Blibber Blabber

No rhyme, no reason

 

Mr. Calm's car is a total loss, so, he has to go car shopping.  Too bad, too, because the Saturn was paid off and would have run for a good while longer.  The insurance company refuses to even pay for a rental car, so in the meantime, we're playing "Swap Out the Cruiser".

I've got sixteen pieces finished for the upcoming art show.  I'm going to do four or five more and call it quits; I think that'll be plenty.  It'll be nice if they sell... I will cry and hate myself and think I totally suck if they don't.

You know it's true.  That's how artists are.

***

I've been spending lots of time outside lately, smoking, sitting, traipsing around the yard.  There's always a nice shady spot to lounge in.  Ollie joins me often on these jaunts, and rolls around, gives me hugs, or just lays nearby.  I look at my flowers, and watch the birdies, and watch the occasional car drive by way down on the street.

It's the antithesis of how harried I've been feeling lately.  Much needed, and I'm much appreciating it. :)

posted by: athenawj at 16:37 | link | comments (2) |
art , gardening, car

Lordy, here we go again...

Mr. Calm was in a car accident yesterday.  Big one.  First off, thank God he wasn't hurt-- a little stiff neck from the impact, but nothing else.

A kid in a huge SUV pulled out in front of him as he was driving downtown, and Mr. Calm couldn't stop in time.  He hit the SUV, and almost hit a telephone pole before he stopped.  He showed me pictures from his cell phone-- the whole driver's side is scraped up and dented, the left front wheel won't move, the door won't open, and the hood's crumpled in. 

He said the kid was nice (and scared shitless)- not like the jackass who hit us last time.  When the cop took their statements, he turned to the kid and said, "I've got bad news for you." The kid said, "I know what you're going to say." The cop nodded and said, "This was all your fault." Failure to yield.  Hey, I remember that!  I did that when I was seventeen and managed to get my dad's car bashed in and stitches in my head!

Anyway, Mr. Calm's car is in a car lot, and we're waiting for the insurance adjuster to inspect the car.  Knowing Mr. Calm, he'll be pestering that guy so he can get a rental soon.

***

Me?  One of the wires in my braces popped loose, so I had to get it replaced and tightened yesterday.  A five-minute job, but now two of my teeth ache like bitches.  And I'd been able to eat normally for the past week.  Sigh.

Instead of going to the gym, I went to the park to walk the other day-- it was about sixty-five degrees and breezy, a wonderful walking day.  I don't know if it's because I hadn't exercised for a few days or the shoes, but my feet didn't hurt a bit.  I was SO happy. :D

I'm also still working hard on my show artwork, and other things for my shop, which I will unveil when I have everything ready.  I'm not too proud of some of the artwork; on the other hand, I've done three or four pieces that I'm extremely happy with.

Simply put, I'm totally ready to give up the canvases and get back to drawing on paper with digital color when this is all over.  That's my forte; it's where I'm happiest.

posted by: athenawj at 06:25 | link | comments (3) |
art , car , metalmouth

Getting ready for summer...

To be honest, I can't wait til this upcoming art show is over.  I'm a draw-er.  Yes, you read that right.  While I love the tangible, with the addition of my new printer I can get back to doing the drawings I do so well. I don't think I do so well with this canvas/decoupaging/dimensional work.  Yes, I also know we're our own worst critics, and Mr. Calm thinks I'm doing fabulous work, but... meh.  I could take it or leave it.

The last few days since our return have been spent on my ass, updating my site, blog, Myspace page, learning the new printer (which, thank the heavens, was easier than I thought it would be).  I'm getting off it today.  I've again become too stagnant.  My knee feels better, and I'm going to the gym whether it wants me to or not (heh).

Getting ready for summer... unlike other years, I can't wait til this school year is over and lazy days a'come.  We'll spend a lot of time at the wave pool.  I enjoy sitting at the edge and letting the waves lap over my legs, and people watching.  I will not be going so crazy making art and can relax, lay back and draw what comes.  My flowers will bloom, and I have a ton of wildflowers to examine, smile over.  At and near the exit ramp onto the Bluegrass Parkway, there is an entire field of red poppies.  What a glorious sight.  I laughed-- maybe a little meanly-- when I saw a couple of women gathering armloads of them.  Poppies wilt almost as soon as you pick them.  They're flowers for the ground and ONLY the ground.

Good news, related to summer: seems that OD may be outgrowing her PLE (polymorphous light eruption).  She was lax in putting on her sunblock during their Atlanta trip, but she didn't get any hives.  That's WONDERFUL.  Not the sunburn, mind you, but that she might not have to endure that anymore.  Perhaps her body has finally gotten used to the South.

I'm off to paint some canvases and do a little drawing.  Enjoy your day.

posted by: athenawj at 07:01 | link | comments |
art , kids, summer

I've been a busy girl.  My site has a new look!

Check it out, and enjoy!

posted by: athenawj at 09:37 | link | comments (2) |
art

I guess I'm waiting for a phone call today about a funeral.  My granny passed away yesterday afternoon.

I'm doing okay.  I feel worse for those who were with her when she died: my mom, my uncle, Granny's little sister and brother-in-law.  I'm also happy they were with her.  I feel horrible for my papa.  He is a hard man to read, and a hard man to get close to, but I know he loved her deeply.

My girls are going to Atlanta on Friday for a three-day orchestra trip.  Whatever our plans, I still want them to go, and if we're gone in WV we'll work out plans for them to stay with friends.  It's not as if they wouldn't be upset coming with us to WV, but... I'd rather they think of Granny and the good times.  Me... I want and need to go.

I'm going to keep busy over the next couple of days.  Tonight is YD's repertory concert, the second and last of the year.  I want to buy her a bouquet of flowers and have a good night.

 

posted by: athenawj at 07:14 | link | comments (3) |
family

No Smoking at Disney

So, Disney announced a couple of days ago that as of June 1, there will be no more smoking/non-smoking hotel rooms on the property.  Smokers will no longer be able to smoke in smoking rooms, on their balconies or patios-- anywhere except in designated smoking areas.

Okay.  As a smoker, I totally abided by the rules in the parks: I only smoked in the smoking areas.  I'm fine with that.  But I'm not fine with a few other things (not including the nutso mean non-smokers who are praising God and yippee-kai-yaying this news, along with calling smokers nasty and disgusting and rude, etc... yes, talking about the Disney boards I frequent).

-We're going again at the end of November with the girls.  This is our last big trip before OD graduates and goes off to be an 'adult'.  And you know what?  We're paying as much as anyone else.  I know this may not make sense, but hell: when we booked the room, we booked a smoking optional room, and for our money, we should get the kind of room we want and be comfortable in the room.  I mean, my God, for years the buildings you can smoke in have been completely separate from the non-smoking buildings!  I would even be willing to not smoke in the room at all, and have the option of stepping onto the patio/balcony to do my nastydisgusting business, but nope, don't even get that choice.

-From all calls, Disney doesn't even have this planned out.  All the reported calls to the hotels show that they don't even know where the smoking areas are going to be.  I've seen the smoking areas at some hotels.  They aren't even covered, and some aren't in well-lit areas.

So, if this isn't well-planned, and the areas are few and far between, when I want my morning coffee and smoke, I'm going to have to trudge off somewhere out in the open to wake up.  When I'm dead tired from being in a park all day, I'm going to have to walk God-knows-how many more steps over to a smoking area to have a cig.  And what about weather?  Are they going to care so little for smokers' business or enjoyment that they don't ensure that we at least don't get sopping wet while we smoke?

I realize that other hotels have implemented this policy.  Frankly, I really don't give a shit.  Smokers go to Disney, too.  We shell out as much money as everyone else, and it's not like we're doing something illegal.  Our trips are never just one-day jaunts.  I followed all the rules, never smoked where I wasn't supposed to, and yet at one of my favorite places on the planet I'm going to be treated like a second-class citizen.  Again.  Well, thanks much, Disney.

I'm going to complain if I don't get a room near a smoking area.  We're using a travel agent, and we're going to make damn sure that she makes sure we get a room on the first floor near an area.  And yes, I think they should make damn sure to accomodate those who have to be so highly inconvenienced, especially those of us who booked before this change.

I don't know if Disney's outright saying, "We don't want your business."  I doubt it, although it smacks of it.  95% of their rooms were already non-smoking-- it wasn't as if they were letting us nasty smokers run the resort.  But I've already seen several people say that they're changing their plans and moving off-site to a hotel that has smoking rooms.  And if it turns out that Disney doesn't give a damn, and makes it highly inconvenient to do something legal, then I'll be moving off-site in the future, too.*

*(Until I quit smoking.  And I would like to do that someday.  But for now I'm a smoker, and I'm pissed.)

posted by: athenawj at 09:01 | link | comments (4) |
disney

Will It Ever End?

Lordy, I hope I'm not in one of my breakdown cycles again. 

I have to nix the working out for the next few days.  I have housemaid's knee because (I think-- only thing I've done differently) I switched up my routine at the gym Monday.  I had it back when I was about 25, so I know that's what it is (bursitis). I think I'm going to take the weekend, break out the ice pack and ibuprofen, and just let it heal instead of doing other things at the gym that don't involve putting pressure on it and exacerbating it.  I've had twinges since Monday, then yesterday-- boom!  Full on "no, do NOT try to bend your knee because it damn well won't work."

Anyone else feel that as soon as you're feeling right healthy, your body turns on you?

I AM going back to my five days a week at the gym.  I'm not going to backslide (yes, I'm pep talking myself here).  I've worked really hard, and I'm not going to let the last two months go to waste.

***

IML and funny, thanks for all your kind words about my granny.  They do help. :)

posted by: athenawj at 06:14 | link | comments (2) |
diet, dammit

I "talked" to my granny last night.  Actually, my mom called me from the hospital room, told me that she was going to hold the phone to Granny's ear, and that I should talk to her and tell her I love her.  So, I did, and I babbled at length about everything going on, and reminded her of the short time we lived nearby when OD was a toddler and I was pregnant with YD.  We used to visit twice a week, and every time, we'd clean the huge mess off their massive coffee table so OD could climb around on it.  You know how toddlers are, and it was always entertaining.  My papa could have made a career out of pretending to be a mean, gruff old man, but OD saw right through that.  She loved sitting on that table in front of the couch and yapping right back at him.

I could hear her breathing, and my mom said she saw recognition in her eyes.  I hope it was real.

I'm finishing up a 12x12 canvas today, and starting work on the 30 canvasses I'll be taking to the art show in June.  I have a few ideas ready to go, and I'll probably do some duplicates, but I hope more ideas come as the month goes on.  I also have to start thinking about what fanfuckingtastic piece I'm going to make for the other show in June-- something bigger than 6x6.  Ah, I don't know-- maybe I'll get one of my prints and just frame it, save me some trouble.

On the braces front, I can now bite into stuff, but carefully, and really, do I like the additional crap that gets stuck under the wires on my front teeth when I do that?  Not at all.  So, I bite, and there's no pain left, but it's not comfortable.  Almost as if my teeth have no strength left.  But, I tell myself: it's all worth it!

And the diet/weight loss: well, not strictly dieting anymore, but eating better.  Certainly getting more calcium than I did when I wasn't, and we ladies know that's a great thing.  I'M (as opposed to the rest of the family) finally seeing results in my own body.  Haven't been to the gym all week, but I'm starting back again today.  I don't think I mind this total life change.

As far as the other crap?  Still here, but I'm not dwelling on it every single second anymore.  As Martha says, "It's a good thing."  Otherwise, you'd be talking to a crazy lady.

posted by: athenawj at 07:50 | link | comments (2) |
art , family, diet, the seriousness of it all, metalmouth

State Fair news

Well, I just got a job with the fair this year.  The bakery chairperson remembered that I said I probably wouldn't be entering this year, and suggested helping her out, so she gave me a call.  She's pretty sure I get paid, although it doesn't really matter (although it would certainly be nice!), because I don't mind volunteering for this.  I always wanted to see "the other side", heh.  So, get ready, 'cause in a few months I'll have all sorts of boring information to relay, hee.  Eight days of funfunfun.

She also told me that she was still mad that my cake didn't place last year-- she thought it should have at least gotten third.  Apparently, because I left the cake behind, people who worked there pretty much dismantled my cake and took various pieces to keep for themselves.  I hope they had fun with them.

posted by: athenawj at 10:25 | link | comments (2) |
state fair

My mom called again yesterday afternoon, and said that the doctor thinks that my granny doesn't have as much time as she thought on Saturday.  Hours... days at this point.  Right now she's on IV hydration and morphine to keep the pain away, and that's it.  Not eating, and sleeping most of the time.  She's opened her eyes and said her sister's name (she's been coming with her husband), my mom and my uncle's names once.  Mom says that her eyes are bright and seemingly alert when she opens them, but that's not often.

I'm glad the last time I visited Granny was up in her chair, talking, smiling and laughing still.  I'm glad the girls got to see her that way, although I wish it hadn't been in a home.  On my sisters' visit last month they didn't even get that: got to see her for a minute prostrate and out of it in bed.  Afterward, my youngest sister called and asked for me to send some pictures from my visit, because she didn't want her last pictures of Granny to be the ones she took.  Too sad.

All three sisters talked yesterday.  We all want the same thing, and as we say it, we all say that it makes us feel bad that we're saying it.  We just want her to be at peace; we want the way she's been to be over.  We all feel horrible for Papa, who's spent the last fifty-six years with her and is consumed with guilt over having to put his wife in a home; for my mom and uncle, who (along with his long-time girlfriend) are taking turns staying with her.  My mom is holding up as best she can.

When I was a baby, Granny broke her hip.  She spent months pretty much on the couch.  She always said I was her entertainment and kept her from going stir crazy; she'd hold me (though with a broken hip I don't know how that didn't hurt her), and play with me, and we'd people-watch out the window.  I keep the pain and tears at bay by thinking of her beautiful smile and all the other good memories I have of my time with her.  Thank God I had so much of that.

posted by: athenawj at 07:16 | link | comments (2) |
family