Stepping out

I know I said it yesterday but I'm saying it again today. I wasn't prepared for how quickly I would get bored with being off.  What a difference between only having a week off  knowing you will go back to work and being off for a week with no clue when you'll work again.

Unfortunately I haven't been as ambitious as I had hoped to be. I have spent way too much time doing very little. I need to get myself moving and I'm trying to force myself into making time for exercise. Monday it didn't look too bad out so I went out for a walk.

Some of the sidewalks were shoveled and some not.

Me and my shadow, strolling down the avenue.

These boots were made for walking

The sun was out and the temperature wasn't too bad but there was a wind that had my face feeling a little on the cold side.

Almost home

The final stretch before I reached my driveway.

Random thoughts.

 First I've got the last ever of the work doodles. 

There was actually one more paper after that but on that Sunday I was cashing and it ended up kind of being our last day. We were closed the next two days and then he did the liquidation sale from Wednesday through Saturday. Three of us went in to bake what was left in the bakery and clean up anything in the deli.

It was either Thursday or Friday I got on the computer to file for unemployment. Oh my word was that frustrating. It was so confusing and I ended up having a bit of a meltdown. I finally got it all figured out (I think). Sunday I had to go back in to file the first weeks claim and I'm pretty sure I got that right. On Monday I got a letter from my bank saying that it had been set up for direct deposit so at least I got that part right. 

Monday I also went in search of health insurance. I got a bit discouraged when search results came up with the cheapest being almost $600 a month. I think I'm going to have to call someone and see what they can figure out for me. 

Finally, I knew that I would eventually get seriously bored with being home all day long. I wasn't prepared for how quickly that would happen. Monday 1/27 I was about going out of my mind with boredom. I thought I would work on getting some decluttering done but couldn't get myself going on it. Instead I sat around doing a whole lot of nothing. I read and took a nap. I told myself that I would NOT turn the tv on until later in the day. I'm not about to have the tv running all day long. There has got to be better things that I can do with my day.

And that just about does it for the random thoughts going through my head right now.

Week 33 and 34 drawings.

 There are 2 absolutely hideous ones in the group of drawings that I probably should have left out to save embarrassment. Then I decided to just leave them in because this isn't about good or bad. It's just about the fun of doing it.

This one you've already seen the Procreate version of.

This is the first of the 2 hideous ones. I think this one is worse than the other one.  I may have done better drawings when I was in kindergarten.

And this one is the second hideous drawing. Not quite as bad as the other.

Presley's party

 Sunday was Presley's party and for the first time I had no issues with a work schedule. I had a nice lazy Sunday morning and then got ready to go to her party.

I was taking a picture of Presley but it turned out to be a picture of my daughter taking a picture. Right behind Presley, the woman looking in our direction is Presley's other grandmother. Then way against the back wall is my ex husbands wife. Not sure if Presley considers her a bonus grandmother or if she's just Cindy.

I got Presley's reaction to one of the presents I made her.

I would say she really liked it.

Singing happy birthday before she blows out the candle. Or maybe this was after. I'm pretty sure she had a big gumball in her mouth in this picture.

They had a big heart backdrop for everyone to take photos in. This was ours. Me, Presley, my daughter and my son.

Just stuff

 Found these saved in my google photos. I may have posted them before but here they are again

I see the moon

 And the moon sees me. The other night when I went to let Gibbs outside it looked so pretty seeing the moon between the branches of the tree. I had to grab the cell phone and get a picture.

Of course the picture just doesn't capture it as well as what I saw in person

I tried to zoom in and get a better shot of just the moon through the branches. My cell phone doesn't do a very good job with that though.

go get em Gibbs.

Monday the young guy across the street was out with his snowblower again. He did his usual routine. I was in the Ann cave and Gibbs jumped up on the back of the couch. He saw the guy heading towards his house and he started barking like crazy. The guy heard him, looked over towards the house. He may have seen me through the window too. I'm not sure. But then he surprisingly came over and snowblowed my driveway. I thanked Gibbs for giving him hell and guilting him in to helping an old lady out

Presley is turning seven

This Sunday is Presley's seventh birthday party. Since I'm not working right now, I'll have no problem going. The theme for the party is Taylor Swift. 

I used that theme to make some gifts for her.  First is the birthday card. I did the image in Bing AI

Then I added a vinyl image to the glass in a frame. I used f litter cardstock for the background.

The other two gifts are sweatshirts that I added iron on vinyl. I found the one image online and the other I created in Design space

Hopefully she likes them

Copying myself

 For fun, I decided I would recreate some of my past drawings in Procreate. Here are the original drawings in my sketch book followed by the recreation in Procreate.

Hand drawn

Procreate.

Hand drawn

Procreate

Hand drawn

Procreate

Hand drawn

Procreate

And yet another Procreate post.

 This should catch me all up on the Procreate pictures I've drawn and have yet to post.

This first one is from an email Sandra sent me with how to draw this cute little puppy. She recently had her version of this dog on her blog

This is one that I drew and thought about deleting but then I decided why not just post it.

I think I saw this one on Facebook with step by step how to draw it.

Last but not least is this guy. I don't know where I found him. It may have been on Pinterest.

More Procreate art.

 I found a website called Art with Flo and I really liked some of her tutorials. She was easy to follow and I've learned several new tricks that I've used on other drawings.

This one was from the first tutorial I watched. The thing is I watched the tutorial and then did the picture afterwards so I may have missed some of the steps.

Not sure if I saw this bear on the same website or somewhere else.

This one I know was from one of Art with Flo's tutorials. Same thing, watched the tutorial and then did the picture so may not be just like hers. I think I even impressed myself with this one.

An update

 I pulled the post I had scheduled for today so that I could do an update post today.

First let me give you a rundown on the cast of characters.

Bill- was the store owner that passed away a few years ago

Judy-Bill's wife who then owned the store.

Marc- the son who was running the store

Alyssa- Marc's girlfriend who a couple months ago took over as manager of the store.

Yesterday I went to work 8-4. It was just me and the deli manager all day. Part way through the day, Marc and Alyssa came in to talk to us. Yesterday the store closed at 4:00. It was to be the last day. I had the choice to end it there or work Wednesday to help cook/bake anything remaining so it's ready for the liquidation sale that Marc is going to do at the end of the week. I chose to work one more day. 

The store has been sold or at least Judy has accepted the offer from Marc and Alyssa's old boss. He owns a Japanese restaurant in Erie. The plans for the store are to continue as a grocery store with other services available. There will be a mix of old and new things being sold. All employees will be offered a job but at this time I have no idea what the terms of that offer will be. It will be a month or so though due to renovations they will be doing on the building. 

So what am I going to do? Well I have an interview today at a day care center in the next town over. It's about 15 miles away. The pay isn't great and it's more travel than what I'm used to. I'm not sure I really want it. I would like to accept the offer from the new store owner but will have to wait to see exactly what that will be. For the time being, I am going to apply for unemployment (for the very first time in my life) and just enjoy a little time off. Maybe I'll finally get some things done around the house. 

That pretty much sums up where I am right now. We're also supposed to have an employee meeting on Wednesday but I think that might be for the benefit of the people who weren't there yesterday to hear the news. 

Send a few prayers my way that this will all work out and I'll be able to work in the same place until I'm ready for retirement when I turn 65. 

The end of an era

Last Wednesday I fried my very last rack of donuts.After these I was officially out of donuts.

 I also walked through the store before the lights were turned on and before anyone else got there. You can see in these pictures just how empty the shelves have gotten.

I am working again today but our store hours have been reduced and it will just be me and the deli manager from 8-4. I’ll be opening and closing the store and play cashier again for the day.