August Potpourri...Dragonfire, Tiaras, Ring, and Wine

A lot happened for last year's birthday

One acquisition unexpected

Another proactively secured

Had to revisit the joy

My friend Barb gifted me with her ring in her will

The notice came right before my birthday

arriving August 7...gobsmacked

a giant peridot and ruby ring from Cartier

Liam models

here is the link for review, if new, welcome to it

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2018_08_12_archive.html

Barb's Ring

and I had sought out wine art I had been admiring for time...I now have it for a year and it has enhanced my life every day....as has my relationship with the artist Leanne Laine

https://leannelainefineart.com/ 
My wine art

refresher or first time readers welcome

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2018_08_05_archive.html

and now this year 2019

Drama began this year's birthday month
  

when I was shipped off to the LIJ ER on Saturday August 3 from my local walk in medical place Stat Med. I seem to have overdosed on Senekot, a gentle homeopathic laxative. Wanting never again to experience any colon issues after my 2016 sigmoid colectomy and extended complicated recovery I have been swallowing Senokot like mad. I was inadvertently giving myself daily mini colonoscopies. Apparently my semicolon revolted and attacked with a ferocious doubling over pain. Four hours in the ER.  I was infused with pain meds and released with pain pills along with the advice to see my own doctor.

my surgeon was away and I saw her on August 23rd
all okay, stop the daily not so gentle Senekot
 I did get a free bracelet see below and had an informative and soul connecting convo with a heavily tattooed ER nurse.

and what are this year's themes

are there two like last year?

yes

and same categories

One acquisition unexpected
Another proactively secured 

 Tiaras and Tattoos 

new

tattoo

this was the proactively secured

dracarys

meaning

dragon fire

from the HBO series Game Of Thrones

if You haven't watched here is a bit. I watched it all in three weeks prior you can do a la carte and take out what you want 

you'll need to cut and paste the you tube link to view

https://youtu.be/k-CpXQ_FF1Q 

 The High Valyrian word "Dracarys" has become a sort of catchphrase for Dany. It literally means "dragonfire" and it's the word she uses to command her dragons to breathe fire

I loved that Dany's kids are dragons

they breathed fire on command

she is stormborn

Wednesdays child

 

My dracarys tattoo collage

dragons were once babies

and tiaras made the scene

we all joined in...this was the unexpected from Joanie

and who the heck wears tiaras? see here

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiara

Wolves Wear them

Nymeria and Ghost, Liam's direwolves

dogs wear them

Sasha

Kendl

and we make displays

Happy August 31st  birthday Barb

second year missing our joint celebration 

I have a tiara out for you 

no worries 

not green

gold

with love always 

from your

 Stormborn Tiara wearing Leo  

a dragonfire sign

Woof, woof

Leo Birthday Boy is12

Liam turns 12 on August 1, 2019

 

 some happenings recorded in LiamLicks for his 12th year

Liam honoring Tony

The last of Tony Bourdain's shows aired in the fall of 2018
Liam and I loved him and miss him deeply
we wrote a Tony tribute
and then took off to Parts Unknown for a new walking route

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Anthony%20Bourdain


 

Surgery

to check out a growth on Liam's right shoulder

a cone was around his neck

I had to cut it to shorten it

then I purchased a soft one...plaid

then I took it off when a neighbor told me Liam could not lick his shoulder

diagnosis

was a benign fibroma

refresher link follow

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2018/12/lumps-on-liam.html 

Starbucks drinks

 I kept switching my Starbucks drinks

 could not find one I would stick to...

Liam was there all the way...sampling and lusting after my choices

an iced grande cappuccino

Game of Thrones

After 10 years of avoiding Game of Thrones we joined in and watched all episodes

 in 3 weeks nod to GoT

We could not be left out of this global phenomenon 

Liam adopted two direwolves to add to his pack...The two living ones out of the original 6

don't know them

meet them

https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/02/game-of-thrones-stark-direwolves-guide/

A new pack of Direwolves

Ghost/ Jon Snow

 Nymeria/ Arya Stark

The lone wolf dies but the pack survives

 

Toe Tackling

New way of affection
Liam is not a lap dog
he is a foot dog
I am not a fan of feet
do not like showing them but Liam does


I keep my feet presentable with a weekly pedicure. I don't like bare feet.

I researched and find it actually has a name. I don't think my dislike approaches a phobia. I merely rather not look

See link

https://patientslounge.com/mental-health/My-Phobia-of-Bare-Feet

Outside Fun

 

Dream Delivered

And then I got My Dream Delivered

Carol's Cab Cove
cab=Cabernet wine

read about it
again or for the first time if you missed it

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2019_07_14_archive.html

thank you to Benchmark 

https://www.benchmarksignsandgifts.com/ 

signs for its creation and to my cousin Barbara McNiff for the name
Liam has not yet accepted the CCC
he stands outside the door...see top middle photo
in the following collage

he prefers to hang with his direwolves inside

the photo bottom left is during a fierce storm
and Liam sought comfort from me
because I was sitting out
enjoying the glorious whacks of thunder

I hope he will join me more often

Out in Carol's Cab Cove

LiamLicks

 blog goes on

 and Liam's year long writing of stories

in his eponymous blog
LiamLicks

On a pace to beat last year's total of 21

but will never match the high of 50 in 2012

and that's okay

A 12 year old boy

Woof, woof

Dream Delivered

What it looked like

Before

My dream has been to have a screened in patio out back where I can enjoy nature, wine,  reading, yoga, social media while submerging in bird tweets, trees swishes, wind gusts, pungent odors, roaring planes, distant laughter... outdoor living

I wrote of it in my last blog story

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2019/06/mosquitoes-are-coming.html

On my recent June trip to Southport NC I spent wonderful times with my friends on their screened in porch...wine, dogs, nature...I mentioned to them my 30 year dream and how I was waiting to use one of my IRAs because it could not be taken out until age 70...they quickly disabused me of that belief with the fact that IRAs can be taken out starting age 59 1/2...What!!!!

I can have my dream...Paul had thought it was 70 1/2.
 Upon return to New Hyde Park I presented the new evidence.

Okay onward

Paul does not want an extension from the house. I do.

We compromised...

I can have it

But

No door from the inside to it

Fear of weakening the back of the house

No heating

Fear of fire

I do get two side doors

A skylight

A floor on top of the pavers

And a ceiling fan

Saw a recommendation for Kerwin Nicholas on Next Door.com...they also have a mobile app

https://nextdoor.com/

Nextdoor is the private social network for your neighborhood.

Nextdoor is the best way to stay informed about what’s going on in your neighborhood—whether it’s finding a last-minute babysitter, planning a local event, or sharing safety tips. There are so many ways our neighbors can help us, we just need an easier way to connect with them.

I believe each town may have a next door

We hired Kerwin and his team

Kerwin Nicholas...see his card and mine below

his team
Osman

and his little bro

I write a blog so I too have a business LOL

we met,  purchased the materials

The materials arrived Saturday

 July 6th

Paul expressed concern that they would be stolen

I told him I would cover them

I did this and received no help from the boys

Who remained inside

Liam on the love seat, Paul on the couch

in the cool AC

Both watching baseball

Apparently it is my project so no help will be offered

Paul looked out  the side and commented it looked like a casket for a military funeral

Yep

It does

The flags on the right are marking where I have planted recently harvested marigold seeds. My neighbor let me take over her land and I figured the show of patriotism would scare off our aggressive lawn guys who excel in disrupting dirt

Day 1 -Monday July 8

Day 2-Wednesday July 10

Day 3-Thursday July 11

Day 4-Friday July 12

and it is done

Kerwin and his team are outstanding

I had no photos to show Kerwin to illustrate what I wanted.

I had a vision and I described it to Kerwin. He was able to create my dream and improve upon it

Gobsmacked by his gifts and spirit and knowledge .

A High Recommend for these Contractors

because

They care

they seek perfection

keep you informed as to what is happening

they are fair

made it easy

and fun

we enjoyed their presence and their company

the alacrity with which it was done was amazing

reliable

always arrived when they said they would
wanted us to be happy and we are!
My Dream is a reality

as for the door I have to accept the compromise
I figure I can put a step stool in my outside room and climb in the window. The wine is kept next to it.


Eventually maybe I could take an axe to the window then approach Paul with the need to fix it...
and
A door could be made

Or I could descend from upstairs through the skylight

Skylight

and on Friday a housewarming gift arrived

I will be getting two Adirondack chairs, a rug and pillows and cushions 

My Amazon cart is loaded and ready for Prime Days Monday and Tuesday 

I have wine

I have my bell to ring when more is needed hopefully Paul or Liam will hear

Liam not sold on this outside home yet, likes it better inside

Maybe I will get the door 

 when I am 70 1/2

Woof, woof