I don't have time for this

                Last week I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia. 

 I said  "I don't have time for walking pneumonia, I have centerpieces to make for my friend's shower, a Mom to care for and a family to keep alive. 
I also have a lesson to prepare for my Sunday school kids."
                                   
                                                             

                                                  source                   
              

                          I don't have time for walking pneumonia


I have a Father-in-Law in the hospital, and a child who seems to be getting sick too.
                           

                                                           
                     I said "I don't have time for walking pneumonia".


           I have a home that needs to be cleaned from top to bottom
                                         
                                                 source 

                
                     I said  "I don't have time for walking pneumonia"


                         I have to do loads and loads of laundry
                                      
                                                               source


                     I said "I don't have time for walking pneumonia"


So I worked on centerpieces, took care of my family,  cleaned the house, worried and prayed for my FIL, did about a million loads of laundry and worked on the Sunday school lesson.

Today I woke up feeling like a I was hit with a bat over and over again and my head feels like I'm underwater and there's a drum banging away in it all at the same time.


                         As I lay in bed feeling like a discarded rag doll...
                                      

                    I think have time for walking pneumonia today

Artsy Fartsy Friday~~The Art of the Doodle

 
                        Wherever I am, If I have a pen and paper...I'm going to doodle. When I was younger I used to draw wedding dresses and faces and flowers. 

Every exam paper that I handed back to the teacher would have some type of doodle in the corner. One day I even got into trouble because I made doodles of all my teachers. So embarrassing!

 I found these art videos and they are all about the doodle.

Very simply, the artist doodles faces and stick arms on inanimate objects and some animals and it turns out to be quite fun to watch.
                  


                                     Enjoy Real Life Doodles Compilation
                           Posted to YouTube by: Gifs Video

                        


                   

                             Have a beautiful weekend fill with sweet surprises!
                                        Blessings, Joanne

Carol

                     A few days before Valentines Day I went to the Supermarket and right there in the flower section was this...

                                         

It was a tiny rose plant in a teeny lady bug planter. I stopped to admire it and went on to start my shopping. Later, as I placed my items on the grocery belt there was the little rose plant that was not on my shopping list.

A few years ago I had a friend who was in a nursing facility. She had fallen years before and her health  started to seriously deteriorate after that. We never ever went out for coffee. We never went shopping. In fact I never saw her stand from her hospital bed. The pastor from my church asked if I would run some errands for a member of the church. This is how I met my friend. Whenever I visited I would bring her whatever was on her list and we'd talk for a bit. She would tell me about her family and all the things she did while she was an active member of our church. 

She loved to crochet and she would proudly show me all her creations. She even had a little business on the side at the nursing home!

One day I came across a plant just like this and I bought it for her. She loved it. She kept it on her food tray.

Shortly after she became very ill and ended up in the hospital. Her health plummeted and all the dreams she had of eventually going home were dashed. The last time I saw her I knew her time was short in this world. Another friend and I talked with her as best we could. She had on an oxygen mask and it was so hard to understand her, but something she said came through loud and clear. she said 

" I thank God for you"

My friend passed away shortly after that visit.

That was about 2 1/2 years ago.

I think of her when I see a pretty crochet pattern or when I hear her favorite song.

She was tough.

Even though she was in a nursing home completely dependent on others for just about everything she had a dignity that could not be erased.

She had a way of being that made you forget the fact that she was stuck in that bed. 

I miss my friend.

So when I saw that little plant; I knew I had to buy it. 

Today I pruned it a bit hoping that more buds will grow. I put the tiny flowers in one of my daughter's old toy tea cups.

Thinking of you Carol, and I thank God for you too.

Artsy Fartsy Friday~~The art of Johannes Stoetter

                    I can't believe it's Friday! The week flew by...and you know what else is shocking the heck out of me? The fact that I am writing again on a regular basis on this blog. I can't tell you how good it feels to be back. I had forgotten how good it feels to write and see it post. It hasn't exactly been easy here in my neck of the woods, but I had forgotten how amazing it is to know that there is a place all my own. Away from the stress this blog is my little sanctuary.


Anyhoo...Recently I came across a post on Face Book and it was a picture of a bird. The friend who posted it challenged us to see that what we were looking at was not a bird at all. I tried and I tried, but I just couldn't see anything but a bird. Later I went back and saw what everyone else had figured out. This was the creation of another amazing Artist named Johannes Stoetter. 

                                 Just you wait and see

         



             

                       




                                                    Are your minds blown or what?!?!



            I hope you have a beautiful weekend filled with amazing surprises
                          
                             Blessings, Joanne



                           
                                    

Changes and Valentines Day

                   So It's the day before Valentines day...MEH.
                                  
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I'm feeling so sick and don't even know if I'll see my hubby tomorrow. We are in the mist of some serious changes in our family.

My father-in-law is in the hospital and my Mother-in-law has medical issues that need someone to be with her at all times. We moved my Mom closer to us 10 years ago so that I could help her as she becomes more and more dependent on help for everyday things. So we worry and care for three elderly family members in one way or another.

Recently the Hubster and his brothers have taken turns staying with their Mom at night. They are learning something new every day about caring for their Mom. This is a strange time. So many changes.

We have a child away at college and another getting ready to leave soon. We are in our 50's and are directly in the middle. It's a weird time and we know so many of our friends are in the same boat.

Sometimes it can be very very overwhelming.

Sometimes it's hard to talk (or in my Husband's case) even sleep. And when he does occasionally get that elusive rest... when he wakes up I immediately see the furrows of his brow forming and the dreaded nervous anticipation of what decisions will have to be made that day.

              Maybe Valentines day thing is not such bad thing. It's corny and totally unnecessary. My husband knows I love him and I know he loves me.

But this year we need to feel young again. We need to feel that elusive quiet of NORMAL LIFE before the crap hit the fan.

and if it never is again;  then we need a day to pretend that it is...just one day.

Artsy Fartsy Friday~Reverse Perspective~The art of Patrick Hughes

          Hi Bloggy Buddies,
                           Well, it's been a long time, but I'm finally posting an Artsy Fartsy Friday post. Boy oh boy do I have a good one!

If you have followed this blog you are well aware that I love art and I love finding artists that use interesting mediums and techniques.

His name is Patrick Hughes and he uses a technique called reverse perspective. It's "SUPER TRIPPY" as my son described it.

We had to watch the videos several times to wrap our heads around it.
My son was convinced that it was some kind of digital trick, but no, its just the amazing work from an incredible artist.


                 ENJOY!!!

                      


                       


                       



             Amazing right? Patrick Hughes is incredible. This technique is brand new to me and I can't wait to find more! I hope you enjoyed it.


             Have an amazing weekend!
             Blessings, Joanne

Finding a Smile

                 There are so many things happening in our family. The main one being that My Father-in Law is sick in the Hospital and it looks like he will not be getting better. I am sad. Very sad. I thought of NOT posting about it. I thought that maybe I shouldn't, because we are so sad and it would just bring people down.

But this is life.

Sometimes there are days where there is laughter and fun stuff happening and sometimes there is sadness and fear and chaos.

However... I'd like to be like my Dad.

He always found a bit of light in the darkest of days.

He could always find a bit of humor when tears flowed freely.

He found bits of happiness in the saddest of times.

I want to be like him.

So here goes...

While my Father-in-law is in the hospital one of the three sons must stay nights with my dear Mother-in -law because she suffers a bit of Dementia. I write "a bit" because it sounds dainty and Sweet and fleeting. Which is the case with her. Sometimes she is on-the-ball and remembers everything and other times she forgets who I am and thinks I'm an old friend from her old Brooklyn neighborhood.
On those days...I'm happy to be that old friend.

So her three sons...My husband and my two brother-in-laws take turns staying the nights with her.

When it was my Husband's turn one night...there was this issue about some hidden money....

Seems my Father-in-law likes to keep cash on hand...a whole lotta cash.

One of the brother's suggested that this cash be counted and placed in an envelope and put back in their parent's bank account.

There was only one problem.

My Mother-in-law moved the money.

She has Dementia, and she was in charge of hiding the money. Nothing wrong here right?

See where I'm going with this?

So my Husband asks her "Hey Ma, lets get that money so we can count it. Where did you put it?"

Silence

She answered "I know exactly where it is." (She didn't) "Come with me."

 So my husband followed my mother-in-law as she shuffled slowly to look in places where the money was NOT located. She suggested to my Husband to use a flashlight. All the lights were on in the house but she insisted he use a flash light. He has learned to give in to these minor requests, because it makes her feel like she is still in control.

So there they were...slowly walking around (holding a flashlight in the well lit house) trying to find the cash.



           

They were like old fashioned Cat Burglars, except one was an extremely slow moving woman nearly 90 and the other was a very patient 50-year-old. They "slunked" around for a long while. They slunked here, and they slunked over there ( I loved the word slunked) until buried in a drawer the money was finally found.

They counted it and my husband let my MIL count it too. It took a lot of time but she seemed to enjoy it. It took her mind away from the fact that she may lose her husband of 55 years. My Husband was able to entertain her by having a bit of an adventure with his elderly mom.

He laughed while he performed a reenactment for me and I laughed too. It was nice to see him smile.

So you see, even in the most trying of times, a smile can be found. Thanks Dad