Thursday, January 29, 2009

We arrived in Palm Springs safely last night and are settled into the hotel until tomorrow morning. We'll be checking out, going for breakfast and then over to the rental office to pick up the keys for the house. We're looking forward to getting settled in the house and enjoying a couple of days before the rellies arrive.

The trip through the border was slow and we were pulled in for a secondary screening. Not sure what they were looking for but they didn't seem to want to believe that we were who we were saying we were or that we were really coming down to Palm Springs for a month. I did ask why we'd been stopped but they never did tell us what the problem was. They even called my home to verify our story with the house sitter - then they sent us on our merry way. Very weird!

Our hotel room is freshly painted and decorated and the pool area is nice. I was able to have the pool to myself this afternoon. I spent a couple of hours out there by the pool catching the rays, did a little time in the hot tub and then back in the pool again. I don't know what the temperature was today but it was warm.....Heaven!

Saturday, January 03, 2009


New Years Day was a lovely day and a fabulous start to the new year. We shared our first dinner of the year with some very good friends. I served my signature Prime Rib which, I must say was scrumptious ! Good food, good company and a fabulous day - what more could one ask for on the first day of the year?


We're having snow on the coast again today. The snow started sometime during the night and has continued for most of today. It's cold and everything looks so clean. This will be almost 2 weeks of snowfall and cold weather - very unusual here on the balmy coast. I took several pictures for posterity - I particularly like this one and I hope you enjoy it as well!

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Happy New Year to one and all! I hope you had a wonderous New Year's Eve and that the coming year offers lots of new challenges and wonderful opportunities.

I'm not real big on New Year's resolutions, mainly because I don't usually keep them! However, in the interest of trying to form better habits and having some consistency, I will make a couple of resolutions. One of my goals is to post to my blog, at least once per week. I hope to post more frequently than that but will consider my resolution met if I can post weekly.

I also have a Live Journal for the personal minutae of my life and I post to this quite frequently. I'm hoping to transfer this habit to LAST WORDZ so posting here becomes part of my weekly routine as well. What will I post? I have no idea! Previously, I tried to restrict myself to art related things. I promise that I won't be doing any "overshares", however, I will probably be engaging in more non-related art posts with the occasional (or perhaps more than occasional? ) rant thrown in.

Another goal is to spend more time on my art. I seem to be caught in this routine of only doing the "work" of the art and not really the "joy" of the art. I'd really like to stretch my art muscles and plan to work at that in the coming year. One of the things I'd like to explore are more 30 minute collages. Last year my goal (which I did not even come close to meeting) was to complete one collage a week. For many reasons, some of them completely beyond my control, that did not happen! I also want to create, and work consistently in an art journal. Perhaps I can incorporate the 30 minute collages into the art journal?

Many years ago, I graduated from university with a degree in English and Sociology. I know, weird combination but it seemed like a good idea at the time!. Throughout the many years since, the theme of "words" has followed me. My vocabulary has grown immensely - I've always been really anal about spelling, syntax and flow in any written document. At one time I thought I would write a book - that never happened. However, lately I've had snippets of poetry floating in my brain. Often I'll get variations of the same verse or theme for several days and then "the muse " goes in a different direction. I want to follow " the muse" and actually put those words, phrases and verses to paper. I just need to get past the fear of the blank page - it does intimidate me !

This year has, in many ways, been MY "annus terriblus" - I think that was the term Queen Elizabeth used several years ago when referring to all the problems which had occurred during the previous year. My husband's death threw just about everything into chaos. We miss him terribly and after 9 months I can still say that there is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him a hundred times or more. However, my daughter and I have survived this event and we're rebuilding our lives. It's been tough for both of us but we're both strong, far stronger than either of us knew, and we're moving forward. I still feel his calm presence and I know that he's very happy with how we're moving forward.

What lies ahead in this new year? No one knows. Life isn't a set script that is set in stone and never changes. It's what happens when we're making other plans. Life isn't for sissies - it can be tough, challenging and painful but also so very full and rewarding. My wish for all of you is that 2009 be fabulous! May you and yours have a healthy, happy and prosperous year. May your troubles be few and your rewards many. All the best in 2009!