JoJo Lost Her Mojo

I'm so tired.  The exhaustion of the past few years is really catching up to me and I just haven't had the motivation to blog at all.  I post all my pics on FB and it's been feeling like a chore to put them on here as well.  

I haven't gone into much detail of my trials and tribulations because we really don't like putting a lot out there.  Before Facebook, only a few people read my blog.  Some cousins and my fellow Vincent D'Onofrio fans.  I didn't care about what I said about my life 'BR' (Before Russell) and pretty much aired all my stresses.  However, more people have access to it now and although I have no idea if anyone from FB reads it, they could and just not leave comments and my dirty laundry would be known to people.  The one cousin who wasn't into social media use to follow my blog to keep up with what I was up to and would occasionally send me an email, but she passed away suddenly last summer. 

Speaking of, my dear friend Joe passed away suddenly in June and sent us all reeling.  By 'us all' I mean my fellow 'group' who hung out together in high school and are still friends now.  Joe was part of our group.  Then I went with Val when it was time to send her beloved pupper Tia over rainbow bridge.  And now, my own sweet little guy Sagan has also crossed and I'm still grieving big time.  This is the first time since 2003 that I've had no dogs, and the first time since 1991 without a pet of some kind.  At least we still get Shadow for a couple days a week. But I miss being followed around, pestered for food, met at the door and solicited for belly rubs and snuggles.  Been trying to organize and purge some stuff in the back rooms cause it's the only thing in my life right now I can control.

The weather's been horrid all summer.  Hot & humid every single day.  Very little rain.  The kind of weather where you need a second shower after toweling off from your first shower cause it's so damn hot.  Can't really cook.   Definitely no baking. 

Haven't really done anything of interest other than meet up with Sheila to explore an old cemetery in Barnstable off Rte 6A, browse Parnassus Books and tour the Edward Gorey House.  We found all 26 Gashlycrumb Tinies hidden throughout the house.  Some are obvious....some you really have to work for!

Going through a ton of stuff as my mom's house is for sale which brings with it a whole other host of emotions that range the gamut.  It's been so hot that we haven't done much there lately but I have to get back to it.  Car repairs up the kazoo. 

I craft as much as possible.....really try to make time for that every day no matter what it is.  This is what I've done so far:

Got these tiles in Dec and used resin to stick them to this cool window frame.  Unfortunately it leaked through to the dark blue background which bummed me out. 

Finished the bead embroidery yin yang.

The Jack diamond painting only took about a month to complete.  It's all framed and ready to go to Ohio on our next trip.

I thought this was a cross stitch when I bought the kit but it was embroidery.  Charted kits like these are not my first choice and I ended up having to use the picture rather than the chart, even though the colours are also stamped on the canvas.  It has sparkly ribbon in the large dragonfly's wings.  It looks good in the frame but it wasn't a fun project to do.  I pushed through cause I wanted to put it behind me.

This is a custom piece I did for Sheila, for her brother's birthday.  He's a mechanic so I did nuts, bolts, chain, screws, drill bits, washers and little light bulbs.

This little birdie was on this branch for hours one night.  Russell said he was still there in the morning, but eventually he was gone.  No idea what was wrong but he let me get really close for a picture. 

I'll try to post some pics of the few travels I had in July.