Memorials

 Wow! I can't believe it is the end of March. My little art student turned 16 in January. She told me that she felt 16 was almost over and she was headed to 17. And that 17 was a boring number. Now, 18 was more exciting. I laughed at her, of course.  But I kind of understand her feelings. March is my birthday month. While I had a nice birthday, I didn't get to have a whole month of birthday. Maybe that is because 63 is a boring number.

My puppy present has been wonderful. I love this little guy. He does not like to be left alone, though. He can handle a little alone time, but not hours of it. He gets anxious and all or our potty training goes out the door.  So, I have been taking him with me if I am going to be gone very long. I took him to the CTAC Cow Patty Bingo last Saturday. No one minded when he helped measure the grid - taking the tape measure and pulling it around.  They all thought he was cute. When I took him to my CTAC meetings on Tuesday, they may have thought I had lost my mind. He fidgeted a bit, but then settled down for a puppy nap. Today I have been home and he has done quite well. By the way, his name is Rocket.

This week has been busy with CTAC stuff. On Friday, we have an art reception for the April-May show. We have two women artists who are very different in style and maybe ability. It has caused a rumble in the running of things. Personally, I don't care. It is art. It is different art. Maybe people will not like it, but it is what it is. One of the artists does very nice portraits of ladies as well as nudes. We asked that she not send any full frontal nudes. Once again, I don't mind nudes, but lots of people do. We are not NY City or even OK City. We are small town, Bible belt folk who depend on donations from local people. So, I think we may have made the artist maybe a bit irritated. She sent very few paintings and they were all rather similar and dull. On the other hand, the other artist is lively and fun and an art therapist. Her art work is not genius. It is modern - whatever makes you happy. And it is happy, but maybe not great art. It is an odd show, for sure.

Next week, we will be traveling to Levelland, TX for Toby's mom's memorial service. Then on our way home, we plan on stopping in Seymore, TX for Jesse's art show at the Whiteside Museum of Natural History. She calls her show "Home on the Range." There will be lots of jackrabbits and buffalo and such. 

We went to Amarillo to see my sister the weekend before last. She was doing well after a little surgery. We stayed in an AirBnB rather than a hotel, because we took the puppy. The AirBnB was a nice place, but not very comfortable or private. We might have well stayed with relatives and been more comfy. We did some shopping down on Route 66, ate good food, and even did some hiking in Pala Duro Canyon.  Then we went to Levelland to meet up with Toby's sisters to make plans for the memorial service. Pretty much the plans were all made when we got there and that was great. We had an excellent breakfast at a place called the Guadalajara Cafe. I love a good Mexican breakfast. We will go back to this place when we go for the memorial service.

Speaking of memorial service, my SIL's mother died a couple of weeks ago. She was 99 and quite a lively woman. My brother, Jesse, and I went down for her memorial service. It was mostly family members since she had outlived her friends. The service was held in a Catholic Church in Weatherford, TX. The church had ben built in the 1800's and was small and funky. The priest was a happy, little, gray-haired man from Ireland - a bit like a leprechaun. Afterwards we went to my SIL's house on the lake for a good old Irish wake. Wake on the lake! It was a good time celebrating someone who was a good person and had a good life. May we all live such lives.