Cherish Life

Good Saturday morning!  It is quite dreary out and I'm happily ensconced inside, at home, with Snicklefritz and The Hubby!  Fall is truly here, and winter, the weatherman says, is closer than we think.  This morning The Hubby couldn't stand it anymore and turned on the heat.  I planned on going to the studio this weekend and spend some quality time at my easel but decided to have the kid-let instead.  The studio has been overrun with Plein Air Tulsa stuff and people all week long and not much painting has been going on there anyway.  Next weekend it is over and Linda and I can focus on our most important show at the Equality Center.  I think I have enough paintings, but not quite sure.  I need to count, organize, list and make title tags to put with the paintings.  I've been working a lot at the office this week too and will need to be there on Monday to fix a MISTAKE I made.  I messed up a FICA deposit, crediting it to 3rd quarter instead of 4th quarter.  I've never messed that up before and have to call.  I hate doing that stuff but it is what it is.  

The Hubby has been quite busy dancing the past few weeks, like four nights a week.  This weekend is Fall Fling put on by Tulsa Swing Club and next month is state competition that he has been practicing for.  It's a tri-state competition in OKC for two days and he's looking forward to it.  Doesn't leave much time for us but I'm okay with that as I've been busy with gearing up for Plein Air Tulsa, the show in November and planning my 45th class reunion in June.  Lots and LOTS of meetings and I'm kind of struggling to keep it all straight.  My calendar doesn't seem to have a break lately, except for this weekend, and I'm totally enjoying this bit of down time, and time with Snicklefritz.  

Cabin time will have to be made up next month when there will be a fire in the fireplace, a pot of soup on the stove and clinking glasses of fine wine with friends.  

I have been able to get a couple of fall paintings done and hopefully I will get them sold at the show.  I've even got a commission I need to get working on!  On top of all of this we are also throwing our HUGE Christmas party December 1.  Yes, surely didn't see my life being this busy when I planned on doing it a year ago.  At least I've got the bedroom done and just need to do a bit of clean up, hang a few paintings I've purchased and have a party.  BUT, I do need to work on invites for the show and Chistmas party, and MAYBE a few Christmas cards.

I've been thinking about all that I am grateful for lately.  My life, my wonderful life.  I will not complain.  I have a fabulous husband, children, granddaughter, siblings, extended family!  The people and families that are dealing with the hurricane's and flooding from the Carolina's to Florida, I cannot imagine what their lives are like now.  Just heartbreaking.  We also lost a friend recently, my age, Bud, who had been dealing with dementia for 12 YEARS!  So very sad for his family and his loss to not be able to grow old with his family or even REMEMBER IT!  Another couple we know, Tim and Kathy, just sold their businesses here in Tulsa, moved back to Chicago to begin retirement with their daughters and grandkids.  They had been there probably 2 months and Tim was riding his Harley and was hit by a car and has been in the hospital fighting for his life with the possibility of brain damage.  You thank your lucky stars for your life.  Love your family, kiss the kids and grandkids and cherish all that you have in your life.  I certainly am right now.  It can be snuffed out so quickly.  

Have a cherished weekend and life with family and friends.

Updating My World

It's time to update on this little guy.  Clayton is doing well but that dang cone of shame didn't come off until last night after a bath.  He has worn it so long that it broke and The Hubby had to patch it together with vent hose tape.  The tumor is gone, but not all the way.  It will come back because they could not get it all.  The next option is to amputate but we are NOT going to do that.  He's 13 years old and when it is there you can mash, push and prod and he doesn't flinch, nor does he lick it.  I'm not going to put him through another surgery.  Poor little guy.

What can I say! 

I finished this sweet 11x14 oil and I call it "Auntie Af's Big Day".  It was posted on Facebook and I have never EVER gotten so many likes.   I totally love it and plan on entering it in some shows. 

Today is my mother-in-law's 91st birthday.  Tomorrow Snicklefritz is turning 6, but today we party celebrating both birthday's.  Actually, Monday was her momma's birthday and I believe Thursday my sis-in-law.  Wow, September is full of birthday fun.  Snicklefritz gets lumped in because they are all so close.  

I do have news in my art orbit.  Of course yesterday I took the "Lady and the Red Rose" to the Tulsa Artist Coalition for the member show starting on Friday.  It was a juried show and a big thing to get in.  Last year was the first time I was in it.  Today my painting buddy and her hubby go to Fayetteville to pick up our paintings that juried in Artists of Northwest Arkansas show.  I don't believe I got a ribbon but you never know.  Tomorrow I deliver 4 of my paintings and 5 of Linda's to The Hive in Jenks for the Tulsa Artist Guild show.  I did have 5 but one sold that I entered.  That's a good thing.  

Now the really good stuff.  Last fall I was tasked, at Lemon Tree Fine Art (Linda and I), on trying to get some shows in Tulsa.  We did get The Hive and Post Oak Lodge.  And we were informed by the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center that they had the 12 months filled but if anyone backed out we were first on the list to have a show.  Guess what, they called.  They asked if Linda and I would like to have November.  My first thought was, CRAP, because we had planned to finally have our studio/gallery open house in November.  What this means is that we have to have about 20 paintings EACH for the Center.  Our studio would be empty and we HAVE GOT TO paint, paint, paint to even make that quota.  Oh gosh, this is so exciting.

I'm not through.  I've posted before that Linda and I are working on the event Plein Air Tulsa.  Last year was Tulsa and this year is Plein Air Tulsa:  Painting The Osage.  Linda is amazing in getting everything put in place and I am her sounding board, right-hand-Jane.  I keep track of the entrants and the money and expenses.  She has been working on the advertising and getting donations of money or merchandise for the goodie bags.  This is an off shoot and under the umbrella of Alpha Rho Tau, one of the groups we belong to.  Anyway, she called me Friday and said that the television show Explore Tulsa which airs on Channel  6 and the CW is COMING TO OUR STUDIO on Monday afternoon to film.  They are coming for the Plein Air event but IT'S OUR STUDIO!!!  Exciting but, oh snap, it's a mess and most of the good stuff is dispersed out to various shows.  So yesterday I delivered the painting and then all afternoon I cleaned and organized and clean and organized.  

Also, don't forget that Friday is the Art Crawl, First Friday downtown and I will have my painting at the AHHA!  I plan on being there at least the first hour or two so come by and see me and the painting.  

Walls Come Tumbling Down

Finally, FINALLY!   Yesterday and the day before I felt the artistic block wall come tumbling down.  

Especially yesterday with I started adding color to the painting.  OH MY GOSH, it felt so good and I found the zone again.  I don't know what happened but I suspicion it was the fact that I SOLD A PAINTING yesterday. 

What happened is that I changed my Facebook header picture to a watercolor that I had done a couple of months ago and I really love it.  

I posted it and my page blew up.  So many likes and loves and out of the blue someone wanted to buy it.  Funny, it was like I had not posted it before, and I had.  It's all good though as I got over 100 likes and IT SOLD!  Honestly, I almost didn't sell it because I loved it so much, especially after it was framed but that's quite okay!

Sunshine Happiness

Good morning.  It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Sunshine is streaming and I am extremely happy about that.  I just can't help myself when the sun shines, I am a sun worshiper.  Oh, my sunbathing days are over but I can still love the warmth, not only from the heat of the sun, but the glow that it lays upon the earth, the trees, the flowers... 

Clayton is doing well and hopefully on Monday he will get his stitches out and we can dispense with the cone of shame that he seems to be handling well.  

I hope to be back in the studio more this week.  This creative blockage is getting to be a drag and I NEED to create, to splash paint, make my eyes happy.  

The Hubby and Bri took a overnight trip to this thing called KanOkla.  It's a flea market kind of thing straight up from Oklahoma to Kansas that they've done several times now, a tradition.  She was always his flea market girl when she was little and even now Snicklefritz is a frequent addition to their trips to the Tulsa Flea Market.  

Speaking of Snicklefritz, she is officially READING!  That is so very exciting and it will open up a brand new world to her.  She is so intelligent and such a happy little girl.  I just burst with pride every time I'm around her and see her accomplish things.  

Clayton Update and Lifestyle Changes

The week goes on and I'm STILL typing on my newly debugged laptop!  So happy about that.  It's been a couple of long weeks for our sweet Clayton.  He got the "Cone of Shame" on Saturday night because he kept trying to pull the drain tube out and rip off the bandage.  At one point he actually stepped out of the bandage and The Hubby attempted to put it back on but got it on backyards.  Poor guy would not walk on it. 

 Monday I dropped him at the vet to get his bandage changed and assess if the tube stayed.  They had me drop him off at 8 am and pick up later in the day.  I went a bit after three and ended up waiting for two hours.  The place was a madhouse and standing room only but I'm patient.  The room slowly cleared out and soon he appeared around the corner with a totally new bandage and NO TUBE!  Yeah.  I don't have to have him back till next Monday but the "Cone of Shame" has to stay put, at least when we are gone, because he will not leave it alone.  

I can't remember if I have written about this but about 3 weeks ago I joined the HealthZone.  I started walking, slowly.  11 laps around is a mile and the first day I was barely able to make 3 laps.  The next week 4 laps with this Monday 5 laps.  Today back to 4, but I AM WALKING!  My old trainer, Wade is there too and last week I signed up with him to get me really back on track.  I've really been working on the food lately and the exercise was my next step.  I am sore, sore, sore but it's a welcome sore and I feel great.  Already the scale has shown a 5 pound loss!  I'm doing simple meat and veggie meals, like last night with roast chicken and onions and a simple salad.  I'm on a mission to lose AT LEAST 50 pounds.  Then I will reassess.   

My World and Welcome To It

Good morning.  Yes, I know it has been 10 days since I’ve written anything here.  Life has just been busy any my STUPID laptop does not create a happy environment to type.  For some stupid reason the dang thing will NOT let me type in a browser but a just a few letters then closes, ONLY in the browser.  I can’t figure it out.  I’ve run all kinds of anti-virus crap and it’s still a problem.  So, to be able to even write on my blog I have to type it into Word then cut and paste.  It is absolutely crazy and is MAKING me crazy.  There is nothing wrong with my stupid computer, except for the browser thing.  

To get back to MY LIFE…as if that is really important, except to ME!  LOL…Of course work, work, work, at the office.  I’ve actually been spending more time there the past few weeks just because I needed to and frankly, I’ve hit a dry spell in the art world.  I can’t seem to focus and I am not inspired lately to even create anything.  I go into the studio and start mixing paint, apply a bit and then I just leave and go home to cross-stitch, crochet or read.  It’s weird that I’ve been having this issue, this long. 

I did do a milestone thing for me last weekend.  We of course, FINALLY, headed to the cabin for the three day weekend and really I planned on going back this weekend, but more on that later.  Last weekend The Hubby was going to take me, go with me to Fayetteville, to drop of my painting and Linda’s for the Artists’ of Northwest Arkansas member art show that we both juried into.  I was to drop off the paintings and at the end of the month she is picking up.  It’s only an hour and a half from the cabin so I thought it would be a nice trip for me and The Hubby.  There was a problem when I realized he was doing a dance thing but that got worked out and he was able to come but not until Saturday morning.  Friday night I found out that Saturday was a huge game day in Fayetteville and drop off was from 10-2.  I was told that traffic would be bumper to bumper.  Well, my reasoning was that the drive there 1-1/2 hour then back for a total of 3 hours driving time, not to mention IF we hit that bumper to bumper traffic.  The Hubby HAD to mow and weed-eat and clean the yard as we were hosting about 20 for burgers.  PLUS, I had to make potato salad and coleslaw.  The Hubby was probably not going to arrive till about 10, soooooo, let’s see the day would be shot for him.  I decided that I was going to put my big girl painties on and DRIVE MYSELF.  You see, I have NEVER, EVER driven out of state all by myself.  I’ve driven with other people, sure but never by myself.  I was up at 5 (dang it) and made the potato salad and coleslaw, showered, made the bed, tided up and hit the road at 8 am.  I won’t say that I was not apprehensive and my tummy didn’t get in a knot as I neared the state line, but I DID IT!  I arrived about 10 minutes  to 10, found a perfect parking spot right in downtown, DURING  the Farmer’s Market and turned in the paintings!!!! 

Then another problem was that there was a sign up through ANA for members only first, a painting workshop with artist, Lori Putnum, right at 10 am.  There was even a countdown clock, that’s how popular she is.  Well, I walked around the farmers market few minutes, bought some veggies and then found a corner to open the browser on my phone, right at 43 seconds on the clock.  I pulled out the credit card from sitting behind a planter and was one of the first to successfully register, and so did Linda from their lake place in Louisiana.  HOORAY! 

I have to tell you I was on a high and felt so good about myself.  I felt I had accomplished a lot in that few hours.  It was a big deal for me.  The drive home was quicker than the drive there and when back I took a little nap and was ready for our company! 

The next morning I got on the golf cart in my PJ’s and with my camera phone took some photos for I hope inspiration, especially for that Lori Putnum workshop in April. 

On the Tuesday morning back in the real world I had to have our sweet Clayton at the vet for another surgery.  I didn’t want to but that connective tissue tumor was back with a vengeance on his tiny leg and if we didn’t get it off his skin would absolutely burst.  The surgery went well but we left him in the capable care until Friday morning.  He still has a drain tube, which I have to take him back everyday (except this weekend) to have the leg bandaged.  I picked him up and he was glad to see me.  Back at the house he cried and whined and cried and whined.  I thought it was for The Hubby and it was in part because he kept looking around the house and at the garage door.  Poor baby.  He’s on pain meds too.  Yesterday afternoon The Hubby had to travel to Dallas for his uncle’s funeral which left me with a whining, WHINING dog.  OH MY GOSH, WHINING!  Today, he’s better, thank goodness. 

Oh well, life goes on and the paintbrush must be splashed!

Spinning Plates

What little free time I have I can have some interesting thoughts.  Lately I've been thinking about my life and how it just seems to be spinning and spinning.  Much like the plate spinner guy that used to be on the Ed Sullivan show.  

Sometimes I feel like this is my life because I am constantly doing something or running out the door.  My life is spinning plates and it's amazing that I feel busier that ever, even more than when I had little children, working and school.  My mind does not cease.

A brief second I had a minute to jot down what has been swirling around in my head and this is not all, let me tell you but some highlights of what happens in my life and my head.  

Sealed With A Kiss

Wedding day done!  Yes they have tied the knot and it is sealed with a kiss.  Afton and Nick said their vows and made it permanent as a married couple.  It was just beautiful, exhausting, and all around a wonderful evening that everyone enjoyed immensely.  I am POOPED but a good pooped.  We still have a post party BBQ today and I have to get cracking on some salads and a quick run to the store for hamburger meat and the fixins. 

Weddings and Weddings

Life...life is very busy for me and everyone around me lately.  This past weekend the oldest and I tripped off to OKC for my niece's wedding.  She is doing so much better and I decided I needed to be supportive and attend.  I'm very, VERY glad I did, it was a lovely wedding.  

 

The nephew!

My sweet Bro and his lovely better half.

The happy couple.  

Now, this weekend...IT IS ON!

Afton and Nick are tying the knot HERE in Tulsa.  In fact they are on a plane as I type this.  She has planned the entire affair from LA and has done an amazing job.  We are hosting the rehearsal dinner at our house and I'm no fool, it is totally Olive Garden delivery!  

The countdown is on and I'm so very excited.

As usual, I'm also still painting but seem to be hitting some roadblocks but I think after the wedding my mind will settle down and I can concentrate on some stuff.  So far this is what I've accomplished, and it's still in the watercolor area that I've playing in.

and...oils. 

12 Years

I was wondering why yesterday I was kind of in a funk.  Then I remembered that today is the day I lost my mother.  Twelve years ago today she left us and my world was rocked.  It was not the end of the world but it definitely had a good shake to it.  This picture reminds me of her beauty and light and in about 2 weeks sweet Afton and Nick will be wed and we can all rejoice!  Life goes on, very rapidly.

Kiss the ones you love and tell them you love them!