5 Red Flags & 1 Orange Cat

Sometimes when asked, “How’s it going?” or “What’s going on lately?” it’s just easier to say, “Fine,” or “Not much.” If not giving the simple one or two word answer, it might turn into a whole story…

First Story:

5  Red Flags & 1 Orange Cat

Red Flag #1

I've noticed that the gas bill has been unusually high for a couple of months... Huh...  Have we had the heat on more than we thought? Is it just inflation?  I don’t know. Huh...

Red Flag #2

Have you noticed that the hot water gets to the shower so much faster than it used to?  Yeah, I've noticed that too... Weird... I wonder why? Huh...

Red Flag #3

Have you noticed lately that when you turn on the cold water, hot water comes out for a minute before it gets cold?  Maybe I have... Weird... I wonder why,,, I don't know... Huh...

Red Flag #4

Have you noticed that when you're in the kitchen there's a spot on the tile where it's warm on your feet? No, I'm not usually barefoot.  Could it be from the dishwasher?  Maybe the air isn't reaching it? What if it's coming from under the refrigerator?  I don't know... Weird... Huh...

Red Flag #5

Have you noticed that the cat has started lying in the dining room all the time?  Yeah, why is that?  I don't know.  It's always the same spot. Maybe he likes being able to keep an eye on us in the bedroom or the kitchen or the living room and that's the best place to see all three.  Maybe. He seems totally relaxed there. Weird... I know... weird... Huh...

 

Next story:

The Mouse Who Gave His Life to Solve the Mysteries

Our air conditioner when out.  The repair man opened the air conditioning unit, saw a mouse who'd crawled in and bitten the wires which blew a fuse.  He tossed the mouse, changed the fuse, and closed the door to the repaired system. Due to a little policy, it was done... no charge… end of story…

Except that while the repairman was here, I told him about Red Flags #2-#4.

He solved every mystery in no time, (even the ones I didn't tell him about because I didn't know they were mysteries).

... Well, not no time… There was time for a coyote to come out of the woods right outside the window and grab a big chicken... There was time for us to run out and yell at the coyote who just looked at us and paced around deciding what to do, dropped the hen, and finally took off… There was time for the repairman to send his assistant into the woods to retrieve the chicken (The chicken who, by the way,  I'd just painted a portrait of and posted about her that very day)... Tragically, not a good end for the hen (R.I.P. Eleanor)... anyway... I digress…

Back to 5 Red Flags & 1 Orange Cat

"You have a slab leak." These are not words of comfort for a homeowner.

“There's a hot water leak in a pipe somewhere under your house.  The hot water heater is working nonstop as hot water keeps pouring out the hole.” (Red Flag #1)  “The rocks and concrete of the foundation are continually being heated, so the water in the pipes is surrounded by heat.  When you turn on the shower, the water in the pipe is already hot and ready.” (Red Flag #2) “Since both hot and cold water pipes are sitting in the heated area, they both are filled with hot water.  When you turn on the cold, first it flushes out what's there, warm water.” (Red Flag #3)  The heated tiles in the spot in your kitchen is where the pipes are closer and you can feel it.”  (Red Flag #4).  “The cat has probably found a spot that feels good and just wants to stay right there.” (Red Flag #5)

Well... am I living on a bed of heated magma like a volcano? “No.”

Fast forward a few days to the arrival of the “Leak Detection Team.” They spend the day with lasers guns and wands and head phones and meters and all kinds of equipment (just picture the Ghostbusters) and determined the exact spot where the leak was... the exact spot where the cat has been stretched out so comfortably for the last couple of weeks. 

The moral of the story (I guess) is to pay attention to your pet!

So... they come back Friday to take a jack hammer to my dining room floor.

Epilogue

The guys were great and fixed everything good as new! 

"How’s it going?" Great. Just fine. And you?

The offending piece of pipe
It somehow got a slight bend during the last 25 years.
The hole was about the size of a pin.
The guys and all their equipment were able to locate it in only a few hours.
Almost as impressive as a little orange cat showing us the spot for 2 week.

Willowing Arts: Mastering Mixed Media 2026 (Inspired by Lessons 1-10)

There are about 40 lessons in this series.  I've decided to work through every one of them in order.  It amazes me that there are some lessons I think, on first look, will be a waste of time then I end up thoroughly enjoying a process that I had no intention of caring to spend time on.

Watercolor, paint pens, colored pencils

Watercolor, splatter, paint pen, colored pencil

Drawing, Collage for texture, paint with 4 red, ocher, black & white

Penciling drawing, stenciling, magazine & collage papers, pen

Craft paint, Posca pens, collage paper

Craft paint, acrylic, collage papers, paint pens

Drawing, watercolor, watercolor pencils & crayons

Collage papers, gesso, doily, white ink

Sewing, collaged, inked, & painted pages, 

Mark making (to make a booklet later)

Look Familiar??

Wait! 

Is this a rerun?

I think I've seen this one recently...

Yeah...

HERE it is... Click and remember that "finished" version was the second "finished" version.

I know, I know... they might barely look different at a glance, but I'm finally happy with it.  

After I "finished" it the second time, I never took it off the easel and put it on the wall.  I just could not make myself be satisfied with it. 

A good thing about oil paint is that it's never too late to go back and add to it.

So... I tweaked a few things:

I gave it a total palette knife update... brightened the chimes... gave some form to the leaves... added highlights to the leaves, flowers, chimes, table... deepened the shadows... lightened the sky..

I guess I didn't "tweak a few things."  I guess I tweaked the entire thing.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas

If you'd like to have this lovely, 3rd try" painting, click Windchimes!

She Rules the Roost

Every flock has one... The one who rules the roost... The one at the top of the pecking order...

Mine is named Eleanor. 

She not mean... she's just the boss. And, she always has an expression of annoyance. If she could talk, I think she'd say, "What? I gave you a lovely light tan egg. What else do you want? I have pecking to do. Why do you insist on hanging around?"

We always have to have at least one white chicken.  When they're in the woods scratching around or resting, we can always find them because the white one never blends in.

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 7"x 9" Wrapped Canvas.

Click She Rules the Roost if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

I Like... (April 2026)

Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 
Click on HER BLOG to see what positive things others like. 

I like my new little pink dogwood!  
She's going to be a treat year after year.

I like having enough eggs to share with friends.

I like Elfie. She's such a friendly little hen.

I like getting to spend two entire days
doing art with my favorite art partners.

I like a few days in someplace different.

I like getting the garden ready to go!

I like a slow pace around home!

I like iris season!

I like salad, but sheesh... anyone need some lettuce or spinach??

I like that these onions & garlic have come back
from the beating they took from a hailstorm.

I like saying good morning to the forest friends who stop by.

LeeAnne's  conversation starter topics this month:

Did you ever wear gogo boots? platform shoes? earth shoes? Nope, nope, nope.  I think those were just a few years before my time. I remember them, but I was still a little girl in the 60s & 70s.

Did you ever wear mini skirts ? fishnet hose?  halter tops? Nope, nope, nope.  I'm starting to feel like a real fashion bore!

As a young child did you ever wear plastic sandals? Bonus if you also had on ankle socks. Maybe... but I think I have to go nope and nope again. 

Did you ever dye your hair The only time in my life that I died my hair was between the ages of 38-41.  I decided that I didn't have to be gray before 40, but when I turned 41, I gave in to the gray. or get a perm and it turned into a disaster? Oh, the home perm kit by Toni!  The smell! I can smell it to this day!  Yeah, my mom gave me perms occasionally, buy my hair is straight and was never intended to be anything else.  

What would you love to get for Mother's day as a present? Let yourself go wild with imagination 
surprise us with what you'd just love to have this year.  I got a pink dogwood tree for my birthday last month.  I love it.  (See the photo above.)

The Endless Art Challenge Box

I thought it might be fun to share a glimpse into part of our "Weekly-ish Challenge" 

One week I come up with a challenge. The next week my partner comes up with a challenge. And, the third week we "go to the box" for our challenge.

It's a little deck of cards with three sections: "Subject" cards, "Color" cards, and "Wild Card" cards. We draw one card from each deck then figure out our art piece from there!  It's been so fun!!!

(FYI... Mine are on the right. Hers are on the left.)

For this one we decided that "do the opposite" meant

we'd turn the card over and use the picture on the back.