Visiting Old Friends

My Mao Quilt. I love this piece. It could be finished or it could be enlarged. 16 by 18.5 right now. I have many more Mao images I can transfer and a library patron brought me a few sheets of Mao buttons (more like bottle caps) from China which can adorn my work. I also have currency with Mao. Mao Money. When I visited San Jose's art museum many years ago (on a visit to see our son) I was quite taken with a large painting of Mao covered in floral pattern. I returned to Maine and found a Warhol image to transfer and some really good floral scraps in a pile at one of our quilt give aways. I used it all in this small piece and have searched for more. Perhaps, I had all I needed? This piece was the first in a series I call "Objects of My Desire". Specifically, images I desire to translate into fabric collage.

Working on and seeing the 12 by 12 images on my screen have made me WANT to get back to work with my fabric, paints, dyes and thread. I await the cue for the next Colorplay challenge with anticipation. I feel a renewed artistic energy. Perhaps the "long sleep" of my artistic endeavours is now past history and I can move forward and work again. I can hope and dream.

In yesterday's Twelve by Twelve reveal, the stacked collaged cups was my favorite piece. It made me wish I had made bowls that way. The fabric had a very painterly quality. Fascinating.

The sun is shining again, here in Maine and we will have sun and clouds all week. No rain or snow, or so the weather man says. Temps in the 40's. March. Still Winter until the 21st. Riley is ready for his walk. I need to get back into the daily one hour of walking.

The diet seems stalled. I tried on too tight clothes yesterday, a sad experience, since they are still too tight after 6 weeks of saying "no" most days. The clothes I am wearing were also snug 6 weeks ago (tight buttons at the waist and riding up into a wedgie in the back) and they now are loose enough at the waist and wedgie free. And dragging on top of my shoes. The first sign of weight loss--longer pant legs. But I am tired of the same three pair of pants. Green, navy and grey. Yesterday I wore Carhart jeans for part of the day but changed into something softer for book reading on the couch. How do people wear jeans all day long? Perhaps mine aren't old and soft enough?

Law & Order was back last night. The two guys had shaved and Lupo had lost some weight. It was good to see them again. I have always loved the original L&O. Can't wait for Criminal Intent to return to cable. Jeff Goldblum. Yummy.

My book, "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" is very good. I wanted to read all evening but my eyes were tired and my vision foggy. My eyes were tired from reading all evening and into the early hours on Sunday. Sizzle. More apt-Fizzle. Garwood needs a good copy editor.

This was two rewrites away from publication ready. I guess THIS is what I enjoyed about the Wallander books. Perfectly edited, crafted and presented. No misteps. No heavy handed "clues" halfway through to explain the ending. The ending shouldn't need help. The writing should be effortless (to the reader) and move us along without having to turn back pages and sections to see if we were correct--yes, the author had screwed up, reverted to a different story line, then changed, yet again. I am happy I didn't buy the book. It could have been good. That's the sad part.

I think I will have cold cereal today and skip lunch. I've had oatmeal too many times. We are having French Roast Decaf from Wicked Joe's and it is very good. G bought Big House and Bella Maria decafs for future pots of coffee, yesterday, along with Riley's dog food. I need to visit the library, grocery and bank today or tomorrow. We're okay as long as I have breakfast supplies and pasta. I breaded and fried the eggplant yesterday. We ate it with lasagna leftovers. I just wrote it in the diet diary as a "treat" day and will do better today. One day at a time. For the rest of my life. It's the best I can do.