Still Here!

Trees Along The Stream, 2006, Oil on Panel, 12x12







So Fluffy the hamster had been sitting in one spot, hardly moving at all, at least since Sunday night and maybe longer. I was keeping an eye on him and yesterday morning he was barely breathing. I discussed it with my son and asked him if Fluffy died during the day did he want me to take care of it or did he want to do it after school. He wanted me to wait until he was home. I checked on Fluffy about midday and poked him (I was a little too upset about possibly handling a dead animal to actually pick him up). No movement at all. No response and I couldn't see him breathing. After school, I told my son that Fluffy had died and that we would have to put him in a box and we could bury him in the yard when it warms up a bit. He was very upset and cried for awhile. Then we all went upstairs with a bag and a shoebox and prepared to have a short service for Fluffy. But........Fluffy was walking around! While we were watching him, he got into the food dish and filled his cheeks, squeezed through the tubes in his cage and sat on his wheel. Needless to say, everyone was pretty happy and I am ecstatic about getting a reprieve in having to pick up a dead hamster.

The other good news is that I can still paint! I had a good chunk of time to work in my studio on Tuesday and I was able to get some pieces done that I am very pleased with. I was in the groove, getting great colors and the right textures, it was a great day. True, I was working on what I am comfortable with, landscapes, but I am feeling confident and I will soon try some other subject matter again.

I am sure everyone is just on the edge of their seats waiting to hear about the NY galleries that I visited last weekend, but I am going to put off writing about it until tomorrow. I have a busy day today, I really have to finish up some things in the studio today, pack up some paintings to ship out, I must take my walk since I have skipped the last two days, and then I have to pick up the kids at the gym after school, make dinner, do bedtime etc. Doug is out of town so I am without assistance.