Friday, July 29, 2016

Celebrate The Small Things - July 29, 2016

 

I am now a month without air conditioning, so I'm not a happy camper. It's just about a constant 86 degrees in the house, day and night. It's 91 degrees outside right now. My mother came over a few days ago and couldn't see because it was so dark in here. We keep all the blinds closed and the lights off to reduce heat. I was outside in the hot sun for about an hour yesterday cleaning the area around the blower fan. What fun. I pulled the weeds around the back of the unit and even opened up the unit. I turned the power off to it and found that it was iced over. The good part was that the ice kept me a bit cooler out there in the hot sun. Long story short and many YouTube a/c videos later, I THINK our hypoallergenic filter is too thick. It's keeping the dust out, but also keeping the air from flowing through it. I bought a new filter today and am anxious for it to be installed. My husband doesn't want me to change the filter because it's on the ceiling and the grate is heavy. He's afraid I'm going to fall off the ladder or drop the grate on my head. That's how clumsy he thinks I am. So, the kids, the dog, and I are sweating it out in the house until he gets home from work.

BUT, what I do have to celebrate is that my sketchbook is on tour with The Sketchbook Project and in my sector of the planet this weekend. The tour will make several stops around the U.S. before it heads back to New York where it will remain in the Brooklyn Art Library. It is also up on The Sketchbook Project web site so people can view it online. My sketchbook is called Still Dreaming. Here is the link if you would like to view it: https://sketchbookproject.com/library/17564

Another thing to celebrate is that my painting will be on display and up for sale at the Banfill-Locke Center For The Arts art gallery starting tomorrow, July 30 through August 27. The opening reception is tomorrow 6pm-9pm. Dave Schrader, the host of Darkness on the Edge of Town radio show will be there. I wish I could be there, but it's many states away.

In the past couple of weeks, I modeled for two drawing classes and made $75. My husband and one of my sons also modeled on different days. My husband liked the paintings that one of the artists did of us so he bought them. My youngest son will be modeling next Monday, so we plan on buying a portrait of him as well.
 
I was going to wear another Hawaiian dress for the second drawing session, but discovered that it was too tight. That dress used to be loose on me, so I cut carbs, watched my eating, went back to my weightlifting program and lost about 4-5 lbs. in the past couple of weeks. I'm starting to feel better now, less bloated and I can move around a bit more comfortably. Seeing people drawing me fat was a motivator to lose weight.

Last week we went to the fourth funeral this year. My aunt had dementia and was suffering for five years. I'm glad that she doesn't have to suffer anymore. Now she's in a better place and that's something to celebrate.

What are you celebrating?
Check out the blogs below for your reading pleasure and please visit our hosts' blogs:
Lexa Cain: http://lexacain.blogspot.com/
L.G. Keltner http://lgkeltner.blogspot.co.uk/
Tonja Drecker http://tonjadrecker.blogspot.com/
If you would like to join our blog hop, visit Lexa Cain's blog for info.

1.

Lexa Cain2.Fiction and Film
3.Writing Off the Edge4.Kidbits
5.TheCyborgMom6.Thoughts and Ideas from Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
7.My Inner Geek8.Intentional Insights with S. Kelley Harrell
9.Constantine10.My Miracle Life
11.Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams12.Shells Tales and Sails
13.Lara Lacombe14.TF Walsh
15.Life, Yoga and Other Adventures16.About myself, by myself
17.Suzanne Furness18.Elizabeth Seckman
19.Avalon20.Cherdo on the Flipside
21.My Baffling Brain22.Planet Kimberly
23.Shah Wharton24.Mere Joyce
25.Victorian Scribbles26.Tanya Miranda
27.God, Entertainment, & Annoying Things28.Ann - A Friend of Jesus 2013
29.Special Teaching At Pempi's Palace30.Square Pegs
31.Patricia's Place32.Yvonne Van Dalen
33.Anne Higa34.My Antimatter Life
35.Bouquet of Books36.Lightravellerkate
37.Curious As A Cathy38.Julie Flanders
39.As the Fates Would Have It40.Crazy Old Lady
41.In My Own Words42.Allison Bruning
43.Tamara Narayan, Author44.My Creatively Random Life
45.Yvonne Ventresca