Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Hallowell's Books

I have been reading Hallowell's 2 terrific books on ADD and they are great! The first is "Driven to Distraction", and the second is "Delivered From Distraction." I recommend them to anyone who suspects they may be ADD, anyone who lives with ADD - parents, siblings, mates. Hallowell describes the condition in very readable terms, gives insight into how it is manifest, some suggestions on how to handle its vagaries, but especially highlights the positive side of ADD. I'll write more on this later as I get further into it.

Meanwhile Christmas is bearing down relentlessly.

Alfie continues to be a pleasure and a delight!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Posted by PicasaDecember 3, 2008

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Dominica

Just concluded a rental for a bed-sitting room with kitchen and bathroom in Portsmouth for mid February to mid March. I'm not sure what the facility will be like, quite basic I expect, but I don't really care. I am going back to Dominica! Sister Clare has been very helpful and encouraging. It feels like she really would like to have me back! It is a relief to have that decision made.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Update


Alfie has grown - see photo! he is almost house broken! Yeah! Great ears!!!

I am working on finding an affordable bed-sitter in Portsnouth, Dominica. I am nervous and excited about the possibility of returning there. I feel like I have to go, to tie up some loose ends, to exorcise a dream. I wonder if it will happen? I wonder WHAT will happen.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

The puppy is named: Alfie

After much discussion we settled on the name Alfie. Although he will answer to any of the nmes suggested! Thanks to everyone who submitted suggestions. I must say my family and friends are creative and erudite.



Alfie is a dedicated, and effective digger - as he was breed to do - so, gardening with him is a challenge. I plant it, and he digs it up. We are looking forward to the time when he is housebroken.


Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Update

So much has been going on with Samantha I don't know where to start, so I won't! I should probably start a blog on this subject alone!

Tomorrow Hans and I are going to visit a puppy - a West Highland Terrier. He's still too young to come home with us, but we'll probably "reserve" him!

Absolutely the best weather. I am reducing garden area slowly with some regret, but I can't and I don't want to, work at it as intensely as I have for years. We've let the pond side go wild as it is.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Summer 2008

I know, I know, it's only mid August, but it is beginning to sound like fall, i.e. crickets, cicades, bluejays squawking.

Not the greatest summer I've ever had: too much rain, and not ever really hot a la eastern Ontario, worrying about Samantha, and now Tony and Sam are unhappy and are breaking up. At least, so far, they are not doing so in anger, but they are in pain.

There have been several really good things happen for me, too, though, and not the least of which is that I am healthy! I have met and become good friends with Susan Quipp, I have reconnected with an old dear friend, Gayla Freitag, and I have had the use of Susan's studio. That'll be over in a couple of weeks ( lease problems) and we simply cannot afford any other space in Perth. This story isn't over yet, though. There are several other factors that are yet to be resolved.

I've also started going up to the MacDonald's Corners farmer's market at M.E.R.A. (see www.meraschoolhouse.org) on Saturday mornings and selling my OOAK greeting cards. I know most of the people up there, it is very friendly and stressless (except for the early morning).

And by-the-way, I am not going to the Montreal World Fim Festival this year, what a relief! this is the first time in many years.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

July 26, 1963 London, England

Today, Hans and I have been married for 45 years.

Amazing!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Facebook

As a true daughter of the 21st century, I'm on facebook now too.
Blogs, facebook, gmail...what's next? However, I have to say that I still prefer to write actual old-fashion snail mail letters.

My Peace and Social Justice Links

http://www.departmentofpeace.ca/
http://www.civilianpeaceservice.ca/
http://www.pbicanada.org/
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/
http://www.rawa.org/

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Going West With Samantha

We went to visit Nick for a couple of days. The actual travel was a piece of cake. WestJet is easy, and Budget rent-a-car is also easy. My travel companion, i.e. Sam, was hard work. Nick is fine, nice apartment, and he is enjoying his job and his new computer.

I had a terrific day with 2 "cousins", Jennifer and Heather, and I feel like I have 2 good friends there. I would go to visit them any time. Abbotsford, however doesn't really exist. It is a huge mall surrounded by little malls surrounded by houses! The area, the lower Fraser Valley is the market garden of the province; low, flat, fertile surrounded by mighty mountains. When you look up to the nearest mountains you see a swath of clear cutting along it with new, monster houses on the march across the clear cut.


Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Happy Birthday to me

Monday, May 26, 2008

More Field Notes

Why is time flying by so fast, and scaring me? The rapid passage of time makes me wonder if I will get "it" all done in time. This bears thinking about.

I've spent almost every day at the studio this month. I've been doing mostly abstracts in mixed media. I'd like to do something huge - 4'x6' - the largest I have ever done is 11"x16".

We have to leave the studio at the end of August, but I am not thinking about it yet. I am hoping that the Universe will take notice and provide!

Meanwhile everything at home is bumping along as usual.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Notes From the Field

I have 2 events to report:



1. I have rented space in a studio in Perth. This has saved me from running away from home permanently. I go everyday around 10 AM, unlock the door and step into another world. It is bright, I have a nice long table, lots of room for my bits and pieces of paper and tools. The printmaker who owns the studio is not always there, but is excellent company when she is. Sometimes our friends drop in, sometimes Samantha and her friends drop in. I work until 3 or so, do a few errands and go home, usually feeling good having spent several uninterupted hours in my right brain. Great.



What is this 'work' I do there you ask? This brings me to item 2



2. I have become completely involved in the mail-art movement. As one mailart artist/blogger has put it, it is "my humble attempt to make community by engaging in the exchange and documentation of mailart." (lindall). I am especially fond of making ATCs, 'zines, travelling journals, altered books, and lately, Zentangles. I am also making large collages with found objects.

I am having a good time.

Here are some links to explain.

http://bigquestions-wackystuff.blogspot.com
http://mailarta.blogspot.com
http://zentangle.com/gallery.php
http://spacejam.blogspot.com
http://spiralmail.blogspot.com
http://karenswhimsey.com/altered-books

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Delinquent

Well, that didn't work. I mean the blogging...first of all I forgot how to do it, and secondly I was using a public computer and had to stand up. Thanks to the few of you who, much to my surprize and chagrin, actually took the time to see if I had posted anything.

So...Bermuda...Nothing unexpected. Great weather, friendly people, wonderful scenery, easy to get around, lively artist community. No fresh fruit and fresh fish was hard to come by. But four weeks is too long unless you really want to only rest. I did find some volunteer teaching to do and I enjoyed that.

I wonder where I'll go next winter?

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Bermuda - here I come

I am soooo ready! I have been packed since last week. I keep packing and unpacking to see if I have forgotten anything. By this time on Friday I will be there.