Agreed!! :)

Oops, I done been caught out. (grinning sheepishly).

Drapes are getting hung on Monday so I will be posting pics the day or so after that. It's supposed to be sunny next week, which is good because the few photos I've taken with the lights on were quite glare-y (is that a word? probably not).

The only thing that would delay my reveal is if I'm still dealing with whatever virus has laid me out flat. Came down with it Tuesday and I've gotten sicker by the day. Felt like death warmed over last night, thanks to a stuffy head, sore throat, headache, chest-racking cough (never a good thing when one has asthma) and a fever (101+ last night). Feeling oh so very befuddled.Okay, enough 'net time, back to my comfy chair and another old movie.

Monday Monday. One more last Monday, hahaha! So what you are saying is the first Monday of October, not the 1st of October. I can follow that. No flu, no virus, we need pictures. Kick that virus bug to the curb and get that camera snapping!

It is not cold and rainy here (cp what exactly do you mean by cold - what does cold in Florida mean)? I think I should ask that because it is a gorgeous 60 degrees here with lows in the 40's. Perfection and oh I love my wool blanket.

Carry-on with your rejuvenation Lisa. Get a great nap watch a few more movies and when you are feeling full of energy lets see some pics! All of my baking and waiting has cost me some poundage so instead of brownies I think I'll need to chew on cauliflower while I'm perusing.

Lisa, I also have asthma, and my lungs always get involved every time I get sick. If you've never tried one, you might get yourself an incentive spirometer and start using it regularly the moment you start to get sick through the recovery. Helps A LOT with keeping the lungs open and happy even when other stuff is going on physically.

Skipping the asthma exhaustion/misery part of a cold makes colds pretty minor and manageable for me.

Sorry you're feeling so poorly. Sounds like flu. Hope it's not and take care of yourself.

You have a reprieve but only because you're not feeling well. If you were feeling well the drapes wouldn't be an excuse. ;)

Autumn, I don't get to FL until the end of the month. I'm still in NY and last night it took a turn to the cold and rainy. Right now at 5PM it's 50 degrees and raining. No fun at all. I guess I need to get my butt back to FL where it's 84 degrees right now.

Now that makes sense cp. 50 and rain is chilling in a bad way. Fall has arrived.

Get yourself well Lisa - we'll all be waiting with cheers and ohhhs and ahhhhs. :)

Thanks, everyone. Good to know I get a reprieve. I promise to make the wait worth it! During brief moments of clear
headed-ness, I'm pulling before pics and details together so that all
I'll need to do is take "after" pics.

Last night's high fever had me thinking that maybe it was the flu but the fever seems to be gone today so I think it's nothing more than a really nasty cold virus. (we can find running water on Mars but we can't find a cure for the common cold? Seriously?)

Jillius, I was pretty sure I knew what an incentive spirometer was but I googled to be sure. My dad had one of those, after a near fatal case of pneumonia. He had COPD (decades of smoking, he died from lung cancer. I hate, hate, hate cigarettes. They robbed me of my uncle, too. Second hand smoke is likely why I have asthma.)

But I digress. Amazon sells it (no big surprise). I'll add it to my arsenal, thanks.

I also need to get back to my regular practice of the techniques I learned in a Kick Asthma class I took 11 years ago. It focuses on breathing techniques. Have you heard of it? It was developed by Dr. Buteyko. The weekend workshop wasn't cheap but considering that it helped me get off 3 of my asthma meds (at a monthly cost of $300+), it totally paid for itself. These days I rarely need to use my relief inhaler and only use the steroid inhaler when I get sick.

Here's one trick I learned in the workshop that helps relieve nasal congestion. Breathe in, breathe out, expelling all the air in your lungs. Then nod your head at a beat of about one up/down motion per second for as long as you can until you need to take a breathe. Take that breathe through your nose, not through your mouth. You might need to repeat it more than once to get maximum effect but it works. It's crazy that it works but it does. No meds required. It's weird being able to feel the sinus cavities opening up, though.

Lisa- thanks for the sinus tip, I'm going to try that next time I'm sick!

I had to look up what an incentive spirometer was. As soon as I saw it, I recognized it as what my dad called "the torture device."

Several years ago he suffered a severe fall which broke his ribs and punctured his lung, among many other injuries.

He had to use that several times a day to make sure the lung wouldn't collapse and he wouldn't get pneumonia. I was the one caring for him. I earned the moniker nazi nurse from him for it. ;)

At least now when he is being careless or dangerous with his safety or health, all I have to do is look at him and say "do you really want nazi nurse back?!?"

Lisa, I really hope you get better soon, I've got a friend with severe asthma, she has been sick for weeks. It is honestly scary.

Man, I also hate smoking. When I was little, just a whiff of cigarette smoke on the street gave me an asthma attack. And part of me is righteously outraged that people lucky enough to be born with good lungs are abusing them like that.

My asthma is not so extreme anymore (mostly just exercise-induced), but any kind of trigger in the air -- cigarette smoke, heavy perfume, pollution, dust, etc. still gives me a strong sense of impending doom and usually makes me wheeze for a few hours. And of course every kind of illness settles in my lungs.

I've not heard of Dr. Buteyko, but I'll look into it. I independently figured out that if I do yoga breathing (long, slow, very deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth) while I run and never run faster than I can keep up the yoga breathing, then I no longer have exercise-induced asthma when I run. Before that discovery, I had to do this whole complicated inhaler routine before and after running, so am already a big believer in breathing techniques. (Of course, now I am also a comically slow runner, but I am building up!)

"And part of me is righteously outraged that people lucky enough to be
born with good lungs are abusing them like that."

Hoo boy, do I hear you
on that one! But I also know how addictive nicotine is. I watched my dad try to give up smoking multiple times during his life. The staff at the assisted living center where he lived told me they spotted him smoking even though he had told them upon admission that he didn't smoke. He'd nearly died of pneumonia about a year earlier and had COPD. He held his brother in his arms as my uncle died from lung cancer 12 years earlier. He quit for at least 5 years after his brother died but despite it all, my dad was never able to give up the demon tobacco permanently.

I've always hated cigarette smoke but it didn't affect me then like it does now. I didn't get diagnosed with asthma until my 30s, between kid 1 and kid 2. I don't know how I would have managed if I'd had asthma when I was younger. My dad smoked a lot, my Uncle Al did, too, as did cousins and high school friends. I've worked with chain smokers (this was in the days when smoking in work places was allowed, don't miss that at all). I worked as a detox counselor in an alcohol and drug rehab center that was smokier than the smokiest bar I've ever been in. The walls of the detox office used to be a baby blue; smoke had turned them a murky green (the original color was preserved under certificates on the wall). I was a runner in those days but I could only run 2 miles a day. When I moved away, taking jobs (Oregon's economy in the early '80s was awful) in non-smoking environments, I was able to run 6 miles a day without a problem. That's the difference second hand smoke made on my life.

I share some of the same triggers as you. Any type of smoke gets me. My nemesis these days is backyard fire pits owned by so many of my neighbors. Our summer evenings are smoky 3 to 4 nights a week, which is bad enough, but it's not as bad as it was for 2 summers in a row a few years ago when it was smokey 5 - 7 nights each week. Those were 2 very miserable summers for me. One neighbor's very smoky fire nearly put me in the hospital.

I can see a smoker - and hold my breathe until I've walked past them - but I can't see wood smoke coming my way from a fire I can't see (wood smoke can travel a long way). I don't know there's smoke in the air until I breathe a lung full of it and then it's too late. I've no problem with them in rural areas but I don't think they belong in urban areas. More people per acre = more fire pits = more air pollution = more carcinogens in the air (wood smoke is 12 times more carcinogenic than cigarette smoke).

cpartist, Jillius and I have gone OT, sorry about that. In the old days, we could have taken this conversation to email but I can't figure out how to do that now that GW is on houzz.

I'm feeling better, thankfully, and I'm pretty sure I'm on the mend so once the drapes are hung on Monday, I should be able to get started right away on taking photos and pulling everything together for my reveal thread. Next week, I promise! Cross my heart and everything. =)

Interesting about wood smoke. I didn't know that (look at all the education you get on GW). I have a hard time with campfires - headaches but no breathing issues. I can't stand any kind of smoke really but I have no asthma. I too am happy establishments are now smoke free. I'd always have to shower if we went out (and do wash) - that smell gets in your hair and I can't stand to be breathing that in while sleeping or have it get on my pillow!

Glad you are on the mend Lisa. :D

I missed your post, Texas Gem, until just now. I'm blaming my fuzzy head.

I can relate to your caregiving tale. I was also Chief Nag when my dad was ill. Not fun for either of us.

Sorry to hear about your friend's health. I've learned to never take breathing for granted. It's kinda necessary.

Speaking of, I think I've developed bronchitis. I rattle and wheeze when I breathe. Oh, joy. Off to the doc's to get checked out.

I learned that tidbit about wood smoke, Autumn, when I was researching an article for Sunset's gardening blog (was called Fresh Dirt at the time, think it got absorbed with other interests). I used to love going camping but I had to give it up about a dozen years ago. I would be sick for days upon return because of camp fire smoke. There are a growing number of camp grounds that don't permit wood fires so I just might get to go camping again. That would be nice. My in-laws have a portable propane fueled fire pit that we can use. Works just as well and no smoke!

Lisa what did the doctor say? Hope you didn't develop bronchitis. Ugh that's no fun. And I find it all very interesting about asthma as I suffer too.

We are not the best 'fire starters' so ours are unfortunately pretty smokey for a bit before they get going. Probably not healthy at all. :( The propane sounds interesting - and EASY. The kids love to have campfires and roast marshmallows. I grew up in the city so no fires to speak of.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks, cpartist and autumn. Sorry to learn that you're also an asthma sufferer, cpartist. It really is no fun.

The good news is that it isn't bronchitis so no need for Prednisone (hate taking that stuff!). The rattling and wheezing
I've been hearing is all upper chest, caused by nasal drainage going into my lungs. My lungs
themselves sound clear other than that, thank goodness.

It is, however, a very nasty virus that is hanging on. It's been 8 days so I should be on the mend but I'm not. My head is pounding and I'm coughing so hard that I feel like I'm going to cough up a lung (DH said that I can only do that twice. He thinks he's so funny!) I've gone through a box and a half of Kleenex and my nose is red and raw. Oh, yeah, I'm feeling craptastic.

I'm on orders to stay hydrated and sleep as much as possible so I'm headed back to my comfy chair. And perhaps I'll have a little cheese to go with my whine. =)

PS We have a gas fueled fireplace insert in the FR, autumn. I *love* being able to turn the fire on and off with a button. No smoke, no ashes to clean out, and no wood to store. Plus, it's nice to be able to keep the FR/kitchen area warm and keep the heat down in the rest of the house (we prefer to sleep in cool bedrooms).

oh goodness lisa_a, i'm so sorry you have the crud.9, but thank goodness for no bronchitis.

I had something similar a couple weeks ago and it went a full 14 days ugh. Rest up and pump those warm fluids. Gargling really does help as do cough drops (just stay away from the weird sugar free ones that say you can only have 5 a day or suffer intestinal discomfort, ask me how I know!)

My general advice is to stay away from dairy when you have sniffles as that adds to the mucus production and you may not want extra mucus!

Feel better.

Lisa- Hope you feel better, soon!

Next time I'm sick....I want Lenzai to come take care of me :)

Thanks, lenzai. Sorry you had it, too. It lasted 14 days? Not happy to hear that.

I'm so exhausted and I ache from coughing so much and so hard. The danged coughing kept me up until after 2am last night. I was propped up quite a bit in bed but I guess it wasn't enough to quell the cough. I finally gave up and went downstairs to sleep MOL upright in my chair. It's not quite as bad as it sounds. The chair's comfy and I can stretch out my legs on the ottoman. DH didn't realize I had left bed until he came downstairs this morning and turned the kitchen light on. Oops.

It's a good thing we cancelled our house re-warming party for Saturday. Fingers crossed that I'm well by the time my cousin and his wife come stay with us the following weekend.

Thanks, lavender lass. hah, we could start a GW traveling nurse program!

Feel better Lisa. Sorry you had to cancel the party and hope you're on the mend soon.

So sorry you had to cancel the party. Reschedule for when you feel better so you have it to look forward to. Sending healing vibes.

lisa-that is some nasty crud - off to the chair with you! Make sure you have a blanket and cozy up. We have a gas log fireplace in the house too and use it exactly the same way. We like cool bedrooms also and so far have avoided turning on the furnace by using the fireplace. It has gotten down to 37 already here but now we are at about 50 for lows.

Back to bed! I hope it remedies itself soon.

good you've been to the doctor and no pneumonia. I went thru that kind of sick last fall. Was sick a few days before TG and past Christmas. I've had pneumonia a few times and sure didn't want it again - especially at my age now. I think I spend most of my time blowing my nose and coughing. My throat felt raw. Such a bummer. I do remember that on NYE I was surprised to find I didn't feel sick anymore. A holiday and not sick after missing the previous 2 holidays! Not that I was up to celebrating or anything.

Don't hate me but I'm breaking my promise to post by the end of the week. But I have a really good reason! I got sicker. Fever returned, ears ached, sinuses hurt, and I coughed so hard, I threw up. Doc put me on antibiotics yesterday. I'm feeling somewhat better today but I'm still so exhausted. I'm on the road to recovery - finally! - but it's going to take a few more days for me to be back to 100%.

It's going to be a very gray weekend so I'm waiting until it's sunny this coming week to photos.

Lisa, as much as I'm looking forward to your reveal, please take as much time as you need to get better. Hopefully the antibiotics will do the trick. AND, it just might be possible that I finally get the rest of my pulls installed and can beat you to the reveal. Remember back a few years when we were discussing rift cut oak together? From the few sneak previews your kitchen looks fabulous, now get better so you can enjoy it!

This whatever of yours seems to be really hanging on so you be careful. Don't pay any attention to us (just don't forget us though) and concentrate on getting better.

Thanks to you both, Gigi and Blfenton!

Gosh- take care and feel better! I am in Italy and heading home tomorrow. Caught a cold over here and the pharmacist sold me something similar to TheraFlu.

I am going to try that breathing exercise as I am worried about my ears being clogged on the plane. I read a trick on "Dr. Google" - hold your nose while sipping water to help equalize your ears. I have been practicing and it does provide temporary relief.

Can't wait until you feel better to see your reveal.

How are you feeling Lisa? Did the fever break and the antibiotics work? Hope you're feeling better and getting well is definitely more important.

Interesting tip, A2, I'll try that next time, thanks.

I'm feeling soooo much better, cpartist, thanks for asking. I'm always reluctant to take antibiotics unless absolutely necessary but obviously, they were necessary this time.

DH and I hung the FR drapes on Sunday (only took two tries to get the holes in the right place, lol) and we're hanging the DR drapes tonight.

I have a little bit of paint touch-up to do but once that's done, I'll take photos for my reveal thread, which will happen by or before Sunday. My first priority right now is getting the house ready for my cousins, who arrive on Thursday. Being sick for 2 weeks sure put me behind schedule. You should see my to-do list! Speaking of, it's time I got back to work.

btw, my cousins - my cousin and his wife, actually - are both artists, http://www.hyattmoore.com/ and http://www.annesprints.com/ Anne is coming up for an encaustic art work shop in Portland. Hyatt will be visiting the galleries that sell their work. DH and I own 3 of Hyatt's paintings (one we bought in 2000, the other 2 we inherited when my dad died). We also own one of Anne's prints, also purchased in 2000. We love their work but, fortunately for them but unfortunately for us, success has boosted their prices out of our comfort zone, even with the family discount. But I'm very proud of them for being successful. As you well know, talent is only one part of the equation to making a living as an artist. You've also got to be good at self-promotion.

Lisa, the self promotion is the hardest part because it takes so much time. It's a constant battle between having the time to paint and draw vs self promotion. I like both their works and it's interesting I can see how they both compliment one another's works.

BTW: Please let them know if they get The Artist's Magazine, my drawing will be on the cover of the December issue. :) Yes I'm quite proud of that one!

Can't wait to see your reveal and so glad you're feeling better. I can wait a few more days, but now there will be no more excuses for being late. ;)

My cousin tells me that so many artists fail to do well because they
don't know how to promote their work. It's more of a left brain thing
and art is generally all right brain.

Congrats on that recognition! You have every right to be proud. I'll be sure to ask them if they get that mag.

Did I tell you about my HS friend who's also an artist? Her business name is Happy Art Very fitting name, as you can see. She just finished a 30 days 30 paintings self-challenge. She's also quite good at self-promotion. I really don't know how she finds the time to do all that she does.

I'm not talented, artistically, so I support those who are. Here's the painting I bought from her.

I'm hanging it in my laundry room just as soon as it's remodeled. It will bring cheer into a windowless room and make laundry a more pleasant chore.

Very vibrant piece of art. Cheerful just like you said. :)

Glad you are feeling better Lisa. I was just checking in to see how things were going. Sounds like you are closer than you have ever been. It's getting cold here, I might have to do some baking because the weather demands it!

My friend's art is so much fun! Her recent 30 paintings all include positive, inspirational statements. She's putting them together into a book. She also published 2 adult coloring books. She's prolific and talented. I really don't know how she does it all!

Yep, we're closer than ever. DH and I finished hanging the DR drapes last night. It took longer than we expected it to take to hang 6 brackets, 2 poles and 4 panels because the poles meet in one corner. There were more than a few moments of colorful language, lol.

All that's left on my to-do list are the paint touch-ups in the kitchen, DR and entry from recent drywall repair, switch out the seats on the DR and kitchen chairs (bought 4 new chairs to match existing 6 chairs but stain isn't an exact match - it's been a decade so no big surprise - so switching seats will keep the 6 matching chairs together) and hang 12 pieces of art in the LR and entry. Not too bad, considering how long my list was. But I'm also trying to get the house ready for company arriving tonight and a family dinner tomorrow night. These are the times when I had Energizer Bunny energy. =)

I plan to take photos tomorrow. It's our last sunny day until next Tuesday.

Colorful art, colorful language. It all works! Ha! Hanging art is so tough I swear it. Finding the spot and then getting the height and the holes right. It's challenging for me anyhow! No sunshine here, it's already gone. It feels more like November rain. Brrr!

Love the picture Lisa.

Yes the self promotion is the hardest part. I had a how to book published back in 2008, right before the crash. Figures. LOL. Even so, its first printing did sell out and it's still available in paperback. However, I don't even use a lot of the techniques I showed in the book anymore.

Ok pictures tomorrow! No more excuses.

Lisa, I'm so glad you are feeling better now and just down to the last final touches. Saying I am looking forward to the reveal is an understatement!

I'm taking pics tomorrow, cpartist but I won't get the reveal posted until Sat or Sunday. I have so much to do between now and when my cousins arrive tonight and then for tomorrow evening when my bro and his family come for dinner. I won't get around to posting my reveal until after my cousins leave Saturday although my first order of business might be to collapse, lol.

Just checked off 2 more things from my list: paint touch up on entry walls & kitchen. Yay, bit by bit, I'm whittling it down. Let me tell you, though, this cramming 3 weeks of work into 1 week ain't an easy feat! Here I go, back to work....

Autumn, remind me to share a trick for hanging art. I'm good at it (hung 37 pieces of art at a friend's in 2 days, received compliments from her mom, an artist, and a friend's daughter, an art student) but even so, this trick makes hanging artwork easier.

I was just coming to check on you Lisa. Can't wait. Well, honestly, I can. I get it. If you can't post until November I'm fine. If you never post I'm ultimately fine. I would like to see it eventually though :)

cpartist, my cousins do get The Artist's Magazine. They look forward to seeing your art work on the December cover. I showed them your website. They were very impressed by the depth of color and detail in your art.

lol, Mama Rachel! I want to show off my new kitchen so I will be sharing it soon.

oh lisa do tell - when you get a chance! I am just really NOT good at it. I am okay with a hammer and a nail, horrible with a power drill (but I am getting better). :D

Busy times! Feels good to check things off though doesn't it.

Glad you're feeling better. Enjoy your visit with family and then let yourself rest so you don't get sick again! While I'm anxious to see your reveal, I'd rather you be well instead of cramming it in ASAP and tiring yourself out.

And please share your art-hanging trick. I have a lot to hang myself and I could use tips.

Hmm.... Autumn, I may have to rescind my "I'm good at (hanging art)" statement. Took me 3 tries to get one painting hung. Granted, it's one of the hardest situations for hanging art: one painting directly inline with another, in this case, one painting hung directly above another. Turns out that even though the paintings are the same size, framed with the same frame and at the same time, they aren't exactly the same width. One is slightly narrower than the other so trying to line up one side meant that the other side was off and I didn't realize it until I'd pounded the nails in. And that was the 2nd try. I forgot to add in the the amount of painting above the wire to know how high up to hang the other painting and didn't realize that the top painting would be too low until I went to hang the top painting. Felt rather stupid when I realized that.

Don't hate me but ....

The sun is not cooperating for photos. It's supposed to be sunny all day but clouds have moved in. I took a few sample photos and they didn't come out as well as I'd like. I'll try again later. If not, I may not get photos done until Tuesday, which is forecasted to be our next sunny day.

Did anyone notice if today is Friday the 13th? I'm running into one hiccup after another. I hope this isn't an omen of how dinner will turn out tonight, especially since I'm trying a new recipe for the main course tonight.

cpartist, my cousins do get The Artist's Magazine. They look forward to seeing your art work on the December cover. I showed them your website. They were very impressed by the depth of color and detail in your art.

Please thank them for me. I truly appreciate when another artist appreciates my art.

Um Lisa, send me the photos and I can fix them in photoshop even if dark. Seriously.

ha, you just want to see them before anyone else! =)

The sun came out for a little while so I grabbed my new camera to take photos. And then the battery died, I didn't
know how to change it or even where the spare battery was. Figures.

So I grabbed my cell phone. I haven't looked at them yet - too busy getting ready for my dinner party tonight - but I was so shaky while taking them (got up too early, 3 cups of coffee, not much to eat, mad dashing about all day) that they may not be fixable in photoshop. I'll look at them tomorrow and see if they're decent or salvageable. Thanks for the offer to help, I will definitely take you up on it if they aren't blurry from my shakes.

Dinner was a smashing success! I made goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts (an Ina Garten recipe, yum!) and roasted root vegetables with apple crisp and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Kicking myself for not remembering to take KIA photos. Love how well my new kitchen functions. Love, love, love it! We inaugurated our new dining room. Love that, too.

Off to bed. Getting up at O'Dark Thirty to see my cousins off on the next leg of their trip. I foresee a nap in my future.

PS I know what you mean. I always felt so flattered when a fellow writer complimented my writing.

I hate it when the pics do funky things with colors and they don't look anything like what they really look like. We are hitting a cold and cloudy with rain stretch over here as well. Boo! Fall is HERE!

I have done that very same thing with photos. I moved a grouping from one wall to another and I cheated. I totally measured the first one from ceiling down and then left wall to frame. The plan was to then measure off of the initial start point for the rest of them. Well you'd think how simple is that and I still messed up one of the pictures. Ha! I tell my kiddos I need absolute silence when I am measuring and swinging a hammer because I need to focus - jedi intense focus! They usually comply and even then I still goof up!