Thankful Thursday 10/2/08

Last Friday I had my days confused. I thought my friend Debra's wedding was last weekend instead of this weekend so I was rushing to find her the perfect gift, but I didn't want to drive across town to Target to buy a photo album like got Shawn & Danielle for their wedding. Instead I found a cream colord fabric memory board with pearls on the lattice work ribbons. It is similar to the design on the photo album which I would have been so happy to receive as a wedding gift. Or even an anniversary present. I am partial to it because it is the design on the sleeves of my wedding gown. It is also the design on Don's stereo speakers. It was why I chose our china cabinet. Ok so I have a thing for lattice work designs.

Then I realized the wedding was next weekend and Sunday was Stephanie's birthday. I already have a few little things for Steph but one major thing I knew she'd like. My latest idea is letting friends and family go through my photos and pick out ones they really like (within limits, of course.) and I give them a 5x7. I was thankful I found the perfect gift for Debra as well as the things I had for Steph.

I was thankful I checked my camera for my memory card in the parking lot before leaving Walmart because I had left it in the machine! Luckily some kind, honest person turned it in to the clerk. Thank You, Lord! I told another lady "My life is on that disk." She knew exactly what I meant. I'd been having problems with watery eyes due to make up all afternoon so it probably appreared as if I was crying. I would have been if the disk had not been there.

Rhett had free tickets to the drag races. Usually he just has one for Don and he gets in free. They make it a guy's nite out while I stay home, do whatever I want to do be it a chick flick, be creative, read or get on the computer. Although I enjouy this alone time, the house is too quiet and I miss my guys. It really makes me appreciate having them in my life. So I am thankful for them.

We had to go home, change, get a ton of stuff to take with us so the races started without us. I could have gone to sleep in my chair once we got settled due to a hay fever pill I took. All the dust, the loudness of the cars, the dirt that flew in my eyes was just not my thing, but we were together as a family and that is what matters most. While there I noticed a couple that let their daughers sleep on the hard, cold cement steps that formed the seats, but they were covered in blankets. The parents even left them to get something to eat! I almost started to take a photo of the sleeping girls lying there, but I didn't pull my camera out once.

I was thankful for the pink checkered blouse I found on sale for $7.00. It should be perfect for the cooler days ahead.

I was thankful for the photos I took at Country's on Broad earlier Friday nite (before we went to the drag races) of the fountain and the sun filtering thru the flowing water and another awesome sunset I captured. It was all pale pinks and baby blues yet when I snapped it, it was more golden tones. More golden sunsets much like my previous Sky Watch photos. Speaking of golden sunsets from my last Sky Watch... I printed some out at Walmart as well as the ones of the art show. On the last one, I couldn't tell which end was up. I figured it out yet turned it around. I realized the clouds looked like waves washing upon the shore. It looked like a painting so I have another idea to paint... At the most I would be using only three colors. It is funny I am seeing everything as a painting now. Or I am saying "I am going to paint that..."

Back at home, I'd received a card from our friend Helen who came to the art show. The cover said, "Reach... Dream... Believe". Such true words. She told me how proud she was of me; that my artwork was delightful. She was drawn to the sun in my piece which is a first I have heard. She and a friend were at the library doing research a few days after the show. She was showing her friend my art. Helen was even more proud of me when she saw I'd won a ribbon. She was told this was a prestigious award and honor. She took 3 photos of it and included them in my card. The eye in my art really pops in her pictures. Helen added this caption to the photo: "Columbus Artists' Guild 2008 Members' Exhibition People's Choice Award to..." and she put my name. This was so sweet of her. I am so lucky to have friends like Helen and I am so thankful for her.

In my excitement, I forgot to call Helen to tell her about the award. Instead I called her to thank her for the card and the pictures. She also sent a note card with the same photo to my parents.

Sat. we had to return the movie "A.I" by Steven Speilburg which I don't recommend. It had Rhett & I both crying at the end. At night Rhett always tells me "Please don't die" to which I reply "I will try not to any time soon." The robot character asks his mommy in the movie "Are you going to die?" Talk about art mirroring my life yet again!

I stopped by where the art show was held. They had a poetry writers meeting this past weekend. In my writer's past, I would have loved to attend such a meeting. There was a lady manning the table for the art guild. She was one of the artists in the show and had a paper collage I really liked because it reminded me of what I normally create. I talked with her for quite awhile. It was like sitting opposite the actress Kathy Bates. She could have been her sister. Cindy suffers from arthritis, but she is normally a pottery artist. So we shouldn't judge artists' work because we don't know what they are going through in their lives at the time of their creations. She said she felt bad about the framing since you could see light between the artwork and the frame at the top of it. She couldn't work with clay, but she could cut with scissors.

Cindy had some work with her she was working on at the table. It was pencil drawings of woman from magazines. She is very talented. She does mostly fantasy art. She also teaches art classes in the town where I live.

Then we got to talking about artist trading cards. I believe they are called ATCEO's. I have seen them on the internet and on some blogs like my friend Janet of The Lavendar Loft. They are the size of playing cards. They are not to be sold, but traded among artists. She gave me one she had done on a watercolor paper. I haven't had a chance to take a photo of it yet. It is rather plain looking at the moment, but the colors are cool and I plan to add something to it. She gave me the one I would have picked out.

Well, actually it has a story behind it... There used to be a Thomas Kincaide shop here. Did you know his stuff is odd shaped and you could only find the perfect fitting frames at this shop otherwise you would have to special order a frame for his work? Lithokrome, the compmany that prints a lot of Hallmark cards, which is located here, printed his work. There was a lot of left-over watercolor paper which she uses for her art classes. Cindy says you can wash them and she has so my card was clean. LOL

Cindy is like me in the sense that she can't just paint flowers and landscapes. We discussed suggesting having an abstract art show or one with the trading cards. I hope she will be the brave one to bring that up at the next artist guild meeting as I don't feel I should since I am a new member. Nor do I feel like sticking my neck out only to have it cut off the proverbial chopping block. There may be resentment since I waltzed in and won an award after only two meetings. I always have beginner's luck

Cindy has had a rather hard life. Her mother does not recognize her as an artist in the family newsletter. This made me thankful for my always supportive mom. Well, my mom hasn't called me an artist either, but I know she is very proud of me and that means the world to me. Cindy says she needs people to talk to for feedback on her artwork. I told her I'd be glad to be her sounding board. I know I have all of you as mine. I know my friends give me their honest opinions. I named names in an email, but I learned my lesson from it. I won't do that again. One friend got her feelings hurt because I did not name her. While another friend was not offfended by my lack of naming her name and was content just to be my friend.

Talking to the artist Cindy made me thankful for the use of my hands. Then I was thankful for my eyesight as well.

Good news! Don is working again and we are indeed thankful.

At church last night, our preacher used a neat concept... If you looked into the rearview mirror of your life and your life was mirrored there, what would you see?

Yesterday morning, as I put something in the fridge, one of those little Domino's buttermilk ranch dressing containers fell on the floor. I had my purse and my BIG bag on my left shoulder so I asked Rhett to pick it up for me. Then I realized it had busted and the dressing was on the floor so I got a paper towel to wipe it up with the bags still on my shoulder. I pulled something in my ride side which was bothersome most of the day. I didn't tell anyone at work or complain. I was being stoic again. I took two Alleves, but it didn't touch it. As the day worn on, the pain shifted to my lower back. So I went to bed early, but I woke up before 6 am in worse pain. I got up and took a hot shower. I was miserable so when I got to work I called my general practioner. They couldn't call me in a muscle relaxer as they did in the past because I had not been there since 2006. I was lucky enough to get in to see his PA who I really liked. She was friendly and in-your-face kind of person. She said she was going to call me in two scripts at the Walmart near where I work. One was a muscle relaxer

On the way back to work, I got a really, really good lunch. One I had not had in a long time. The whole time I was eating, I was thankful for every bite. So that was worth it.

I had one co-worker asking me if I wanted her to pray for me and I told her that would be great and to pray they called in the muscle relaxer in too! I know I must have sighed a lot with my pain throughout the day. It got so bad I took 3 Alleve with my lunch. The pain didn't ease off til late after noon with throbbing pain shooting down to my knee and stopping there.

I go to Walmart after work, the script wasn't ready and my last name was misspelled. I had some photos I needed copies of while they were filling it. I found a raven t-shirt on sale for $3.00. I was so happy thinking I would wear it for Halloween. I knew when they rang everything up, it was awfully cheap. Only one prescription was called in. Naproxen. No muscle relaxer. I was so mad. By then there was no one in the dr's office. Lesson learned: always ask for the prescription in hand before leaving the doctor.

I am thankful the pain has subsided.

Iris's post was about randomness but I don't think her's could be more random than mine. If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/