The Set Up

Well, it's not done but Pat and I worked until 3 am hanging paintings at the club. He had put me on some very strong anti-biotics and given me a B-12 shot. I am so tired and still sick but the "Show must Go On"! I thought I would come home and sleep but nooooooooooo - I got up 3 times to smoke a cig, drink a glass of milk (after I had drank a big glass of Scotch thinking it would let me go to sleep), played solitare, and finally at 6am took a xanax! I was up by 10:30! I've got to go back to the club by 1 - finish arranging everything - then back to the house, dressed and "make-uped" and back to the club by 6 for the art show! I hope I stay on my feet "high heels" tonight! Kenny hasn't left Atlanta yet (he's trying but he's always late) - is that a "Trinklein" thing? Now, the bright side I'm sitting on the deck with a sweat shirt and hat drinking my tea on this beautiful autumn day - things are looking up already. And just think - after tonight I have to dress up like Mrs. Santa Claus and do two shows tomorrow night AND Saturday night! I'll make it - I'll just click my heels three times.........

Packed and ready to Go!

The trailer is packed with 28 paintings, easels, and stuff. Now if I can just drive it down to Columbus I'll be fine! Kenny is coming later but I'm leaving today to get some things done before the show. We had our first "freeze" of the year - There was "frost" on the Pumpkin this morning - yeah! I've still got this cold or some kind of krud but at least I got some sleep. Got a busy busy weekend and will have pictures to follow!

Getting Ready

I'm busy framing paintings and printing brochures for the art show next Thursday. We got a hitch on the van today so I can haul a trailer (and a camper too, Kenny!) My friend came for a visit today and we had some nice girl time together. We have not seen each other in years so it was nice and I cooked a Crab Quiche. It's COLD (I love it) and going to rain tomorrow with the high of 52 - that is for Christy - and we turned the fire place on tonight for the first time. Love it, Love it, Love it! Tomorrow it's Beluga day - yikes that means do my roots and nails! Gotta go.....have a great weekend....

Tea in Fontaine Vaucluse, France

"Tea in France"

24 x 48

Oil on Canvas

Fontaine Vaucluse, France

On one of the best days of my life - a little town high in the mountains of France called Fontaine Vaucluse - we were winding down the day with a cup of tea. This was one of the most beautiful villages we visited in France. It is the home of a wonderful place where very very nice paper is made and we saw how they did this with a water wheel. I also watched an artist in her studio paint Poppies with a palette knife which inspired my love of painting Poppies. Kenny and I had a picnic on the river and just a lazy day in this wonderful town. Eight years later (almost to the day) I finished this painting. This photo was taken in 2000 on my 50th Birthday trip to France. I think it captures the peace and contentment of the day. It was one of the best!! I think I'm keeping this one! In the photo of the village we were sitting in the restaurant on the left! And I do remember the waiter being very "French" Handsome - I think I asked Kenny if I could bring him home but he said no! Ha Ha ......

A Quick Visit

Maggie and her Uncle Kenny

Maggie and Adam playing in New York

Maggie and the Green Tomatoes


Just a short short visit from Maggie, Adam, and Deb last night. They are on their way home from New York after visiting "Pop" - Deb's Dad. It was so great to see all of them and Maggie was sooooo sweet when she got here. We met them at the top of the hill and got here out of the "House on Wheels". I got hugs and kisses and then "let me down I want my Uncle Kenny" and then she tore off down the hill into his arms! And Adam was so glad to get in the back yard and out of the crate! Maggie wanted to catch "fire flys" like we did this summer and we got the jars and everything but I think they have all flown south - is that where fire flies go??? We ran and played in the yard then came inside. Kenny was going to watch the debate and Maggie (they always remember) said I want some ice cream! Well, we didin't have any ice cream but I told her Aunt Claiborne has something better - a Snow Cone!!! I found a "pampered chef" shaved ice thingy this summer at the thrift store. Brand new and still in the Box for $2.00 - I love it and you mix up this syrup with kool-aid. So I made her a Cherry Icie and she loved it. Mommy Deb liked it too but Maggie wanted hers so Deb did not get very much. Maggie said I made the best "icies" in the world. So Deb said it was jammie time and oh no - not yet - please mama - Aunt Claiborne tell me a story. So we go and I make up a story about Maggie Fire Fly and how she had to get from New York to Georgia - it was fairly long (you know me) and when we got to the part of how all the fire flies found their way to the Back Yard in Georgia and The End - you KNOW what happeded - Tell it again, Aunt Claiborne!!! So after lights out and a short version of the story Maggie was gone night-night. Deb and I got a bit of time to sit in the swing downstairs and visit which was really nice. I miss her and so glad I've been able to see her 3 times this year! Poor Adam was so tired he laid between us and slept. We all got up this morning and had some more backyard time and Maggie found the last of the green tomatoes. Too soon it was time for them to hit the road to FL so we all had lots of hugs, kisses and licky's from everyone and off they go. We hope to see them again this spring. It's alwasy so nice for them to come and Maggie is just a dream (although I have no idea how Deb keeps up with her!!!) So they should be home safe and sound tonight and I'll bet Maggie says Mom, tell the story of Maggie Fire Fly!!! We love you guys!

Dr J and Beluga

Dr J in Action
Dehra, Dr J, and Me

My Favorite - us laughing - we do this a lot!

Dehra and Me

Girlfriends

Reaching out to you

A couple of weeks ago Dehra's friend, Fontaine came by and took some photos of us at Beluga. It's really hard to get good "live shots" because my mouth is usually wide open and we do make some ugly faces when we sing!! HA - But Fontaine is great and he got some good ones. On this same night Dr J (Julius Evring) the Basketball was there and we got a nice picture with him - and he was a great man too. Usually when someone like this comes in no one has a camera so it was great Fontaine was there that night! So for some of my favorites......

Cool Weekend

The weather was wonderful in Columbus for a change. Cool, breezy - just perfect! We all just hung out on Saturday and Will cooked. We had a wonderful audience on Saturday night - just not enough of them but they were all really into the show. We just don't know how we can continue to take a 7 piece band with us. That's gonna suck but we'll just have to see how things are going to shake out. Now, I've got to get busy unpacking, laundry and hope to paint tomorrow! Have a great week.

Night Line

I'm watching one of my favorites- Night Line. There was a wonderful piece on "Robin" from Good Mornng America and her journey with Breast Cancer. I know it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and so many people are affected by this. My heart is still heavy after all these years and I miss Kathy M. so much. As I watched Robin tell her story I remembered Kathy describing some of the same things and I wish I could have been there thru the whole process with her. Sadly, I was there mostly at the end. Robin went into the whole "I'm losing my Hair" Thing. Kathy did this and so many people don't understand it - I know I didn't at the time either. She had to take Chemo agan and didn't want to because she would loose her hair. I talked and talked and finally said Iwas coming home from Vegas and if she would pick me up at the airport I would be the one getting off the plane with a shaved head. She did the Chemo! Oh, how I wish if all I had to do was shave my head and see her meeting me with a smile. Don't forget to get your mamagrams.......I must cry a little now......

An Old Friend

I got a phone call today from a childhood friend. Well, we met in the 2nd grade but go way beyond that - we shared a lot of our adult lives together too. Then of course, as things go - got busy, a "child"to raise, lifestyles, and even though we don't live that far apart we just didn't get to see each other. It was good to hear her voice and catch up a little. I thought I heard some sadness in her voice and it finally did come out. I won't go into the story but this is a smart, beautiful, lady who has been mentally beat down by a controlling man. I knew it but thought OK everything must be better now. Well, it's not and she reached out today to "Get her life Back" and I'm proud of her. It's so hard to admit something like that and even though it might have been a tiny step for her it's a big step in her life. I wish things could have been different for her but I do know the man and can't say I'm surprised. At one point, she said to me, You would never have let a man treat you that way, would you? I said no but at the same time no one is perfect. I had to go through some men to find my soul mate Kenny. And believe me, he's not perfect but I did realize something as I was hearing her story. No matter if we don't agree, argue, fight, pout, or get disappointed we always know that there is love backing it up. That is the difference. To find that kind of love comes along very rarely. We all have done things or said things in anger but to be cruel and hurt someone just for the sake of hurting has no love in it. I'm angry for her, hurt for her and yet I have hope and I know that there is a strong woman left inside her. I pray for her to have strength and I hope I can provide comfort and be a friend to her. We all need that sometimes.

Christmas is right around the Corner

"We been good, Santa"

I haven't bought any presents, or made any crafts but I did finish my Christmas Card painting tonight! I know some of you will get to see this before I send out Christmas Cards but I just can't wait to post it. This is always such an accomplishment every year for me so I'm just excited. This is the fifth Oil Painting in my series. I can't wait to hang them all in the dining room! I love painting the babies and Matilda and Tatiana look very sweet this year. Of course, they are whispering to Santa what they want in their stocking! I haven't written the poem yet but it will come as I look at the picture. We did not get to go camping - Kenny has a ton of phone calls (wall street) and his Desk Top crashed so he was pretty stressed out. I said let's wait until we can go and relax so instead I went to Art Class which is a good thing. It's supposed to rain on Wednesday too so we would have been packing up in the rain. I think we'll wait until the time is right - of course, now I've got to unpack everything! And then repack for Columbus this weekend. I'm living out of a suitcase again (well, several suitcases)! It was wonderful to get back to my Art Group and see old friends. Jill brought me a lovely little flower arrangement that is on my night stand for my Birthday (YES, I'm STILL celebrating my 58th) HA. I worked so hard at Beluga this weekend I could not get out of bed on Sunday until 4 pm - my body is just really tired. So I guess tomorrow I'll unpack and do laundry! But this is always a very important day when I finish my Christmas Card so I have had a good one!

My Mother is 83

Mother riding "Bonnie Blue Bell" on her 83rd Birthday!!
Ha - she has more energy than me! We had a wonderful couple of days in SC celebrating My and Mother's birthday - poor Daddy! Two old red-headed women with birthdays! We went to Olive Garden with my cousin Karen and Paul - wonderful time and dinner. Then the next day Karen took us to "The Clock" - a Greer must - for lunch. Mother bought Kenny and I a camping stove to go with our "tent" for the great camping trip next week. But then we got home and she started going thru her "stuff" and you would think we bought out "Dick's Sporting Goods". Let's just say we are totally outfitted to camp now. A wonderful little folding table and chairs that they used on the Parkway will be just right for inside the tent. I can't wait to sit by a campfire! And I did get enough gas to get home too and it is getting a little better in Atlanta now but still not good. I hope we have some folks come out to Beluga this weekend - Billy is already crying about not making any money and can't pay for the sax player this weekend. Everyone is hurting right now and we just pray things will get better soon. It's a tough time for everyone and I'm just grateful for what we have. We're all home tonight safe and sound and cuddled in bed for very cool night - low 50's - yeah. I'm very tired but once again grateful for a trip home and time with my mother and daddy. My camera battery died but get a load of this 83 year old on a trike! The end of our day yesterday was a trike ride - we joked about at out age we out in the dark riding in the road on our trike's with Tatiana and Matilda wrapped in little blankets in the baskets - I just love the picture........