Role Model - Again and More

A while back I posted about my new role model. Tonight as I was checking out how well the Art Center's new webmaster has optimized our new site, I came across said role model's website. Check it out. http://www.renadoud.com/Home_Page.html

I don't know when the picture was taken, but it can't be too old. She is 87,now. Even if the photo was taken a few years ago, you can get the idea. The photo makes her look like an average size person. She isn't - she's considerably under five feet. I can't be that small, ever, and I can't do push ups all day like she can, but I hope I can be almost as productive.

In my last post, I mentioned an upcoming trip to the LA area. The trip was fabulous; I spent time with a good friend and viewed some of the oldest and most famous encaustic art in the world. My friend wisely takes a small magnifying glass with her when she visits museums. With it I could see every little brushstroke in the encaustic work. Amazing.

Now I own a similar magnifying glass. I found it at the Getty Museum gift shop. I also bought a new silver ring to remind me of the trip, and I am enjoying wearing it.

Now that the little LA trip is over, it's time to plan for the big one to France and Prague. The biggest detail left to handle is transportation to our hotel from the airport in Paris. Gotta take care of that. And I need to find a raincoat to take. My raincoat is way to warm for summer.

So... I thought I was doing pretty well on our count down. Then yesterday, I received an email letting me know that a grant proposal I want to write is due Septmeber 17. And they just released the guidelines - yesterday. That means I will be out of the country for a good part of the time I have to write the grant. Sigh.

I may be working some on the trip. Retirement? What's that?

Role Model and Other Assorted Thoughts

I'll get to the role model part in a minute. First I have to say that I had five hours worth of meetings today. That may sound awful, but I am thrilled. A project my committee worked on for many hours was totally supported by our board today. If I were a little more agile, I would dance a fancy jig. Happy happy happy.

The next thing I want to share about my happy day is that when I returned from all my meetings after 5:30, Papa had shopped the local farmer's market for fresh wild salmon and assorted veggies. He had also been to the grocery store for items he couldn't buy at farmer's. He had the salmon ready to go on the grill and had picked lettuce from our garden. He had even washed the lettuce.

He poured wine, I chilled for a few, then put asparagus on to roast (with tangerine olive oil) while he grilled. I made salad. Poof! We had just about the most delicious meal I have had in a while - or at least in a couple of days - he grilled chicken just a few days ago. Anyway - it was all pure pleasure. And we have salmon planovers for tomorrow night - probably will serve that with fresh beets. Yum.

OK. Now to the role model. An artist in our art association currently has a show up in a downtown gallery. I figured she had to be at least eighty; I met her son when she was featured artist at our gallery and he looks like he may be close to sixty. So it figures. Anyway, her artwork looks current. It is abstract. Not one of her pieces looks like it was painted by a little old lady. Furthermore the woman dresses with class. She does not wear old lady pants or doily collars. Or polyester anything. Her gait is youthful. She attends our meetings. She serves as docent in our gallery. We worked together there a few weeks ago, and we talked nonstop all afternoon. She is interesting. The only clues to aging are her cute little eyes, a few little age spots, and the fact that she didn't always hear what I said. But I don't hear well either - so that is no biggy. I had to repeat just a couple of times. In our conversation, I discovered that she has a website and aggressively markets her work. I know that she travels some.

Friday night I stopped by the reception for her new show. It ran from six to nine. When we arrived shortly after eight, she was still standing (in pretty red shoes on a concrete floor) and talking to guests. Her face was bright and her discussion lively. She looked adorable - and, as usual - classy. Her hair is stylish, though snowy white. At that reception I found out that she is 87. Oh, my.

So she is hands down the winner for my new role model. She is amazing. If I can't match her, at least I have something to aim for.