Hello all from Camp Pretty Lake, and the fall retreat of the Friends in Art painting club.  I only got to be here one day, but I've been having a total blast!  I didn't get my project completed, I never do, but at least I got the turkey done and the pumpkins done, so now I only have to do all the vines, leaves, and berries.  Leslie Williams taught it and we just love her.  She's such a great teacher.  I'm anxious for spring retreat already... next May.  Don't know who we are having for a teacher in the spring but whoever it is I will be there if at all possible. 

The year is over half gone...

It has been quite a long time since I have posted and I guess I need to get you updated on my happenings.  I am working again... back to driving a truck.  I didn't really want to go back out on the road, but I had to work as Bruce retired in June.  So, needed that extra income again and insurance, but I am hoping to get out of that truck one day forever!  It is just killing my body.  I now have fibromyalgia.  It's been coming on for quite a few years now, just didn't know what it was... I know now, and this has been my worst year so far.  Not only all the bouncing around in the truck but the lack of rest and sleep makes my body hurt so badly somedays it's all I can do not to lie down and cry.  I have been taking Aleve twice a day, two in the morning and one at night and it is helping a little, and the doctor has me on Cymbalta which also helps... but sometimes it seems that nothing is working some days.  Everyone seemed to tell me I was just getting older, and it's true that I am not a teenager anymore, but this is totally different than aging.  Totally different.

I got to go to HOOT this year in Columbus, OH and it was totally great!  Spent more money than I should've, but that's just part of going to convention.  I didn't take any classes again this year... they are just a little too expensive for me right now, but I would've loved to.  There were some beautiful projects and so many wonderful artists.  I had so much fun with Janet Filley, Cathy Payne, Jan Hall, and Penny Collison.  We stayed at the Drurry Inn and it was wonderful.  Lots of memories.

We have two new additions to our family.... Tito, a cockapoo, whom we adopted from the ASPCA.  He is a little pistol but we love him.  He is almost five years old.  Tyson, whom we aquired from my nephew Joe when he couldn't keep him when he became an OTR truck driver.  He is not quite a year old.  He is a shar-pei.  They are both good dogs and love each other very much.  We adopted Tito in February of this year, and Tyson came to live with us in May.  They get pretty roudy when they play, and with Tyson, everything is a game... but he will grow out of the puppiness one of these years.  I will post pictures of them soon.

I will close for today as I need to get to my hair appt which is in 20 minutes.