Clean House and New Paintings

Oh, how I love when housekeeping comes! Viar is so good (he's a gay Brazilan)! I just love him and I love it more when my house is clean and I didn't have to do it! What I did do is go to my studio and paint today. I finished up a lot of small projects and varnished several paintings. I got a good start on "The Harvest" - it's an 8 x 10 and turning out well. I need to keep doing this - just paint as much as I can on small paintings. I'm so inspired by "Daily Painters" - I wish I could do it every day! But alas, I got hungry and Kenny was coming home! I went to Kroger and made the "Wendy's Chili" from the Copy Kat Web Site - Kenny said it was better then Wendy's!! I had a Qucamole Salad and Blue Chips. Very nice on a cool evening. And I DID get Halloween Candy for the little urchins coming tomorrow night. One note - at 9pm when "Private Practice" comes on the porch light goes out!! No more candy - oooh, I'm such a bad witch. At least I got good candy - no dum dums or candy corn (although I like both of those). Another round of Physical Therapy tomorrow and hopefully paint again on Thursday.

Best of my Day: A Clean House and Chili for Dinner!

The Christmas Card

For the past 4 years I have done an oil painting for my Christmas Card and it is always a "Yorkie" theme because they are my babies. I have just completed the 2007 card of Matilda Mae and Tatiana. Check the "Yorkie" page on my web site, http://www.claibornescorner.com/ for the past three yearly paintings. I do hang all these every year at Christmas and can't wait to have a house full!

The 2007 Christmas Card

I have to post this - I know it's early and several of you will get this at Christmas but I get so excited every year about our card. I haven't written the poem yet but here are our Christmas Babies - Matilda Mae and Tatiana.......

Fun Halloween Party

We had a fun night at Belloo's for the Costume Contest. You see, I've been a clown for 21 years - the SAME outfit. So on saturday me and Pat and Will went to get them a costume and they thought it was time for me to have a new one. Sooooooo, I decided to get a lot of use out of this one! I started my first show with Jingle Bell Rock and the band stopped half way though and I turned around and said "oops - wrong holiday"! It was fun and of course I will wear it at Christmas! I'm going to art tomorrow night and hopefully finish my Christmas Card - I'm really excited about this one but I also say that every year! And I do VOW to paint some this week in my studio. Ricky is coming next week so I won't get much painting time. But it sure is going to be nice to see our best buddy. I'm sure we'll have funny pictures to post. Oh, I do have to go buy Halloween Candy for all the little ghosts and goblins - that's right Halloween is suposed to be for kids - HAHA!

The Band: Will - Blind Justice, Kenny - Johnny Cash, Labron - "Ho" Hefner, Arther - The Dark Angel and little Miss Santa Claus!!!

The Shoes will go to Emma!!!!!

The Best of My Day - Why, of course, a new Halloween Costume

Back Home Again

After a two day trip back to South Carolina now I'm packing to go to Columbus this weekend to perform at Belloo's. Saturday is our Halloween Costume Contest so I have to go dig those out too! I had a nice trip home to see mother and daddy but also a little upsetting. My Daddy will be 95 on January 14th and I see him slowing down down. He doesn't feel well at all so I'm just praying I will see him again - I always pray for that - have been for years. Mother and I were making our usual "thrift store" rounds and it was raining and the sun shining. We walked outside and saw the most beautiful rainbow - you could see both ends and all the colors. Kinda gives a new look at life - just like God promised. I gathered "nature" stuff for our Thanksgiving Table and had fun putting it all together too. I have more things to write about but have to go to Physical Therapy...Check in Later...

Best of My Day: The Promise of the "Rainbow" .......

The weekend

We had a great Saturday night at Beluga - it was just one of those nights where everything clicked - the music, the performance, the comedy and especially the audience - it's nights like this that makes me never want to retire!! Then don't know what possessed me on Sunday afternoon after working so hard saturday night but I got Kenny to bring in the ladder and I cleaned all the ceiling fans! I think because I could not do anything all summer I just had to do some kind of "fall cleaning"! And they do look a lot better too! I'm going to home for a couple of days to see mother and daddy so I probably won't blog - they have dial up!!! And we all know how slow dial up is! The ole calender is filling up very quickly so this is the only time I have to go before Thanksgiving. I do plan to paint next week after we get back from Columbus next weekend. Oh, and I'm really looking forward to the "Fall Back Time" - it at least will look more like winter! HA HA .....I hope to take some reference photos too so maybe I'll have some to post later.....

Best of My Day: Clean Fans!

Another Day of Painting

This has been a good week for painting - expecially since it's been so long. And we did get a tiny bit of rain today which we need so bad - but not nearly enough. I had some errands to do and got my nails done then came home and headed to the studio. I even painted half way thru "Grey's" so you know I was involved. I started a couple of new ones (small) and also started on a Gallery Wrap 12 x 24 (nice size). This is a photo I took of my Daisies this year and it's very thick using a palette knife so it will take a while for me to able to finish it. I really enjoy painting the ones I take the photo's myself. Of course, you have be in the right place to get the photos! So this is not finished but thought a "Daisy would brighten your Day"!!!

Play Time

Oh yeah, play time while I took a break from painting. I got a lot done today in my studio and it felt great! I finished my "Morning Pear" and also did the painting on a tubbled Italian Stone (4 x 4). Also, finished a 6 x 6 canvas painting of a Pear - I'm in a Pear mode!!! Worked on several others and finally feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things. I took a break and the girls wanted to play so here they are. Tatiana just wants me to chase her with the frisbee! She's so cute with it. And I can't get a good video of Matilda and her ball - she moves too fast! I have needed a day like this - at home - painting - with the girls. It felt good and I'm moving out of the funk from the surgery. I also talked to my cousin, Danny Green who was more like my brother growing up - it feels so good to re-connect! And then to my surprise I had an email from my best grade school friend, Susan Brockman! What a great day for a time from the past. We must treasure the past as well as the present and look forward to the future!

Ghosties

Ok, I tried to get a "costume" photo of Matilda and Tatiana but they sure did not like it! Matilda especially - she tried to jump off the table! And then this evening I went back out on the deck and discovered I had left a napkin and she had torn it all to pieces for me to pick up. I guess that is what she thought of her costume! We played for a while in the yard with frisbee and purple ball today - they just love it. And I cooked a corned beef brisket - first time and it was very good. I even steamed cabbage for Kenny - he loves it but not me! Had my PT today and tomorrow I am reserving for "Art"! Now, my left knee is just going out on me and it hurts like hell. I don't know if I can take another surgery this year but Kenny said I have already met the deductible! I'm going to wait and see Dr. A but I'll bet his schedule is backed up anyway. At least I got a knee brace today so we'll see. We are all hoping and praying for rain here in Atlanta, as Lake Lanier (our water supply) is almost dry. We are suposed to get some rain on Thursday but it's going to take a lot more than that. We need a storm - a storm with several days of rain and cold - I'm talking fireplace cold, curl up with a good book cold, cuddle under the covers cold - you get the idea!

Best of My Day: Laughing at my Little Ghosties!!!

Tatiana's Jingle Bells

Here's the reference photo of Tatiana.....

Back to Art Class

I have looked so forward to today becase I went back to my art class. Man, did that feel great! I've been so deprived of my art all summer because of the surgery and quite depressed about it. Shane has a busy schedule so I'm only going to get to go to two classes before Christmas so I'm going to absorb every moment. Actually tonight I had tried to sketch in my babies and I knew the composition wasn't quite right. Shane directed me to push back Tatiana and fix Mailda's nose placement, then start painting! I should be able to finish this in two weeks. And it will be the 2007 Trinklein Christmas Card! I usually don't let anyone see it before it is done but I'm too proud not to share the "Process" with you! I still have to add Tatiana's "jingle bells" too! My arm does hurt and I have to take several breaks and just let my shoulder rest but it's worth it. I have to go to PT tomorrow and friday - I'm really tired of this but we are strenghtening my shoulder now and I need to get it strong again.

Sunday Night Rest

Had another great weekend at Beluga and a nice day at home today. I got all my laundry done and washed and groomed the girls. The weather was so nice and I groomed them on the deck. They are so beautiful and that lasts about 5 minutes! I made a nice fruit salad and we watched our TV shows. A nice day all the way around! Tomorrow I'm looking so forward to going back to my art class! Yeah Whoopie! Until then........

The Smell of the Grease Paint and The Roar of the Crowd!!!!!!

Can you Tell I'm ready for Winter??????

Finished and signed this one......9 x 12 oil on Canvas

Another Day of Painting

Above is another painting I started today. I took the photo in this morning on my table in the sun. I promised myself I would get back into the art and it does feel good. I am ready to go to my art class on Monday. I need to be around all the other artists and Shane. I also tried to transfer some art onto the cigar boxes but it didn't work. Gotta figure that one out. I've got so much artsy stuff running around in my head and I need to get it all in order. Otherwise, it will just confuse me and I won't get anything done. At least it is cool tonight. Kenny and I played in the yard with the girls. Tatiana is so funny trying to pick up a frisbe we found on the beach. She finally got it in her mouth and would run away from us! I did make a wonderful dinner and found a couple of great recipes that are keepers! I can't beleive tomorrow is already Friday and it's back to work at Beluga. I hope we have a great crowd like last weekend. Tonight is TV night - Grey's - so I'll go now.

Best of my Day: Painting something I took the orginal photo! And seeing the girls run in the yard...

Ah, Painting Again

These are photos of "Work in Progress" Twelve weeks from my surgery and I finally painted again yesterday. It felt so good even though I only painted some small things. I did try an orginal oil on hardboard. I know a lot of people use this and I've had it a long time but just painted on it last night - I still prefer canvas. I painted some Oil cigar boxes and had fun with these. I tried to paint a couple of really small canvases - 6 x 6 and to me it's harder than painting a huge canvas! Today I had to go to Physical Therapy AND a Mamagram - talk about "squished and torture" all one day. But please get your mamagrams every year. I say this in honor of Kathy Morrow, my childhood and best friend who has been in heaven now for 8 years. She fought a hard battle so I will continue to fight for a cure. Also, I am playng with some ink jet transfer for the cigar boxes - that will be interesting. Today was my Mother and Father's 62nd Anniversary so Have a Great One! My Daddy posted a date (10-10-10) on the frig at home and we all asked what it was. He said that is the date he and mother will be married for 65 years! I thought it was the fertilizer that he always put on his garden! I feel much better about everything I've done this week. I promised after vacation I was taking my life back after surgery and I have really done it! Of course, I'm pretty tired too trying to do so much in one week. It's bath time for the babies tomorrow too - oh boy.

Best of My Day: The Weather Forecast - Highs around 70 and lows in the LOW 50'S and maybe even 48 on friday morning. Got my sweats ready!

The Change Over

I'm so tired that I hurt all over but I got something done today that I hate doing. The clothes seasonal change over! It's up and down and up and down the stairs and lugging bags of stuff for the thrift store to the van! I do love the feeling of cleaning out the closets and my drawers (it will stay neat for a while) but I always dread doing this. At least in this house I have the storage space. At our old house it was a nightmare. So my knees hurt, my shoulder hurts, my feet hurt and I'm about to drop! I still have few things to clean out - like under the bathroom sink and the kitchen but as bad as it hurts it feels good - it that an oximoran (is that even spelled right?) So even though it is suposed to be 86 degrees I will be the most sweaty seasonaly dressed woman out there! It is suposed to be cooler by thursday (I hope because now I have nothing to wear!)

Back to Work!

I should not call it "work" - performing every friday and saturday night does in some pain - my poor feet in high heels - but it is worth it when the audience responds like they did last night. It's still hard for me to believe at 57 I am still pulling this off but I am grateful. Now it's on to my week of getting my life back in order after the surgery and start painting again! It's still way too hot here for my liking but according the weather forecast looks like a cool down about wednesday! I'm so ready for sweater weather!

Best of My Day - The applause!!!!

The Pee-Pie-Hole

Tatiana discovered this right away!!!! Then see Matilda try and get all the way through it!

Where is the Beach???????

Where is the Beach?????


Wow - it's amazing how you just jump back in to your life after a vacation! I did get a lot done today - laundry, cooked a nice lunch, and cleaned out and re-organized my Art Studio! I worked until 9 pm but it's ready for me to get back to painting! I am so ready even though the Doc says 2 more weeks. I'm going to do something small next week - no big canvases to stretch my arm. I've still got to do my nails and tomorrow go to physical therapy before we go back to work to Beluga. I'm ready to rock though and it will be good to sing. I wanted to include this photo of Matilda and Tatiana - There was a drain hole on the balcony of the condo and it was their Pee-Pie-Hole! At least they could see the beach and bark at anything that moved! I think they may have had the best time of all - I have never seen them get so excited about running on the beach - it did my heart good. Today, I got a birthday card from my cousin - It had a song when you opened it - "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash - the girls went crazy when I would open the card and then get really quiet when I closed it! It was great and I thank Maxie for my card! Tomorrow we will get back to work but we sure have great memories of our 2007 vacation.....

Home Again

We arrived home on Tuesday night about 8 pm - not a bad drive. So much to do now to get ready for the weekend. I had Physical Therapy on Wednesday and my arm is getting better but still need the strengh training for 6 more weeks. I am starting today by cleaning up and re-organizing my art studio to get ready for the painting days. I can't wait for that! We had a wonderful vacation and it's always good to come "Home".....

Last Day at the Beach!

We decided to stay an extra day and boy was it worth it. We enjoyed Sunday on the beach and eating dinner in - the left over Giant Pork Chops! And I cooked some of the apples that mother gave us - yum again! The girls played so hard on the beach - I can't believe how much they love it. I got up at 8 am and watched the waves with my pot of English PG Tips Tea and it was so serene. This has been so good for me and I feel my mind and attitude has improved 100%. Even my shoulder has improved this week. I go back to two days of pyhsical therapy this week too! Today, we also had our longest walk - almost 3 miles! And Tatiana and Matilda swam in the tidal pools - I mean really swam - it was deep! A perfect ending day!I am ready to get back to my art work and paint paint paint. I feel re-charged and positive too - I love this feeling. I know we will go back and jump into a lot of work and daily grind so I'll have to remember to close my eyes, breath deep and picture the waves and hear the sounds. Sometimes all it takes is to slow down and count your blessings and I've been able to do that this week. It has been a wonderful vacation and birthday and I am thankful for everything. Kenny has enjoyed it too and he has been wonderful this week to me and the babies. Wse have all had a great time so yeah to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!!!!!