The kitchen

Here are some rather, ah, real-life photos of the kitchen.  You'll be able to see that I didn't gussy it up for you before taking them.  The first one is from the entry into the kitchen from the main hall.  The doorway in the back leads to the dining room.

This one is from the back door and looks into the other side of the one yellow wall in the kitchen.  The bread oven is hidden behind the chair.

From the dining room doorway looking into the entrance and the hallway.

From the rocking chair by the fireplace looking towards the back door.

There you have it, the kitchen, largely finished.

Scatological Catalonia.

No, that isn't quite what it looks like.  

Catalans have a very strong scatalogical streak in them, and there is a tradition at Christmas of having a caga Tio, (crapping uncle)  which is actually a log who gets the sh*t wacked out of him by the kids on Xmas and is expected to 'crap' gifts and candy.  Like this one above.

I just had to buy it.

It was essencially a marshmellow.  The toilet paper on top?  You know that floury stuff they use for the host in Catholic mass?  Yeah, that's it.

Opens a whole new world of wonder and amazement that combination. 

Not going to go there though.

Not tonight.

exhibit photos

There they are, hung.  Not quite finished, we have to straighten a few up with some blue tack and all - the wonders of blue tack.  Still, pretty darned happy with it overall.  I am also, far and away, the most modern painter there, despite the fact that some of them are much younger than me.  Weirdness.

Have a lovely Sunday, we're having a crazy busy one.

Howdy!

Sorry for the no-post yesterday.  It was Friday and somehow it just ended.  Nothing on the to do list got done, I went to bed early, sort of.  Eldest, spotting me weakened, came in to chat for about an hour and a half as I lay in bed.  It was lovely, in fact, but I am still pretty wiped.

That said, the final selection has been accomplished for the show, which blessedly is going to be hung tomorrow not today as we only just finished sorting and organising.  We had to strip everything we have framed out of it's frame to put up the ones for the show, and some of the frames are....ahhhh....spacious....for the work they contain, but it is done.

Youngest had a friendly basketball match and got about 15 baskets, she was quite the wizard out there today, most impressive to see.  I think she was pretty delighted too.

Now, torn between a nap and painting.  As I sit by the fire, the nap may win.....zzzzzzzz.

I also have to say that I believe that IKEA has a secret agenda.  All this funky furniture at reasonable prices is simply a mechanism for the insidious spread of their plan.  They are bound and determined to teach us all patience.  Anyone who has assembled more than, well, anything of theirs has personally extended their limits of patience.  I swear, it's a plot.

Don't try this if you're new to English

But WOW,

If you suddenly see a whole lot of doodly stuff showing up in my paintings, you'll know why!

She talks wickedly fast, but it's a fun ride.

Check this one out, and then here is her website.

Super cool.

OH, and there's a new WNYCRadioLab podcast out, and I continue to be in love.

And then there were 10

The day started when Eldest came in, nearly in tears, to inform us that the hot water was off, as in no more butane in the tanks.  *groan*  The man and I did get that sorted, but an ominous beginning for what proved a trying day in many ways.

At the end of it all the man and I finally sat down once the chaos of the day had subsided, and I wrote off about 6 of the things I hoped I was going to do tonight and we winnowed it down to 10.

Out went the ones that don't carry well across a room *sob*

Out went the ones that didn't seem to go well with the others *sob*

Out went the ones that there were simply too many in the series of (LOVELY grammar) *another sob*

Not really sob per say, but I kept wanting to put some of them back in, and I just can't.


I have to be sure that some of the ones that I love, that didn't make the exhibition still get hung.


CRAZY busy right now.  


Crazy!

Chuck

Some dogs are totally undignified when they sleep.

but also kinda cute.

Some cool links....and more

First, multiplication, Japonese style...love this.

Next, the Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks which I first heard about on WNYCRadioLab, a podcast which I adore! and it is now a book that I'd love to get.

That said, I think I've got the numbers down a bit on the paintings, which is good.  Still to high, but down a bit.

I've thought of a couple of new ideas for work here, which is also a good thing, and something I am very excited about if we get it off the ground.  Here's hoping!

What else.

Lotteries come to mind.  Never ever bought a ticket in my life in Canada...well once, but that's a story I've already blogged about and it is too late to search out the link, sorry folks.

It is, however, a huge tradition here.  I've got one ticket so far and one for a local basket at our bakery, which incidentally I won last year, so here's hoping.

What else.

I've been cooking up a storm lately, which has been fun.  So great to get my nose back into my cookbooks now I have a few more facilities and the books here and on display.  Which reminds me, along with everything else, I should take some photos of the kitchen so you all can see it a little better now that it is nearly done. Missing a couple of lights and little else.  YEAH!

OK, it is WAY late and I'm off to bed.

Cheers,

O

Artwork....

Several hours later and everything is still feeling good despite the long walk!  I am excited!  The walk was probably not too bad for me, simply because the group was moving so amazingly SLOWLY.  Honestly. We ended up skipping part of the route cause we started out so slowly, which is kind of a shame, but we did find out more about other places that we could go....so that was cool.  Another local route that we haven't taken yet.  Now I am just hoping that maybe, maybe, maybe, I could try running again.  This is bugging me.

Now what I am doing is trying to narrow down the paintings for the exhibition.  I'm told that I can show six paintings in the show.  SIX!  Can I just say that I have over 400.  I'm sorry, can I run that again?  I have over 400 paintings.  I don't even know where to begin.  I've got it down to about a 30 painting short list.  That is not going to work.  Especially as I still have to figure out how to hang them.  They want me to frame, but that is pricey....hmmmmmm.....

Apparently I think that I should have my own private show, cause I just don't know how to narrow this down.  Maybe I should have a poll or something.

Goodness.

Sometimes being a parent means being the bad guy

That's right isn't it.  Sometimes you have to be the bad guy as a parent.  Whether it is saying no to bad behaviour, to silly decisions or having to make the tough and unpopular call.

The current tough harsh call?  One of my kid's friend's parents (are you with me here) is being...ah.....extremely casual about the safety of my child.  Extremely.

Bad enough that I am wondering if they are high when they are making their decisions.  Honestly.

Bad enough that I don't even know where to start talking about what has happened and what is OK with us.  No idea.

Sadly, after today, the friend will be able to visit at our house, but our child will not be visiting theirs.  I believe that this will make the man and I the 'bad guys' in the eyes of our child, her friend and her friend's parents.

Much better than the other possibilities that could have happened today.

Holding my child's safety far too loosely.  Bottom line.