Hodge Podge of My Summer

 World Watercolor Month kept me pretty busy with art. It made me paint every day. It made me come into my art room and sit down, search for something to paint, and paint it. I needed that. I actually looked forward to coming in and painting. Of course the last week, I had to do some serious searching. Because I was tired of doing so much painting, I was looking for really simple things. Not all of the things I tried worked out. I like to use a little pad of cheap Strathmore watercolor paper for its convenient size. Strathmore is not a bad brand, but it is not the best either. Twice, I accidentally rubbed off the paper on the watercolor. Strathmore should have held up better than that. What a mess! Once was on a face that I washed our several times until it washed the paper off. I was able to fix it well enough that most people would not know the mess-up, but the face did not look like the person it was suppose to be. On the two poppy picture, the white background flower actually has a rubbed off spot. I was impatient and tried to erase pencil lines and part of the painting was still slightly wet - it tore. The good news is that after 31 paintings, I still want to paint - still want to do more watercolors. 

We have had some company staying with us off and on through July and into August. A couple who live near Ft. Worth, and attend our church or listen in on the radio, retired and bought a home here in the Duncan area. In the process of looking for the house and buying it and getting moved here, we offered a place to stay when they were here. The older part of our house is almost like a different house from where Toby and I spend our time in the newer part. So having them here was really fun. Mostly, they were here on weekends. If they could put up with all my animals, and they did, they were welcome here. They are now in their new house and I have a new good friend.

So I had this little blood blister type thang on the ring finger of my right hand. It was there for a while and did not dry up like a blood blister. I tried opening it - thinking it was a sticker, but nothing. Then it got larger and a little more irritating. I went to a PA to see what it was. He said he didn't know for sure, but wanted me to see a dermatologist, because he thought it could be something. I went to the dermatologist in Wichita Falls, because the one in Duncan could not see me until September (this was mid July). Anyway the dermatologist cut sore off, cauterized it, and sent it off for biopsy. The nurse said that I would receive a letter saying it was nothing, because she was sure it was nothing, but if it were something, she would call, but she said, you won't receive a call, because this was nothing. She called a couple of weeks later, said something about benign, needed to see me for an office conference...decide what to do next. Being the slow brain that I am, I didn't ask questions. When I went back, I took Toby with me - mostly because she said "make decisions". But the doctor looked at my finger, said it was healing nicely and something about "got all we needed" and sent me out. Once again, I didn't ask questions, but the big question was, "What the heck was that all about!?"

So the hole in my finger has really cut into my pottery time. As it healed, I used a latex glove to keep it from getting clay in it. That finger is not so important in pottery. As long as I was careful, I could throw mugs. Of course, it did not bother my painting at all. Speaking of painting, the Art Battle is coming back to Wichita Falls. Jesse and I applied to be in it, but we have not heard back from them. They may want new blood. Ha!

My puppy, Rocket, is doing well. He is a handful! He keeps us entertained. I love him and he loves me. We are working on teaching him to catch a frisbee. He is a grasshopper killer for sure!

I am sure I am forgetting something important, but that is a start on what happened so far this summer.