I lied earlier when I wrote that I wasn’t on the cough medicine today, like I was last year. I decided to enjoy a teaspoon of the good stuff so I can get some sleep tonight and not hack up a lung. Hello February! I’m dying to get back into the studio and inhale some turpentine and various cobalt and cadmium fumes. Don’t worry, I do wear gloves when I paint now, unlike when I was a young and immortal person. Some small precautions must be taken when working with poisionous pigments and solvents. Sure, I could paint only in watercolor or ink or acrylic. But it wouldn’t be the same. I need my oil fix. And I will not be denied. Life is too short not to paint with the kind of paint I was meant to paint with. Just gotta be sure to keep the doors open when I do it and not eat the stuff. I think I can handle that.
The fam is sick. We’re not dying of sickness (though one of the grown-ups in our house acts like it…), we’re all just a little bit miserable. I wonder if we’d get less sick if there were only one kid in the house instead of two — only one of them gets sick to begin with, they never become ill simultaneously. Probably. But it is a moot point, as there are two, and that’s how many there are supposed to be. I am looking forward to warm weather, which inevitably means no more months and months of annoying viruses.
Parents managed to make it up to Bmore this morning, despite picturesque but melty snow showers. God bless them and their unfaltering obsession with their granddaughters. The only part of me that wishes I’d had child/children when I was younger is the part that wishes my parents could have more time with the girls. Alls I can do now is make sure I make enough of an effort to have them hang out and enjoy each other’s company. Beenie and Mimi adore their “Ganny and Baba”. I am grateful they are still here to be a part of the girl’s lives.
I’m melting into a sentimental schlamp. I think I just made that word up. Motherhood makes me sappy. There’s nothing more to say on the subject. Hopefully our collective case of Gackitis will pass quickly and we can get back to playdates, playgroup and all the other fun passtimes my semi-socialized darlinks have gotten used to over the past few months.
20 Fingers, 20 Toes 
That underpainting looks fantastic. I am very excited about this piece. I remember some puddle photos and I loved them. This is a great extension of those photos!
yeah, i’m liking this painting too.
remember when we used to smoke whilst painting (sans gloves, of course). and kristine would lick the tip of her brush while painting those teeny paintings for alix. occasionally, i’d go to light a cigarette and my sweater would catch on fire from the fixitive residue. oh, to be immortal. those were the days!
i’m with you on winter. it is seriously bumming me out. let’s go to florida! i’ll come pick you and the girls up and we’ll go for a little drive….