Mosaic Mom

Today's Post Courtesy of Aunt Jo.....


25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP


1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.

2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.

6. You watch the Weather Channel.

7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."

8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."

10. You're the one calling the police because t&@# kids next door won't
turn down the stereo.

11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.

12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.

14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.

15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

16. You take naps.

17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather
than settle your stomach.

19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and
pregnancy tests.

20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit."

21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.

22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to
drink that much again."

23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.

25. When you find out your friends are pregnant you congratulate them
instead of asking "Oh no, what the hell happened?"

Bonus:

26: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't
apply to you.

Florida Cable Internet hit by lightning yesterday. Out of Service 24 hours. Now up but getting off a lot. Hope this post makes it out. Better luck tomorrow!

Stop/Go with the Mosaic Flow

Yesterday had no rhythm. As soon as I got going, I’d have to stop and change course. It was so unsatisfying. Nothing accomplished. Here’s how it went…

9:00AM…Fire up the computer. Edit Bluemner work.
9:30 Dumpster truck arrives and tips the can. Shut computer down. Go lock the gate behind him. Feed the cat, turn on the pool pump, check the adhesives on yesterday’s mosaics, get dinner out of the freezer.

10:00AM… Fire up the computer. Look at Bluemner work again.
10:30 Electric power company workers are in front of the house again. Shut the computer down. Go open the gate and let them walk inside lest they crush my new fencing trying to climb over. Check the mail. Dump the trash.

11:00AM Fire up the computer. Look at email problems.
11:30 UPS is at the front gate honking. Shut the computer down. The lady said she had no large plastic bags and it is fixing to rain. Unpack Plant Daddy’d gift (tee hee). Make a sandwich.

Noon… Fire up computer. Shut down immediately due to Lightning storm. Plant Daddy phones saying Sharon has gone for surgery. He may need me to come into town.

1:00PM…Still waiting for Plant Daddy’s return call when Exterminator arrives to spray for roaches.
1:30 Plant Daddy calls to say I’m not needed so I go to Post Office to send Amazon.com packages. I drive to the accountants to drop off 2nd quarter tax package. Sort out the mail.

3:00PM… Fire up the computer.
3:30 Go right back down due to lightning. Start cooking Plant Daddy’s supper.

6:00PM more lightning.
6:30 PM More lightning.

7:00PM Give up on computer…go mosaic!

9:00PM New mosaic shoe well under way!!!

Hi tech bad. Low tech good.

This is a mosaic collage creation by my friend Jane in New York...not to be confused with my friend Jane in Oregon.
Janes on both coasts now!

Every time I try to use the computer today, the lightning comes. Gotta dash again. Zap!

I sent an email over to Tavares Library this afternoon to see if they still want a display for Adult Education classes. This display will heavily feature Mom's mosaics and Suzy's paintings, but will also encourage students to look at courses in dog obedience, computers and golf.

Finally, finally, I started some serious writing again today. It felt good. Writing a big story like this is kinda like doing a mosaic. I can work on any little part of it as I choose. In the end it will all fit together...I HOPE!

P.S. I started another shoe...I am an addict. I can't stop doing mosaics. I find it very relaxing.

OK, this has nothing to do with mosaics, but I need to get this off my chest...and this is a blog!

1. Florida real estate sales have long dangled advertisiments in front of prospective buyers/gullible Yankees. These ads show palm trees, alligators, natural settings. What you really buy here is zero lot line ticky tacky sub division housing that looks the same everywhere.

Now...I used to respect Oregon for protecting their farmland and natural resources from the builders/bulldozers but guess what? They have passed a thing called Proposition 38 and they are subdividing and throwing up cheap housing like Florida. We saw that the Cascade mountains near Tualitin/Oregon City had been scraped clean of trees and jammed tight with houses.

Everythings a commodity now I suppose.


2. Every 3 years I thank God that I'm no longer an Episcopalian!

3. The weathermen never get it right! Grrrr. It is going to rain or not!?!

This is Jane and Myron, Bonnie's parents. Jane did the mosaic stepping stone below.

Jane has self published 3 books about farm life in Oregon. She and Myron worked together on one book recently to document the history of the sheep industry in Oregon. It's not what I would call late night reading, however...

It came to the attention of a professor at Oregon State University who recognized it as important history. The professor nominated it and OSU is giving Jane and Myron an honorary degree in recognition of the work! I'll see if I can get photos of this ceremony in August!

I am having a bad day. I am fighting with Blogger about how to get photos over here to show you....it only took like Hours to get this one done!!!GRRRR!
I have another one to do too.

Meanwhile I had to review a poem for Palm Group and I couldn't even read the title. For God's sakes...do you want to be read and understood or not?

Blogger thinks my photo blog is a "Spam Blog",

You idiots...I have the other blog to store pictures because your own Blogger photo program doesn't work worth a P and I couldn't post photos of the mosaics if I didn't have it. Blogger, you are ridiculous sometimes! Grrrr You need to make the photo program work!
I tried to use your photo program this morning and it crashes! This is where we were 2 years ago! Fix the darn photo capacity!

Wanted to post up a few more Oregon photos, but Blogger is acting up AGAIN!!!

Si instead, I will tell you that on Wednesday, June 21, Midsummer, Plant Daddy and I drove over to Deland and contributed a small birthday present to Stetson University in honor of Oscar Bluemner's Birthday.

Then we went to lunch at some Italian place, not Bellinni's< the place on Woodland. It was OK but not stellar. FAR Far better than the dump we ate in over in Sanford 2 weeks ago!

So Happy Birthday Oscar Bluemner!

Here's Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Marc hosting the rehearsal dinner BBQ on Friday.

This is my sister in law's front yard!!!!

Little Mind Escape designed this cardinal stepping stone for Aunt Darlene. I made it and shipped it out to her before our arrival.
Aunt Darlene and I traveled to the local Home Depot and found a paver block and used it to mount the stepping stone as a disc/garden ornament. We got it all mortared in and installed! Yay!

Vacation Day 1...Arrive at Grandma's...eat apple pie, berry pie, and salmon.

PS...Little Mind Escape has a new job with graphic design for advertising. Bye Bye Home Depot.

Here's a new use for the Durock/Hardibacker board usually used in mosaics...

Cut a sheet 24 inches x 48 inches and rest it on the back seat of a Volkswagon Jetta. This makes a great seat extension before you load in Wedding Florals!

Tropical Storm rained about an inch over the last 2 days, but lots of wind. Excitement's over, go home folks....Oh wait a minute!!! What's that storm cluster down in the Lesser Antilies?????
Nooooooo!

For the first time ever I have invited a group of ladies in to the mosaic studio for a class. Details later. Gotta go for vacation! Yay!

Bye! Be back shortly with nephew's wedding photos !

Hurricaine, Schmuricaine!

I vacation in Oregon so that I can visit the rain. I do not want a week of rain here then a week of rain there. I'll be totally saturated!

I am looking forward to doing a mosaic installation with Darlene when I get out there. She says we can work in the greenhouse if the weather's too wet...Darlene doesn't realize how heavy that piece will be after mortaring, but live and learn. We'll manage.

Finished Annabelle's flowers. Ready for her to pick up tomorrow!

Anabel picked the Coleus style. That means she's traditional, not contemporary. So today I will compose 2 bench arrangements, 2 entryway pots of selloum, 2 mantle arrangements and cut selloum leaves that she will use for tabletop decor.

ALso I will dash to the Post Office, Publix, bank, etc. Busy day!

Am excited about up coming trip to Oregon and about dumping Florida Cable when I get back! Yay!

PS Tropical Storm is no problem so far. Just rainy and that's good.

Coleus


Zinnia

Just when you think it's safe to come out of the closet...and take a trip to visit your relatives...Hurricane Alberto!!!!

Okay, actually it's only going to make tropical storm status, but I couldn't resist pulling the Oregon relatives' chain and suggesting that the Orlando airport might be shut down!

(for those of you who may be new here, daughter is a bridesmaid in this show and the bride is wired on a good day. Suggesting a bridesmaid might not show is like sneaking up behind a sleeping cat and shouting Boo!)

You make your own fun as you can around here.

Anyway, I'm also doing florals for a local wedding here on Wednesday. While shopping for last minute supplies, I found a flyer for a craft show in November. I may actually investigate this one when I get home. Woo Hoo sales!

See the photo of the writers group below?

From left to right…

The –guy- in the- white shirt- is -new- This was his –second- meeting- It’s fun to see someone- so excited- like -starting out on an- adventure.

The guy in the blue shirt is our fearless leader. He does action-adventure-detective writing. Terriffic ability to write action…page turner!…fluid. He does the most remarkable job of service to a group that I’ve ever seen. Countless hours of organizing us, keeping us all informed, keeping the group balanced, Xeroxing, emailing, scheduling, researching, etc.

The lady in burgundy writes the way I mosaic…every single day. I really respect her for this consistency and productivity. So far she had written rough drafts of over half her book. I have no doubt at all she will get published. She does action adventure and I do mean action.

In between burgundy and black is a newbie lady, first timer. The design on her shirt was cats, so she must be okay. Maybe she’ll submit work soon.

The lady in black is an awesome poet. Awesome! It’s about feelings and you read it and say, “yeah, I’ve felt that ,too and never had the right words”. She’ll be published one day in those beautifully constructed gift books you see at high end stationery and gift shops.

A great bunch of folks…I appreciate that they are willing to review the horticultural drivel I write.

Palm tree flowers are pretty
Palm tree flowers smell sweet
Palm tree pollen in the air
Makes my nose concrete…


Where I get my writing inspiration...Palm Writers Group...




No help yet from Florida Cable. When we get back from vacation, I'm calling the satellite folks!

Florida Cable
Astor Florida

The day before yesterday Danielle accused e of lying. Supposedly the "repair" was completed on May 19th!!! Today I got a new girl, Carla. She said my repair order was shown and I'd just have to wait.

When we get back from vacation, I am installing satelite. This no service from Florida Cable is disgusting. Just disgusting.

On Happy mosaic news, I outlined a new mosaic course...Sculptural Mosaics will be offered starting in late October. More details to come. But it took forever to fill out the forms today...so...
I couldn't get over to see Bridgette who said she had something to show me. I'll go tomorrow....camera in hand!


I did a story board on what looks like a novel! and hired a writing coach! Not an editor...a coach! She gave me an assignment that will keep me busy till Christmas maybe...or at least 3 weeks.

Blogger has been acting up. Sorry for the infrequent updates.

Well well well

I was out watching these Sand Hill Cranes walking by my well…


when I came upon this well crew drilling a test plot for the sand mine.

June 5,2006

Florida Cable
P.O. Box 498
Astor, FL 32102

Florida Cable;

Our cable went out due to lightning on April 21. We requested repairs on April 22. On April 25th a service technician flopped a wire across our driveway and said a crew would arrive within 10 days to re bury the cable.

Today is June 5th. So far Nothing, Zip, Nada.

I have phoned repeatedly to request service.

Congratulations on your well trained phone girls, especially “Danielle” and “Sara”. They have stuck to the script and made me feel as if Direct TV is my best answer to ever getting service.

Just go away annoying gnat customer. No, you may not speak to a supervisor. We’ll get a crew to you within 10 days. April 25th to June 5th. Maybe they are math challenged.

I tried to contact the PSC in order to ask for help. Their web site says to contact the License Authority. A librarian found out that Lake County is your boss/license authority, but she could not actually find out which office in county government handles complaints. There is no higher authority, so no wonder you are treating me, your customer, like dirt.

Here is a picture of my cable still in my driveway, still getting driven over several times a day. We have to hoist it up like a tag team to mow the grass.



What can I do? Do I need to buy the Cable Repair guy a 6 pack and bribe him to come over? Do I need to dance out on the highway with a little sign that says “Pleeeze?”
Prayer has not worked. Oh will you ever show up?

44 days and counting.

Oh! Maybe they meant 10 weeks, not 10 days!

That must be it!

Silly me, expecting service!

From a cable company.

What was I thinking?

This is a bowling ball project by Andre Lagniappe. It's so cute!
It is always a treat to see mosaic artists featured in the morning newspaper.What a pleasure to open today's paper and see this, complete with instructions!

The class schedule for fall has just been set.
Mosaics will be offered beginning September 11th from 5:00 to 7:30PM on Mondays. It will still be at Tavares High School Art Building.

I don't know the price yet, probably same as last year. Also not certain of all the Monday dates over the 6 week period , due to school schedules, etc.

But if you want to register contact 352-253-6780 or e mail CE@lake.k12.fl.us!

You just gotta love this!!!...

A tourist wrote a letter to the editor of the Orlando Sentinel. I'm kinda surprized they published this one, but the lady said they had been lured to the area by a hotel offering very low room rates. When they checked in at the front desk, however, they were outraged to find a charge of $7.00 per night was to be added to their bill for...get this...TOWELS!!! Seven dollars a night towel fee!!!

The lady said the attitude of the desk clerk was "if you don't like it, step out of line, the next person will pay"

I chuckle to think that the tourists are catching on!

Now if only the stupid Yankees would catch on to the fact that they home builders sell houses using brochures of lake scenes. What you actually buy is the ticky tacky sub division like the one you just left up north. Stay home!

(Mom just tried to grocery shop on the first day of the month again and is annoyed!)