I did it!!!!

Whew, it’s now 1:36 a.m.  I’ve been working on trying to get this blog set up for about 7 hours straight (plus 5 hours earlier today).  I’m not very computer savvy, you see, so trying to figure out how to make it all work is a real effort, LOL.  I think I’ve got it now, though (unless I decide I don’t like the colors or something.  Oh, and I hate the picture I took today, so Mr. C will have to take some better pictures tomorrow.  My camera takes great people pictures (which is why I got it, it can take action/sports shots of the grandkids) but it takes lousy polymer clay pictures. 

This entry isn’t going to have too much in it, as I’m really beat and about ready for bed, I just wanted to get back into blogging and claying, now that my life has settled down a bit, again.  It’s been a very wild and wonderful (and exhausting) year, here at the “Castle”. 

OK, I lied, if my keyboard doesn’t drive me nuts, guess I will have a bit in this post.  As I said, it’s been a very busy year.  I last posted on Monday, August 9, 2010. 

In October, our son and 2 little grand daughters moved in with us for awhile (Mom is in the Air Force).  So our very quiet, calm, empty nest suddenly got filled and very noisy and busy.  Suddenly we had two children going to school, Kindergarten and Second Grade, Girl Scouts, parties, Holidays, school programs and all the other things that go on when children are back in the house.

In November, Mr. C and I headed out to Las Vegas for my second Clay Carnival.  That was wonderful fun, with great clay mates, and wonderful instructors.  Donna Kato, Judy Belcher, Sue Kelsey, Leslie Blackford, Cathy Johnston, Julie Picarello, Julie Eakes, Natalia G. Leaniz and her wonderfully helpful and entertaining husband Danny. 

I do believe a good time was had by all, at least I know I had a great time. 

Some time in here I picked up some kind of upper respiratory bug and lost my voice almost completely for 5 months, ending with a diagnosis of COPD.  I was not very happy about that, and now, 3 months after the diagnosis, I’m just having my normal allergies (I’m basically allergic to the Midwest, and we live in the middle of corn and bean fields in central Illinois).

While we had so much going on, I wasn’t able to do much claying.  Every time I got out my clay etc., of course, the girls wanted to play clay, too.  They are only 5 & 7, so they wanted/needed help, so there went my claying.  They did make some cute stuff though.  Miss E, even had to make a “to scale” seahorse for a school project, and she chose to make her seahorse out of, what else, polymer clay.   I am missing a ton of pictures, I can’t find any of their creations :::: and      know I took some. 

We got a bunch of chickens, this year and started some square foot gardens, also. 

Then, in mid March, I fell really badly, landing in the middle of my back, with my feet, legs, and fanny in the air, my head tucked to my chest so I wouldn’t hit it on the tub.  I almost wish it had been videotaped, as it had to look hilarious, (on the other hand, I’m glad it’s not on tape since I had just gotten out of the shower and it wouldn’t have been a pretty sight ) .  After several Dr. visits etc. it was determined that I have 2 torn, desiccated disks.  There isn’t much I can do but wait for my back to quit hurting (and not do things to irritate it).  I’m not a very patient patient…..

June 1, N and the girls returned to South Carolina to rejoin Mom, and my “nest” is empty once again.  So, it’s time to pick up the pieces and get busy creating, again.  On my list of things to do are to get this blog up and running again, make a website for my polymer clay work, get some more canes made (but I can’t make my huge canes while my back is out of commission—I wouldn’t be able to reduce them).  So, I’ve taken an on-line drop color flower water color class, started writing the first of two planned books, and today researched Zentangles.  I guess that’s enough for today and it’s now 3 a.m. so guess I’ll head off to bed now.  Mr. C is working nights this week, so I tend to keep whatever schedule he is on, at least partially. 

I hope everybody has had a good start to their year and a wonderful Solstice Day (the longest day and shortest night of the year).  Smiles and be happy!  Have a wonderful day, . . . unless you have made other plans.  Sue C