I know, I've been missing for a while. It's been a busy summer since I last posted in early 2021. Of course, there was this little pandemic going on in all of our lives....
2021 has been a year of MANY CHANGES in my life. I turned 70 years old in December. 2020, and decided I needed to live a healthier and more intentional lifestyle. This means losing weight, getting in shape, quit drinking alcohol and start doing things that please me.
The clock is ticking and I decided that those things I had deprived myself of (mainly due to a lack of money and misalignment with my spouse's priorities), I was no longer going to wait for. In April, I hired a personal trainer and do work outs twice a week at the local gym. I signed up for a year contract because I don't want to give up early.
My husband and I finally agreed on remodeling the kitchen and dining room. We refinanced the house to get the funds necessary and signed the contract with our contractor, Lorenzo, who did our master bath remodel in 2016. He has been so busy, he couldn't start until July 5th. The remodel would do some wall removal to open up our dining room and kitchen, provide new kitchen cabinets, counter tops, backsplashes, sink and faucet and appliances -- plus all new flooring (vinyl planking) through most of the house, repair of the walls and new paint. I also bought new window coverings, book cases, cabinets and shelves for the living room, dining room, and kitchen. We had to move out of the house for five weeks in July and August. Our friends, Steve and Anna, loaned us their condo while they were in Florida and we took a 10 day vacation to Tennessee before we moved back in by early August. Our trip to Tennessee included pleasant hours with our grandson, daughter and son-in-law in the Cumberland Plateau area of Central Tennessee and in Nashville. They drove down from Cleveland and we flew in to Nashville. We spent 7 nights at Fairfield Glade Resort near Crossville and enjoyed a pontoon boat ride on the lake and plenty of pickleball. Ron and I also made it to Knoxville for a paddle boat Tennessee River cruise and to Fall Creek Falls State Park and Chattanooga.
We moved back in August 7th and the plumber hooked the water back up August 9th. The remodel is wonderful. Even my husband is pleased.
The "before" pictures of the kitchen:
The "after" pictures of the kitchen:
We had to drive to San Diego in mid-August for our friend Page's Celebration of Life. He passed away in June from a stroke. So happy we were able to take a vacation to Big Sky, Montana with Page and his wife, Laurie, in July 2020 and that we celebrated Ron's 81st birthday together in March, 2021 at the Hotel Del Coronado.
The Celebration of Life was a wonderful event honoring Page. Page was Ron's best friend. We got married in Page and Laurie's backyard in January, 2006. We miss Page who was only 73 years old.
We had a couple of extra days in San Diego, so we went up the Coast Highway to Carlsbad. We also enjoyed a Japanese dinner with my friend Takako and her husband, Eric. Takako is an artist, too. I sketched her several years ago:
On our return to Albuquerque, we visited my daughter, Amanda, and her husband, Malcolm, in Tucson (they live in a house where javalina regularly visit them) and also my old friend and union brother, Hector, and his wife, Dolores, in Mesa, AZ where they recently moved to from Seattle, WA.
I joined Weight Watchers September 1st and have lost 6 pounds already. I decided to turn the guest bedroom into my art studio. Had the carpet removed and vinyl planking installed, then ordered a wall bed so we can still provide a bed for my overnight guests. I installed the new wall bed with the help of friends, Joyce and Paul. I got a new studio easel and, presto, my new art studio is ready!
I signed up for a Plein Air Painting class at the New Mexico Art League with instructor (and friend) Alice Webb and began Sunday outdoor painting September 29th. I also signed up for an Encaustic Art Workshop for a weekend in November. Here is Alice Webb starting a landscape at the Coronado Historic Monument in Bernalillo, NM:
Here are my plein air paintings I made during the class:
Tempus fugit my friends.
Better do today what you should not put off until tomorrow.
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