Friday, January 10, 2020
I always take an end of year selfie. So here it is.
Mike and Ruby.
It is supposed to be cold today, so she is wearing her blue hoodie.
Bob.
I headed north to Marana to visit Robert last Sunday. Twinkle Toes (AKS Pickles), Taco, and Odie all wanted to sit on my lap at the same time. Taco is Ruby's number .5 boyfriend. When he comes to visit she wants sexy time with him (they are both altered).
Pickles, Taco, and Odie.
My front yard orange tree and my Meyer lemon tree are loaded with fruit. Over at the Presidio Museum the last of the quince have fallen from the tree. I gathered them up and have made two batches of quince preserves. I have also made orange marmalade and lemon curd. Some of this will go over to the Presidio tomorrow and be used for Living History.
Orange marmalade, Meyer lemon curd, and quince preserved.
Goodbye 2019.
Many things are happening in 2020. I attended the January 8th Memorial Ceremony in the 1929 Pima County Courthouse courtyard. Back in 1992 I dug trenches in the courtyard and found the eastern Presidio wall, as well as many other things. I am just finishing up the work on the other side of the courthouse, where the Memorial will be constructed.
Ceremony.
Mike stopped by to visit. He is sporting a bunch of staples in his head. Ouch! Ruby was ecstatic to see her number one boyfriend (Matt is number 2, I am number 3).
It is supposed to be cold today, so she is wearing her blue hoodie.
Hoodie.
At work I see coyotes and a bobcat walk by my window frequently. Shortly after taking this photo, the bobcat decided to come around to the front of the building and wanted to go into the kitchen for a snack. Rob told it to go someplace else.
I headed north to Marana to visit Robert last Sunday. Twinkle Toes (AKS Pickles), Taco, and Odie all wanted to sit on my lap at the same time. Taco is Ruby's number .5 boyfriend. When he comes to visit she wants sexy time with him (they are both altered).
My front yard orange tree and my Meyer lemon tree are loaded with fruit. Over at the Presidio Museum the last of the quince have fallen from the tree. I gathered them up and have made two batches of quince preserves. I have also made orange marmalade and lemon curd. Some of this will go over to the Presidio tomorrow and be used for Living History.
Thursday, January 09, 2020
Holiday has come and gone. My artificial flocked tree was so pretty with the bright little lights and the antique and some modern ornaments. See below.
Also many bags of frosting.
I made veggie chili, cornbread, sweet chex mix, fruitcake, and a lemon bundt cake. Not shown, the punch bowl with Martha Stewart's eggnog (used half the alcohol).
Food!
Birdy decorated the dining room nicely.
Red tree with white ornaments.
1830s secretary with bottle brush trees and plastic garland.
Many cookies were decorated.
Chris, Rich, Jane, Addison, and Kate at work.
Despite the frosting being just a little runny, many lovely cookies were decorated.
Cookies.
My house was well decked out. It was a nice party.
House.
Holiday morning Santa Matt gave me a painting, a set of Smokey the Bear stamps from 1984, and a Smokey the Bear jeep. He got a quail egg photo from his favorite photographer and a vintage cactus lamp.
New ornament- Krampus.
The plastic Santa has been in my family for over 50 years. Originally, he had candy in his sack.
Big Santa head is one of my favorites.
I had my Cookie Decorating party on the 22nd, later than normal. I made about 8 or 9 dozen sugar and gingerbread cookies.
I made veggie chili, cornbread, sweet chex mix, fruitcake, and a lemon bundt cake. Not shown, the punch bowl with Martha Stewart's eggnog (used half the alcohol).
Birdy decorated the dining room nicely.
Many cookies were decorated.
Despite the frosting being just a little runny, many lovely cookies were decorated.
My house was well decked out. It was a nice party.
Holiday morning Santa Matt gave me a painting, a set of Smokey the Bear stamps from 1984, and a Smokey the Bear jeep. He got a quail egg photo from his favorite photographer and a vintage cactus lamp.
Santa Matt and Homer.
It was a nice holiday season, for a while I was able to overlook all of the cruddy things happening in the world.
Thursday, December 26, 2019
A busy day. Two weekends ago I drove up to Gilbert and met Matt and we had tintypes made by David Emmit Adams.
Homer, 2019.
You wouldn't think we were the same person, perhaps partially because the new tintype is in black and white.
It has started to get cook and Ruby had to wear her hoodie. She has finally stopped chewing on everything and I was able to take the slip covers off the chair and couch. I need to get some walnut colored stuff to color the wood putty on the two places she chewed on.
Yawn.
Trump has been impeached. I feel somewhat calmer, although I know the Senate will not throw him out. I wonder what future historians will say about this time. I remember before the 2016 election opinion columnists stating that the Republican party was now a white nationalist party, and thinking that was stupid. Well they were right.
Matt waiting.
I wore the same sweater I wore in 1981 for my high school photo. I tried to recreate the pose as close as possible.
Homer, 1981
You wouldn't think we were the same person, perhaps partially because the new tintype is in black and white.
It has started to get cook and Ruby had to wear her hoodie. She has finally stopped chewing on everything and I was able to take the slip covers off the chair and couch. I need to get some walnut colored stuff to color the wood putty on the two places she chewed on.
Trump has been impeached. I feel somewhat calmer, although I know the Senate will not throw him out. I wonder what future historians will say about this time. I remember before the 2016 election opinion columnists stating that the Republican party was now a white nationalist party, and thinking that was stupid. Well they were right.
Sunday, December 08, 2019
Holiday preparations continue. I have a boozy fruitcake in the fridge. I have been making tincan luminarias. I have finished decorating the house.
Even Ruby is decorated.
I still have a few gifts left to get. I stopped by an Indian grocery store and purchased lovely things to eat. Last night I made Matt supper with them, and then made him read a Father Christmas book that belonged to Mother.
Snowball, Buddy Cat, Matt, and Ruby.
I finished the garland that hangs all around the living room. It is very festive and apparently garlands are "in" this year. I like craft activities.
Garlands, stockings, and trees.
In the study I made my version of a Nativity Scene, complete with a dinosaur I got at Dinosaur National Monument back on my mid-life crisis roadtrip in 2017.
Nativity, 65 million BC.
I was going to make watermelon rind pickles today, but when I cut the watermelon open I discovered the rind was too thin. So I ate some of the watermelon, although I confess it really isn't a favorite of mine.
Today Matt and I will watch the 9th episode of Watchman. And perhaps an episode of The Crown. I feel sorry for the old-school TV stations that have such dreary shows.
I still have a few gifts left to get. I stopped by an Indian grocery store and purchased lovely things to eat. Last night I made Matt supper with them, and then made him read a Father Christmas book that belonged to Mother.
I finished the garland that hangs all around the living room. It is very festive and apparently garlands are "in" this year. I like craft activities.
In the study I made my version of a Nativity Scene, complete with a dinosaur I got at Dinosaur National Monument back on my mid-life crisis roadtrip in 2017.
I was going to make watermelon rind pickles today, but when I cut the watermelon open I discovered the rind was too thin. So I ate some of the watermelon, although I confess it really isn't a favorite of mine.
Today Matt and I will watch the 9th episode of Watchman. And perhaps an episode of The Crown. I feel sorry for the old-school TV stations that have such dreary shows.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Out of the corner of my eye I spot a coyote walking through the large puddle outside my office window. It has been very rainy here, with the hole in my bedroom ceiling drip-drip-dripping.
Flocked!
Santas.
Birdy decorated the silver tree with birds and other ornaments.
Birdy decorating.
I made mashed potatoes-parsnips and cranberry dressing while Matt made stuffing, yams, and that green bean-mushroom stuff. I ate too much.
Buddy.
I hot-glued ornaments onto the wreath frame.
Wreath.
It rained a lot on Friday. I could not monitor a trench. The roof leaked again. In the backyard one of the huge cacti felt down. What a mess.
Coyote.
Fall has rapidly become winter. My citrus trees are getting ready to harvest. The Meyer lemon has about 50 lemons. I'll have to make lemon curd soon.
Meyer lemon.
Decorations ensue. Birdy and I made felt ball garlands to hang from the picture rail. I set up the flocked tree and put my antique and reproduction antique ornaments on it.
Birdy decorated the silver tree with birds and other ornaments.
I made mashed potatoes-parsnips and cranberry dressing while Matt made stuffing, yams, and that green bean-mushroom stuff. I ate too much.
Matt.
Matt wanted to walk off calories by going to the top of Tumamoc Hill. I struggled up. He said I looked miserable. Accurate. I am out of shape. At least there were some pretty deer on the way down.
Fawn.
At home Buddy cat had an eye infection but has recovered nicely. He likes the antique blue chair by the door.
I hot-glued ornaments onto the wreath frame.
Wreath.
It rained a lot on Friday. I could not monitor a trench. The roof leaked again. In the backyard one of the huge cacti felt down. What a mess.
Cactastrophe!
I've been paying attention to the impeachment hearings. You can't believe how much I hate Republicans right now. I wish the Rapture would happen and just take them all away. ALL OF THEM. I had to unfriend someone on Facebook who apparently planned to vote for him again.
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
My kitchen walls are covered with transfer-printed plates, some dating back to the 1820s. I finished hanging them right before my All Souls Procession Cocktail Party.
Plates.
I set up my altar Sunday morning. Matt bought me some marigolds and I got flowers from Trader Joe's. On the altar I placed photos of my deceased pets.
Cookies.
Close-up.
The guests began to arrive and Jeffrey helped me do my sugar skull makeup. I then helped other people.
Caleb and Andy.
Homer and Matt.
At 5:30 everyone assembled outside. Each person took some flowers to hand out on the way.
Guests.
I had a nice time, hanging with friends and watching the procession.
Matt, Hoffman, David, Paul, Caleb, Robert, and Birdy.
The thousands of people strolled by, many carrying signs or small altars.
Procession.
It was a lovely event.
I set up my altar Sunday morning. Matt bought me some marigolds and I got flowers from Trader Joe's. On the altar I placed photos of my deceased pets.
Altar.
Close-up.
I made sugar cookie and gingerbread cookie dough. On Sunday morning Robert and Birdy helped me decorate them.
The guests began to arrive and Jeffrey helped me do my sugar skull makeup. I then helped other people.
Wally.
At 5:30 everyone assembled outside. Each person took some flowers to hand out on the way.
I had a nice time, hanging with friends and watching the procession.
The thousands of people strolled by, many carrying signs or small altars.
It was a lovely event.
