Despite all the INSANITY that's been going on in the world, my day-to-day work life's been pretty much unchanged, for the past year or so. Not a bad thing, that's for sure! The place where I do the wage-earning's considered an 'essential' business, so--- I've continued to be gainfully employed.
Same with my wife, as well as my daughter---who have both worked in child-care related jobs. NO 'shelter-at-home' / 'lock-downs' for the Ferrells! (My son has been 'between jobs' for a good chunk of this last year--up until March, at least, when he was finally able to land another job-- so I guess he's been a 'home-body' a bit more than the rest of the 'Ferrell-clan'!)
But, let's take a brief journey back in our little time-machine, to mid-February of this year! Only a couple of months ago, right? But--- HOO-BOY-HOWDY!!--- that little span of time, (back in February, I mean!) sure seems like it took place on another PLANET!
That's when some of the WORST, most BRUTAL, and just generally all-around unpleasant weather in nearly 100 YEARS hit us here in Okie-land! EXTREME cold, along with ICE, then SEVERAL inches of snow, came pounding down on us--- all within a 72 hour period!
Thankfully, at the time all of this happened, I still had a few days of vacation and sick-time at the job, and was able to stay home. It was pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to get out of our driveway, for the better part of a WEEK anyway--- so making it in to the work-place wasn't really possible--- unless some generous soul would've maybe given me a snow mobile ( OR-- a helicopter!) ride into Tulsa, where I work!
So, nearly a YEAR into this whole craziness that's been going on in the 'rest of the world', my family and I were now getting a REAL, all-the-way SERIOUS case of 'LOCK-DOWN'! This one being brought on by cranky 'ol man winter, instead of a nasty virus!
Not much to do, during a time like this one! Keep the fireplace stoked-up, and try to keep all of the family as warm and comfortable as possible! After a while though, if your'e a 'creative /doodling-type', like I've ALWAYS been--- your brain, as well as that old creative impulse of mine-- begins to ITCH for SOMETHING to help hold on to what little sanity may be left in the 'ol noggin!
That's when I remembered a couple of coloring books, that I'd actually been holding on to, for well OVER a year! I'd picked them up at a local 'Dollar Tree' store (where everything's a BUCK!), figuring I'd dive back into doing some coloring, as I'd done before, a couple of years back-- at some future time. Well--- 'winter-snow-storm-LOCK-DOWN'-time, seemed like just the RIGHT opportunity!
Here's a handful of images from both books, that I felt REALLY turned out pretty SLICK! I apologize for the somewhat 'low-quality' images! Our digital camera (which, of course takes WAY better pictures!) is unfortunately, packed away somewhere DEEP in our storage unit! So--- I did what I could with my cell phone's camera!---
I'm REALLY glad I remembered those coloring books! They helped pass the time away, AND-- managed to keep the 'ol 'creative juices' flowing! I still pull one of them out a couple of times a week, and tackle a page or two. It's a GREAT way to both unwind, as well as keep the brain sharp and focused! Blurry / bleary as I sometimes can get, I'll grab what help I can! So---- why NOT just pick-up a coloring book, and a few colored pencils? Helpful for the brain, and FUN too!
