Acupuncture, He Got the Point!

My poor husband has been a bundle of pain for the last couple of months. We've found our some things, and had a couple of things done, a shot, some non narcotic pain pills and he was told to rest, never mind the man is a work-aholic, he's got to rest. 

He is trying to rest. I almost hate to hear him say, "I'm not hurting so bad today!" That statement is a warning. It means he's going to find some work to do. At times he is careful and so it's OK. Other times he gets busy and goes full blast and puts himself back into pain. I try to caution him, but I'm not his Mom or his doctor, so he doesn't listen very well.

Recently a neighbor told him about an office with acupuncturists. We got him in to one. It seems to have helped after only the first treatment. We'll be going several more times in the coming days and weeks. It's not as costly as we thought and for that we are thankful. It means he can go enough times to make a difference we think.

I'm having to drive us every place right because if he drove it would aggravate the joints and nerves he's trying to let rest and heal. Poor man. He can barely sit still on the seat because he's uncomfortable. Add to that he's lost control of the car, and control has gone to me. I noticed him yesterday, I think he was hiding his eyes! 

The road we have to take to his acupuncturist is a curvy mountain road with a creek on one side and mountain on the other. The road in some areas is very narrow, and if that's not scary enough, semis have been using the road. It's quite 'exciting' to see a semi coming toward you on such a road, and I'm not exaggerating. See what I'm saying, I really think he did hide his eyes. Funny, but not.

As for the acupuncture I reminded him of all those straight pins I had in my sewing things, and offered to help him. He could give me the money and keep it in the family. He liked that idea even less than my driving us everywhere! Oh well, I tried.

Bye for now, from the winding mountain roads of East Tennessee

May you have abundant laughter to balance the tears. 

May you never forget God loves you & he is only a prayer away.

Mom would have said, "That's what thoughts done." Whatever that means.

For about fifteen minutes, or maybe a little longer, my husband and mostly I, thought we were going to open a Bed and Breakfast in our home. Well, "That's what thoughts done."

It turned out we really can't do that. We aren't up to it, and I'll leave it at that for now.

While we thought we could have a B&B we did so much work. We remodeled our home and added lots of pillows, sheets, etc. etc. And! I researched many recipes. So I thought today I'd share one recipe I worked out recently. For a while I've been working on a story. In the story one of the children in a very large family is a natural cook, and she makes the bread pudding on her own, from left over biscuits. This recipe is a result of my reading many bread pudding recipes. I made the pudding and it's husband tested and approved.

Bread Pudding from Biscuits

Bread Pudding from Left Over Biscuits

(or you can make 'em fresh if you want - I did)

Ingredients & Preperations:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a baking pan (13 x 9) scoop a generous amount or butter and place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted.

Crumbled 8 baking powder, or buttermilk biscuits in a large bowl.

In another bowl whisk the following ingredients all together:

6 eggs beaten

2 cups milk

3 T molasses

2 T honey

1 tea cinnamon

pinch of salt

Pour egg mixture onto crumbled biscuits and gently mix.

Add ½ cup raisins if desired.

Spread bread and egg mixture in pan.

Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown and top springs back when pressed with finger

or tooth pick place 1" from edge comes out clean.

Let pudding sit for 20 minutes then serve as you like, with whipped cream,

sprinkle with powdered sugar, or fresh fruit, or ice cream - whatever you like best.

Paintings

I may have posted this before on this blog 

but I don't remember, so I'll post it again.

"Petunias in a Pitcher"

acrylic on canvas

I'm posting the painting because after posting it on Facebook and getting several nice comments it made me wonder why I haven't been painting. I haven't work on my art for several years. It's about time to begin again.

The painting was copied from a photograph a friend gave me. She wanted me to paint a watercolor of it. I did and we traded. Below is the photo. It's in one of the guest rooms.

I think there is a story in the title of this painting. I'll have to work on that soon.

Until another day! 

Janet Toney

Random Thoughts

Just Looking at the First Photo on "Art*Ph0tography*Writing" Blog 

Remembering when I took it. My brother paid for me to tour the Biltmore Estate with him and his wife. 

And then he made fun of me for taking so many pictures! I did look a sight, carrying my big purse (not sure why I thought I needed it) and a sweater, and the rather large camera.
 Just the same, I'm glad I ignored him because I've always thought this picture is just plain old pretty. 



Maybe my Being Nosey Helped a Couple of College Students 

Two young women at Walmart were trying to get supplies for an art appreciation class. I butted in and explained the paints because they didn't have the right ones. 

They thanked me but they were ready to cry about how much everything was going to cost for only an 18 day class. I couldn't help them there, except I did suggest they share their supplies. 

When I left them they were looking at the supplies and each other. I bet they shared.


Tonight There is a Lunar Eclipse

This is exciting. They call it a blood moon. It begins her about 2:30 AM and is over about 5:30 AM, but we are forecast to have rain. So....not sure it will be worth trying to be awake.


http://mashable.com/2014/04/14/what-time-is-the-lunar-eclipse/

Facebooking Today with Family and Friends - I Love it!

In the years I've been on Facebook I've found so many people that I would not be in touch with otherwise. It happens I have tons of cousins and many, many of them are my 'frinds' on Facebook. It is very nice to get to talk to them, and to know what's going on in their lives and be able to share things from my life with them too.

Besides my biological family, my church family is very well represented. We have lived in several places and now we can talk to our church brothers and sisters from all the places we lived. The other people are those we've met thru our jobs, other web sites and neighbors where we used to live and where we live now. May Facebook never go away. 

I love seeing the faces of all these folks, and pictures of their families. It's fun to see the other people's children as adults and then see their children, even though that makes me really feel old sometimes.

Today was very good for conversations. I enjoyed visits with some of those cousins and an old friend from church. Most days we exchange a comment or two, but today some of us had longer visits. It's all fun and heart warming/healthy!

Tomorrow is another day!
Good night all.
Janet Toney

Where Did I Go? No posts for three years! Time Does Indeed Fly!

My life must have been much busier than I thought. My last post was in 2011! 

Quick update list.

Years 2009 to January of 2013 we spent time in Arizona. We were snowbirds. My husband worked at an RV park in the town we used to call home, Yuma. Two of those years we spent eight months in Arizona and 4 here. (I, however, only spend a month and a half here one year and two months one year-another story). We lived there nearly 30 years before buying this place in 2004.

Just traveling back and forth made life hectic but then family tragedy came our way.

my sister at 3 years

One tragedy began in the spring of 2011 my sister, who never married, had one baby who was still born, and lived in Phoenix by herself found out she had colon and pancreatic cancer - she passed away November 11, 2012. She went into the hospital the 22nd of June, transferred to a rehab hospital in July and never came home. It was, as you can imagine, or as you may know from your own experiences, a bitter sweet time with her. 

I thank God every day I was able to be with her and I ask him everyday why don't I feel as if I did enough. I won't tell anymore here. While going thru all the above I did tell my family and friends on Facebook. They helped carry the burden and did more for me than they know. But it's enough talk about it now.

my sister and Hairy, her dog

That brings us to January, 2013 when we sold out in Arizona and left maybe to never return. We'll see.

Since then we have been home in Tennessee working on our house. There were several things that happened to the place while it sat empty and those things needed to be fixed.

For some reason I got the idea I could make a Bed and Breakfast in this house. My husband was helpful in that he did many remodel jobs but the entire time we worked on this project it seemed it was going to be MY job. Since he was here and working on the rooms I thought it could work out. 

the Old Apple Tree B & B

We picked a name, got a business license, got a tax ID number, and checked the zoning. I made an email account for the B&B, opened a bank account. I continued: painted a sign for the corner, and one for the outside of the house, created a Twitter account, bought sheets and blankets and mattress and pillow covers, painted used furniture purchased at thrift stores, we put in direct TV, added flat screen TVs, added electric fireplaces, decorated, made sure each room had a desk and chair, and an extra seat besides the bed, made separate entrances to each bedroom from the outside, added patio furniture so guests could eat their breakfast outside on the front or back decks, made business cards, brochures, rearranged lots of stuff in the guest bathrooms and placed personal items in our master bedroom and away from guest spaces. I made a blog for the B&B. I made a page for an online rental agency and had it up and running. We had three inquiries.

I researched recipes and practiced recipes. Hubby loved that part. Blew my Weight Watcher's weigh ins more than once.

About two months ago now my husband got up one day and he could barely lift his arms, and he could barely walk because his muscles in his legs were all cramping and locking up. Hum. We headed to the doctor. Tests, and tests were done. He doesn't have cancer. We didn't know they were checking for cancer! 

He has a pinched nerve, carpel-tunnel in both hands, a torn rotatory cuff (?) and not sure what's going on with his legs, maybe a bulgng disk against a nerve.

My right knee has begun to hurt worse than it ever has.

We gave up the Bed and Breakfast idea!!

I removed the online ad, deleted the Twitter account, re-routed the email, tore down the signs, turned the business cards over for notes, pitched the other things I'd made on the computer, and deleted that blog!

So here we are. Our family who stay now will want for nothing in their rooms! I can cook even more rich foods than before, and the Mr and I are free to have surgeries or whatever. I guess so long as one of us can still drive the other one to the doctor we are good!

How have your last three years gone?

I will edit some of the posts from the B&B blog for posting on this one now. I hope to find some followers again. I have recipes to share!

Lesson learned: I haven't a clue and I need a nap.

Janet Toney