Posted in Hello

I Will be an Artist! Update 3/7/19

Posted on by it is what it is.

I was pretty happy being a nurse for many years but when I retired I had no plan for what comes next, then I read that anyone can be an artist so I thought I’m anyone, I  will be an artist.

IMG_4779 2

I am a woman wondering what comes next, open to new ideas, willing to exchange thoughts but confused and restless about who I am now in these later decades of my life.

Being a twice-retired person of meager resources and advanced age, I started out cheap, buying craft paints and board panels and skinny canvas. I painted flowers the ‘one stroke’ Donna Dewberry way. (she is the one who said anyone can paint) I had fun painting pretty flowers for children and sold them at school and community sales.

But lately, I have been watching u-tube videos of abstract painting and this is my new favorite way to paint.  I am a self-taught (artist) painter with help from U-Tube videos, Mr. Lang and Ms. Dewberry and  Mr.Tim Gagnon plus a heap of art how-to books  There is so much to learn, so many new ways to create art, I’ll need another life-time to learn all this , maybe next life?

By the way, this painting became an  amazing table! Resin was the perfect  finish!

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sold

Update 3/7/19

Still of meager resources and even yet older, Life has moved on with me to a very new reality, an old lady on wheels. And I’m loving this new life style with GiGI my gas guzzling RV and my Smart car youcandoitBabe.I’m excited to get my life in my tiny RV settled soon so I can get back to painting I’ll need to find a space, I thought perhaps I’d paint outside at the table but it is really windy here, not sure it’s always as windy as it has been here lately, maybe it calms during the summer. Other than the wind, I think this is the best place to be now, warm and snow-less.

Update 7/19

I found a space to paint in, Kathy’s Studio is almost a reality.

Posted in Uncategorized

Charley is Jealous of my Guitar

Posted on by it is what it is.

I thought I’d get an inexpensive learner guitar and hopefully learn a new brain saving technique.

Whenever I start messing around with the guitar Charley begs for attention, attention and a belly rub. He throws himself in my lap, really it’s like he does a back flip bottoms up.

He doesn’t like it when I’m busy on my computer or reading either.

He’s spoiled and has doubled his arrival wight from 12 pounds to 24 pounds! He’s beautiful and generally well behaved.

He is happy to stay home alone because he hates going in the car, he shakes from the time we go til the time we get back. So now I leave him home with a treat.

He knows when I get my keys and put on my shoes I’m going in the car. He does very well home alone now, I don’t need to use that supersonic noise thing to keep him from barking, neighbors report he has not been barking, it’s because he’s happy not to go with me in the car.

Charley and friend.

Learning the guitar is not so easy, not easy at all! It looks easy and cool just strumming and humming but so far I can’t even remember the g string. Memory, that is the challenge I’m working on, it’s a bitch!

It’s been cold in Caballo but the afternoons are briskly pleasant. I am now a resident of New Mexico. I like it here. I should get my new drivers license and plates soon. It’s only taken me 2 visits to the DMV so far needing birth certifcate, marriage license translated insurance info and more but it was in the nicest DMV I’ve ever been in, no waiting efficient and a clean organized process. A far cry from my experience in TX. Small towns are great and almost no traffic!

I planted a few perennials today, hopeful for a splendid ‘Spring. I lost a few plants to frost even though they were in my studio, very sad and sorry my beautiful succulents collection froze.

Posted in Print on Demand Companies, Uncategorized

Fine Art America

Posted on by it is what it is.

Today I’ve been working inside my RV cuz it’s really cold outside! I’ve done quite a lot today, I worked on my Fine Art America web site and finished it, it looks pretty nice, that’s the web address down there and it works!

I made new business cards .

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I changed this site to give it some red. And changed it again to flowers instead.

A good days work!

kathleen-othon.pixels.com

Posted in Prose, My Thoughts & Wonderings, Uncategorized

A Great Response! Thank You Karen!

Posted on by it is what it is.

This is a great response I got after my last post about the problems of aging, just what I needed to hear from an old friend even older than I! A good kick in the pants” I needed! I just have to share it here.

Hi Kathy,
I consider aging as a struggle that you must fight daily. Do NOT go quietly in the night saying “well I am old so I fall down.” Bull Shit. Say “Dumb Ass-look where you are going.” Oh yes, it helps tremendously to swear. Furthermore-part of the fight is to try to look good-makeup for the wrinkles, short flirty skirts for the confidence and every now and then have false eyelashes glued on.(They stay on for 3-4 weeks.) for good cheer. You must think POSITIVELY! I just started guitar lessons-they say it takes ten years to learn to really play-SO-I am looking at starting a rock band when I am 90.
It sounds to me as though you are a little down considering your recent incidents. Think positive-you were able to find your rv, you are independent, doing a great lifestyle and u r probably the envy of many dependent women.
YES!
Merry Christmas Kathy,

Karen

I love this!

Okay I didn’t go out to buy eyelashes but I did get some purple eye shadow! She is right. I don’t mind getting old … how silly to mind! I can make some improvements, just the other day a woman told me ‘it’s easy to let yourself go here, I looked around and saw I was the only person wearing slippers to the happy hour! I doubt she meant me, but she looked very put together. I’ll take all this into consideration and stop complaining but you know, it gives me something to write about!

Yeah, purple eye shadow! And age control daily cream by equate (Walmart brand cuz when we get old we are often poor)

I think I’ll get a guitar and start learning so I can join the band!

Posted in Prose, My Thoughts & Wonderings, Uncategorized

I'm getting a little Worried about Myself

Posted on by it is what it is.

I’m doing really dumb things

Showing a lack of attention

for instance,

I bought a new light for the studio at Walmart but it didn’t get home with me, probably left it in the cart.

Left clothes in the dryer at the laundry completely did not miss them until I got a text asking me if I’d forgotten them.

But the worst thing I did

I dropped my ipad in the washing machine

together with the clothes, how could I have not noticed that? I take my ipad with me to do laundry (and I’d stuck it in the laundry bag) so I can play a game while waiting. But I spent the time talking to some people so I didn’t miss the ipad and didn’t know until I took the clothes out and found it, of course destroyed, If I’d spent the time sitting and waiting I would have noticed but I wasn’t in the room while it was washed.

I almost cried! Not so much for the lost ipad but for the circumstances of its demise.

I’m almost too embarrassed to write about it here but this is my life now.

So three things in 3 days

Dumb things that had I been paying attention would not have happened. I told my daughter to be prepared, I have aged quite a bit since I’ve last seen her. Not only mentally, I have some great smile wrinkles that are new, and fragile skin. But my bones are great, they must be because I took a nasty fall getting out of the RV last week and thought I’d done damage to my knee. It hurt like hell for awhile but is getting better everyday, no broken bones and a friend added a more stable step to my door that should avoid any more falls.

Falls are one thing that can really be a danger for old ladies.

My son bought me a new Ipad!

Posted in GG My Gas Guzzling RV, Uncategorized

Ropa Vieja con Platanos Maduros

Posted on by it is what it is.

Christmas dinner in the Park is going to feature Mexican food. But I’m adding a little taste of Panamá, the recipe I’m using is Cuban but it’s the same and another person is bringing rice. I only have two platano that should be the right ripeness, maybe I can get more tomorrow. I’m going to make it in my hot pot and let it cook for about 5 hours. I’ll let you know how it turns out….I bought cookies to take if it doesn’t turn out good!.

Thanksgiving was a bust for me. I got all weepy and it lasted for two days. As I’d planned, and changed my mind about going to VA for Thanksgiving plus I’m messing with my meds so that could have been part of it. But I’m fine for Christmas, no plans made to frustrate me.

It’s been cold in Caballo, freezing at night, water lines freeze then, no water in the morning til things thaw up a bit in my RV. Got another heater for the studio so we can spend time there, I’ve been playing in paint, I have a few new things, I sent a few home to VA, hope they can use them. I bought a cheap $15 Walmart frame to see how these canvas papers fit into a 16 x 20 frame. Looks good, perfect for them at a low cost perfect for a kids bedroom or basement rooms tho of course they can be more expensively framed as well. I think i’ll paint some more like this and maybe sell them, What do you think? What I do is mostly abstract because I love combining colors and lines but to sell them I’ll need to paint trees. So do you paint what you want or paint to sell? I know my answer, I need the money for paint so I’ll be painting some trees! Take this for instance, doesn’t look like much but when you put it in a nice frame it’s elegant! I’m going to add a page here with new available work soon…. for sale!

Posted in interstitial cystitis, Uncategorized

IC UPDATE

Posted on by it is what it is.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Greetings

A couple of notes….. because i said I’d let you know how it goes…….

I’ve been able to decrease my amitriptyline 100mg to 50mg at bedtime pretty well, I’ve gone slowly over 3 weeks with only some pain in the mornings that don’t need to be medicated. So now I’ll try 25mg plus the PEAORA POLY 500 2-4 TABS Daily to see how that goes.

I read an article in ‘pocket’ last week about studies being done on green lights used with success for migraines and it said studies were started for their use in interstitial cystitis. (IC) Seems pretty simple, just look into the lights for a period of time daily, I just sent for green holiday lights to hang up here to give it a try. Nothing to lose.

I would like to get medical pot but am not a NM resident so don’t think I can unless I become a resident which I would but I have to get my marriage license translated to English to get a drivers license, worth the time and bother? Maybe.

Another thing I learned this week while doing the laundry ( I have a really sad story about that but if I tell you you will think I’m demented already) I met a couple, Eric and Robin Lines, who stay at the RV park close by (where I do laundry). They have formed a company called Silver Solutions. They have a website here, silver@silvermtnsolutions.com that looks very interesting, not sure how it might help IC concerns but I bought a small bottle because silver is used in wound care and it has many other possible uses. In their pamphlet they note that Dr. R Becker discovered that silver ions not only healed wounds quicker, it also caused bone, muscle, and nerve tissues regenerate!! I’d read of Dr Becker when he was using acupuncture and electric therapies in wound care so I have an idea of his work.

Thought I’d pass that along here.

Ciao

Posted in GG My Gas Guzzling RV

IT FITS!

Posted on by it is what it is.

But I only have 6 gallons of hot water!

So I’ve ordered a 3000 w immersion water heater that (I hope) will heat the water so I don’t have to heat water on the stove top as I did last night. but it felt wonderful to climb in here (with a stool) to soak my whole body I love it. That element will arrive in a couple days so I won’t empty the water until I get it to use it again, wish I had something that smells good to add to the water.

El Mundo
Look at this sideways, looks like a map don’t you think? I like it .
Posted in GG My Gas Guzzling RV, Uncategorized

A Soaking Tub in my Small RV?Is it Possible?

Posted on by it is what it is.

Probably should wait until I get it and test it out but…………..

Tomorrow it will arrive!!

A bath tub that I can put in my tiny shower space,

I am so excited!

It’s a Japanese bathing box (?) what to call it? Reviews on Amazon are great, people in RV’s love it as do people in small apartments without bathtubs. Being able to take a bath has been one hardship I thought I just had to live with and now even that concern may be resolved!

Life is good!

Info says water stays warm for about 40 minutes, I guess they call it a soaking tub. I can fill it with my shower hose, it’s not inflated……..

(if interested I found it on Amazon for less than $50.)

It folds up for storage but I expect to use it often so I’ll leave it ready for use. I was looking for bath tubs but none would fit in my space and then I found this, I’m wondering about getting in and out of it, may need to use a stool, I have one that should work if I need one. I’ll be able to use bubbles and salts and good smelling stuff and finally soak my feet! I’ll follow up after my first soak.

It’s chilly and raining today. We’ve stayed inside listening to the impeachment news, I don’t talk politics in the park, but I watch what’s going on every day, I believe history is being made right now and I wonder how it will be judged in years to come and whose names will be shamed or glorified. What will our descendants think when they read the names of the participants in this event, will it be shame or pride?

Charley is doing well after his brief ‘fixing’ and doesn’t seem to miss what is now missing.

Charley has put the blanket over his head, that means good night .

Good night.