A cartoon story

I have a new phone and I was playing with the cartoon mode.



The Queen

There once was a beautiful black Doberman that had a semi retired people.  Her favorite spot to sit was on the right half of the love seat.   She sat there like the queen of the house, which of course was what she was.



The Princess

She made her people lay on the floor to rest. She also had in her kingdom a young beautiful gray princess. The Princess loved her people and curled up around his head like a crown.



Whatcha doing?

Okay, Dale was laying on the floor using the Exerciser Elite and Misty Blue was playing ball with him and Duchess took the opportunity to steal her favorite spot.

The Truth

Happy Valentine's Day ♡

Today was a  beautiful sunny day which in Minnesota means it is cold! It is a day of romance (according to the marketing agencies.) 



Cyclamen (gift from Dale)

My work day was interrupted with a very pleasant interruption.  Dale stopped by with a beautiful plant.

Candle on a heart doily

Then after work, we went out with supper at Wally's café' in Watkins.   They had the normal fish and shrimp all you can eat. For Valentine's Day they had special meals of ribeye steaks or stuffed chicken. The meal came with a trip to the salad bar, a side of vegetables with a roll, twice baked potatoes, and a dessert (banana cake or better than sex cake.)  In the center of the table was a nice candle. 

Steak & twice baked potatoes



Healthy Salad (no dressing)

Veggies & a roll



Better than sex cake

I didn't throw my eating to the wind. I only had a few bites of potatoes which were loaded with sour cream, bacon, and cheddar cheese.   I had a small bite of dessert and I skipped the roll entirely. 

After supper walk

After supper, Dale promised to reach up and give me the moon. So we took the dogs for a walk and watched the full, red moon rise across the horizon. Brrr.... As the sun went down the cold came out. Happy Valentine's Day ♡! 



Reach for the moon

Time for a new phone!

Two days ago my cell phone stopped working.   People could hear me but I couldn't hear them. It has been a month of technical failure.

First, I lost my old printer and now my phone. As I loaded my cell phone with e-mails, I came to the sad realization that I keep up four e-mail accounts.

My main account is my Hotmail account. I have an old account from the day spa that I use as Dale's when he wants to sign up for things.  I have a g-mail account for my book sales. And I have my work e-mail.

Are you wondering what phone I bought? It is a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. A little bit too big and lots of bells and whistles!☆  :^)

Tax Time!

Sorry I didn't post last night and tonight it I late again.  I have been doing my taxes and a few close relatives taxes.  I am glad to say that I am done with taxes for 2013!  Everyone got something back for a refund.  There are mixed views and philosophy's about refunds.


Everyone likes to see a refund.  But many people believe that is not the best plan.  When we overpay our taxes, the government uses that overpayment until the day that they return it with no interest.


On the other side of the swinging pendulum are the people that need to pay in every year.  As long as you pay more in taxes than you did the year before, you won't get a penalty.  But you do run the risk of being charged penalties and interest.  You also need to come up with extra money in the spring of the year.  That thought is never a pleasant one for me.


The perfect solution is to try to plan as close to zero as possible with a minimal refund and not owing anything.  That would be easy to plan for if the politicians didn't wait until the last minute to publish the tax tables.  Lately changes are made to the tax table throughout the year leaving "planning" to be close as not a very good idea.


I bounced it around a bit this year.  With the publication of my book, I cashed in some of my 401K.  I knew that the book publishing in the late portion of the year would leave a loss on the tax returns.  The difficult thing will be seeing the gain this next year.  I will be lucky if I don't need to pay in for 2014.

Book 3 "Trusted Friend" update

Finding the time to write has been a difficult thing to do. But I have pinched out minutes and hours here and there which leaves me with a rough draft of a book that is almost done.  I like where Geoffrey, George and Evelyn and the rest of the characters took me with this book.


Geoffrey found his new purpose for his life.  As God Blesses him in his new life changes, Geoffrey blesses many un-expecting people from all walks of life. With blessings in life, comes Satan's attacks.  Geoffrey needs to find the strength that only comes from God to face the changes in his life.


George and Evelyn's relationship is tested as the stress from George's job pushes in from every side for both George and Evelyn.  Despite the extra pressures, Evelyn pushes forward with her special outreach to the homeless and working poor. 


Geoffrey, George, Evelyn and all the other characters learn new definitions of "trust" and "friend" that redefines their expectations as they work through the highs and lows that come with their daily lives. Their worlds are rocked by the appearance and disappearance of trusted friends.
 

Spring house-cleaning (early)

I decided to begin Spring house-cleaning today.  First because I don't like cleaning so Spring house-cleaning takes me a LONG time.  But secondly, because I wanted to psych myself into the idea that Spring is coming close. 


I heard some sad statistics on the news today about the large number of days that our low temperature has been below zero.  It isn't news anymore.  The news is that by Wednesday or Thursday that they expect a full twenty-four hours above zero! WOO-hoo!


You need to understand the way that I do things.  I begin one thing here, they I end up moving something to there and I start another thing there.  That continues until I have four or five things going on at once and I get very excited to finish one or two.  It drives Dale crazy. But you now understand why I often can't find things after I clean.  :^)


I didn't accomplish enough to take a photo.  Maybe when I finish in 2016!  Ha-ha!

When things work together....

Several month ago, my sister told me that she wanted to go to an art gallery for her birthday.  Something that would inspire her artistic side.  With busy schedules, it made it impossible to plan anything. UNTIL!!!!  Wednesday in the mail came a postcard announcing that artist Ann Taecker was having an artist meet and greet at K.K. Berge Gallery in Granite Falls, MN sponsored by the  Granite Area Arts Council.


Ann, Trisha, Tabatha

We have taken silk painting classes from Ann in the past and Granite Falls is a bit of a drive but closer than her base.  It was time to have a refresher.  Both Tabatha and I have black silks, dyes, and stretch frames.  So hopefully this weekend, we can find time to apply our inspiration.  (Step one is done! The supplies are out of storage.)



Silk Art inspired by butterflies

We were definitely inspired by the artwork.  


Silk Art: Waterfall

 At work on Friday, just before leaving for Granite Falls, out of the blue a woman said to Tabatha "I hear that you know how to paint on silk. Could you teach me?"  After finding out that there is one other person that is interested in silk painting, we decided to investigate the possibility of having Ann come to the area again to  teach another class!  Stay tuned for more information on that event.



Wearable Art: Front View



Wearable Art: Back View



Tiger