Tuesday, August 31, 2010

~ Evening Meals ~

I've learned ... the evening meal with my mom is an "event". I have gotten so used to doing everything on the run or in front of the TV and never sitting back and just enjoying the "evening meal" without all the extra background noise - it seems odd but refreshing to sit down to a meal with my mother and husband when she is here; or mother and sister when I am there and just have a meal and visit, sometimes we are at that table for almost two hours.

I haven't gotten to the point that I want to have this "event" every night, but sharing it with my Mom when we are together is nice.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

~ Sometimes Dreams are Cruel ~

I am on a float in river, tied off to a boat. People fishing from the boat and a young boy hooked a giant size otter and reeled it in; as it was being reeled in past me, I looked into it’s bright blue eyes and told it how sorry I was that it had been hooked and how sorry I was they were not going to let it loose; the otter looked back at me with sad eyes and said that was okay, it just hoped they went ahead and finished him off if they were just going to let him die anyway.

*Flash forward a storm is coming up on the water causing huge waves, the boat takes off with me still on the raft and we are being tossed everywhere with waves as tall as buildings crashing all around us. I think they have forgotten I am on a raft tied to the boat, so I just hang on as well as I can.

*Flash forward and the boat turns into a car and I am in the backseat, we are crashing off a wave onto an interstate highway filled with 18 wheeler trucks, we are having to swerve in and out before our car finally levels out.

I wake up I am in the back seat of my parents car and I think I am dreaming, I look around and rub my arms realize I am not dreaming - this is real. I ask Mom where we are going, she never answers and then I look over and Dad is driving and staring straight ahead, it takes me a second, but then I remember, wait, Dad is gone, died last year, I start calling Dad? Dad? Daddy?!? DADDY DADDY !!!! he never turns toward me and then his faces starts to distort and not look like him anymore.

Then I am sobbing, hard body shaking tears and Gary is rubbing my arm, asking me whats wrong and telling me its okay, its okay, I am still crying and I realize its 5:38 AM August 28, 2010, I am in my own bed, my Dad has been gone for 9 months and 20 days and I feel like I have just found out he died.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

~ LANDSCAPE 2 ART CLASS ~

So, I have been taking a landscape class at the art musuem, its been fun, I like the teacher, we have one class left and then I am taking a break from classes. I am going to try it without teaching for a while and see how I do ....

We'll see!

2nd painting started 4th night ....




























Almost finished 5th night .....



























I have one class left; its been fun, but I am ready for it to be over.

~ LANDSCAPE 1 ART CLASS ~

1ST CLASS


























2ND CLASS













































3RD CLASS - FINAL
LANDSCAPE FROM BIG SPRING PARK

Thursday, August 19, 2010

~ a senior moment ~


Double-click on image to read better. :)

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

~ Isaac, Stephanie and Allison ~

Allison...



and family ....







It was fun.

Monday, August 16, 2010

~ A day ~

Here is the scenerio: Work had been crazy; stressed to the max, sat at my desk in the privacy of my office and squalled like a crazy woman for 10 minutes today from the pressure; note: crying really does relieve some stress; managed to leave on time for the first time in about 2 weeks; plus, I have been away from home for 4 days; husband and 3 dogs alone in house for 4 days - yes its going to be messy; out of dog food; out of human food; stopped at grocery store on way home from work - husband said left over pizza in fridge so don't have to cook ... then when you are about 8 minutes away from home, husband calls and says ... oh Zach (20 year old stepson) and his new girlfriend are coming for dinner, but we should have plenty of left over pizza .... uh yeah right, I am going to serve left over pizza to company; so back to grocery store, rush home, try to clean messy house, put a decent dinner on; oh and the bathroom ... well, I just won't go there, but yes, had to clean it too, they show up early; dinner is late, but pretty good, and I am beat! Clothes are still in suit case unpacked, still lots to do, but I have decided to hang up my wonder woman outfit for the day and go to bed.

Can any of you identify?

Sunday, August 15, 2010

~ House/teen sitting ~

Staying at my employer's home again, watching his teenagers and his home ... basically all I do with the teens are keep tabs on who they are with and where they are - they are good kids - and they are pretty self-reliant - which is good.

Last night I set their burglar alarm off at around 11:30 PM and most likely woke the neighborhood up! Argh! Also, earlier in the day I went upstairs to their "playroom" to figure out what the loud noises were and it looked like a blizzard had hit - they decided it would be a great time to tear out the stuffing of a huge bean bag chair and take turns jumping into the pile - there is white fluff everywhere. All I could see of one of them was the top of their head sticking up through the fluff.

They have assured me they were cleaning it up themselves ....

Sunday, August 08, 2010

~ 2nd night class ~

My cell phone take crappy photos, or maybe its the photographer ... anyway here is my second night class results ... still not finished but is looking a little better.




Maybe I will bring my real camera next time.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

~ A short and random Photo Blog ~

I love this woman. I love her so much. Even if she does read too much when she comes to visit me. I still just absolutely adoringly love this wonderful awesome woman. My mother by the way.





This is a face only a mother could love, and that's me, I'm her mother. Sweet baby Maggie! Isn't she adorable!






And, I did a little painting for a friend ... not really happy with it, but it was fun.



And this is the 1st phase of my landscape painting class at the museum ... green blobs ... supposed to be a section of Big Spring Park as seen from the doorway of the musuem classroom .... we'll see ....


Sunday, August 01, 2010

~ wedding of a friend ~

So, I helped a friend with her wedding this past weekend, did a little decorating, a little photographing, and just a little friend time ...













It was a sweet wedding, for a sweet couple, a sweet beginning ... ahhh love ... isn't it grand!