Ollie, how could you!?!

Posted by goodoldgirl

It’s been almost two weeks since my last post. I can’t say that I’ve had so much to do that I didn’t have time to blog but I can safely say that I had absolutely nothing worth putting pinkies to keyboard.

Hmmm. That sounds awfully negative, doesn’t it? Let’s see, what has been going on in my little world?

I went to SHRM. Big convention of HR folks. Walked, walked, and walked some more. Sat, sat, and sat some more. Ate, ate, and ate some more. Slept for about a minute.

What is it about hotel beds that makes it next to impossible to get comfortable enough to sleep? Is it that they’re too hard, or too soft, too lumpy, or all of these things? I’m betting on all of them. The bed in my room this trip, though, was soft. Not good for my back which is why I’m sitting and walking a little bent over.

It’s really just a minor irritation but added to the swampland of emails I’ve waded through today, it’s been a cruel price to pay for four days away from the office.

Speaking of cruel prices to pay …

I had to board my cats while I was away. When I picked them up, the vet said that Ollie tried to murder Emily so he had to separate them to keep her safe. Ollie probably blamed her for being stuck at the vet’s for four days. Regardless, I can’t have one cat scared to death of the other one. Anybody want a cat?

He’s pretty. He has blue eyes. He only weighs about 15 pounds. And, he’s only mean to Emily … unless he wants in your lap. Then, he can be pretty ruthless, shoving his way on.

The bottom line is …

Emily has dibs on life at casa Good Old Girl. Isn’t she pretty? Such a sweet girl too! Only bites them that ask for it. I worked at home today and she’s been following me around. Ever since I got home yesterday, she hasn’t been more than a few feet away from me.

Seriously, Ollie is outa here if he doesn’t shape up and stop being a bully. Nobody likes a mean kitty.

Are you listening to me, Ollie? It’s way past time you learned to play well with others. You’re eleven years old for pity’s sake. 😉

Every Picture Tells a Story

Posted by goodoldgirl

Just when you least expect it, someone reaches in and grabs your heart and just won’t let go.

That happened to me a few decades ago when my baby sister was born. It happened again a few days ago when she gave me this birthday gift.

I’m not sure when she first started making collages, maybe in her teens, but she has for as long as I can remember. She creates them for loved ones and puts much of herself into every one she creates.

Making collages, when done well, is a painstaking process that takes hours of time and requires an artistic eye, as well as a spirit of adventure. Rosie is a talented artist with a husband and children and just starting her own business so just knowing that she took all the time needed to create the collage shown above — just for me– means more to me than I can ever adequately express.

And, then there is the content of this collage, I am amazed! In fact, it warms the cockles of this old girl’s heart and will for many years to come.

Thank you, sweet Rosie!

Garden Art …

Posted by goodoldgirl

I’m lucky in that I get to work at home a couple of days a week. One of the nicest things about working at home is the view — my garden. Granted, it’s not the biggest or best looking garden in the world, but it sure beats the heck out a gray office wall.

You see, I live in a condo that’s a townhouse with a small garden area that is mostly my patio with a couple of small flower beds on either side of it that is wedged in between my house and carport. My love of gardens was a gift from my mom and my small garden is precious to me.

The flowers …

I supplement the flower beds with containers of flowers scattered all around.

I like my garden. It’s peaceful. It’s sunny during the day and shaded in the evening. It’s homey. It’s mine to do with as I please. (Well, technically, the bank owns a small part of it, but it’s mostly mine.) One of things I like most about my little garden, and gardens in general really, is the art folks place within them.

The art …

We all have our preferences for garden art. Some of us like statues of Greek gods and some like little bunnies.

Me, I like them all. For example, I like vintage plant stands and almost anything done in wrought iron, especially wall art. I like kitties, and bunnies, and turtles, too. I adore my St. Francis statue and my rusted tin cat.