Wedding Veils Explode!

My backyard has exploded into a mass of white lace, aka my wedding veil bushes. I don't know what they are actually named, but that's what I call them. Although I must admit, the blooms look like miniature wedding bouquets. There used to be a full row in the yard next door, making a double-thick visual barrier. The stupid sisters who lived next door whacked them off at ground level "because the dogs cut their mouths on them." Right. Stupid bints. They tried to kill their front flower bed; I salvaged all the strawberry plants for my own veggie garden. Took back the irises too. The new neighbors love our bushes which hang over the fence. They are heart-broken that they missed out on the spring blooms in their own yard. Springtime in the Rockies is unpredictable and often cold; I had to turn on the furnace today, but the flowers are very much worth the wait.

I'm on a painting roll today after three days of absolute non-inspiration. Yes, the blue is sky, ubiquitous sky. I hate to waste paint and I hate to skimp on the color mixes. So I prep a lot of canvas and whatever the hell all else I paint on, because there's so much more to art than flat canvas, and I use up every bit of paint. This tends to create a series of paintings in a similar color family. I use an old frisbee as a palette. The boxy squares will be more in the Trash Fence series, and possibly the small canvases also. Hot off the easel! Only ten days until Element 11!!

Colder than a Witch's Zits.

Blast from the Past: Barry Reeves and me, Navy Day Ball, Club Alliance, Yokosuka, Japan, 1985. Yes, ET2!

Yesterday was lovely, over 90 degrees. MyLarry had summerized the swamp cooler, so the inside of the house was nice. I did some bits and bobs on the garden before the poor air quality drove me indoors. Today? We were lucky to hit fifty degrees, rainy, windy and miserable. The dog did not want to go out to piddle, she skirted the house under the overhang. I had to close all the windows I had meticulously opened. I'm wearing freaking flannel and slippers!

MyLarry got home at nearly six in the morning. I know he had to unload the Volvo parts off his trailer, and I-15 northbound was closed for construction, but I still worried. Poor guy slept all day and he's loading this evening and headed for Vegas. Driving all night. I feel so guilty that I don't even get all the housework done daily for him. He deserves big hugs all the time.

Renn Again

We returned to the Renn Faire to pick up my mask. Larry ended up wearing it, it went beautifully with his leather gauntlets and spiked suspenders. I wore my barbarian over-vest which weighs in at ten to twelve pounds at least. Genius got up a pirate outfit by raiding our closets. The nice Naval saber is the one we found in a dumpster in San Diego; it now resides in my umbrella stand. After, we went to Friday's for a quick meal and a couple drinks. The staff treated us remarkably as though we were completely normal. I love going about mundane activities in outrageous costumes.

Darling Larry bought me two wonderful wall hangings, one an Egyptian Eye of Ra, the other a Celtic tribal tattoo pattern. I will make robes or capes from them. Plus two Afghan rings with carved glass. Very, very reasonable prices.

Pics: Barbarian queen and her retainer. MyRetainer, MyLarry. Genius aka The Dread Pirate Cletus aka Captain Jack Swallows. Driving with his glasses on over the mask. The pirate empties the flask before we get in the car. Friday's, Blurry-eyed Me with a rare shot of my one and only tattoo of an ankh in a speech bubble. I still think a tiny Daniel below would be funny.

And an odd detail: Check the last two pictures. Genius and I have exactly the same hazel-colored eyes with orange streaks in them.

Selective Husband Hearing

See what happens when your husband hears "round-up" and not the "for the weeds which grow between the fences out back" part? Or reads the label for the broadleaf weed killer and picks up the weed AND grass killer? Yeah. I disdain the American green lawn ideal, but it doesn't mean I wanted my lawn killed.

Pictures: my new unimproved lawn, Lilacs!!!, late tulips, rhubarb with hollyhocks and strawberries, candytuft, the LoveShack which still needs the front trim painted white, newest addition to the family.

This has been a busy weekend between going to the opera on Saturday night and out to the RennFaire on Sunday.

Genius got the four of us tickets in Salt Lake to see Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Capitol Theater. I thought the production was quite wonderful. All dressed up in out evening clothes, Genius in his vintage tux with the velvet collar, plus a deep burgundy tie and vest. Desi wore he black and white evening gown with her black opera cape. I was in my Indian salwaar kameez, which is a long tunic with loose pants and a wrap/scarf. This is my dressy one, with the lined lime green tunic and the sheer cobalt blue plants. Shiny paisleys all over the tunic, very striking. Very not the usual thing. Larry wore his new black kilt, a sheer ruffled goth shirt, his tux tails and tall silver boots. Again, Not the Usual Thing. At the after party, he got hit on by the cute waitress, she wasn't just trolling for a tip, she was flirting. I am amused. The boys were at the opera also, we dropped by their place after the after party for wine and cheese. Got home at two in the morning. I was wiped out.

Off to the Renn Faire on Sunday! Desi had a tummy ache, so she stayed home. First we stopped off to see dad; we brought roses to put next to Mom's urn on the mantle. More of a nice burl maple box, but you get the idea.

Genius was going to do a ronin, but I had set out a chemise, skirts, corset and wig for Desi. I'm not small, so it fit Genius. He went as Willhemina, the Thespian. Hilarious! I had on my princess gown, which is NOT a summer weight dress. I added my Amish prayer cap, museum replica jewelry and my brother's poison bottles at my waist. Larry wore a tunic, kilt and cap, plus he carried my sword. All the other swords in the house don't have scabbards except for the katanas. There was jousting and fighting and far too many cool things to buy. There was music, and dancers and story tellers and magic and puppets. The best part was chatting up the vendors and participants. We have to go back next Sunday; I put a deposit on a leather masquerade mask and need to pick it up. Genius wants to do some fire spinning, we'll need to take the cart. I plan on wearing my barbarian leathers, I bet Genius will end up in a kilt for fire performance. Willhemina is far too flammable.

Nothin' fancy.

I put my shot of the Sun Tunnels taken back in 2004 at summer solstice up on my deviant art page. Within two days a dozen people had added it as a favorite. I took it with a point and shoot Kodak 35mm! That was pleasing.

I've not been up to much, cleaned up the computer desk, did some shredding yesterday. I still have to take the piles of filing and make them into piles of files in the file cabinet. Did a little painting yesterday, but didn't touch the art today. I spent a lot of time listening to music and playing solitaire; I blame the rain. Hey, some days getting the clean dishes put away and the clothes folded is a victory. I notice few people have been on the boards, poor Shaye lost her grandfather. I so suck at condolences. Deb hasn't been on, I know she's worried about Sayblee. Haven't seen Imzadi. I finally joined the RPG, now I'm waiting for the others to pick up the line I threw out; my character is lying in the dirt waiting for ... rescue shall we say?

Larry will be home around one or two in the morning. Poor guy, smushed a couple fingers. He's doing more back to backs now; another driver quit the company entirely when they turned the governors down on the trucks to 62 mph to save on fuel. Which is silly for the eight heavy hauls; they have 13 gears and are most efficient around 7o mph. That's 8 trucks out of 1800, the bean counters need a smack upside the head. Larry won't switch companies because he's getting some seniority under his belt, and his paid vacation time is up to two weeks. His truck is still at 65 mph, he went into the yard and their computer was down; he hasn't been back into West Valley since last Thursday.

Yeah, like that.

Had a busy weekend, which has morphed into a busy week.

My brother is still on medical hold from work. He is pulling full pay and benefits while he waits for the company doctor to look over all his records. Trouble is, getting all his records in one place is tricky, there's three different facilities, all with document managers to coordinate. He's not really complaining, but he'd prefer working. He's getting frustrated with his family; they're carrying on like nothing is going to happen. SIL hasn't even begun looking for a job, no, she went camping in Moab. Sure, that's how she deals with stress, but they have no money and are headed into the ditch. She wears damn rose-colored glasses all the time. His adult kids live at home and go to school full time, and work a little. Emphasis on "little".

I walked out to the shed to get my weeding fork, and I could hear water. Our outdoor water is turned off in October and turned on in spring, usually April or sometime in May. Sure enough, a few of the sprinkler heads were filled with water. So Pineview water is on, now I can water my garden and grass. There's a reservoir up Ogden Canyon, it fills with melted snowpack and that's what we use for outdoor watering. There are watering restrictions even in a year with lots of snow; but still, nice to get the grass going. The dandelions will love it too.