Saturday Slight

 

"Do your hands look like toilet tissue?"

That's what the lady on a video asked as I was scrolling through Instagram this morning. 

"No, Ma'am, mine look more like a war zone," I wanted to yell back at the screen. 

But the lady and her video suddenly disappeared.  

I guess that's how it is on Instagram.  

I'm assuming that the lady was advertising some product that was gonna help my hands to not look like toilet paper. 

Later, while in the bathroom, I even studied the toilet paper roll, trying to surmise how she came up with that metaphor. 

I'm still puzzled.  

Kinda like the kid years ago who said the mountains looked like aluminum foil. Even that seems more plausible than hands looking like toilet paper.  

Even the wet wads that we find on living room floor, deposited by Bridie, do not evoke thoughts of how my hands look, except how awful they're gonna feel picking up the wet blob. 

Anyway, 75-year-old hands have an uphill battle in trying to look like anything other than a war zone, especially when the owner of the hands also owns dogs and does a lot of stuff where those hands bump things. 

Yesterday, while engaged in her exuberant affection, Bridie left a bleeding scratch on my right hand with her pin-prick dewclaws. 

A few days before, I bumped my hand on something which turned a small spot on the back of my left hand purple.

Happens all the time these days.

Add wrinkles and prominent veins to the scratches and bruises, and it ain't a pretty sight.

I think there's really only one answer to all this, especially for old people with active hands like mine, and it's not that lady's bottle of miracle lotion.

Gloves---24-7.

That solved, let's get on to something that arrived in our mailbox yesterday. 

It came from Ireland, Kenmare, to be exact.

A while back, Mary O'Leary asked for my snail mail address cuz she and Vince aka Oskar Suff Suff wanted to send me something.

Well, it came, and I couldn't wait to open it. Very carefully with my knife (so as not to add any more ugly blemishes on my hands), I slit the package along one side. 

Out came a painting of the Rose Garden Bed and Breakfast and Restaurant. 

A quirky painting. 

I can't figure out why Vince and Mary assumed I'd like something quirky!  They must know me better than I had thought. 

There's a label on the painting, showing that the artist specializes in "quirky."   

You can find more samples of his work at "Quirky Paintings Kenmare." 

 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001606398274

It's fun stuff, and from what I can see from some quick research, his work not limited to Kenmare, and it's not all quirky. 

From my research, I'm guessing the artist's name is Val Byrne.

The website I found for him includes some beautiful paintings from around Ireland.

If you love all things Irish, check it out. 

https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Val-Byrne/8E644DA28F6BDD6C

Vince, who's a chef, and Mary, who specializes in business,  are fun and talented people.  They owned and managed the Rose Garden Bed and Breakfast where we have stayed at least four times. 

Sadly, this fall, they closed the business and are pursuing other options. 

We have enjoyed their company, not only at the Rose Garden but also at PF McCarthy's Restaurant where they were regulars once their work day had ended. 

And, so, this painting will hang on one of our walls, reminding us of good times and good peeps/friends we have met and enjoyed in Kenmare.

Thanks so much, Vince and Mary. 

In other news, the predicted snowstorm or "weather alert" is in full motion this morning. 

It doesn't seem as bad as advertised.  Maybe the bad stuff is yet to come, but it was nice to not have to clean out passageways this morning to do chores. 

I shoveled enough yesterday to work up a stiff knee.  It seems that repetitive work is the culprit, and since I've been really careful lately, I know that yesterday's constant shoveling was more than the knee wanted to endure.

Thank goodness for Voltaren. 

Willie has a game in Priest River today, so we're hoping the weather will cooperate for us to go watch his team.

We loved the Gonzaga victory last night. It was nice to sit back, relax and just enjoy watching them win--which has not been routine with this year's team.

It's also exciting to see the young players mature and develop into amazing members of the team.

Hunter Sallis got our vote last night for most exciting, and Julian Strawther excelled enough to be named "Player of the Game."  

Bill and I really enjoyed his commentary about the team in the post-game interview.

Fun stuff, and we're thinking they've made it through the rough patches. 

And, with that, I'll simply say, "Happy Saturday." 

Enjoy your day.