Letter #12

Hi Dad,

How are you?  Making friends?  I hope so, wherever you are.  I'd hate to think of you having a beer at a lonely bar all by yourself, with just a bartender.  Although that may be your idea of heaven for all I know.  Pretty close, pretty close.  I'm doing pretty good.  Got a few things done today.  My energy level is kinda low.  I probably overdid it yesterday. 

I got this grey and blue yarn at Michael's yesterday, Homespun, the color is called Waterfall.  Mix it with turquoise yarn and you get... the beginnings of a scarf for J.  Here's a photo:

I also bought myself a purse/tote bag at Penny's.  It's so pretty, all my favorite colors in one purse.  It was over 1/2 off.  I took a picture.

I have a thing for purses.  Shoes too.  Shoe shopping just isn't as much fun.  I always need a certain type of shoe, but rarely find it in my size, in my price range.

I took a picture of Chris in his new Seahawks hat, but I'm going to respect his privacy and not post his picture on the internet.  This is new for me, but he's so dang paranoid about being under the radar, etc.  You know how he is.  I may change my mind later.

I feel a little behind the 8 ball this week.  Usually, when I have stuff to do, I don't let it get to me too much. I mean lately.  Before I was a ball of anxiety, stress and worry, but I seem to have gotten over a lot of that.  I just have a lot to do this week.  More than usual.  Stuff for school that I haven't even gotten to yet.  Other classes I'm taking, books I'm reading.  You know how it is.  I forced myself to take a break today because I was just fretting and spinning my wheels.

I miss you, Dad.

I guess some lessons you have to learn on your own.  Still, it'd be nice if you were around.

Sleep well...

LOVE

Anne

Letter #11

Hi Dad,

I'm really tired tonight.  Me and Mom went to Olympia today.  She's a total leadfoot, as you well know.  We made it there and back safely with no cops involved.  I got a few bargains there.  It was a good trip.  We ate at Safura's, a middle-Eastern restaurant, for lunch.  I had a caramel mocha coffee at McDonald's (a big one) on the way home, so will probably be up late, whether I want to be or not.

Here's a random picture of some deer:

Random 'cause it's from last summer.

Hey!  We'll talk more tomorrow, OK?

Sleep well...

LOVE

Anne

Letter #10

Dear Dad,

It's been a heck of a day.  I don't even know why.  I've been busy all day, off and on.  And pretty happy to boot.  Mom and I are going shopping in Olympia tomorrow, which we hardly ever do.  There's a blood test first at PacLab, then to McDonald's for breakfast, then to a couple places in town, then to Elma.  I've never been to the General Store there.  Apparently they have fabric and other craft supplies at a good price.  Then lunch, then Olympia.  OK, I'm already tired and we haven't left yet.  :)

Here's a picture of my cat, Betty Boop.  She only looks pissed off because she was taking a nap and I decided to take pictures of her.

She looks like a bad luck black cat, doesn't she?  You can see her brown underfur underneath the black because she was in a sunbeam.  She's really a sweetheart.  You would like her.  She would like you too.

So, I turned my Daily Planner into a creative record of my life (eventually).  This is what I did late last night.  I put a sheet of lined paper behind each day's schedule.  This is for writing a couple pages every morning.  I have terrible handwriting so I may end up typing the pages.  I put a piece of neon orange cardstock in front of this week and 3-hole punched it so it would fit in my binder.  This is to tape photos, cutouts, ephemera, etc. onto, or glue them.  Plus stickers!  I did my writing for today, but I haven't added anything to the orange paper.  I have a different neon color paper for the rest of this month's weeks.  I also added the calender back in and the other stuff that was in my old planner. 

So what about the Visual Journal I started this year?  I haven't quite decided what to do with it.  If I should work on it one day a week or what.  I feel like everything is spread out in a million notebooks right now.  Fragmented.  Not a good feeling.

Here's a better picture of Betty:

I was in the way of her sunbeam there. 

I've always wanted to walk into a church and yell, "You must not read from the book!"  That's a movie reference, The Mummy.  Cracks me up every time I think about it. 

Chris is watching the boob tube.  Betty's on his bed.  Mom is reading a James Patterson book.  I'll try not to get too exhausted tomorrow.

Sweet dreams!

LOVE

Anne

Letter #9

Hi Dad,

Mom was at the casino until 11pm tonight.  Mostly visiting, it sounds like.  But I don't want to talk about that.  I've been doing some reading about art journaling on the web.  This one lady uses a regular planner and art journals each week while using it as a regular planner as well.  This got me thinking!  So I looked for a daily planner, why be hard when you can be difficult?  There weren't many of those on Amazon.  I looked on Barnes & Noble's website too, apparently their search engine is broken.  So, I'm thinking about doing one of those next year, except I'll probably make my own.  I'll either get a sketchbook and turn it into a planner, or get some heavier paper and 3-hole punch it.  Not sure yet.  The primroses are doing great, by the way.

I've already made up my own daily planner, which I use every day.  Then I was looking at the DIY (do it yourself) Planner site and there was another idea just sitting there.  What if you took ring-bound flash cards and put journaling or writing ideas on them.  It would be a portable idea generator.  So then I looked to see how much blank flash cards are.  Then it hit me!  Why not just buy index cards and put holes in them and a ring?  Since I don't really need a portable idea generator, well, I just like making things, y'know?

I already have a visual journal with typed-up journal pages and cut-outs from magazines.  Tonight I also discovered purple glue sticks, they go on purple and dry clear.  I don't use glue sticks, I use glue or spray glue, or tape or double-sided tape.  Gotta try me some glue sticks!  So now I want to start all over with a new visual journal/planner.  The thing is, if it's a planner too, you can look back over your year and see what you did.  Get it?

My visual journal is just cut-outs from magazines, stuff I typed up (transits, tarot card meanings, weather, journal stuff) and marker swirlies and stickers.  Very basic.  I don't draw or anything.  Photos too, I forgot.  I think I would need a lot of paper for a whole year.  Like 365 pages.  I could have my planner on one side and writing on the other.  I'd like room for pictures too.  Like I said, I'll probably have to make my own.  Well, that's all that's going on tonight.  I'm almost done with the Aztec Cross-Stitch.  Just 2 more sections to do.  Sleep well, Dad.  (do you have clouds for pillows?) Put in a good word for me!

LOVE

Anne

Letter #8

Hi Dad,

The Seahawks won the Super Bowl!  I wish you were here to enjoy it!  Chris has been hooting and hollering around here.  He finally quieted down.  The owner is Paul Allen, the guy who started Microsoft with Bill Gates.  Here's a picture of him holding tonight's trophy:

I wanted to tell you something else too.  Yesterday we got 10 small french fries from McDonald's for 12 cents each.  It was a 12th Man promotion (the fans).  What a bargain! They had the promotion all weekend. Here's the receipt:

Mom's reading.  She just got home from her football party.  I don't have a lot to say tonight.  Like my brother says, "This will perk up Cranky Town for awhile." Or something to that effect.  Cranky Town is Ocean Shores, of course, full of cranks! 

Goodnight!

LOVE

Anne

Letter #7

Hi Dad,

I'm having a very good day today.  Mom beat me at cards, the whole match.  Normally I wouldn't be so happy to lose, but it's her turn to win.  We had fun playing Spite & Malice after dinner.  Chris made a pork roast in the crock pot with sweet potatoes, apples, onions and apple cider.  So yummy! 

Before that J. and B. came over for the afternoon to visit.  I helped B. order Seahawks iron-ons on the computer.  He doesn't have internet access for his computer.  Sparks didn't exactly fly, it's nice we are still friends at least.  I think J. was awfully bored of the whole thing or maybe just tired, she didn't stay long. I got a really good fast food bargain, I'll tell you about it tomorrow (illustrated).

This morning I went for a walk around the block, my usual route.  I saw a doe and her youngster a few houses down.  They aren't as scared as they used to be.  I know, I should bring a camera!  Maybe next week I'll remember. 

Here is Linus the Lion that I drew for those drawing classes (drawspace.com):

I like this one better than the koala bear.

I guess I'll work on that x-stitch tomorrow.  Mom and Chris are both going to separate Super Bowl parties in the afternoon.  There won't be enough hours of sunlight to do a sewing project at the rate I sew. 

I'm listening to Frank Sinatra, one of your faves.  I guess I'm going through a sentimental phase right now.  Even Virgos have feelings.  As you well know.  Well, that's about it for today.  Put in a good word with the man (or woman) upstairs, please.  Miss you!

LOVE

Anne