New Year's Eve Make-up

I opened a photo attachment titled 'New Year's make-up' from my TwinA anticipating seeing her lovely face in glittery gorgeousity and instead found this. When I called and informed her that a bloody zombie foot was about the last thing I would have expected she remarked that my expectations were...wierd. *sigh*
Guess she's right. I know how she loves to amuse herself by applying her mad make-up skillz to depict realistic gore.
TwinB said it was something to behold in person.

A severe cold front has swept over Calgary resulting in temperatures of 'minus stupid' in TwinA's opinion so I hope they'll stay warm in their travels and have a safe evening.
I fervently hope that all the young people of Canada manage to stay alive tonight and avoid death by exposure - happened to too many last year.

ChristmasWhine09

This is darn near the greenest tree that one could ever have. We drove 10 minutes out of town and plucked it from beside a logging road. Might be hard to believe but this is after the husband performed 'The Fort Nelson Fill-in' on it. (drill some holes in the trunk and peg in extra branches... in Fort Nelson it's required for every single tree, hence the name I've given that procedure)
Christmas proved to be as quiet as this tree is sparse. The husband had to work day shift so I had dinner ready for him and a brother-in-law, with pool in the basement following.
Talked to some relatives throughout the day...Brother#3 is seething with internally generated fury that I'm afraid could land him in serious trouble. Tried to convince him that medical intervention is absolutely crucial and directed him to my favorite bipolar website created by a psychiatrist in Oregon. Had a chat with my parents who were visiting Brother#5 in Powell River and then a 10 - 15 talk with that same brother and oddly the subject of the painting I've just given him and his wife didn't come up. Not a peep*. I contacted Brother#2 on Boxing Day and had a good conversation. He thought he was experiencing depression over the last 18 months but it seems a lot more likely that it was caregiver burn-out from hovering over his wife who has been in and out of Riverview. I sincerely hope they will experience a smooth stretch from now on.
Not sure what Twinb's status really is right now. She's been experiencing some workplace problems that would have been hard for the even-keeled individual. 3 more shifts and perhaps she will be allowed to transfer to a different location...and if not I got me a dandy assistant for the art classes starting in January.

Here's to just chillin'...cheers...

*Dec.29 - gotta take that back now because he didn't realize I was giving them the painting. He phoned today and we got it sorted out. *whew!*

Bad Medicine

I've never gone for the flu shot. Years of exposure to a gooey stew of all things viral and microbial in the elementary schools during high flu season has given my immune system a wallopping kick in the pants (following 6 weeks of non-stop back to back illnesses that first year). Besides, the husband and I - ardent scifi readers - believe that 'the flu shot' is supposed to give you the flu so the immune system gets a much needed work-out.

Then Kitimat became the first town to be felled by the epidemic.

Gradually I became aware of several staff at the high school who were near deathly ill for 2 to 5 weeks. This began to alarm me because they all had yearly and intense exposure to the same nasty little things as I had. (talkin' germs, not students...) On Thursday I took the plunge and received the H1N1 vaccination.

The actual puncture? Less than the scratch the nurse warned me about prior to.

The injection site quickly became painful - quite surprisingly so within an hour or two and the aches settled in shortly after that. It seemed to awaken my usual areas of discomfort - sinus problems, headache, facial bones and various sore muscles. Woke up the next day about the same until oh about 2 o'clock when I got whammed in the guts with some awful piercing pains that sent me to bed with a microwaveable bag for heat. Don't know if the introduced heat was responsible but I ended up with a fever of 101F. Sweating, chills, fatigue and malaise knocked me down for the rest of the day. I drifted through the day after that in a similar, though less intense condition and managed to make and eat some dinner though it didn't take much to turn my stomach. Today - certainly on the mend which is a welcome turn around.

So,all in all I think I got the scifi version which is oddly reassuring.

No...no, I'm not going to get one next year, thank you very much.

Scraps & Scribbles

My exhibit opening was 3 weeks ago but I kind of neglected to post about it because it was crammed in between a couple other significant events, one being the tear out and installation of new kitchen. It's every bit as disruptive and consuming as everyone has claimed! Wow...who knew...

So, here I am with buddy Penny in front of a couple of my favorites from my rusty series. It was a great evening and we all had a fabulous time!! I sold 7 of my paintings and Erin has sold 2 though I haven't checked if there has been any progress lately. I should probably get a few paintings set up here in my studio - there are as many themes, compostitions and ideas waiting to be born or brought to term that I could fill an entirely new exhibit.

Northern Sunrise

8:30 am - making stew and listening to cbc as a Haida woman sings a capella when I glance up at the view to find the mountains suddenly touched with the most brilliant orange/pink of sunrise.*

I turn back to the cast iron pan, scratch at it for a couple of seconds then take another look up at the mountains.

"Okay" I think to myself

"If ever there was a moment that needed to be 'lived in' this is one"

I continue to savour the smells in the kitchen, the beautiful simple song on the radio and let my eyes feast on the contrasts of blues and pink and peach.

An eagle slowly drifts across the vista...

"Alright then" I nod reflectively.

"This is just getting ridiculous"

*had to resort to an older photo from another time of day because naturally one camera had completely dead batteries (I think it's been trying to warn me) and the other had a full card...and then the moment was over.