Happy New Year! Finally a new beginning. I sure hope so. I am
looking forward to the day we can be in groups with friends and
family and not have to worry about Covid or wearing a mask. Being a
realist I know it will take a few months for things to straighten
out. I'll wait.
To start the year I made 2 octopus hanging wall art. A large one
and a smaller one out of sea glass. My neighbor likes octopuses so I
made the two and then had her come over to see which one she wanted
to buy. She chose the large one and also one of my bead necklace and
earring sets. A good way to start the new year.
After creating those guys I decided to make a mermaid out of
shells, seed beads and glass beads and another ceiling fan blade funny.
I will be going through all my old jewelry I made and marking them
down to have a sale. Out with the old and in with the new. I also
will start making mobiles again as the gal that runs Elwha Dam RV
park, bought some from me last year to resell in her shop and wants
more. Along with those mobiles and what I have made so far that
doesn't sell here, will go north this summer to sell.
It has been pretty quiet around here. We play Mexican train at my
neighbors with just 6 of us, and I only go into town to grocery shop
and get gas. I have noticed that some items they are having trouble
getting that I buy on a regular basis. There is toilet paper and
paper towels though! LOL!!! We just go with the flow. The United
States has it worse so I can't complain. There are now 15 cases of
Covid here. That is a lot for this small fishing village. The
Americans have been coming down and think they will be safe from it,
but they aren't!
The weather has turned windy and cold. I am limited to how much
time I spend in my art studio. I leave the door open for ventilation
due to using toxic glue. About a week or so ago, we had some strong
winds and sand blew into the studio. What a mess. I cleaned it up
yesterday so it looks much better.
Saw a new bird in the neighborhood yesterday and again today.
Very colorful and beautiful. I looked it up as it appeared to be
hawk like. Found out it is an American Kestral. Wow!! Awesome. I
am always looking to see what kind of birds we have here. It seems
we are getting different ones each year. I'm sure they have been
around but just never see many of them. This one landed on our TV
antenna outside the dining room window. He is orange, dark blue,
gray, black and a little brown.
My friend Mary Ann hasn't been found and no one has any leads.
Whomever did this planned it well. Disappeared without a trace.
I have made some mobiles out of plastic bottle bottoms. They are
fun and can hang inside anywhere in the house or on a protected
porch. None of my mobiles are made to withstand high winds and
inclement weather. My wood ones are pretty delicate.
I am going to do a wall hanging of 2 seahorses, mom and baby, out
of sea glass. I have to wait for it to warm up some as it is too
cold for the glue to flow freely. So in the meantime I will work on
the cactus wood mobiles.
I decided to take a break from playing Mexican Train. My 2
neighbors and a couple of the others always go into town to eat at
restaurants and shop. They wear their masks but you can't wear one
when you are eating and drinking. Most of the Mexican people here
just think it is a winter cold. They call it Grippa. So most of
them don't even report they are sick. There are many Mexicans and
Americans that can be seen without masks, so to be safe I am staying
far away from people who frequent town a lot. It isn't worth me
getting ill over it. Besides it gives me another day to work on my
art and crafts.
We had quite the wind storm the other day. Not like what we had
last year where half of our big garage roof blew off and into the
house. But 60 knot winds was enough to get us concerned about
windows blowing in. We finally went down to the garage under the
house, which is cement block, and stayed there until it calmed down
enough to feel comfortable upstairs again. The next day I had to
vacuum the sand off the window sills, the floor under the window and
kitchen counters.
The weather is getting cold enough for us to have to bring our
little propane heater upstairs. It has been nice and it doesn't take
long for the house to warm up.
Dave and I have been taking walks almost everyday, if the weather
co-operates. We walk at different times as I need firm ground under
me on the beach and that doesn't happen unless the tide is low. If I
walk on soft sand it is hard on my back. Dave doesn't have that
problem so he can walk on the beach anytime. We also have an old
non-functioning airstrip behind our community that when it is too
cold and windy to walk the beach we can walk that. For me it is
boring to just walk the airstrip, so I walk in the dessert and see
what cactus' have fallen. You never know when I might need some more
yard art.
One of our lady friends that came down here to Bahia in the fall,
winter and spring, had to leave after Christmas to go back to their
home in California. She had doctor visits and then she and her
husband were planning on coming back in January. Unfortunately she
was in bad health and got a blood clot in her leg which got infected
and gangrene started setting in. They found out she had Covid so she
was in the hospital on a ventilator hoping to get her better so they
could amputate her leg. Well her lung collapsed so they had to fix
that and in the meantime wasn't strong enough to have the surgery.
Unfortunately she died about a week ago on her birthday. So sad.
She was a sweet lady and one of our train players. So many people
have lost loved ones and friends. Now there is the variants that are
in the states and more contagious then Covid. Now that the vaccines
are coming in and people are getting vaccinated, it will help but it
isn't happening fast enough. Just a uncertain time for all.
We had beautiful day with no wind. I walked on the beach at low
tide and Dave went over to one of our neighbors place as part of
their garage roof blew back from our 60 knot winds the other day.
Dave and our gate guard was able to get it secured temporarily and
hope we don't get high winds from the west and south. We were in
contact with those neighbors and sent pictures and told them what was
done so they are sending money down with a friend to buy some
materials so Dave and Tito can secure it better. At least get it
through our windy winter and spring. When they come down they will
need to have it redone with stronger material.
Since I walked the beach yesterday and went pretty far, I decided
not to walk today to give my back a rest. Dave went for a walk and I
trimmed the bushes in the front yard. If let alone they will take
over the whole yard so every spring I go out and cut them back. I
was able to get it done before the spring growing season started so I
am happy about that.
Remember I was having problems with my arms going numb and
hurting? I am doing the exercises the doctor gave me everyday, but
with this cold weather my back muscles have tightened up even further
causing discomfort. I have had to put heat on it to try and loosen
the muscles. Also I learned years ago when I had this problem that
putting a tennis ball in a long sock helped to work the muscles. I
just fling it over my affected area on the back and press up against
a wall and roll the ball around to work that muscle. With the heat
and doing that the muscle is starting to relax a little but still
wants to be persistent. It is my left side that is giving me all
this trouble. I think when I did the back to back months of camp
hosting, my back got so tight it never relaxed much and cold just
sets it off. A hot tub would be nice!!! Oh well. Part of getting
old.
