As I Go On.....

After Little Baby's death Blaine got tired of me crying every day. And the spark has left me. I don't feel like I'm Bo anymore. I am walking around like a zombie, the memory of her dying in my arms always in the back of my head. And I also keep remembering the day I rescued her from the bush in the ghetto street. So I threw myself into gardening, knitting and crocheting, and other things. But I do these things with dead emotions and sadness. I listen to melancholy music a lot. And those who know me well know that I especially listen to my song, "Galveston", and dream about its beaches.

Anyway, Blaine understands, but he also understands that I get lonely at home during the days. Leonard, the older cat, goes upstairs all day. He's Blaine's cat and has nothing much to do with me. I needed company for me.

So Blaine went to PetSmart where the Humane Society displays rescued animals and bought me a tiny little black kitten I immediately named Little Lu-Lu. I am developing a special relationship with her---she is my lap kitty--- and I am so grateful to have a little friend as I mourn Little Baby. Here's a pic of Little LuLu watching me work in my container garden on the deck. (All pics can be made larger by clicking on them.)

We have also put a deposit on a pedigreed Ragdoll kitten from an Amish couple who live a couple hours north from us in Amish country. We will get her when she's between 6 and 8 weeks. We want Little Lu-Lu to have a playmate to grow up with. I don't know why Blaine wanted buy an expensive pedigreed cat but he got a bee in his bonnet about Ragdolls. I have no idea what to expect from the kitten. But I will love her just as much as I love Little Lu-Lu. I'll keep y'all posted.

Also, I have turned into a total gardener. My deck garden is pretty nice---but it sure takes a lot of work. Most days you can find me out there in the early mornings watering---which is essential in the drought we're in---and in the evenings deadheading the petunias. Or I'm preventing coleus from flowering or other plant maintenance. I've got all kinds of plants, even a banana tree. My mother actually came up from Texas to help me get this garden started. She bought the fountain for it and the birdbath---you can click on the pic to see the details. (And my mother says she's coming in the fall to turn it into a pansy and snapdragon garden.....oh, help me Lord.....because we all know how.....uh.....how shall I say it...."eccentric" my artist mother is.....)

(You can click on the pics to enlarge them.)

My garden was shown on TV which was my fifteen minutes of fame. I laughed my head off that somebody thought something I did was worthy of TV. (But secretly I was proud.....I'm only human afterall....)

Other than gardening, I have been knitting. We're redecorating. The house will be painted taupe with white ceilings. The kitchen has a new stainless steel refrigerator, range, and dishwasher. There will be red accents. I have SUPER plans for the window treatments. So I've been knitting some dishcloths to hopefully match.

Speaking of knitting, Lu-Lu is driving me crazy trying to get at my yarn. I've really had to work hard to train her to LEAVE IT ALONE. So when she was sleeping in my lap I couldn't resist putting my yarn on her and taking a pic.

Also, Blaine is growing tomato plants. And yesterday I canned 10 pints of them. Will be gooooood chili tomatoes this winter.

Also, I crocheted a cardigan out of granny squares. I used various types of granny squares but mostly the "regular" ones. Then I put a different color in each round and lined the square in white. The collar area required triangular doo-hickeys and much cursing words. I used only open and closed "boxes" for the sleeves since I was stumped as to how to make granny squares shape into the type sleeves I wanted. It looks like the sleeves are too short but it's a drop sleeve cardigan and I pulled the sleeves down for the picture. Also, I put one row of "sparkle" or "metallic" yarn in at least one row of each granny square but it doesn't show up in the picture. In addition, I made my own buttons in my jewelry studio by baking some that were created in matching colors of polymer clay, then drilling the sewing holes. (You can't see the colors very well in the picture---but you can click on the pic to make it larger.)

Oh.....and please forgive me my vanity. But I was tired to death of putting on dadgum eyeliner. I absolutely HATE putting it on!!! I always get it globbed up on my skin or eyelashes. So, exasperated, and after much prodding from a cosmopolitan friend in Washington, D.C., I went to the plastic surgeon and had permanent eyeliner tatooed on my eyes. I had it done just like I've always worn it---black on top and blue on the bottom. And let me tell you, it hurt like hell....