life as art

 

Todays blog will be presenting itself as a bit of a mish mash of thoughts tumbling together that will hopefully come together in some sort of rational semblance.

Work this week has been a chaotic symphony of insanity while my private life has been an idyllic oasis of tranquil solitude. Talk about a experiencing a major dichotomy!

From mid-week until tomorrow I've been housesitting Dave and Erin's house while they are in Paso visiting family. I've been hanging out with Phoenix and Kristopherson-- who are great company.

Robert Frost famously said, You can never go home again. He was wrong. You can go home again. And, if you're lucky, you can look back to the past to see where it connects with the present as it moves forward into the future. I always think of this sign when I think of this particular house.

                                                                             Infinity

While this house is not my childhood home it is a home that has been in my life since Dad moved into it when Dave was 3 and I was in my mid-twenties. It's a house that still carries the strong presence of my father (22 years after his passing).

Synchronicities: When we lived here we had a black and white cocker spaniel named Courtney. Dave and Erin have a black lab w/a white chest name Phoenix. Dad had a yellow tabby named Ralph. Dave and Erin have a yellow tabby named Kristopherson.

I love that this house is still in the family and that it's hallway walls continue to have family photographs. And, that it's bedroom doors are covered with Zach and Emma's artwork that have long since replaced Dave, Tara and Amanda's childhood artwork that hung there once upon a time.

It's been a rather wonderful gift to be on a mini vacation from life's everyday routine (with the exception of commuting to/from work) gaining a fresh perspective. Being away from home, I've been able to finally conceive a plan on how I want the house and yards to come together over the next few years. Writing/photography projects I want to do.

I've been able to watch documentaries on artists I've long admired: Bill Cunningham (photographer), iconic Iris Apfel (90), etcetera.  Reading, Sophie Kinsella's, The Undomesticated Goddess. Listening to Big Band/Swing.   Whatever you do this Saturday, go out and enjoy!

    

                                                                           Tangerine

this n that

                                                   Chattanooga Choo Choo, Andrew Sisters

It's been a fabulous holiday weekend. We had a blast at Dave and Erin's. Emma and Zach were hilarious and so much fun to be around--  the time passed by too quickly. So, besides hanging w/ family what have we been up to?

Our Sopranos marathon is almost at an end-- we're halfway through the last episode of the 3rd season. Next on our summer list is season 1 of Frazier. The criteria needed to make it on to our marathon list is good dialogue. Fortunately, we have a DVD closet filled w/ good dialogue which makes the selection easier.

Jeff is alternating between drawing and painting small portraits, while I sketch out room designs, and read. At the moment it's The Dark Side of Camelot by Seymour M. Hersh.

Later in the week, I'll be grandpuppy sitting Phoenix, Dave and Erin's 75 lb. labrador, and orange tabby, Kristopherson, at their house, while they're in Paso Robles visiting family. Packing some good books to take w/ me, some DVD's, etc.

 Jeff will be holding down the fort here w/ the indoor/outdoor gangs to keep him company. Anna Chan will have Jeff all to herself and should be in hog heaven w/ that development-- she doesn't like to share.

It's time to catch up on laundry. The weather is beautiful; it has a very mid-September vibe to it. So nice to have that intense heat wave over... that was brutal.
    Happy Sunday!