Been busy...

I have been busy-busy, but I haven't forgotten you. 2010 is going to bring about a lot of changes in my life, and I have a window of "luxury" here in which I can determine if my future can possibly involve what I want to do, or if it will rotate more around what I have to do. I talked with Clint, and—you're going to love him for this—he advised me to try doing what I want to do.

I stewed on that for awhile. We are living in a state of construction, and while we have living space, our "spare" spaces are still full of storage and construction equipment. WHERE am I going to do what I want to do? I went back to Clint, because you know how much men like to talk. "Darling," I said, "can I haul all of that stuff out of that one little room, and can I have it all for myself? Like...tomorrow?"

I wasn't really thinking tomorrow, but Clint surprised me 2 days later, on my birthday, asking me to trudge up the stairs in the dark for a surprise:

This room was FULL of storage and construction tools just 24 hours before this was taken.

A little trip to the Salvation army cleared out this corner...

A few holes in these 100-year old walls had to be patched...

A fresh coat of paint, a good vacuuming and a thick coat of lemon oil on those floors...

A couple of carloads of supplies from the city casa, including 1 or 2  3 or 5 paintings I started ages ago, but never finished....

A workspace, a cozy chair, small TV, some internet, and it's time for this girl to start putting her money where her mouth is. It's a cozy little room, it's all mine, and I lurrrrrrve it.

Clint is infinitely amused that we've been working on restoring this place for almost 2 years, and the first room that's finished is one he'd put absolutely no thought into, and, before he met me, would never imagined its final purpose. I love that, when we just don't know how lovely something will be, in our future.

If you need me, I'll be at the easel.