but hey, to read i don't have to move those pesky knees.
  Anyway, i've compiled a list of many of the books i've read this year, with a few scattered comments.   Hope you enjoy!

Honey Sweetie

  Now that i'm "a certain age," walking with a cane, suddenly everyone seems to want to call me "honey" or "sweetie."
  It's hard to not resent this.
  Those are terms of AFFECTION, for friends & family whom you love.
  These people calling me this are strangers, usually in a service position.
  You think i'm a sweet little old lady?  Maybe someday.  Just because i don't want to bother with hair color and have bad knees doesn't mean you can take liberties with me.
  When i was a sexy young thing, men i didn't know would do this.  That was kinda creepy, though they seemed respectful enough in other ways.  i hope this doesn't happen so much in today's climate.
  Maybe it's a way of trying to be friendly to someone perceived as weaker.  Max gets this a lot too, and it makes him hopping mad.
  So if you want to address a stranger this way, JUST DON'T.

A friend, her freshly-published book, and writing insights


When i attended a writers' group, Michele shared a lot of great stories with us.  i'm happy to let you know that she's just released a new one, a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. She's having an online release party this coming Thursday evening (9/27/2018, if this is an old post when you get it!).
https://love2readlove2write.com/kill-the-beast-releases-today/
Note in her post how hard, and how LONG, it takes to get a story to this point.  i've never stuck with one so long - the "novels" i used to say i was writing are more like synopses, maps to building a story.
Check out Michele's description of the process, whether you visit the release party or not!

Check out this fellow blogger

As i type this, the post i reference is showing in the blogroll at right, but i know it won't stay there.
https://gettingitright-occasionally.blogspot.com/
While our family is not at Gloria's point yet, i can see it coming..  And even now i identify with her emotions.

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday: Hair Turbans (Value does not equal cheaper)

  Actually, two turbans.  You put the bigger part, with a loop, on the back of your head, catching the hair inside, then twist the long, skinnier front part.  Bring it back, affix to the button or elastic loop at the nape of your neck.
  i bought the blue one first, then decided

Summer Max Report

  It's been way too long since i last posted about life with Max.
It's very tiring and frustrating.  There's tutoring and yoga and music to take him to.  Since he's a morning person, these are much earlier than i would choose to meet the day. 
  His aides rely on loaning him their phones so he can relax with videos.  MyGuy and i need to navigate the getting him a phone thing.  We prefer to do contracts, but apparently in this situation the pay as you go will work better.  The behavior management person mentioned a $20 tablet that should provide all he seems to want a phone for.  i'll have to check into it.
  i need to get another call in to VR and start that process again.  Maybe it will take this time.  Max is beginning to be ever so slightly open to the idea of moving to a group home, with me as transport person.
  Because of our book club, he's more interested in reading.  Our evening homework is pretty much entirely reading big books.  MyGuy is introducing him to all the space books he loved as a kid - some of which are older than we are.  They both enjoyed Tom Corbett stories.  On my homework nights, we usually catch up on the current club book - Wonder, by PJ Palacio, at the moment, but also have enjoyed some Christie short stories.

Wordless Wednesday: Photo Play

Recently i used this piece as a table centerpiece, & took some photos.  Last weekend i played with the photo on my phone.

Wordless Wednesday: Civil War Vets

MyGuy's great grandfather and his brother. Loranzo volunteered at age 17, and later became the father of a large family, including MyGuy's grandfather, born when his father was over 50 years old.


The Plant Shelf

 When we first built our upstairs, we didn't decorate this shelf immediately. It was empty for i don't know how long; the caduceus was the last item added, sometime in this century.  The wooden shelf was the first thing added, but even that was sometime after we moved into the upstairs.
  Anyway.
  Max was the kid who

Wordless Wednesday:Out and In

This is where our dumpster was.  We're sure the peonies will be back next year, but having a dumpster on them from February to June did a number on them THIS year.




We're on the last week of the 3bathroom remodel project.  The dumpster should be gone in a day or two.