KEEPERS

Like many other parts of the country we've had a lot of rain lately so I've been doing rainy-day things. The inventory of life is an ongoing activity; you open a box and root through it, tossing some items, saving others. Here are a few mementos I've kept over the years:

Cupid here is one of the oldest cards I have. It was given to me by my very first boyfriend when we both were seven years old. His name was Stuart and our birthdays were one day apart, (I was the older one). He signed his name very small and lightly on the back. I  also remember the beautiful gift he sent me: a box of marbles, or allies as we called them. I wonder where he is now. I hope he is happy.

My sister Lynne made me this birthday card for my 26th, so it's also an oldie. But a goodie. She said it was her version of a Gordon Fraser-style card, very popular back then. I love the fine, flowing lines and the colours. She's very talented, my sister.

Our grandmother, Mamoe, used to let us stay up late and prance around "harry starkers" on hot summer nights in her back yard. Such freedom for two little kids! I made this drawing as part of a book of memories for Mamoe's birthday. I can still hear her laughing when she got it. She laughed easily and a lot.

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This is a silly card I made for my husband, George, on his 65th, with references to the 'fridge list' and all the renovations he was involved with as well as his computer efforts. I don't recall the significance of the brushes. The cartoon doesn't look one bit like him and the cat looks more like a rat. But never mind.

My oldest son, Jon, painted this stylized cow for me. He had earlier painted a very large version of a similar cow on an old tarp which I loved but it was lost in a fire. His apartment building in Montreal burned down the night before Christmas Eve. He saved his cat but everything else was lost. It was a traumatic time for him, that's for damn sure.

I begin and end this post with a valentine. This one is from my youngest son, Andrew, when he was in Kindergarten. You can see the teacher's under-drawing which Andrew happily ignored as he sloshed on the red paint with one of those impossible large-bristle brushes they always give the kids at school.

And back they all go into the box, nothing here is ready for the bin yet. Some things are just too hard to let go.



Jesus, the Cat, and Other Moggies

It's been a long time since my last post...almost a month...and I have no new art to show although I've been busy with art-related events such as our annual Art Fayre in Dunvegan. The exhibition looked wonderful and was well attended. There were a lot of sales. None of them mine this time. I must admit to feeling more than a bit disappointed about that. There is nothing like the affirmation of one's efforts via a nice cheque. As well as an ego boost it also helps to pay for the framing and the percentage to the gallery.

So.

On to other things.

This is Jesus. Officially he belongs to our neighbours who no doubt call him by another name but he is known as Jesus to us and several other neighbours because he's always turning up at the door, inspiring the remark,"Jesus! The cat!" And because we are all crazy enough to feed him, he keeps coming around, on the scrounge.

Bridget and Sam, our cossetted little princesses, enjoy visiting Jesus through the screen door.

They watch him eat the few cookies we allow him and don't seem to mind sharing. Here he is after a nosh, having a good wash.

This is Felix. He belongs to our friend, Monique and is very handsome and friendly. Felix came here for a 'playdate' recently. We wanted to find out whether he would get along with Sam and Bridget in case Monique needs to travel and avoid leaving him alone or at a cattery.

He arrived in his carrier and chose to remain there for awhile until the hissing from our two died down. Then he gradually and cautiously emerged.

A little catnip helped him to relax.

Bridget thought he was making a fool of himself but she remained tolerant of her new guest.

While Sam watched it all from a safe distance on George's lap.

In all, the visit went quite well. An hour later all three animals were racing around the basement and the hissing had almost stopped. We'll have to do it again, soon.