Oh happy day!

The handsome and happy face you see in the pic-of-the-day is #1 son-in-law Nick. On Tuesday night his band, The Suffers, was voted best ska/reggae/dub band by the Houston Press. Congrats to Nick and the other band members!

For those of you who don't understand what ska/reggae/dub music is, I once helped Nick write a bio for The Suffers that describes their music: The Suffers is a Houston, TX-based group that brings together members of the city’s best bands to create music that drips with the sweaty sounds of Jamaican Rocksteady and classic American Soul. The band’s sincerity and blatant passion for their music resonates with listeners. In fact, the band has garnered a broad following, which affords them the ability to cross over genre divisions effortlessly. I can't keep my body still when I hear The Suffers perform!

Today I'm creating minor revisions to a magazine article I wrote yesterday. This afternoon I'm going to an antique show and an estate sale. It sounds like the perfect day to me!

A new day

The sunflowers are opening up.

My friend who came to Santa Fe with me on Monday left to return to Houston this morning. Once again it's just the furry Pettit girls and me at the casita. I'm washing my second load of clothes before I wash the sheets and towels. I want to get my business work and house work done today so I can play Friday-Sunday. I like just working one day a week ... but I'm sure Mr. B has other ideas about my work schedule.

When I came back to Santa Fe I brought several pieces of heavy fabric with me so I can make bags. I don't think I'll pull out the sewing machine until this coming Monday. Instead I'm going to work on jewelry. I have leads at two places in Santa Fe. Both shops carry all sorts of different items. I want to make sure the jewelry I take to show the owners is tailored to the shops.

Today I'm creating a couple of bios, a couple of newsletter articles, a couple of invoices, and I'm working on a website. These are all items that I put on the back burner while I had company. Now it's time to get down to business. Wait ... The Price is Right just came on. Maybe I'll delay work until after it is over.

Super short

You know I'm having fun when lunch
involves adult beverages. 

How short can one blog be? Let's see.

I'm writing a short blog tonight because I'm super tired from three days of good food and shopping. The pic-of-the-day is from lunch today. Yum.

Today I'm creating nothing, but tomorrow is going to be extremely busy. I've promised lots of items for tomorrow. Tonight I need to make a list, but instead I'm going to sleep. Good for me.

Back in the Land of Enchantment

Colorful flowers (Ginger?)  from the Houston yard.

It was an easy, breezy plane ride to ABQ and drive to Santa Fe this morning. On the way into town I called the kennel to check if the furry Pettit girls were clean and ready for pick up, and they were. I don't like the way the groomer cut Rose's hair, but it will grow. Roz's new hair cut is fine. She was so happy to see me she even wagged her tail.

Once in the house I opened the windows, turned on the fans, and unpacked. It was then time for a nap. Now I'm going to check what type of music is going to be performed on the Plaza bandstand this evening. If it's something I like, I may drive to town to enjoy some music.

Today I'm creating egg salad for lunch. Yum! It was supposed to be 100 degrees in Houston today. The high in Santa Fe is 81 degrees. Lovely!

Sad goodbyes

Beautiful roses growing in the Houston garden.

White Linen Night in the Heights was so much fun! All my preparations for the party at my clients office came together beautifully with the help of Mr. B and Dr. Mc. Everyone loved the food. Everyone loved the cupcakes and snow cones flavored with Vodka. And everyone loved the live music. Down on 19th Street, which is the heart of the Heights, there were so many people. Jubilee, the fabulous store that sells my up-cycled tin jewelry, was packed. It was so packed with people that I went behind the counter to help write tickets and package merchandise. I love living in this community! It really does have a small town feeling, yet we're only four miles from downtown Houston.

I can't believe it's already time to pack for my return to Santa Fe. I wish I could take Mr. B., Dr. Mc, #1 son-in-law Nick, and Sweetness back with me. Not having them with me is the only thing missing during my summers in the high desert. I miss them and hate saying goodbye to them.

Today I'm creating time to spend with my cousins, Leigh and Susan. Doctor's have given Leigh about a month to live. Although she is at her sister Susan's home now with hospice care, in a very short time Leigh will be in a hospice facility. Leigh and Susan being close in age to me were the closest I had to sisters. Today, after several hours of reminiscing, I could tell Leigh was tired so I took her hand in mine before I left. We used to hold hands and giggle as little girls. Not so today. Leigh said not to be sad because she wasn't in any pain and she was prepared for what was going to happen. We gave each other a big hug while tears rolled down our checks. I was very sad, but if today was the last time I see Leigh alive I'm glad that the final words we said to one another were I love you.

Day one of rushing around

I'm missing the furry little Pettit girls.

I begin the morning with an 8:30 a.m. doctor's appointment. I made this early morning appointment so I could get in and out in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, this was not to be. I spent an hour and a half in the doctor's office. Crazy amount of time that threw my day behind!

I met with Kristal at Jubilee so she could select new jewelry for tomorrow night's party before meeting Mr. B for lunch. Get this. We're invited to a February wedding in Mexico, but our passports are expired. He is insistent that we get our passports renewed ... today. Never mind that the wedding is five months away. To the post office we go, but we need to complete paperwork in black ink. Plus the camera is broken at the post office so we have to go to CVS to get passport photos taken. Lunch and the passport adventure, and I finally split from these errands because I still have miles to go today. To the Bayou City Art Festival office to borrow two tents. To Aztec Rentals to rent chairs and table clothes. To a friends house to borrow four tables. To my clients office to drop everything. By this time it was 4 p.m. and I needed to get out of the heat!

Today I'm creating preparations for tomorrow's party. I still need to go to the grocery store and the paper warehouse to buy plates, cups, napkins and forks. The grocery store is a must for tonight because the pork has to be in the oven early in the morning so it can show roast. My day isn't over and tomorrow will be another busy day!

hot, Hot, HOT!

Final necklace and earrings before putting
everything away to come to Houston.

I've been in Houston for about an hour and I think I started sweating the minute I walked outside of Hobby Airport to passenger pick up. The thermometer in Mr. B's car said it was 102 degrees. No wonder I'm sweating! My hair is also starting to frizz. Welcome home.

I took the two furry girls to the kennel around 8:30 a.m. MDT. Roz walked in the door and immediately crapped on the floor. How nice of her. Then she stood by the door and fought the man trying to take her to the Pettit suite. I finished filling out some paperwork and then went to the car. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw sweet Rose standing by the fence staring at the car. Oh, my heart is broken! Both Roz and Rose are rescue dogs. I have the feeling that Rose thought she was being abandoned again. It was like leaving the McCarley sisters on the first day of pre-school. "Please don't leave me." I can still see Rose's sad little face. Hopefully she has already made dog friends.

Today I'm creating a trip to Houston. Southwest Airlines has a new rule that passengers can only take one carry-on bag and a small personal bag (i.e., a purse or backpack or briefcase). In the past I have always been able to take my suitcase and overnight bag onto the plane along with my purse, but no longer. Bummer.