Oh, I'm Happy Today, I'm Happy Today!

I got my studio/study cleaned up, decongested, and re-organized and then worked on two art projects, one a guardian angel for a friend in need - she has Parkinson's disease - and one a ribbon painting/collage for a breast cancer fundraiser someone asked me to donate to. It's not even due for months, but I was thinking about it and it's easier than getting back to "The Florida Paintings," which I plan to do tomorrow. The angel is done and the "Pray for the Cure" painting is almost done, if my friend likes it. I'll put it aside until I can take pics and then take one to send to her. So...it's not even 3:00 and I still have time to do some other projects I've put on hold while I was furiously working on the Ethiopian project. That one can do with a little rest for awhile at the moment, while other people catch up to/with me.

I can't believe that it will already be MARCH tomorrow!

Sewell-Belmont House

Yesterday afternoon Charlotte and I went down to Family Day at Sewell-Belmont House (http://www.sewallbelmont.org/) to see the program on Sojourner Truth and the role of Black women in the Suffragette Movement. The actress who played S.T. was really powerful, but the other speaker was late, so everyone just toured the house with the docents and heard stories connected to the photos and cartoons they have displayed. It was perfectly fine, maybe even better. It was packed. There were a lot of Girl Scout troops present. Charlotte seemed pretty interested in hearing about the women being thrown into prison, Lorton, and force fed when they refused to quit picketing Wilson and the White House.

Then, while Charlotte drew and colored, I met with Becki Fogerty, who told me the staff had decided they would dedicate not only one room, but two, to the Girls on the Run shoe art exhibit and that they would keep them up longer. Apparently, they are going to change the name of the first room on the left as you enter the house to the "International Room" and feature more contemporary exhibits. So we will be able to display and even exchange art for a longer period ot time.

The Crocuses Are Out Already!

Voracious Readers Club

So...after more work on Saturday on the Ethiopian girls project and things around the house, I was basically worn out. Jim and I spent Sunday resting and recuperating and I finished reading "Girls of Tender Age" by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith (http://www.powells.com/review/2006_02_03.html). Smith's memoir of growing up in blue collar Hartford, Conn., in the 50's with the special effects of having an autistic brother and at the age of 10, one of her classmates murdered in her neighborhood by a serial pedophile was fascinating and sad. Of course.

Yesterday I finished reading and reread several poems from "The Best American Poetry, 2005." Some favorites are Galway Kinnell's "Shelley," Tony Hoagland's "In a Quiet Town by the Sea," and Shanna Compton's "To Jacques Pepin." It's a great collection of poems, for sure. I've tried and tried to get into "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers" by the latest literary phenom Yiyun Li, but her stories must go right over my head or something because I only sort of get them and I only sort of care. I'm sure the fault is mine. Maybe she's too quiet or something. Anyhow, I'll be taking it back to the library with only half the stories read.

I do have waiting for me, however, "The Great Stink" by Clare Clark (http://www.crossness.org.uk/sites/20020715PJK/wc.htm) about "corruption and murder beneath the streets of Victorian London" when they were putting in the sanitation system. How could I resist, especially since it was on a list of recommended books the W. Post put out a few weeks ago.

Shoes for Ethiopian Running Girls

Spent most of the day on work related to this project. Think we are making progress. Will feel much better when we can get in touch with someone in that country who I can trust will get the money/shoes to the girls who need them, preferably Meseret Dafur, the young woman who won the gold medal. She seems to be either well insulated or well guarded, not sure which. And I'm not convinced it is entirely at her desire. But we'll see.

Dinner at Chadwick's tonight with the Goofy One - burgers and fries - and then idling at Borders for a bit.

Working Hard

Been working hard on The Florida Paintings, the double triptych for Nancy and Jesse's Cape Coral house. Sent her photos of the works in progress yesterday and heard from her today that she was really happy with them, so that was a bit of a relief.

Back seems to be improving with no Curves and some physical therapy.

Quiet week-end coming up. No big plans. We may go see "Fireball," Harrison Ford's new movie, because Chloe, from "24," is apparently in it. It's Jim's idea. He's a big "24" fan. I do like Chloe.

Happy Valentine's Day

In the spirit of making holidays last as long as possible, Jim took me out to dinner on Monday night. We went to Arucola. I had the arugula salad and steamed mussels in white wine; Jim had the chicken. Last night, we celebrated with dinner at home, a night of his favorites, starting with shrimp cocktail, and then smoked salmon chowder and salad nicoise with a French baguette, and ending with rice pudding. I also bought him a blueberry muffin at Marvelous Market for breakfast this morning. Generally, muffins are verboten, but on the rare and special occasion, he gets to have one.

Winter

So, winter finally arrived on the East Coast, including Washington, including Chevy Chase, including our own little Jocelyn Street. During the night several inches of snow fell. When Jim went out early this morning to shovel and reconnoiter, he discovered a line down across the street at the top, near Connecticut Avenue. He put one of our green lawn chairs there to warn people not to drive down. No one is even sure if it's electric or cable or what because no one has lost any kind of service. Several of us spent a good bit of time today trying to get messages to Pepco and cable companies without success. They were all apparently overwhelmed. Finally, we called the Mayor's hotline and someone flagged down a Pepco repair crew he saw on the Avenue and they supposedly called it in, too. Now it's wait and see. Hope no one smashes into the chair in the middle of the night.

I've been operating very low key for a couple of days, due to the old back trouble. And though Friday I was in a lot of pain, yesterday I finally had some p.t. and today has been better. I can't push it, though, so that means not sitting too long at the computer, etc. It's been a pleasant day. Jim went cross country skiing on the towpath and out to "his" island. I didn't go out of the house at all, just played house kitty. I am looking forward to painting tomorrow, working on "The Florida Paintings."

Three Doctors in Three Days

Tuesday I saw the orthopod and had the cyst on my index finger aspirated. It's been mostly in a splint since then. It feels like it's still there, though smaller. Has been a damper on my typing and my painting. Yesterday I spent almost 3 hours at the dentist; three fillings and a new cap. Today saw my regular internist about my back, which has been mostly killing me since the second golf game in Florida. I finally gave up hope that it would get better on its own. So I'll start p.t. again as soon as I can get an appointment at Sibley and will have to miss Curves for a few weeks, again. Rats.

Betty Friedan

Betty Friedan died on Saturday, at age 85. Her obituary made the front page of the W. Post but I didn't seem much about it on the news. She spoke to one of my classes at Mount Vernon one time, but the students didn't care for her much. I think she didn't care for them all that much. I'm not sure why she agreed to do it.

What's Going on Here?

Saturday a.m. I wrote about my trip to see the Cezanne exhibit with Charlotte and now that post is missing. I think it was still there this morning. Very odd.

New Painting

of the Northland College Bridge. I'm calling it "A Moment of Tranquility."

I Can't Believe It's February

already!