Redeeming the Time....by Keeping House

I love that phrase.....'redeeming the time.'
The last few days I have not felt well and have spent quite a few hours in bed resting.

I wasn't really and truly sick....but I wasn't exactly well either!

My 'therapy' for not feeling well or being a bit blue is to keep house.

I decided on Tuesday morning to begin a room by room cleaning.

This usually helps me untangle my thoughts and/or feelings and produces clean rooms in the process.

Cleaning (to me) is not the same thing as daily maintenance.

It's a get rid of the cobwebs and look behind chairs and under beds and deal with areas not in my normal routine of housework.

I changed up a few things and found myself smiling at Amber as she was reflected in the lamp light.

The bottom pic was taken of her and Mike either in their year in Scotland or a winter's trip to Chicago. The top one was the year she turned 21 and I had taken her to London for her birthday.

Speaking of London.......

My oldest son took his family there for a few days last week.

I snagged this photo of him on Facebook as he was enjoying an espresso in London!

He is a handsome guy!

I cleaned both bedrooms, changing the sheets and everything! By a sheer act of optimism, I replaced them with flannel ones!

Mind you, the A/C was cranked up as I did this!

I found a nice 'home' for the elegant tea set my niece gave me.

It is sitting on a secretary in the guest room next to a ceramic set I made for Amber at her first birthday.

I just love looking at pretty things.

What with all the political news on TV, it has taken a toll on my mind.

I am currently boycotting the den and the TV.

I will go in there to clean AFTER the elections are over!

AND I will put on a Downton Abbey or an episode of Fixer Upper!

So THIS is where I read Tuesday night before bed instead!

Wednesday morning I did a Tai Chi workout in the gazebo - with the fan on - but still felt faint and woozy after wards, It was hot and humid so I should have stayed inside with the A/C on to exercise.

I rested for a bit and then dressed for my very last visit to Dr. Crawford for my toe.

He said the x-rays show both toes doing very well. They are straight and the bones are growing and mending with the cadaver ones. Now THAT'S done!

My appointment was for 1:15 and by 1:39 I took this photo from where I was in bed!

I pretty much stayed there for the rest of the day.

Not really sick. But definitely not well, either!

The most wonderful thing happened as I lay there......it started RAINING!

As in a real down pour! I opened the back bedroom door so I could hear it better.

Music to my ears!

At 6:30 I decided to throw my weight around and went out to the den and asked for the remote control! Louis Dean willingly gave it to me since he hadn't seen me much of the day.

Together we watched the first hour or so of the CMA Awards and we both loved it!

Still, I didn't last long and it was back to bed for me.

This morning I woke up the fragrance of coffee, bacon and OATMEAL!

It's been a long time since we had that!

I felt a lot better this morning but I'm still not pumping on all 8 cylinders.

It helped to get dressed and go have lunch with my dear friend, Brenda.

We have been trying to get together to celebrate our birthdays since September!

It DID do good to get out and one of the reasons she and I neither one felt our best is the pollen count. She said EVERYTHING was high today!

I had cancelled art on Tuesday and again on Wednesday.

Time is running out on getting our Santas painted this year!

The third time was the charm and we painted all afternoon and into the evening.

While I am painting FOUR of the same Santas this year, it is truly important to get two done and done soon!

This one is all but done. I need to work on his face and add a pair of spectacles.

This one will be for our Family Chinese Christmas Tree.

The one above it is an 11 X 14 that I will use as a Giveaway and I need to put the finishing touches on his face plus add the glasses AND have time for it to dry before I mail it.

I think I may have done one giveaway in the past but I don't really remember what it was.

Anyway, I hope I can figure out how to even DO!

 I will add your name when you comment and keep adding names until

November 20th when I will draw the winner. I promise to get it in the mail within the next week after that so you will have it at the beginning of December.....unless you live very far away! Does this sound about right?

Louis Dean just came in and invited me to come out in the den to watch a program of my choosing!

You better believe it will not be any news!!!