Life After FAMulous

When something like FAMulous consumes your time for an extended period, there is a feeling of restlessness, even one of being a bit lost when the thing that has structured all your free time is gone. 

Today I sat at my keyboard and thought, "What on earth shall I write about?" One quick look at my file of ideas and pictures and that lost feeling was out the window.

I have handwritten notes of ideas grouped together with a paper clip

as well as a file of ideas on the desktop of my computer. As I looked at the notes and the computer file, I went from feeling lost to feeling overwhelmed and even a teensy bit out of sorts.

So, today's post is a conglomeration of things I have done in those moments when I wasn't working on FAMulous.

In a REALLY cool find, I found my mother-in-love's autograph book. She worked for forty years at the Purdue Memorial Union and checked in guest lecturers and celebrities who came to speak or perform at Purdue. 

Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan, first and last men on the moon and also Purdue graduates. Simon and Garfunkle, Mike Douglas (early TV talk show host)...

... and the list continues. This book goes up into the 1980s and has a lot of exciting signatures. (You can be sure I am going to put this book in a safe place.)

I've spent time in Teacher Daughter Lisa's classroom helping her get ready for the upcoming school year

and sorting out boxes of school supplies into individual tubs for each student.

Former student Tabi is heading off to college and invited me to lunch before she left town. 

Tabi is a horse lover, too, and gave me two horses from her collection when she was in my classroom. I still have them and always will.

I'm having some health challenges and some days I get tired more easily than others. When that happens I lie down for an hour or so.

I woke up from a nap to find Pepper sleeping on her back next to my pillow with her front legs extended straight out over her head and sticking up over the pillow. It was pretty funny.

We had the local Pony Pals sleep over

and Nash did his best to wheedle some treats out of Lukie.

It's a family trait - the Pony Pals tried to wheedle extra candy out of Boompa for their popcornpalooza before we watched a movie together. 

I mentioned some health challenges. I haven't really wanted to talk about them, but one is becoming obvious.

I've popped another incisional hernia and it is huge - big enough that I am having trouble wearing shorts or anything with a waistband. I had two repaired in 2020 (one was behind the other) and I am trying to avoid another surgery as long as I can.

The other challenge was a frustrating surprise - I am now diabetic. With it being three years after losing half my pancreas and no diabetes or sugar issues during all that time, this came as a shock. Routine blood work for an annual check up brought it to light. Even more frustrating, my doctor told me that they are seeing immunocompromised people like me being pushed over into diabetes as a result of Covid. 

Ah well, I've dealt with challenges bigger than this and will get through it. 

Tomorrow, I will start showing my BreyerFest loot - Liz brought it to me at FAMulous and I am just opening it and taking a look. I am loving absolutely everything she picked up for me.

Stay 'tooned!

Friends Helping Friends

Last September, Anne Field generously loaned me a bunch of dolls and tack so that I could take some performance photos. Included in the box was Elecktra, Anne's portrait doll of her daughter.

When I finished my photos, I did a Flat Stanley project with Elecktra and took her out to the barn to meet Abby. I had her spend time at the circus with Circus Girl and do other things, and then I wrote a series of "Dear Anne" letters from Elecktra to her mama.

Well, one thing led to another and soon Elecktra was traveling the country. I sent her to Jennifer Buxton in Colorado, and then she visited Corina Roberts in California. Corina sent her back to Indiana for a visit with Allison Pareis and Action Stan.

During her travels, someone popped an autograph horse in with her. I think that it was Jennifer. But since it was after Elecktra had left my home, I had not gotten to sign it.

Enter Allison Pareis, master doll maker, master painter, master friend, and now she has added master forger to her resume.

Concerned that my signature wasn't on the horse, Allison explained the situation in a text and offered to add my name to Anne's autograph horse if I sent her a copy of my signature. I was glad to do so.

Allison practiced a bit, then penciled it lightly onto the horse, and finally went over the pencil in marker.

Because Anne wanted to redo Elecktra's hair before she traveled to the next place on her list, she asked Allison to send Elecktra to her and then she will send it to Stephanie. She plans to send the autograph horse with her and I think it will be fun to see where Elecktra goes and who hosts her.

Anne posted on her blog about receiving the autograph horse and other goodies we'd all tucked in with Elecktra when we sent her on. That is why I was finally able to spill the beans about Allison doing forgery being such a good friend to me and making sure my name was on the horse. 

Stay 'tooned for more on autograph horses coming soon.