All Before 1:00 P.M.

Posted on by Sandy Webster

This latest bird drawing of a Black Vulture seems a good image to start.

I think I should call him Ching for the man I just got off the phone with.

I needed new air and water filters for my refrigerator so decided to call the number I used before. Not working. Then the 800 number posted in my refrigerator. Also not working. So go online and then on hold. I expected that. And I also expected that when I did get what we all call now, “a real person”, that I may not understand him. Spot on. But we persevered through all of his finally locating the costs and scaring me half to death, All his continual humming and commentary to himself. All my asking if he could repeat…..Then finally after assuring him that the other phone numbers I used in the past and are now not working, had a person who told me the cost was considerably less. He stopped humming the three note marching tune. He stopped saying, “uh-uh” or “uh-oh”, not sure which, and we started again. The end result was that the would-be billing of over $300 was reduced by almost half. Now I will be getting three water filters and three air filters within the week. The funny part is that I almost felt sorry enough for him midway in our transaction to give in and just pay the price. I hope the next person he talks to is not impatient and rude. Of course his tune is stuck in my head now.

And big news! Yesterday I walked from in town to my new house site to take pictures of two by fours put in place. I left from the town square here.

And looking down in between the other houses you can see some building going on.

Then this.

Through the guest room to kitchen and dining a d door to porch.

And tree by porch area and living room windows.

Tomorrow I will check if all the trusses have been put up.

A couple days ago a walk at the dam. I only caught a couple of the flock of seagulls.

And the sun breaking through the fog.

And this morning back on the Riverwalk before meeting with my income tax person.

Sorry to have so many but the light was fabulous. A few more….

And these wonderful close ups.

And a bit of Spring showing.

My tax appointment went well. We loved seeing each other in person after two years. She’s very nice and says things like, “Bless his buttons.” She also thought I was pretty clever to know what papers to bring and what needed to stay home. No longer armloads of ziplock bags. An older gentleman popped in during our meeting to show off his wife’s new baby quilt. He was proud as punch with it and his wife. Nice. The whole day has me smiling so far.

I am still stitching on the owl print. Few more days and I can give it a press and decide if it is worth framing.

Yesterday on the recommendation of my Tuesday lunch partner, I stopped by the furniture store to look at a bed.  Just a full size….we used to call them double beds. I told the very perky sales woman that I wanted a firm mattress on a bed that raises up and down at the head as well as the foot of the bed. I stretched out on the perfect mattress and she raised and lowered me at each end, set the massage at various intensities, showed me how the remote could also light up under the bed so I would not be stumbling about in the dark on those occasional nightly trips to the bathroom. She asked if a full size was large enough. I said yes, it is just me and my two cats. And I don’t want to be wearing a dent in one side or the other. I was ready to be in the middle. I also assured her I was all through sleeping with old men, so a full size was just fine. I picked out the best sheets they had on offer and a sensible mattress pad. In six to eight weeks it will be delivered and I can pass on the king size bed I bought for Lee and I a couple of years ago. He became apprehensive about sleeping with a woman he could not remember and with a king size I could assure him I was “way over there”.

I returned home to find a message that my dear old pal from graduate school had called from Canada. I poured a scotch in the middle of the day and settled into a very long chat. Lee made special glasses for Jo and I to share a scotch in when she visited. I keep up the tradition whenever we talk. It was a good day all round.

That is it for now. I need to sketch those framing timbers in the building sketch book.

Til later….

Back On The Trail

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I have not walked on the trail I made for Lee in several months. It is sad to retrace our steps all by myself. But the other day it was so sunny and warm out there. So I went and took pictures along the way.

Lee’s rock piles are being slowly rearranged by the animals.

And the pile of stones that mark the burial site of so much artwork.

And further down the basket placed on the stump where we would stick found feathers as we walked.

A bit more worn down.

A bird should nest here when Spring arrives.

 And nearby a tree door.

Coming back around to the studio. A school of fish. I will hang one in my new house, maybe two.

A bird stories bird.

A walk along the river. Lots of rain makes for rising waters and puddles.

I worked on the Burke and Wills story and drawings. Trying to decide which ones work to illustrate their lives together.

Where they spent their first few nights together. And Wills realizing it is up to him to help Burke learn to fly.

And when Wills becomes too large to fit in their front door.

The story and practice drawings are a nice deviation from world events this week.

But I did have some company. Right here in the house.  In the morning an old weaving acquaintance came and packed up some yarns but declined three large quilting frames. And then the evening brought friends I always enjoy seeing.  They brought pizza and selected some wines from my collection. It was a wonderful five hours of good conversation, food and wine. We will do it again.  AND I have some leftover pizza for dinner tonight.

When I mentioned there was no room for my large living room rug in the new house, they offered to take it for their own place when the time comes. Good. More things sorted and disposed of.

The weather this week prevented any building but next week is clear and the builder has posted on his site that the framing will go up. I look forward to seeing that and getting a new drawing in my sketchbook.

It is dreary today. So I will pour a wine and think about that delicious pizza.

Til later….

 

 

Finding Myself

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I found this picture of myself from the late seventies while sorting out old tax papers. I was early thirties. Had two young children that were fun being a mother to. Housewife, homemaker and having such fun in the second house Lee and I built. I had started teaching basket classes at home that included lunch and homemade wine with all the materials necessary to complete a basket. These were such fun and innocent times. I loved it. Just look at that face!

So when I found this yesterday I decided to do a black and white of me now….forty-five years later….

When I was younger I decided a permanent was a good idea to get lots of curls. Now I just don’t bother to comb it and get curls. Back then everything seemed in front of me. Now most of it is behind. A long meandering path that brought me to this. There is very little that does not make me smile at the memory. It has been a lucky life. A very happy life for the most part and I doubt I’d change any of it.

Earlier this week I gave some basket materials to a friend in town teaching basketry. It was the last few bits I had saved for the “someday”. What “somedays” I have left most certainly will not be forcing stiff materials into compliance. Looking around I have more baskets than I could ever use. There is little else to give away to someone needing materials that used to seem important to hang onto. Letting go is such a good idea at my age.

Yesterday at the dam it was lovely. Seagulls on the shore…loons a little further out.

And details..

And this morning. Such a sky.

Tomorrow I will go back to the river and have a lavender latte before coming home to see how the cleaning lady is doing. She is so kind and is willing to travel the extra miles to my new place if I want her to. So nice to have her continue. Some times we just need to hold on to the familiar.

I did some bird drawings. A pileated woodpecker and flicker. Black feathered birds are hard to capture in graphite. And I could be getting bored with drawing them. Maybe.

Not many more pages to fill in the Bird Stories Book. I might try some more exotic ones to keep me interested. Perhaps a flamingo, a vulture, a penguin……

I am going to make a soup out of things in the refrigerator. Cooking for one is so very boring.

Til later….

 

 

 

 

 

So Much Going On Here

Posted on by Sandy Webster

A morning to make soup. This is the lunch I just finished of cauliflower broccoli mixed with carrots, onion, a small potato, garlic, chicken broth, milk, parmesan rind, cheddar, mustard and other seasonings. I just googled up the two main ingredients and several recipes came up. It was delicious!

This reminds me that a friend I’ve known for well over thirty years was in town this week and we caught up over scotch, soup, bagels and wine. We did a repeat performance two days later. It was nice going over old times.

I kept up with the walks.

The dam.

And along the river.

Love those rocks under water in the above photo and the rotting log below.

Also got an Indigo Bunting drawn in the Bird Stories Book.

But the big news is the slab for my new house has been poured!

Where the front door will be.

The garage side with gas lines protruding.

The plumbing pipes of my bathroom.

From the gym down to the house is an easy going ten minute walk. I am going to love being able to walk there whenever I need a workout and have a need to punch the bag.

Now I have a couple more pages made up in the sketch book. It will also hold my notes. On the right are the colors I chose for the interior. A pale grey for my room, a very pale sage for the guest room and an off white for the rest of the rooms. Also the stain for the wooden cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms. The trusses have already been delivered and the framing will start soon. So far no shortages which is good but I likely will not get into the house until July. It is all fine as that is just the way things are. More time to enjoy what I have here and get things tidied up a bit more.

I finally finished the branch the grey owl sits on. This afternoon I will start at the base of the trunk and work up.

Not much else new. Just pictures of Dilly and Sadie this week.

And a luscious full moon this week.

Lee will be getting his booster shot soon. I thought he already had it but in a care center things just are not that simple.

I have been doing more drawings for Burke and Wills…the latest is Burke trying to push Wills through a small doorway. Seeing the actions in my head and translating it to a page is certainly a challenge. I should really write the story first to see what illustrations are needed but winging it seems to suit right now. I may draw Burke trying to push Wills by using his back to nudge him through. Feathered wings don’t seem strong enough.

More lead sizes and pens arrive soon. It will all get easier with the proper tools and dogged determination to just do it.

Til later….