Dumb Smart People!

Paint Party Friday

I was the five year old who got pneumonia  during 
a summer hot spell. Incapacitated, on the patio, 
placed between two Adirondack chairs pushed
 together with a pillow for comfort.Not surprising
 I have been discombobulated during our 
recent heat wave!

Before the smoke returned from the wildfires. Two weeks ago.

Wafting smoke sneaks through open windows.
Bothersome for breathing I was in somewhat
of a state of Zombism for several weeks as
I tried to stay hydrated!! Attempting to  rework
older canvases in the evenings. The weather has
cooled and cleared. I 'm now pushing myself
out of complacency in hopes of accomplishing
more!!

This is the afternoon sun, hazed over with smoke two weeks ago.

This blog post was written last week but for some
reason I wasn't comfortable posting it as is! So I'm 
revisiting it to post today!

As a former Jill of all trades I often took for
granted my personal variety of gifts. Such
as practicality, intuition, frugality and cooking.
Assuming everyone was capable of the
same skills as me if they only put their mind
to it! I was so wrong! I'm learning we all have
our own aptitude for certain things! I'm pretty 
much a math and geometry idiot except when 
it comes to money!! So I can't really expect
others to be able to time a meal as
perfectly as I could  from the age 
of thirteen! 

Always a kind fair man, it was unusually to hear 

dad jokingly refer to out neighbour as a dumb smart

person. Highly educated, with a great job, she did some

very unwise things! Dad would shake his head in 

disbelief! Especially when it came to her son who

was my brothers childhood best friend!

My fathers observation proved accurate  too many times!
She even boasted to neighbors that for only twenty five
cents an hour they could hire me as a babysitter and
get a house cleaner too!! 

Still sharing more pages from the book I made for my friend!!

  I  did her dishes, tidied up, swept, fold laundry, played with

her children like I was taught!  Sitters rates were fifty cents

per hour. Underpaying me, then belittling my kindness was

unfair and not very smart either! I never babysat for her again

I remember feeling betrayed and hurt when I learned that 

difficult embarrassing childhood lesson! A few of her kids

were unruly and her place was notably sticky and harder 

to clean than most! It was her loss!

 

 Albeit very capable of absorbing grandiose amounts of text

she was lacking in some social norms.... gratitude for one!

The ability to multitask, organize or give proper direction

was lacking too! I have known so many people so much

 smarter and more educated yet so lacking in other areas

of their life!  I'm flummoxed when a middle aged person

  lives on only ramen noodles during a fiscal down turn.

 Oblivious that it takes four minutes in a microwave 

to cook a potato! Or that you can create a  healthy

  cheap soup for pennies that  fills bellies for days!

Some skills we are gifted with, some  are passed on
 through generations, others are resourced as a means of
 necessity. We definitely are a sum  of our influences, 
inspirations as well as good and bad experiences! 
 There's so much to learn between the lines. It still
 surprises me those who miss the most cost effective 
ideas along the way! I guess it's like couponing, we 
don't all grasp the concept, if we do, it's a gift! 

 Long before google was our indoor library, I'd research
the best way to do things. Today the need for a good
cookbook is nearing extinction. One has only to put
"best" in front of any desired recipe to get an amazing
selection. I still have my tried and true books that 
Cupcake now uses but they are barely necessary! 
You tube is a sensation for learning how to fix almost
anything in your home!

Credit cards jammed up,  business degree, making
 a six figure salary, unable to save even a dime,
 it's perplexing to read them comment on
 provincial finances as though they're qualified!
Do middle schools need to teach more basic
living skills?

 Lately I've noticed some of the most successful 
twenty and thirty something crowd were not 
necessarily the most educated.   However 
they are well rounded kids, diverse and prudent.
They work tirelessly at a skill, have a great 
sense of purpose no matter the adversity!

It amazes me when a person has ten or more years of
education but can't hang a curtain, Or a person with a
masters degree in Marine biology   facilitating  an
environmental program yet ignores blatant 
unsafe disrepair of their home!

It's not always those with the  best skills that are the most 
successful either. Sometimes it's the ones who have the
  tenacity to see things through, use their common
sense and give it  a plain old try! 

Stanley Park, my childhood stomping grounds was a bus ride from home!!

Dad wasn't far off, albeit crass, when he 
 said there are a lot of dumb smart people 
out there!! I've met several along the way that
left me shaking my head too! We have a vessel
 of skills we may not yet have  requisitioned.
Some things we may be completely inept at!
However digging in, helping others, looking
around for new things to do, and reading
 was my way of learning to improve my life!

  I've never been the smartest, and I haven't

  always made the best choices.  However  

I do have a lot of  common sense...

and sometimes I use it! 

However it seems,

  "Common sense is a flower

 that does not grow in everyone's garden!"

Does it grow in your garden and do

you always heed it? 

Enjoying a Fleetfoxes concert at Stanley park Sept 13th 2017

Concert in  Stanley park photo credit Cupcake...

Layers with A Burst of Joy paint party friday

Paint Party Friday

" A Burst of Joy" finally finished!
Inspired by one of my favorite older paintings here!

I have a large ugly upright piano that's been with me 50 years. I  have always wanted to paint  it! Beardo insists that I don't touch the beloved rosewood melody maker he has now claimed. Instead he brought me this tiny piano to revamp for Charity. Beardo has been complimenting me daily on my paint job! He tells me he loves it!
It's being included in an  auction  for the  music therapy program at Childrens Hospital  that he's facilitating at work! 

Before version of the Tiny working "Shelf Piano" for a charity auction!

  I was so nervous to do this project. Especially with such a  high gloss finish to cover up! I fought with it, as paint  chipped off the pre sanded and gessoed piano. So many intricate bits to tape and avoid. I am so grateful for the many many coats of varnish that made  the colour pop and protected the paint ! It is exciting  to be part of the lineup doing these pianos  Hopefully I can blog about the whole display in the next week or so!  
I have made the first bid on my piano!

I'm envious of artists who create thin layered paintings perfectly in one try. But that's not me! I tend to create thick bulky layers! I love searching the strokes of paint for images too. Since I was a child I'd searched patterns in wallpaper, on towels, or sheets, in the clouds, or on a floor, for any different form than was presented!  My eye would study blankly searching for images other than what immediately appeared. Maybe why I was called a daydreamer by many a teacher! Today it's called meditating. Of course school wasn't exactly the best place to zone out practice it! 

   I love the intricate layers of humans in all their frailties, their joy and sorrow.  The layers of experience  that forms how they think and what they believe in!  I like to know the essence of their soul!   It's all so very interesting to me! I have always been one to search beyond what is presented by  human beings too!  

 

 As the pendulum swings from happiness to grief the holidays can be difficult for those suffering loss or illness! What's worked best for me is a diversion from the normal routine. Change it up. Keep the past as a sacred memory, but don't be afraid to change the way you do things!

 When  first divorced I tried painfully to keep things the same so Cupcake  would feel  secure.  Leaving photos as they were, and sticking to a normal routine the best I could until she adjusted. However during the holidays I had to change a few things! While navigating the  emotional chaos of divorce there were a few seasons void of spirit so we focused on giving to others.  It  brought us such joy diverting our own sorrows, while replanting the spirit and filling us up. It has carried on through the years.

The back of the tiny piano

Even when we didn't have  the fiscal means to give monetarily, there were so many other ways to give. Asking others for charitable donation in a non monetary way for a homeless shelter, donating crocheted hats, socks, scarves and time. Gathering up unused coats for the homeless. Baking for a busy single mom or dear friend. Helping a single mom wrap Christmas gifts or minding her children while she shops alone. Finding people who may need a little extra and sharing it. Introducing a shut in to their own creativity.  Putting together little baskets for those single moms struggling through the season, the elderly and those who would never ask for help.

People seem more willing to give if you initiate the action. Met with disdain as she shopped for coupon items, the moment Cupcake  mentioned the items were being donated to a woman's shelter the cashiers  demeanor would abruptly change as they too offered up help!  Giving is contagious and once people hear what you're doing they want to join in, even customers waiting in line behind her seemed less impatient! With social media it's been easier to spot people in our midst that could use a hand up, so that's what we do now!

?

When life is tough, holidays can be rough. I say treat yourself like your own best friend.

Spoil yourself a bit, do something different that you have always wanted to try!

Create new layers!!

 

What will you change up this holiday season so you can cope or help someone else cope?

As a Canadian we Celebrate Thanksgiving in October so I would like to take this time to say Happy Thanksgiving to my beautiful American friends, I hope you celebrate with love!

Intuition and Crazy Dresses Paint Party Friday!

 Paint Party Friday

Blotch Dress made of residual paint blotted off another painting!

Mix it Monthly Crazy Dresses

By nature I'm generally even tempered and flexible.  In my fifty eight years I  remember only feeling the heat of my temper flare a few times. At fifteen when  mother and her sister attacked me with unjustified criticism while drinking wine. I verbally defended myself, then left the house. The frenetic thirty minute walk to my boyfriends place in the dark literally  felt like seconds! The ire felt unfamiliar and replaced my usual bruised feelings.  It wasn't  the first time they bullied me and wouldn't be the last. In retrospect it's understandable that I finally snapped!

Crazy "Head Dress"

Then at  forty when my daughters dad accused her of lying to cover up his own deceit. I became Infuriated knowing  he'd  tampered with her intuition.  Something I had carefully honed for years. I was privy to the truth and my insides burst into flames as I finally took a stand for myself and my daughters integrity! 

Crazy Dress " Eyes on you"

The intuition I nurtured in my daughter has kept her safe over the years. It enables her to read people well! To accurately  size up a new girl at eight who I  kept encouraging her to befriend who would later steal her pencil collection. To knowing the lady she smiled at the other day might be a bit off, long before she started screaming obscenities at her for no reason! As a teen her body would react to those instances that were unsafe. To this day her husband heeds her intuition immediately knowing she is rarely wrong. It's near impossible to keep a secret from her.   She guessed her pink boots one Birthday when we painstakingly attempted to dissuade her intuition by secretly facing a snow storm she knew I'd never attempt.   The only surprise that year,  was where they were hidden! 

From the time she was little I asked lots of questions. Often surprised at her blunt truthful answers. Telling me which dads were mean when moms weren't around to which ones were kinder than they appeared! Her answers  were telling and somewhat of a precursor to dramas that  manifested later. She's always made good choices and I like to think her intuition is an impeccable  predictor!  

If she  surmises somethings off when meeting someone new, it's not long before it's proven correct! Innately she knows and has always drawn good people to her side!  For generation the woman on my maternal side have had amazing intuition, yet Cupcake trumps us all! It's her guide and has been her whole life! Has she been hurt by people?  Absolutely devastated by a few.. her intuition warns her not to let it happen again! 

As a shy child I never forced her out of her comfort zone by making her hug people just because they visited our home. From early childhood I constantly asked her how she felt about many issues. Often surprised by her mature and candid answers. I was open and honest with her and told her I'd never lie to her except on special occasions when I needed to keep presents secret! Eventually she came out of her shell. As an adult she's very friendly yet a great listener!

Over the years I've observed people  totally ignore their intuition when it came to partners and children. How about you, have you let your intuition guide you in the right direction? Or do you prefer to ignore it?

Angry Bunny Mystery! Paint Party Friday!

 Paint Party Friday

 I felt like an angry bunny when I couldn’t find the smell
It followed me around the house, what it was, I couldn’t tell

 I sniffed the flowers, the kitchen, and  the air around,
I sniffed the blankets, the towels, a tiny box  on the ground

 The pungent odor near drove me mad, as  the scent permeated
I sniffed and SNIFFED with all my might, the odor was now hated
 It followed me, so I sniffed my clothes, but nothing was there
Finally in frustration I changed my dress and  underwear

 Still the smell was horrid, I tried a nap to  unwind
But the  anxiety grew and grew, with  that stink still on my mind
I sniffed my pillow, rolled out of bed, thinking I may go nuts
Then a light bulb turned on, when I realized I was  a putz

 This has happened once before, while  driving  in my car
We threw the windows open before driving very far
I gagged as though I'd vomit  from the pungent  scent
It was following me around, every where I went

A very expensive cream, that didn't cost a penny
Spread underneath my makeup, even though I used hardly any
I washed and washed my face four times, still it lingered on
Then I used Beardos spicy face wash, finally it was gone!

 Exhale..........Now I'm a Happy Bear!

 

How about you have you ever searched for a resolution and it was there,

literally right in front of your nose?

For the record. it's happened twice. once with a sample cream of the same brand, and then with a very expensive cream.....

Happy Weekend to all of you!!

Tea Party, Paint Party Friday!

Who is the lady behind the  red shoes

The  tipsy  gal after one glass of booze

The faceless blogger so vibrant and bold
with stories that  hilariously tend to unfold

 

Is she  secretly a lady who has two heads

who lives in a castle, with her hair full of dreads?

A Clooney stalker, that can't show her face

Or is she simply a mom, so full of grace?

 I suspect she wears a full  crown of cups

Drinks tea by the gallons, til her bladder erupts!

I know she eats chocolate whenever she can

I sent her my favorite, cuz I'm such a big fan!

A beautiful painter of everything tea

all things in her midst,  easy to see

 Weekly we giggle at her antics and words

  candidly  she speaks about farts, snot, and turds

So today this party's for Tracey our Queen

The woman we love with her face unseen

The one who inspires by sharing her life

as an artist, a blogger, a mother a wife!

Such a talented soul, so savvy, so smart

With so much compassion and a generous heart

We toast to your health we know you want back

And a bit of that skin they took from your rack!

 

 I hope this party at least makes you  smile

Deflecting your  concerns just for a while

I love who you are behind the red shoes

My posts are so long you might need a snooze 

Tracey Fletcher King you are loved so much!

So  grateful am I, for  our friendship and such

Seriously though, I know who you are

You're the Queen of cups, our PPF Star!

 Thank you to Kristin and Eva the host of our weekly Paint Party Friday  for this wonderful idea to Honor our dear friend  Tracey Fletcher King with a wonderful tea party a week before Christmas! Shining the true spirit far and wide, bringing so much love to a beautiful woman we all adore! 

                              Come on in have a seat in my gypsy pink living room!

 

 This photo doesn't do my pink tree justice, wish you  could 

see all the beautiful decorations collected with love over the years!

 Would you like to use our Britto tea set?

 Possibly you'd prefer a more festive mug?

 It wouldn't be a party without  Christmas music playing in the background!

Last but not least let me offer you a traditional shortbread. 

A recipe that's been passed down through the generations!

Please feel free to make a batch yourself!

Sherries Shortbreads

Heat oven 275 degrees

Bake ¾ of an hour or 45 minutes 275 degrees

1 pound of Real  BUTTER

1 CUP CLOSELY PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

4 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

Cream butter and sugar together

Gradually add flour to the sugar mixture, 

then knead for 20 minutes

Form into fingers and prick with a fork,

or use a cookie press

Ready when golden brown

I'd like to wish you all a very special holiday doing whatever pleases you!

May you find solace in the spirit of the music, decorations and love of family and friends! I wish you all enough of everything you need! Much love to Tracey and her family as wells as anyone who sees this message!!  

 Bella the little poodle we babysit would also like to say Merry Christmas
to Mushu across the miles!!! 

This is an update and just happened at 9 AM this Friday morning!!