In the future

Papa and I were talking on the way into town to go shopping. Somehow cars and transportation became the subject of the moment. Then I thought about the pictures of my grandfathers standing beside their respective first cars. What a difference - what progress (if, indeed, we call this progress) in the last 100 years. Multiply that by the speed with which the world - and specifically transportation - is progressing in this century and imagine what transportation will be like one hundred years from now. I don't want to wear out my welcome here nor do I expect more than I am due, but part of me does wish I could see what my great great grandchildren will be doing and how they will get around. I don't think they will have cars that resemble ours.

Turkey

Counting all the leftovers I sent to my daughter's house plus all the meals Papa and I have eaten, we are up to close to 40 meals from all the food I cooked for Thanksgiving. Are people eating less or am I cooking more? Tonight I have cooked down the carcass to start soup. I have packages of turkey for tomorrow in the fridge, and enough for two meals in the freezer for later. The food still tastes good to me in spite of my sniffles and aches. Hmmm. Maybe I need to scale back for next year. We have enjoyed it all.

Needless to say I haven't painted much this last week, and with the big art party here on the 13th, I guess I won't have much studio time for a while. But somehow, our pace seems good, not too hectic.

Today was a big big day for us. Papa worked for what we hope is his last day ever. Isn't that huge?!!!!

Even bigger though is that the local freelance art journalist wrote a great article on our student scholarship show. I am so proud of that.

What took me so long?

Yesterday I learned that food tastes better the day after I cook it. Well, I sort of knew that, but I didn't take that knowledge seriously enough. I cooked most of our Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday, working most of the day on it. I even made the gravy. All left to do on T day was to cook the turkey, the mashed potatoes, and the asparagus. Oh, and make appetizers. Everything else was ready to pop in the oven. Papa cooked the turkey on the grill - with great success. A 21 lb turkey in three hours! Yay!

So usually when I eat the Thanksgiving meal, I am underwhelmed, even when others say it is good. Eating leftovers the next day has always been fabulous. Now I get it. How could it be that I am such a slow learner? This Thanksgiving meal was the best! I believe two factors are to be considered here. First, I believe flavors blend more by the next day. More importantly, I believe my nose and taste buds are not in overload.

In the old days when I didn't have the leisure to cook the day before, this would have been just a bit of info to store in my hard drive, serving no good purpose. Retirement rocks.

Thanksgiving

I do love Thanksgiving. And I love it that my friend called this morning to tell me she is thankful for me. So cool.

I am thankful for my family, friends, all the material things that I am still surprised to have, and our country. Even though the USA is a bit screwed up, it is still the best place in the world to live. And after traveling cross country recently, I feel certain that I live in just about the best place in the country. If it were any better, too many people would be here - so I'll take it the way it is. I could have a fancier house, I suppose, but that would cost more. And it couldn't be more comfortable than mine. NO way. I am thankful for my health and the life I have.

I am sad for those who can't say the same.

I am also thankful for the leisure to cook all day today so that I can eat all day tomorrow:) And the next four or more days as well.

Wondering

I wonder how some folks just seem to have all the breaks. Papa and I usually do. How is it that others don't. Some seem to choose disaster. But others just seem to constantly stumble into it. How is that? Bad choices? Bad luck?

Mind Stretching

Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.
Oliver Wendell Holmes

Seeing a new approach to art is like that. Changes me. Tasting a new dish that surpasses others is that way, too - can't go back. Unfortunately, neither can my body.

Olive Kitteridge

I just finished reading Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, It is thought provoking, appropriate reading for someone in my age group and married for thirty five years. The book is also a reminder to not be envious of another's life. You never know!

The Good Life

Sleeping late, cooking a new dish, good food and good wine with friends. No complaints!

I just learned that the encaustic artists in our community will have a show in March. This is a good thing!

Yippee!

I cleaned my closet and found a long lost suitcase. How can that be? A long dress was hiding it and I couldn't imagine it could be hiding there!! Wow. So exciting! That was almost as good as getting the new grill and eating the chicken Papa cooked on it tonight!

I like Shiny

I have a shiny new grill, my old windows are clean and shiny, and the housekeepers will come today to try to make the whole house clean and shiny. The laundry is almost done, too. Such pleasure!

Downside: My clothes closet hasn't recovered from packing and unpacking for an October trip and my studio closet may never recover from my bad habits. Sigh.

Planting time on the Central Coast

The Son-in-law built a raised bed for me a while back. A couple of weeks ago, I moved it to a better location. Yesterday and today I filled it will good soil. The gardener happened by and I snagged him to install irrigation for the bed. Tomorrow I will plant lettuce. Love it!

Writing group tonight at my house. Made goodies. And I actually wrote a poem. I need to edit it, but at least I spent a little time writing:)

Studio discipline

Well when I tell folks that I paint nearly every single day and that I work in my studio from 9:00P to 2:00A, they gasp and remark on my discipline. However, I need to confess that it takes no discipline on my part. Quite the opposite. At 9:00 I escape to my studio to answer mail, then paint - unless I have pressing business to take care of. I think I mentioned this earlier. At the same time, I seize the opportunity to watch whatever TV programs I want to see and play with all the toys required for encaustic painting.

My problem is finding the discipline to put my toys away and sneak down to bed by 2:00. Last night, I looked up at my clock to see that the short hand was on three and the long hand was just after twelve. Oh, my.

Pricing, selling, and the payoff

When I stopped in at the art association gallery this afternoon, a waif of a woman stood at the desk buying my painting! When the gallery hostess introduced us, I recognized the woman's name; she had written one of her freelance art reviews about my featured artist show this past summer. At the time I had been very grateful for her favorable comments, but took them with a grain of salt. Of course, I thought, she is going to make positive remarks - she has an article to sell. So, this afternoon, I was blown away by her purchase. She hugged me and told me how thrilled she was to own my painting. She had refinanced her house, could, therefore, skip a mortgage payment, and was using it (hopefully just part of it) to buy my piece. I am so honored.

Now that compounds my ongoing dilemma about pricing. For my show this summer, I pushed prices up so I wouldn't be way underpricing compared to encaustic work of friends who shared the featured artists spot with me. At my elevated prices, I sold six pieces of work. I was extremely pleased. But I was not comfortable with the prices and decided I needed to bring them back to my comfort level. I would rather sell more for a little less, I thought. But I was still struggling. Compared to similar work in other galleries/other communities, my prices are low. Compared to my gallery, my prices are in line with works of similar size in other media.

Do I keep prices low? Are they too low? Does it even matter? Art is not my bread and butter.

Tonight I feel a little less like a silly old lady puttering in her studio. I will go to bed happy tonight. But first I need to find a painting to hang on my hook at the gallery.

Gaga Pride

Today Buddy received an award for his "understanding of the mechanics of writing." Do I need to say that I am proud? Well, I am that. In addition,though, I am grateful to his teacher, his school, and especially his principal. With his leadership, Buddy's school is, perhaps, the most positive school environment I have witnessed. And I have seen and worked in many. Each student receives two awards during the year, but the children don't really know that. Each child seems to feel singled out for a special accomplishment. The awards provide positive re-enforcement to students. Further, I think, the practice requires teachers to look for positive behaviors in each child. The assembly I witnessed today, like those I attended last year, was one big ball of positive feedback for students and teachers. Students were orderly and attentive. The wigglers toward the end of the program were quietly encouraged to behave. Just a great school! I am so thankful.

National Encaustic Show

I watch this from time to time to be inspired.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pgndMxeRag

Encaustics and life's meaning

Well, of course I don't know life's meaning/purpose. But my friend and I talked about it at lunch on Tuesday. After asking herself, "Is this all there is?" she looked at her great kids and decided that her contribution to their lives is enough. I agreed. I can look at my daughter and think the same. But I can't escape continually looking for purpose. Every day is full. I paint, I spend time with my grandchildren, I garden, I write, I cook, sometimes I knit, I contribute to the community - right now in our local art association. What more could I want? I am not sure. But I do know I am not ready to sit in my rocker and let the world pass me by. Can't. Nope, can't.

Some days I am content. If I am proud of an encaustic painting I've finished, conducted a good meeting, felt I have helped my grandchildren spend a productive, happy day, or have spent quality time with Papa, my daughter, or a friend, then I feel quite happy with myself. On other days I look around and see those who paint better, write better, spend their time better, and I wish for more.

Right now I want my paintings to be more. For years I have tried to make my painting meaningful, but often, in the end, meaning is lost. To me and surely the viewer. I don't want to be a silly old lady who paints pretty little flowers. I don't like what it says about me. But sometimes I like the little flower paintings.

Loving It

I just loved, loved this day! I did go to bed earlier than usual last night. In spite of the fact that Papa said that in my sleep I ranted about something he couldn't identify, I woke early and refreshed. I am happy I am not an insomniac like so many I know. My handyman came right on time. Not the one who didn't come yesterday - a different one. I love it that he showed up at exactly 9:00 - just when he said he would. He came prepared. He worked ALL day. He accomplished many little things that I couldn't or didn't want to do. So good. I left him here working under Papa's supervision and went to lunch with my friend. Afterward we found a cool shop that sells roving, she bought some, we picked up the grandchildren and brought them home to play for a couple of hours. We enjoyed time with them until we needed to go to my daughter's house for the best turkey chili in the world served with my son-in-laws best margaritas in the world. On top of all this good stuff, the weather was a perfect 70 degrees. The bay was smooth as glass and shimmered in the sun. No fog!The handyman stayed until almost six. Oh joy! What a great day.

Oh, I almost forgot. I helped Buddy set his "lizard trap" - big white bucket in the real world - in our back yard. More joy - his and mine.

And I also almost forgot to mention that my friend and I shared chocolate mousse cake for dessert. I am one of those who feels a day without chocolate is missing an important ingredient. Eating that dessert was pre-determined. We ordered creme brule. But we had lingered at our table until late, and the waiter returned to the table to say that there had been only one left and the chef ate it. I suppose he knew it was too good to waste. In any case, they still had chocolate cake. Surely it was meant to be.

The only downside is that I haven't painted one lick today. But it is not too late. Except I have had little time to visit with Papa today, and I may want to spend time with him tonight.

Taking the Good with the Bad

I usually work in my studio from about 9:00 until my 2:00 AM bedtime. I would like to say I paint all of that time. Not true. I am often working on personal finance, reading and answering email, or working on art association business. Yesterday I felt very tired during the afternoon so thought I would turn in early. But at 1:00 I realized I would be happier if I wrote out the agenda for today's art association board meeting before going to bed. I did that and printed out twelve copies. Then I decided I should work on a design for our new sign - so the board would have an idea of my concept. I guess I was in "the zone" and by the time I finished, it was close to 3:00. Not good. Of course I needed to be up earlier than my usual 9:00 this morning. A contractor was to come by to finish my outdoor project, and I knew my husband (Papa for the purposes of this blog) would not remember what the contractor was supposed to do or, at the very least, feel that I needed to be up to supervise. Now, mind you, Papa is a smart man. He just doesn't focus on things like that. More on all that later. So you probably already know that I got up at 8:15 and the contractor didn't show. I need to leave soon for my board meeting. Does this mean I have to get up early tomorrow, too? If I do will the contractor come? Maybe if I sleep in, he will.

I have just received messages that several board members will miss today's meeting. One can't come because she has to work in her studio - shows coming up. What?!!! She has missed more meetings than she has attended. The rest of us are willing to give our time to be there. Sigh. Is this resentfulness I feel? Disappointment at best. And today she will be re-elected to her position. More sighs.

So yesterday was a high with the association. Today is not as good.

But the laundry is getting done, I have made calls to a handyman and the upholstery cleaner.

The Big Give Away

Today did not start well. Well, that's not completely true. Breakfast was delicious. My husband cooked eggs and turkey sausage and served those with whole grain tortillas. So good! But just before we sat down to eat, I reached to switch off the gas fireplace. In doing so, my sleeve brushed a pretty red bowl my sister had given me years ago. You know the end of that story.

A little later I walked to the garage carrying a quilt rack needed to display a raffle quilt donated to our art association. I realized I didn't have my car keys, walked back into the house to get them, returned to the garage and stepped into my car. As I backed out, I heard the thump. Yes, in those few seconds I totally spaced the fact that the quilt rack was sitting behind the car, waiting to be loaded into the trunk. How could I forget so quickly? I am often absent minded and have been throughout my years. I guess I could have done this when I was thirty, but I don't know.......maybe this was a real senior moment. I did come to my senses fairly quickly, loaded the mostly unharmed rack into my CRV and left for the art center.

As president of my art association, I had the honor of giving away over $11,000 to deserving art students. Wow! Imagine. We are a small town group of artists who, through several annual events, manage to fund our operating costs and annual student awards. I think that is amazing. The association has been doing this for years, so I take no credit. But I sure enjoyed being a part of it today. The looks on those high school and college kids faces when they opened those envelopes was ...well, I can't find an adequate word. They made my day, for sure.

Of course I forgot to take my camera.

Beginning

Today I decided to stick my toe into the blog waters. The first time I considered journaling via a blog, I quickly dumped the idea. After all, who would read my blog? Why would I want to write my thoughts and describe the events of my life for others? Today, the light came on. I am doing this for me, but with hope that I can share.

Several years ago I began a journal I kept in my computer's document file. Somehow, the experience left me feeling empty, like talking to a dead phone line. I don't think that process aided my writing or helped me gain important insight into other areas of my life. I was talking to nothing. Mostly that journal just sucked time. Maybe if I returned to that aborted effort today, I would feel differently about it. But now, I have the convenience of a blog with at least some possibility that I will have feedback from others. I like the idea of having a conversation.

Will this blog help me gain insight? I don't know. Nor do I know if it will free me to be more creative in my art, encourage me to write, or allow me to communicate with others of like interests. But today I feel the potential is there for all of that. At least for today I want to give this blog a try. Talking to my blog seems far better that sharing with a cold, non-responsive document file.

I've titled my blog "Gaga's Journey." My grandson, whom I will call Buddy on this blog, wouldn't say the name we had chosen for him to call me. As I tutored him, I repeatedly stressed the G sound. "Guh, guh," I said over and over again. The next day when my son-in-law dropped Buddy off at my house, he said, "I hope you want to be called Gaga." So Gaga I am. Coincidentally - or maybe not - my mother had been called Gaga by her brothers and some of her grandchildren. But he had heard no one call her that. Go figure. I wear the name proudly, now.

I am quickly approaching what I have always thought to be Old Age. I will be sixty nine in a few weeks. That number gives me cause to pause and consider what I am doing with my time. Am I spending it well? Can I be more industrious? Can I be more creative? Will I paint a masterpiece? Will I write something I can feel proud of? Am I being the best grandmother, mother, wife, person I can be. To steal from Oprah, am I living my best life? This blog will describe my journey. Will you join me?