Happy New Year, 2018

Happy New Year to all!

Yes, we're a day ahead of most of you, but in Aus the old year has just seven hours left on the clock, I spent the morning making Mom's Classic Trifle, and we'll be setting up a buffet dinner very soon. It's been a slooow New Year, not so hot, but hot enough. I've spent it messing about with art, reading, trying to control the pain in my back without taking pills (which is a tough job).

Like everyone else, I'm hoping that 2019 will bring good things! So, Happy New Year, everyone ... and I'm out of here to make fresh tea. As they say, "See you next year!"

In honor of a record-breaking heatwave ... Colors of Winter!

We're just recovering from a heatwave that set records: parts of the state scored 47 degrees ... that's SHADE temperature, on the assumption that you have some shade. What if you don't?! Right now it's just humid ... we're in the familiar "pregnant pause" between hot spells. Right through Christmas it was so hot, you couldn't even think ... and the a/c was running full-throttle (still is), and it was still an oven in here. I'd intended to do art during the holidays -- there's some experiments I want to run in CG, for a start, and a couple of paintings to play with. But, in that heat?!

On the other hand, I was rummaging through images and stumbled over a collection I put together the winter before last (2017). Uploaded them to facebook or something, never to either blog. So, I thought, "Colors of Winter" ... oh, yes. And here we are.

In honor of a record-breaking heatwave, let's have a WINTER photo shoot, and keep the art for another day. Here, have some more while I'm uploading...

Merry Christmas to all

The card says it all! Happy Holidays, folks!

Settling in for the holidays

Everything done ... tree up, gifts wrapped, groceries stashed, menu set. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and there's nothing left to be done, just put on some seasonal music and enjoy!

I confess, I wish I felt more "Christmassy," but it's difficult when you just passed the summer solstice, you're thinking about turning on the a/c, the cricket's on tv, and ... and ...!

This is our second Christmas without Mom, and I do miss her a lot. Especially at this time of year. I imagine I always will, so it's something that has to become part of the landscape. You shed your tear, heave your sigh, and battle on.

Otherwise, life is very slow and steady. Dave is happy at work (he won New Employee of the Year, which is a measure of how good he is at this job! Good on you, Dave!), and we got a lease to stay in this house another year, so even that worked out well. Mike is busy with stories and projects...

For myself, it's all about the art. Painting. Okay, it's digital painting, but I'm enjoying the heck out of it -- getting a kick out of art that I haven't had in thirty years. I'll upload a few more pieces here to chart my progress. That's what blogs are for, right? Right...