Showing up is 80% of the job....

Feb 15, ‘11

Today is cold and windy, a complete turnaround from yesterday which was warm (40◦) and mild.  The wind has mighty force today and is bringing much cold into my house despite all the plastic over the windows.  It’s that strong a wind and is probably felt in even the most air-tight home or office today.  The wind is strong enough to warrant a Severe Weather Alert.  I’m taking it under advisement.  

I’d like to go out tonight but won’t if the wind is as disturbing tonight as it is today.  I find the sound of high wind – rattling window panes, creaking trees, the sound of a mighty force passing by and through –  disturbing.  As I recall van Gogh and Cezanne found the sound of the mistral disturbing,  as well as my father and people I’ve talked to this morning, which is comforting; I’m not the only person in my life or in time who finds the sound of high winds disturbing and somewhat threatening.  

This morning I discovered that my door to the front hall had blown open.  It was an uncommon chill that led me to the front room and the discovery.  The door was still locked.  The hall and stairway is enclosed, with 2 storm-glass windows across from the door, and the downstairs door still closed, so I say a mighty wind is blowing today.

Soon after I closed the front door, I heard a scratching.  Turns out, Albert had slipped out into the hall when the door was open.  He’s never been out there before & I never thought to look for him before I closed the door.  He was scratching at the door frantically and was glad I finally heard him and let him back in.

When I showed up for work, I mostly fussed and fidgeted, made a few phone calls, had more coffee, chatted with my sister on Facebook, thought about Art and jittered about some more.  Some days are like this....   But, after awhile, I did make a few decisions & took some action.  

I decided to use my easel for this painting and have placed the board on the easel with working copy #4 in the lower right hand corner, with a few more decisions facing me.   Am I going to do a same-size drawing on thin paper then trace it to the watercolor paper or am I going to ‘eyeball’ it and do the drawing from where I sit?  (wrapped in a blanket, listening to the wind, bird and computer).  The change of perspective is interesting, my mind is in gear.  With the easel taking space in my immediate vicinity, decisions will be more forthcoming as it’s difficult to procrastinate around an easel with a blank page. (To be continued....)

Tomorrow I have an appointment to visit a printer to discuss a calendar I’d like to produce for 2012.  I’m looking forward to seeing a printer and to be getting parameters, prices and any other valuable information I’ll need so I can make further decisions/plans regarding the calendar I ‘see’ in my mind’s eye.  I’m excited, looking forward ....  The woman I talked to on the phone said I’m going to see a few familiar faces.  I can’t see those faces in my mind’s eye, so will wait until tomorrow and hopefully be surprised and glad to see people I used to know but haven’t seen in years.

Albert is perched on the back of my chair, near the bird cage.  We’re all 3 of us, me, cat and bird, as close to the heater as we can get.  There’s a sound of the bird playing with a toy in her cage, the computer and the wind.