PORTRAITS, OPOSSUMS AND PACEMAKERS

This is quite a journey I've been on. As most of you know, I was taken ill in New Mexico and when we returned to Texas, the doctors discovered that I needed a Pacemaker. Less than a week after we returned I found myself in the hospital and was having this miraculous piece of medical equipment implanted in my chest. It seems that my poor old heart is wearing out, but hopefully this will take care of the problem for a while.

Unfortunately you can see the lump where the pacemaker is, so no more strapless evening gowns for me. I look like I have 3 boobs!

And speaking of boobs, the word for sandals in Spanish is Chanclas. When I was at the Cardiologists and they were getting ready to do an EKG, the nurse who was Hispanic made this comment to me. I was wearing sandals, lying on my back so I couldn't see her face.

Just as I pulled up my top for her to put the little electrical nodes on my chest she made the comment "Nice Chanclas". I said thank you. I thought she was talking about my boobs but she was referring to my shoes. Darn!!! :-)
While I was waiting to find out what was wrong with me, I had a portrait commission that I worked on. Amazingly enough, it turned out very well and my client was very pleased with it. It's a portrait of her father and will be a gift to him for his birthday. My hope is that he will be as pleased with it as she is. I'm so glad that I got it finished before I became too ill to paint!

Hopefully I'll be back at my easel before very long.
The day I came home from the hospital I noticed a squirrel sitting on top of the bird house and he was really fussing at something. All of a sudden this nasty old opossum appeared, so I grabbed my camera for another Kodak Moment.

It came right up to the kitchen window and looked in. They're very scary looking. I hope he's gone forever. Frank thought "it" looked pregnant so I hope our backyard doesn't turn into an opossum nursery!
Our little grandson, Ian, spent last weekend on a farm that belongs to one of his friends.

They had a great time. He spent the weekend driving a tractor, fishing, watching bull riding competition and all the things that you do in the country. He is even the proud owner of a cowboy hat now! It was a real treat for a city boy.

When he returned home he made an announcement to his family that they needed to buy a truck. Fat chance :-)
All of my friends have been so kind to us during this recovery period. They have been bringing flowers and food.

I even received a Bougainvillea Bonsai Tree from California that friends we met when we were on the China trip sent. It was such a surprise.

We're eating so well that Frank and I will have to join Weight Watchers after I recover to take off the extra pounds from all the good food! He really appreciates not having to be Chef Boyardee all the time.

I will continue to post to my blog when I feel up to it. Regardless of what people say, this was not an easy surgery and I'm still very weak and having trouble breathing. I've been told that it has the same effect on your body that by-pass has and it will take a month or longer to get back up to speed. I hate that because I don't sit still very well. In this case however, I don't have much choice.
Please keep in touch. I love hearing from you. It makes the days pass more quickly. I can't drive for 2 weeks and can't lift anything over 5 pounds for 6 weeks, so I guess I'll just have to drink single martinis since they are lighter in weight than the doubles ;-)

When something else develops I'll write again. Until then, thank you for all of your prayers. They have helped us get through a tough situation.
XOXO, Pcasso