TOPICS

I've talked about changing around my blog.
I want to zero in on some specific topics.
Things that are on my mind most of the time.
So... what would that be?
What do I think about first?
Food.
I wake up and as I lay there I think,
"What am I going to have for breakfast?"
I LOVE breakfast food.

There was a time in my life when I didn't even eat breakfast.
I was thin then.
I've heard the research on the News and such.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
If you eat breakfast, you tend to be thinner.
It's like filling your tank with gas and gets you going.
You can't function on an empty tummy.
Blah, blah, blah.
I'm so sick of surveys and being told what works best.
I grew up with the food pyramid that turned out to be a big lie.
I now believe nothing.
I used to have a cup of hot tea and I was good to go.
I could go until lunchtime before I was hungry
and now I'm hungry a couple of hours after breakfast.
So... I'm gonna talk about THAT.
Not healthy recipes or anything like that.
That would be crazy! To think I might start "cooking".
But yep, I'm gonna share thoughts about quick and easy,
not expensive but maybe not healthy...
Anyway, yeah. I will talk about food from time to time.

So after I sit up I think about my pets.

(my toy poodle Ping Pong)

I think of them because I have to get them outside to potty.
I think about them as I clean up after them
and as I get them fed and ready for their day while I'm gone at work.
Or if I have the day off, I have them around me
playing and cuddling and being adorable.

(my cats Ghost, Harry and Charlie)

So, as ALWAYS I will be talking about MY pets,
Other peoples pets, rescues and such.
Pets all the time!

Which segues into my home.

and talking about my house and making it pet friendly
and keeping it clean
and the struggle.

Which rolls into my actual house
my location,
my sometimes desires to move
and my desire to stay put
and all that it entails.

And working on the house I have.
(ok, THIS is NOT my house but it kinda reminds me of it, or the feeling about it...)

(source)

Not the typical blog type of stuff with amazing makeovers.
Nope, this will be about fixing stuff myself.
No handy man or husband involved
No big dollars spent.
I think it's wonderful if someone has someone else to cut a board for them
or lug an appliance and I'm not jealous but I am envious.

I'll talk about my job, my work that gives me a paycheck
and my safety-net and what enables me to care for my pets properly.

I'll talk about my Art

and what I want to create and what I AM creating.
I'll share ideas and what inspires me.
I'll talk about the struggle of creating what you think might sell
versus just creating what you want to create and the struggles of that
and how, for me anyway, it leads to procrastination and sucks the joy out it.
and
I'll talk about artists that I love.

I'll also talk about how to save money on some things.
What works for me anyway.
How bargains aren't always bargains.
I'll also write about things I've found that I love and think they deserve a great review.

I'll talk about NOT minimalism
Which I thought I wanted to achieve and now realize it will never be for me
but rather, I just want the "EXTRA" stuff gone.
No excessive clutter but not spare and sparse.

I'll talk about getting older.

The shock that only your body is old but it has nothing to do with your soul.
Yeah, I'll talk about not thinking "young",
because I was really clueless when I was young
but rather I'll talk about thinking positive
and being happy and not thinking OLD.

And I'll talk about retirement.

Not how to invest or anything like that.
Lord knows I know nothing about THAT.
There are a lot of books out there about investing and etc.
No, I'll talk about different ideas,
things I will probably NEVER do but might sound great to someone else.
Just doing whatever makes YOU happy!

I'm probably forgetting some important topic
but that's what I've got for now!

Yep, and with all this talk about TOPICS,
I hope people feel free to jump in and leave comments
and share their thoughts and ideas too!

Grace Ng Dung

Is one of my most favorite of artists.

This is a recent self-portrait.

She also happens to be my eldest niece.

I just had to share her creation. 

I'm amazed at how she was able to capture herself.

Here's a photo of her. 

Didn't she do a great job!
She is super talented.
She's written and illustrated a childrens book but still trying to find a publisher.
It's all about trees.
She's very much about Nature, the Earth, the Universe, Energy and Good Health.
She's very laid back and has an old soul.
I'm very fortunate to have three amazing nieces.
Each very unique and different and I love them all dearly.
So just had to share!

And now for an update.

I finished the signs.

It's sort of embarrassing to show them here after Graces creation
and added to the fact that I once again did not take proper photos but here they are:

The "Dogs at Play" one was done years ago

and I just basically repainted over the faint faded words and dogs.

This one is the commissioned one with the Basset Hound on it.

I definitely do not think this is my best work

but it's in keeping with the "Dogs at Play" sign so I thought she would like it.

The lady was very happy with them. 

In fact she was "Over the Moon Happy" about them,
especially the "Welcome" one and if she's happy, then that's all the matters then.

Update on the Booth.
I've added more and I'm still working on it.
I'll save the details for another post.

Another update.

Squeak is doing well.

He's lost weight because of my measuring out his special food
and also because he suddenly has become very active.

Yep, he's on the go all the time now.

At first he'd lay on the floor and just watch the little dogs play.

Then one evening he just got up and ran to them and started playing!

This makes me so happy, to see him happy.
Once again, sorry about these blurred photos,
I just snapped them with my phone as it was happening
but you get the idea.
:)

Life is Good here.
and... I've been reading your comments from my last post again.
Over and over.
Lately I've been thinking about ALL the comments.
Especially about taking action and making it happen
but deciding first just exactly what it is that I REALLY want to happen.
Like me pining away about living somewhere else.
Would I really want to move away from loved ones?
Home is where my family and best friends are.
(Although my best friend lives in Iowa and now LILY too,
is moving across the river to Iowa.
Hmmm, LOL!
So...I'm spending time walking around the play area with dogs at work
and pondering so many things.
One thing though, that I do know for SURE is that
I can't express again how much the friendship I have HERE in blogland means to me.
I'm blessed to have REAL friends out there taking time to comment and support me.
Yep, truly. I'm blessed.
I need to remember to count my blessings.