It is Done !

The old woman is finished, bless her heart! She thought wash day would never end!!! This is my very first person to have painted. Yeah, I know, I have a whole lot of improvement to do. This is from my series of laundry themed 24x36 paintings that I am doing for a friend. I am working hard to get these finished so I can move on to something else. There will be another I must do almost exactly like this one but I don't want a duplicate, hmmmm, will be changing it up somehow. Presently working on a 5x7 of a beautiful fall-changing tree for VolleyGirl's school's fundraiser. That should be finished later tonight or tomorrow. Wow, I'm thankful I don't have to clean my clothes in this manner. I have had quite a bit of experience in hanging clothes on the line when I was a junior high and high schooler. I particularly recall hanging out a line full one summer when temp was about 103. Glad to finish, free to go swim across the street. Sad when mom called informing me the line had broken, clothes on ground......went home.

Paint and Polish

Ta-da! Here is my latest finished painting. I have another in progress....two actually. I have yet to paint today because I have been living out another dream in my life - yeah, scrubbing toilets, washing clothes and cleaning floors. The feeling of satisfaction is somewhat lackluster upon completion of these tasks. I will admit to a slight sensation of glee, just like in the commercials when the lady stands back, leans on her mop and smiles with satisfaction. Aggravatingly I will be required to do the same exact thing over and over and over and over............ Could you imagine creating the same painting repeatedly for the remainder of your physically able lifetime? Ugh.

Brush, Ball, Boy, Bladder, Back, ...........

I am working on this 8 x 10 for the school's big fundraiser.....no, the Teletubbies are not about to pop up over the hill.....

Still going to games and practice for VolleyGirl. She has been moved to varsity for the rest of their season, jv season is over. Last Friday's practice was three hours. Coach confessed she had been hardest on VG all season. Mother Hen urge to smack her with my my big wing......but VG has thrived this season. Fall break this week, no school....but practice every day!

BigBoy has bounced in today for a long weekend. Has only two days off during this break. There is plenty of food to be prepared...........always fun when he's home - keep your hands to yourself while he eats.

Well into my second week of coughing now. I swear a small chunk of lung came up the other day. Sick of it and so is my bladder. It's not a new bladder, it's been around awhile and the pressure is getting to it. Same with my back. If there were any goo left in my discs, it surely would have ruptured by now...hmph....one time, it's good they are dried up. What organ is going to be affected next.

Leaves, football and, of course, sneezing

Photos snapped last year. Yellow tree at school, while waiting on VolleyGirl. Red trees enroute to school. Hope to use big tree in a painting I will donate to school fundraising gala and used the red tree photo for a painting that I donated to a silent auction Bookmama was organizing.


My most favorite time of year is the fall and there is a cool crispness in the air............eventually.

• Dead leaves are so lovely.
• You either are sweating in your costume or freezing, never seems to be just right.
• Growing up, homemade popcorn balls with molasses was THE best.
• Sitting in my dad's lap when the witch came on screen during the one-time Fall showing of "The Wizard of Oz!"
• The lady that always gave us a cupcake when we were trick-or-treating. How do you put THAT in your sack?
• The old man, rubbery mask that I was so afraid of it scared me even if it were lying on the couch.
• Elementary school's Halloween carnival........amazing. Dad's hamburgers there and the the fish pond....great prizes!
• Sounds and smells of the football game.

WEEKEND UPDATE: Volleyball tournament on Saturday. Arrival time: 7:50 a.m. Departure time: Approximately 5:15 p.m. Usually we pack up after lunch, not forwarding out of pool play, this time, undefeated and first in pool play. VolleyGirl was playing awesome. Result: 2nd place finish, big trophy and a butt that still flat from the bleachers.

BigBoy came home. Prepared him food. Helped him Saturday evening with an art project. Asked him last week if he wanted me to prepare him something special, like a cake. "Mom, you know I don't eat that crap" Fast-forward to Friday night after his stomach is full of shrimp, "what's for dessert?" "I thought you didn't want any." (Feeling bad, of course, as a devoted, spoil-your-college-baby-home-for-the-weekend) "Mom, you know, I want you to surprise me." Gee thanks. Lesson learned. Hmmmmm, what will I bake for the next weekend.

Memoriam

Today marks six years of a large void that began in my life with the passing of my mom. It certainly has become easier on a daily basis and life continues on heartily, full of blessings galore. Yet, it is amazing how quickly I can begin weeping in sadness. Not sure if grief describes it. Void describes it best. There will always be a large hole in my life that will not be filled. It was her place and only memories run across that barren space somewhat like a movie screen showing home movies. Often I think in situations, "What would mama say?" Usually, it's a humorous quip that comes to mind or a clear expression on her face still so familiar. One of the best feelings was seeing her standing at my front door, holding a basket with something usually early Christmas morning to witness grandchildren discover what Santa left, at difficult times during VolleyGirl's babyhood or just to visit. Simultaneously wierd and wonderful when I make a comment or gesture that is just so her. I may be alone in liking my hands a bit rough-just like hers. Always held her hand before kissing her bye and leaving her room. All I could say, as I bid her final good-bye was, "thank you, thank you, thank you"! Thankful my kids remember you. In memories, you really live on. I know you live, there. If I'm half the mom.

Long and Winding Week

I am looking for more time to paint. This wash woman is begging me to finish her...............she literally has only one leg to stand on!!!

VolleyGirl has had one full week of volleyball. Almost a 2 1/2 hour practice Monday, games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (all out of town), practice Friday, and tournament out of town yesterday. She has also been up every night until 12 doing homework and some mornings getting up after 5 to study more. She's exhausted and not happy, to say the least when she heard there was a two-hour practice scheduled for today. It was a steam room at the gym yesterday, the gym had no air conditioning and no fans. VolleyGirl stated she was so tired she couldn't focus, doesn't surprise me. Today she needs to do Monday and Tuesday homework and get in bed early. Never any time for anything else.

BigBoy is working hard at school and attended the football game last night. I can't express how proud and relieved I am for how well he is doing there. Blessed to the max. Last night around midnight he was starving and had to get 10 soft tacos- poor thing. A football player in class told him of a "hidden" store on campus where he could purchase gym shorts, tshirts, shoes, bags, etc for cheap prices in the large/overgrown sizes. He has spent a portion of his birthday money on it. He tried to convince VolleyGirl she could roll up an men's XL pair of shorts and it would look fine. She declined the kind offer. He comes home this next weekend and I am excited! Already making plans on what to feed him.

A Typical Family Birthday

We celebrated BigBoy's birthday yesterday since it's tomorrow and he returns to school this afternoon. I have always made the kids some fun cakes......this one was totally for fun. BigBoy didn't choose this theme like some of his in past - Power Rangers, Golden Retriever, Toy Story; no, this was all me and VolleyGirl's humor. It was not my neatest at all...it's a Mounds cake per his request. I haven't made my buttercream decorating icing for one of their cakes in two years since VolleyGirl had a hot pink polka dot cake. We were SO EXCITED when we found this plastic hunk! For it to have a red "speedo" matching the 20 candle we had found was just too much......pure ectasy that it also matched the "speedo" on the plastic blow up man for your keychain that I also had found. He thought I had found a bulldog for his cake......maybe next year.

Yes, the cake tasted like a Mounds bar!