Art & Life of SwarDrawS

I am trying to get Hollace to try new foods, ones I know she would like if she would give it a chance. I have set up a rewards program if she adds food to her diet. I also told her she has to start eating lunch at school. We pay $45 a month for a hot lunch and she eats most of none of it.

On Friday she decided meatballs and mashed potatoes was good thing to try. Well with Hollace, mashed potatoes have no chance if a lump is discovered. Her powerful gag reflex with have her throwing up on her plate which is exactly what happened at school on Friday.

The Kids Club director immediately thought Hollace was sick and called RAW in to come get her. He explains her gag reflex but she still though maybe Hollace should go home sick. Friday afternoon was a big day with a dinosaur expert coming to talk to the kids. Hollace's teacher came in and said that if she had something, she already gave it to everyone else then. If she feels fine then she should stay.

This weekend though Hollace has a cold, sore throat, runny eyes, stuff nose. She stayed home from school today. I am sure the Kids Club director probably thinks it was from Friday's "stomach flu". Tomorrow is Hollace's first speech class. She can say her k sound so we will see how long she has to go.

Posted by swardraws at 09:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At work since I don't get the opportunity much lately to design anything, I feel very rusty when I have to.

I had a few things to design this week and felt totally inadequate to do anything nice. I have now made enhancing my creativity priority number one.

On Tuesday while at home sick, I focused on what I need to do. I doodled, I surfed the web for creativity, I tried to seek out inspiration. Then I turned on my DVD box set of Mad About You and that was that.

For lunch on Wednesday, instead of eating lunch at my desk and surfing my BBs as I usually do, I took a notebook upstairs and ate my lunch in the cafeteria.

I used the white noise of hundreds of people all talking at the same time and started a list of words that invoke creativity or inspiration for me. I ended up with over 40 words.

I then was now on a roll. Lets make a small little book with each word on its own page. Using Hollace as inspiration, I now call this little book "simple point" with a big period on it. This is what Hollace called a period at one point. She likes to put a period at the end of every word.

I felt the creative juices start to flow. I went back to work and designed what I needed to.

To take it further, I have ordered a creative inspirational book and a hyptnosis CD on unblocking creativity. What the heck.

To keep going, this weekend I am going to Barnes and Noble by myself and look for cool trick type books for Flash and Photoshop. I wanted so badly to do this last weekend but never got to it.

I was obsessed on trying to find a good haircut. Now my haircut is over, it is too short but that is my fault, I told her to do it. I am driving a cute Mazda 6 while my Subaru gets fixed. What I really need to do this weekend is hang out with my camera and shoot, shoot, shoot

Posted by swardraws at 12:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When doing my state taxes I was thrilled to find that because we pay tution for Hollace's kindergarten, we were eligible for an education credit. That meant $500 more for us.

Then I noticed my refund made it in my bank account minus that $500.

Upon further investigation, even though they include kindergarten expenses in the credit, it isn't mandatory that you have to have your kid in kindergarten. They won't credit it if the school doesn't offer other grades. So since kindergarten is the only grade they have, we don't get the credit. If we had her in a private school that had at least first grade, we would be good to go.

Oh whatever. That $500 would of come in handy for all the deductables we have to come up with.

Posted by swardraws at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't know if it is karma or what exactly is going on here. On Sunday and Monday I was feeling run down and had a low grade fever. My flu/sinus infection/bronchitis thing was over 2 weeks old now and I felt I was passing onto another phase. Monday morning at work I found a new doctor and made an appointment. "Bob" called in sick in which I will call the President's day flu and Deb had the day off. I had one important task to do before I left our little group with no one around and for some reason I was having connection issues and couldnt' get on the QA server to do this 5 second thing so I could go home. When I penned my email to my boss that I was going to go home sick my Notes locked up and I had to restart my machine. Something was trying to keep me from going home.

Eventually I went home and took a nap until my 5 pm doctor appointment. I liked this doctor a gazillion times better. She talked to me, asked questions and was very informative. Actually she wasn't a doctor but a PA whatever that is. Anyway, she gave me some asthma inhaler, some new antibiotics and a pill for the yeast infection I was brewing over all the antibiotics.

She gave me one antibiotic to hold me over until I could get my script filled. I ran to the new CVS and filled it then took my single one. Shortly after that I broke out in hives, mainly on my inner thighs.

I already had it in my mind to make today a sick day. I was feeling ok even with the hives but I just needed the break and I already laid the ground work the day before so why not.

This is why not. Raleigh borrowed my car to go to the credit union. He had an 18 year old $500 bond that he wanted to see the value of. Well he found out the bond is worth $1464.

Then while driving home he rear ends someone, with my car. He ran it over to our neighbor's body shop and he put the estimate to about $1400 in damage. That bond should take care of it LOL. Or maybe the tax refund I should be getting any day now which is about $1400. Of course this doesn't bode well for him getting his CDL license. We are waiting for the call from the other person's day to see how much on their end to decide if we are going through insurance.

UPDATE: Well maybe not an update but a new development. I just noticed one of the panes of our bay window was cracked. Upon further inspection there was a bigger crack/breakage. It looks like someone shot a bb at our window. The sherriff is here right now making a report. Who knows how long ago this happened.

UPDATE, UPDATE: Now here is an update. It is now the next day and me and RAW went off to meet with the speech evalators for Hollace. We drove my newly banged up car. We didn't get a mile down the street when the hood let loose springing up into the windshield blocking our view. No damage to the windshield but the hood is now damaged. RAW is kicking himself over this. I am just glad it happened when it did cause I was planning on taking the car to work after the meeting and I would of been pissed as hell if that would of happened then.

Posted by swardraws at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today I slept until 10 something. I was feeling run down with this cold crap moving into another phase. Today I felt thick, coughing just as much as usual, just thicker. I spent the first half of the day laying on the couch. I am not normally a couch potato. Actually laying on the couch for too long makes me nauseous if you can believe that.

Yesterday mom called. She sounded bad then we got disconnected or something. When she didn't call right back I wondered if that was mom and she then realized her wrong number. No, she called back. I guess both she and especially dad still have it bad, the crud I got. Thanks Susie from 2 weeks ago! On Friday afternoon, Hollace came down with something. Haley was over and she came into the office where I was working and would just stare saying nothing. Finally she complains that Hollace doesn't want to do anything. I send Haley home when I realize Hollace is sick.

Hollace had a 103 fever and was feeling tired. She took a nap on the couch. I then gave her some Advil a few hours later and she has been fine since.

Yesterday Hollace and I went shopping with some birthday money she got from Aunt Pam. On our way to Toys R Us my cell rings. It is Paula. She wanted to make sure the first week of May was when I was coming for that visit to Baltimore.

At Toys R Us, Hollace was torn between 4 things that would spend her $15. She really wanted that last Winx Club doll but they didn't have her in stock. She also really wanted the Polly click its. Then there was a sky dancer doll that whirls in the air. Her final choice was the littlest pet shop pets. After ponder them all for awhile she went with the Pet shop which wasn't even on her radar when we walked in.

When we got home Paula called again and this time we chatted for awhile. She just put in her order for one of those Mac minis I told her about a couple weeks before. She has been pondering getting a Mac to avoid all the viruses and crap and the announcement of the mini was perfect for her. Yea! I got my accountant sister to get a Mac.

I spent all weekend trying to figure out what to do with my hair. I am in dire need of a good haircut (as is my mom and Paula after talking to them yesterday). Should I go to the cheap walk in hair cut place where I found a good picture of what I want (when we were in there getting Hollace's haircut) or should I wait for the fancier high cost place. With that place I have to find my own picture and I wasn't having any luck. I kept debating if I should just go to the cheapo place right now and be done with it or just cut my bangs and deal with my hair at a later time and place. I finally found something tonight that I think will work. It is Susan Sarandon's frumpy style before she chopped it to something funky in the Bangor Sisters movie.

Haley came over to play with Hollace today. Something must of clicked with Haley's grama lately cause before Haley would just show up and hang out all day without grama knowing where she is. Today Haley called then put her grama on the phone to tell me that when she walks Haley over we can talk about how long she can stay. They came and I say she can stay until 5 which was 2 hours. Grama tells Haley to call at 5 and she will walk back over to pick her up. And she did but I got to wonder who was watching the 2 year old brother. Hopefully the mom was doing that and that grama doesn't just leave him unattended.

Still feeling uninspired. I had great hopes that I was getting out of the funk. On Friday RAW calls to have me rescue him. His battery died and he needs a jump. He was checking into a Catholic school for next year and was stuck in their parking lot. I had just got my Photo Friday challenge which was "rural". This school/church is across the street from a farm so I started snapping away. I only took a few pictures but I felt inspired and though I was getting "it" back. Oh how I long from spring. Everything is all gray and ugly. For right now anything I shoot will be turned to b&w until things start turning green again.

Posted by swardraws at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have absolutely no initiative to do anything and something needs to be done.

I can blame it on my sinus infection of which I am still working on getting all that crap out of my head but that is not acceptable. I am in a funk and I want out, not looking for excuses.

I was all bitchy last night. I will blame that on Zyrtek withdrawl. I quit taking that Rx the lame ass doctor prescribed because first, I think the drug did nothing for a sinus infection since it is for allergy symptoms of which I had none. From what I read all Zyrtek does for a sinus infection is to make you drowsy since it is an anti-histamine. It doesn't thin mucous to make it easier to get the crap out like I need. The fact that I was wasting my time with it pisses me off.

Yesterday at work people kept coming up feeling sorry for me about all the hacking I am doing. Paul, the boss, comes over and asks if I have been to a doctor yet. He said I should go again if that coughing doesn't stop soon, I should be over it. Well I didn't get the cough is a relative new development not occuring until day 5 of the crud and with me I could go on like this for months. I think today will be better but I can't help think that lame ass doctor's prescription is prolonging this with me.

Maybe I have the end of winter blahs. What can I do to shake it when all I want to do is climb back in bed and hibernate. I suppose RAW has the same afliction because I am begining to become resentful that he does NOTHING all day at home. He waits until I walk into the door to run the vaccuum cleaner so it can bug me and Hollace. I have a long list of things that need to be done with the house, I suppose I should give it to him but I am mad that he isn't taking any initiative himself. He knows what needs to be done. Aside from that I gave him the green light to find a truck. I would like to have one for our end of March vacation but he doesn't seem to jump to the occassion. It is also time for him to get a job but I am sure that won't happen cause of his age and work history.

What I need for my state of mind (and ever expanding ass) is a nice long walk, with my camera, to clear my head, get creative and some initiative. Come on spring, I need you!

Posted by swardraws at 07:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been through the wringer starting with that last post and continuing today.

Thanks to Susie, no doubt, I got the flu. I stayed home from work for 3 days but wasn't really well. I had a stuffed head and sore throat until Friday when the sore throat went away and I got a wicked cough. I now had a sinus infection and it was going bronchial as well.

On Friday I had to give a short presentation about a project I did for the CN all employee meeting. People probably thought I was nuts and inconsiderate (passing around my germ). At least I could blame by bad cold on my bad presentation which ended with "uh, thats it". Oh well, whatever, I was sick.

On Saturday I told RAW to call the doc to see if I could get in. Not initially but they did call back and got me in at 11:30. I still need to find a real doctor but these guys are real close. They don't really talk, just write a script and send you on your way. I got something for the sinus infection and some antibiotics for the bronchial thing, I think.

Feeling much better even though I am still blowin and coughin. I still don't feel like doing much or eating dinner. I have been living on toast this last week.

On Thursday, the 10th, Amy had her baby. You can only imagine how high Sherry is flying over this. She even got to cut the umbilical cord. Mike didn't want to. Welcome to the world Jillian.

Posted by swardraws at 04:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I started coming down with a bronchial thing yesterday afternoon. I was chilled all night trying to sleep. This morning I couldn't walk a straight line going to the bathroom. Needless to say, I stayed home from work.

Now RAW has it and it will probably drive me crazy cause he is a typical male when he is sick moaning and groaning and complaining how sick he is.

Hollace is now coughing a bit too but for the most part feels fine. It seems like we are on a 12 hour delay so we will see how she wakes up.

Posted by swardraws at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hollace turns 6 today. Yesterday was her party. The weather was too perfect at about 55 and sunny. They were even playing hopscotch outside there for awhile.

Half way through singing happy birthday I remembered that I didn't get the camcorder out so this is her first birthday with no video. I thought for a moment that maybe I should stop everyone and have them start over.

Mom, dad and grama came as well as Cindy and kids. Three little girls from Hollace's school came too as well as Haley. There were 15 kids in total.

Susie, my college friend came via the train with Chloe who doesn't turn 6 until July 31. I mention this because we were in awe of Chloe. I put the cake on a plate, RAW, a scoop of ice cream then Chloe would take out the plate to someone. Sometimes she would come in and say, "only ice cream on this one". She was like a little waitress. Last week when I talked to Susie, Chloe was in the background making her mom a sandwich and salad. I can not imagine Hollace doing this at all. Susie says this is the result of being in a single parent house.

After viewing last years video I noticed Hollace wasn't the most gracious gift receiver. I think it was mostly a little bit of uncomfortableness at being the center of attention. This year I told her that even if they give you a stinky sweat sock, to at least appear gracious LOL. Then Sharon told me she had to wrap her gift in a garbage bag box. An unexpected test to see if Hollace listens to me. Hollace looked quizzical at first but didn't put on her sour face.

After the party, Cindy and the kids came over to spend the night and we never seen the girls again after they went in Hollace's room for a marathon play session. RAW fed the 5 year olds and 18 month old Mac then said he would watch them while me, Cindy, Jeff (13) and Sarah (10) went to Chilis. They told us it would be a 35-40 minute wait so Cindy ran to Jewel to pick up an iPass while I waiting with the kids. I took out my cell phone and had them play (fight over) Yahtzee then used the picture phone to amuse ourselves. Then 15 minutes later they called our names. Cindy wasn't back yet. Glad we didn't go with her.

As if the party wasn't enough, Hollace knows her actual birthday is today and was excited that she would get more of the same today. I told her that was what the party was for and she kept saying "but that was Feb 5", not her birthday. We did hold one gift for her to open today but geez, can we say spoiled?

Cindy seen one of my books about beating shyness and admitted to me that she is scared of everything. I couldn't believe this from her of all of us. I am the same way of course but she is an ex-Marine. Anyway I wanted so much to talk further about this with her but RAW has a way of dominating the conversation and I couldn't never get it brought up.

Sherry called. She couldn't come to the party because Amy is due any time with her baby and Sherry is a wreck waiting for her first grandchild. No baby yet.

I talked to Paula today and actually set a date for me to go to Baltimore to hang out with her in May. I can't wait it will be too fun.

Me and RAW had some money discussions today. He got a nice lump sum from his mom. I got a little bit of which I am grateful. I have no problem with his sum because it is his mom and his money. My thing was that I wanted to keep my total tax refund. It isn't even close to the money he got from his mom. He said ok, then came back and tried to get $500 of it. We both got defensive then kind of stopped talking. I was worried because we might start stewing over this then we just kept hanging out in the kitchen until we started lightening up and working it out.

In the end I agreed to buy him a new truck. Huh? I think we should of stopped talking a lot sooner. LOL

Posted by swardraws at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)