Saturday is a workday!

Well today was definately a workday! Between me, Steve and our renter, Shallis, the dust was flying. I'm not sure if we got it all, but there are tired people in the house tonight. The living room, dining room, bathroom and kitchen all got the deep cleaning treatment. It feels good to move through the house without tripping over the boxes or knocking over piles of papers. Above all--Christmas is finally put away for the year. Yay!

Steve and I even found time to file our taxes today as well. We are getting a good refund from the federal and paying a small amount to the state! All is well in the house tonight. Time to relax and watch a movie.

I did get good news on my art program. Seems the school just decided on new policy and I may get credit for previous master's education classes-- which would entitle me to an associated degree for the same price as the diploma. The bad news is I will have to borrow more money than the Stafford loan will pay. I will tackle that when the time comes. Maybe I can get them to list me as a first year grad rather than a freshman. Grad students can borrow more money. I've applied to several grants and scholorships, but no telling if any will come through as of yet.
Blessing and grace,
Rae

Finally feeling human again

Hi there!
it's been a few days since I last posted. The nastiness took over my sinuses and I just didn't have the energy for much of anything. It's turned very cold the past few days as well. Looks like we are having single digits at night and not much out of the mid 20's during the day. I've not had much incentive to go out either. Today I visited the doctor and got some medication to chase out the infection. I also had my annual health screening at the gynecologist as well. Came home after those visits, has a small lunch and went back to bed.

My husband came home just before 6 pm and reminded me we had to do a bit of shopping for the service outreach we organize each month. I thought I'd seen the last of my shoes for the day, but I got them back on and helped with the shopping. One Wednesday a month we try to go down to the county jail and cook dinner for the families waiting in line. here's a bit of history on the matter:

Wednesday evenings down at the county jail is family visitation night. A friend of ours( she's a probation officer) had been telling us about how families have to wait outside for hours until time to get their visit. The system stinks--they have to sign up between 6-7pm and at 8pm the list of visitations is posted. Some families don't get to see their incarcerated loved one until midnight or later! Quite often there are young mothers there with small children and no time for dinner. If you lose your place in the sign up line--you might as well count on being the midnight visitors. Spring , summer, winter and fall, rain, shine or snow these people must wait in a back alley with little or no shelter. We( a group of 5-6 people) try to lessen the wait once a month and cook dinner. tomorrow's menu includes hamburgers, chili, cookies, assorted ships, cookies and hot drinks. Last month we had scarves, hats and gloves and umbrellas to go with the food. it was cold and rainy and very needed.
Tomorrow will be a cold one. I have some hats, glove and scarves for tomorrow--I pray it's enough. Keep me in prayer since I'm a bit under the weather myself. The pictures today include my dog, Chester and the snow on the red maple tree out front of the house.
Blessing and grace,
Rae

Give the virus back....

It's Wednesday evening and has been a very dull day. Everyone is sick with something viral and it slammed into me last night. My sinuses are jammed up and my head has been swimming all day. I finally got up some energy and made some chili (mild) for dinner. I'm gonna go to the doctor tomorrow if I still feel bad--I can't risk a prolonged infection if I want to have my knee surgery next month.

Oh, yeah---if I didn't mention it before---I need to have my right knee replaced in February. It's been hurting for the better part of 12 years. Now that the bones are touching they will really do something about it. I filled out all the paperwork on my medical history today and got everything ready to put in tomorrow's mail. I'd like to keep my knee, but it seems it's just too far gone. I tried working on the rest of the Art Institute enrollment paperwork, but I just got overwhelmed. I'll try again tomorrow when I feel better.

I'm going to try posting another piece of artwork today as well. Bear with me and here's hoping it works. Two of the pictures i took in my friend's saltwater tank. The other is a photo or a skink--Indiana's version of a lizzard. The females are brown and the males are black and blue striped.
Until tomorrow,
Rae

Trying out the Photo uploads...

Well I'm trying to upload pictures for the first time. Here are some of my photographs and one of my paintings. Let's see how this goes, shall we?
Rae

In the beginning...

It's the beginning of a new day and the beginning of a new blog as well as the beginning of a new career move for me. Yesterday I had a call for the Pittsburg School of Design Online program director. It seems I made and impression and have been accepted into the digital design program! After 20 years of teachig others to be creative, I will now have that same chance to find the creative spark within me. As a high school senior I applied to this school, was accepted, recieved a variety of scholarships to pay my way. through a series of unfortunate events I was unable to fulfill that dream. here it is--30 years later-- and I now get to have that dream fulfilled!
I hope to log my journey on ths spot and keep everyone updated on my progress to becoming a digital/comercial design artist.
Many blessings until tomorrow,
Rae