What, oh what, to say???

For the past couple of days, I have been wracking my brain trying to think up some interesting topic to share with you and yet, even now...everything seems so self-centered...so pointless. Do I talk to you about how I just found out that I can't run my microwave and coffee pot at the same time(my soup is only lukewarm, but at least I'll have my much needed mug of hot tea)? Do I tell you about how I've become obsessed with tea and all the comforts a cup of it tends to engender in me? Do I talk about how bleary the days seem here and that I have begun to wonder if the sun will ever show his head out from behind the clouds again? Do I opine about how my sedentary lifestyle is robbing me of my health and that I have been ill so much this year that I can count on one hand, the days that I've actually felt whole? Or do I mention that I'm so weary of my lack of day-to-day interaction with anyone other than my husband, that I'm sure that only my meds have kept me from losing my mind? No...no...I'm tired of hearing my own complaining and self-centered views. I want to hear more about you all...and that's partly why I've been trying to catch up on your blogs(some of you, I haven't been able to visit as I would like to, due to my silly lap-top being a near antique) instead of posting anything of my own. I like to hear about your day and your thoughts on whatever it is that interests you. I guess you could say, I'm becoming a better listener than a speaker. So, are you all looking forward to the holidays? Will you be seeing family, friends? Do you have any traditions that you look forward to each year? What about memories of holidays past? Anyone that you miss this time of year? I look forward to hearing about it all and I ask your indulgence if I don't speak up quite as much as I have in the past. I'm trying a little experiment of living outside myself and not focusing so much on my own concerns. Hope you all will have a great day!

Howdy!!

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! Mine wasn't that bad at all...went out with the dear husband yesterday and spent most of today working on a new painting. I'm slowly but surely starting to make my way back to all you bloggy friends of mine, but I will show you part of what has been keeping me busy lately....Hope you enjoy!

I finally found what's left of our paints and decided to give it a go...This is a rough, fast sketch of one of my grandfathers. The point of the exercise was to get it as nicely done as possible without having to ever erase.This is what I was working on today...It's a picture of my sister Mary. I adapted it from a wedding photo of her's.Just a little close up of the face.

Anyways, I hope you all will have a wonderful week and I'll be seeing ya!

Just Something...

The past two days have been harder ones for me. I've not had major losses, but I've been dealing with an emotional roller coaster of half forgotten memories and repressed feelings. Last evening things finally came to a head and the dear husband and I had a great row. I think I cried the entire rest of the night and actually had to call off my much anticipated plans for today just because I'm so drained. I'm not very good company these days....I can't seem to drag myself out of the sweep of depression that threatens to drown me, and I'm even still on my meds. I'm not asking or seeking anyone's sympathy....I just need to talk. I feel trapped by circumstances that are beyond my control and seem to only be continuing to spiral out of reach. Life just.... isn't.... I miss my family, I miss the few friends I have, I miss the person I wanted to be. I miss it all.

Hello from me again!

Another sullen afternoon here and sometimes I think if it wasn't for a good book and a cup of hot peppermint tea, it'd be enough to drive a girl to drink! Took a little walk earlier and it was lovely to be out seeing all the trees that have begun to put on their fall color and having the feeling of a crisp breeze across my face. Lately I find myself staring out my windows for hours on end, watching all the birds and the little squirrels as they all scurry about in search of some kind of sustenance. I keep trying to snap a picture of one of the many little furry friends we have around here, but they tend to be too fast for my poor camera's shutter speed. Speaking of pictures though, I did promise some of the autumn color so I hope that you enjoy these:

I did also want to say that I am sorry that I haven't been around more often and that if I have somehow offended someone, I apologize. Hope you all have a lovely evening!

A Good morning to all...

Good morning and hello to all my friends out there! I hope you've been able to enjoy this wonderful month so far! I've just been trying to finish up a bit of settling in and have even had a guest already! My best friend came for a week, and as we hadn't seen each other in 2 years, it was a wonderful, but long overdue visit. Other than that, my dear husband and I have been trying to get onto some kind of workable schedule. Now that most of his squadron has finally moved to Norfolk, we are hoping that they will be able to settle on more definite work hours and such. I've been wanting to find a job and get enrolled in school, but as we only have one vehicle currently and haven't been sure of what hours the dear husband would be working, it's been nigh impossible to do such. The family all seems to be doing as well as usual, though an uncle of mine did have to go into surgery. He came through it fine and though he has a long recovery road ahead of him, we believe he'll make a full return to sound health. I have also been trying to keep up with my reading and just finished D.H. Lawrence's, " Lady Chatterley's Lover". I enjoyed it and am currently on to "Far from the Madding Crowd", by Thomas Hardy. Haven't yet made any friends here, but I've been looking at meetup.com for some interest groups, as a way to get out and meet people. I'm supposed to attend a knitting group on Wednesday and am looking forward to learning to knit and hopefully making some new friends. There is also a literary group, that I am interested in, but we shall wait and see how it all turns out. I must admit that when we first moved into this area, I was not fond of it at all; I have however grown to like it and even with all the little flaws and dings, I love our little home. I'll have to try to post some pictures I've taken of the fall color from around here! Unfortunately, I hear some dishes calling my name, so I will take my leave for now. Hope all is well with you and know you are all never far from my thoughts! If I don't write again before then....HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

My thoughts on this fall day

I have to start out by saying that today has been absolutely gorgeous here! There was a bit of cloud cover this morning, but it melted away early and left us with a vibrant blue sky. I've not been up to one darn thing today either...I needed a brake! Most the morning, I spent contemplating how wonderfully made this old world of ours is and admiring God's handiwork. This afternoon, when I haven't found myself staring out at the sun-dappled tree leaves, I've been catching up on face book and doing a spot of reading. A palpable sense of serenity has blanketed me all day and it leaves me feeling so very grateful. There are loads of trouble and care that we are often asked to carry and I think too often we forget to simply release them for awhile, stand up, shake ourselves off, and just admire the constant swirl and dance of life around us. Tomorrow, I may be neck deep in something I don't think I can take, but for now...in this moment, I am happy. Life is beautiful! I hope that whatever you have going on in your life right now, you are able to take a precious few moments to part the worries and see the beauty that is always waiting for us. Have a wonderful rest of the day and God bless!

Hey...don't I know you???!!

Hello from one who seems to have lost herself in the shuffle! It has been awhile since I've been around and though I don't have much time to catch up with you all right this minute, I am glad to say that I should be around a bit more often. It's been a rather"interesting" move but, I'm beginning to despair of ever truly getting everything settled and in place. I'm still surrounded by a sea of boxes and let me just add...if I ever have to see so much brown cardboard in one place again(and I know I will) I want it made very clear that I am not to be held responsible for what I may do afterwards! It hasn't helped matters that I've been sick practically from the moment we got here and even had to take a little trip to the hospital(more on that later), nor has it aided in the settlement cause, to have had my husband have to turn around and leave for two weeks about a week and a half after we arrived. Hopefully, things will be calmer the next few months and I won't have to end up running around bald-headed from having pulled my hair out! Well, I just wanted to pop in, say hello, and let you know that I really haven't fallen off the face of the earth(yet). I hope you all are doing well and I look forward with eager excitement to catching up with all our old familiar faces! Have a very blessed day!