Happy New Year's Eve

As preparations are underway for this year's New Year's Eve party, here's
a picture of the gang last year. We are so lucky to have such great
friends. Happy, Happy New Year -- talk to you tomorrow.

Have an astonishing first day of 2009

A wonderful year

What a lot has happened since last year. I'm not big
on change -- although in my work I'm probably
a change agent. But this year -- whew.

Baby Fiona
A gift in our lives

Just over a year ago we lost our beloved Simone.
She was a kind and loving Siamese blue point
cat. She died in surgery, and it was terribly
hard on us. My only answer to the grief was
another Siamese. So we got Fiona as a very small
kitten.

She has been a delight from day one. She definitely
helped us all recover. Admittedly Timbah -- our
black cat has taken it the hardest.

Christmas last year was lovely -- we had Christopher and Megan
staying over. It was all the more special, because they
were hoping to go and teach in Korea, and we knew
they probably wouldn't be home for Christmas this year. In
fact that lucky pair are vacationing on a beach in Thailand.

Steven and me
Christmas 2007
Christopher had us laughing uncontrollably

Snow, snow and more snow
The winter of 2008

Megan and Christopher
get set to depart for England --
one of two trips they took
before heading out to Korea
to teach English

I was so nervous about them going, but I think their
work in Korea as teachers has been really great for
them -- letting them see and travel and work in
a completely different part of the world, and in turn
pulling that experience into our lives, and teaching
us about what they are seeing, thinking, learning.

This summer, we were so looking forward to our
trip to Nova Scotia. We were dreaming about our
1909 schoolhouse there that turns 100 in the new
year. But that wasn't to be. I broke my ankle one
week before we were due to leave -- and we just
couldn't figure out how to manage at a rustic old
building with an outhouse as a facility with me
on crutches.

Me on crutches
Six long weeks

The upshot of that was that we stayed home, and
I made many new friends through the blog. That
was a blessing I cannot even measure -- it has been
a priceless gift to me, connecting with all of you.

Steven saying goodbye to Sam
as he starts university --
and great new time in Sam's life

Then this fall Sam started university. Sam had been
such a wonderful child to live with, helpful, kind,
funny and hardworking. I was really dreading his
departure. Suddenly we were alone again. We
discovered that although we missed our kids, we
can still enjoy ourselves without them.

My fall show with ArtWalk went very well, and part
of it was because of the blog!

In terms of art, I don't think I've ever produced as
much work as I have this year. Reading other
people's blogs has made me feel immersed in the
subject in an exciting new way.

Most of what has been happening, you've read
with me all along. But I just want to say
thanks once again, to all of you, and to the
universe for the joyous bounty you've
brought into my life this year. Because of
you, and my family and friends everywhere
I will always remember 2008 as a special
year.

In some ways everything has changed in
our lives, but what remains is our love
for each other, for our family, extended
family and friends, and for life -- and
that is what my art is all about.

Happy New Year !

Getting back into the groove

This week we're going to have a New Year's Eve party,
as I've probably said. But the coming new year also
signals a time to try and get the loose ends of our
lives tied up. There are so many little errands and
chores that pile up at the end of a school term,
especially when the end of school slams right into
Christmas, and all the exciting preparations that
demands.

So today we've been out picking up packages, and
running errands. Tonight I settled down to draw
Steven as he and Fiona watched a movie on TV.
I could not tell you anything about the film
except that it was about soldiers who are asked
to go back to Iraq after their tours of duty are
over. Other than that the movie was background
noise to the job of trying to capture Steven and
Fiona before they moved. This is how far I got.

Watching TV
marker on watercolour paper

Have a loving-one-another day.

The quiet before the next -- party

Today we spent a civilized Sunday visiting the newly
recreated Art Gallery of Ontario. We loved it, and
felt a kind of silly pride in knowing our city had
this super space to offer. So if you come to visit from
other parts, there's a place I want to take you to
right away.

The building itself is amazing -- there's a long walkway
under a high ribbed structure, like the bones of a canoe
with glass in between instead of wood. It's dramatic,
inspiring and fitting for a province filled with lakes and
rivers where people still actually canoe.
http://www.ago.net/new-building-photo-gallery

My friend Suzanne gave Steven and me a one year
family membership for our birthday, and we were
entranced today. Next to painting, I love looking at
paintings best.

When we got home after climbing the glorious winding
staircase to the top of the building, we were exhausted.

Steven, Timbah and Fiona
sleeping in the studio chair
black marker on watercolour paper

Here's a little sketch I did of Steven and the cats sleeping
in my portrait chair. I am always amazed at how quickly men can
fall asleep almost anywhere. He's still marking the page in his book
sound asleep!

Have an isn't-life-amazing-and-wonderful day.

French songs on the radio

Tonight CBC Radio is playing French songs. I understand
just enough to enjoy the love songs, and the voices are
beautiful. I was raised for part of my childhood in Ottawa,
and we started French in school early. Most of my
understanding has disappeared through lack of use in
English Toronto. And in recent years friends speak
more Italian and German to me, than French. But the
roots of the language linger in my baby girl unconscious.
I was probably five going on six when I first learned
some French words.

Every year we go to Quebec city on our way to Nova
Scotia, and on our way back home to Toronto. I know
enough French to know that I wish I knew French, and
I steel myself for the embarrassment of not knowing enough
to speak even haltingly anymore. At night in my hotel room
before I venture into the lovely city, I rehearse how
to say some inadequate sentence to explain my impossible
lack of skill.

In Europe children easily learn five or six languages, but
the English in Canada have been somewhat reluctant
to learn even one other language. Some people place
their children in French immersion schools, but that
is only highly successful if the children's parents
speak French too.

Sketchbook drawing of Clown Cat
marker on Bond paper

As a complete non sequitur It's time for us to head out
to a movie with our friends. Christmas seems to make us
nostalgic. We were talking today about the great animals
we've owned and loved. Here's a drawing I did
of Clown the cat. Indirectly Clown brought Steven and me
together. He took care of the cat for me when I was away
on a trip, because his sister asked him to, and that's how
we met.

So I guess this story may loop back, because without Clown,
I wouldn't have met Steven, and without Steven I wouldn't
own a place in Nova Scotia, and without the place in Nova
Scotia, I wouldn't go to Quebec City twice a year, and stumble
through my poor French.

Have a loving language day.

Time to think

Now that Christmas is over, and the house looks amazing,
we can really relax. We've got turkey to eat for a couple
of days, nowhere to go, and nothing much to do.
I sat in my transformed studio, remembering the
days when it was just a living room -- not a sometimes
living room. After a few minutes I realized that my
mind was enjoying something that's been a rare
commodity lately -- space to think. Sam was out,
Steven walking the dog. The lights from the tree
sparkled in the room. The garlands on the fireplace
and over the dining room door gave off a lovely pine
smell - like the woods on our little property in Nova
Scotia.

All of the papers and radio stations manically do a
round up of the year at this point. I am concentrating
on facing forward. We have faced illness, and broken
bones in this corner of the woods -- and all is well now.
So though I'm more Celt/pagan than religious -- I do
thank the universe and all who have given us help,
kindness and laughter this year. And now it's forward,
forward, with happy hearts and minds.

Tomorrow I'll take the table cloth off the dining room
table, cover it back over with the plastic I use to protect
the table from my creeping acrylics, and think about what
I want to paint.

sketchbook drawing of my
friend Lyn Green relaxing
marker on Bond paper

For today...happiness, love and friendship are all that
I need to feel more joy than I can ever express.

Thank you all. Happy Holiday.

A Merry, Merry Christmas

Here's a little drawing I did in my sketchbook of our
fireplace mantle, the stockings, (two of them) and
the pine, cedar, spruce garland. The tops of the
roses from the coffee table show at the bottom.
if you were into colouring books, you could print
it off and colour it in yourself.

Sketchbook drawing of our fireplace mantle and stockings
red Sharpie on Bond

It's been a wonderful day with lovely gifts,
a delicious meal, sweet family and kind friends.

Have a very Happy Holiday. Please be careful
in the holiday sales, and don't push. I am
curling up with my book and my cats, and
enjoying the peace that passeth all understanding --
a day off.

Zoey and Fiona relax in front of the heating vent
in the kitchen on Christmas morning.

Enjoy!

Happy Boxing Day, and Happy Holiday to you!