Love Letter Found

I have been working in a home that has recently changed ownership.  Making things beautiful: plastering a wall to match existing venetian plaster; ensuring there is congruity throughout the bones of the home; tinting metals, chandeliers; waxing built-ins and painting frames of mirrors to look as if they'd been 100 years in a French Chateau.  This has been a huge task but one that I just love, to no end, ensuring the home is ready for my clients - its new owners.


A few days ago, I was sanding the edges of some drawers I had painted a soft creamy white and saw something in the bottom of the cabinet.  I reached in and my fingers grazed the edges of an envelope.  I pulled it out, dusted it off and opened it.  I read the most touching sentiment from a wife to her husband.  The card was a beautiful champagne color with glitter and the foil from a champagne cork with a grosgrain ribbon on threaded on the left side.  Very elegant.  A satiny feel under my fingers as I turned the page; apparent that love was in the choice of this card.

As I read the the promising message, my heart clenched.  You see, the previous owner of the home had been in the middle of a renovation when her husband passed away.  He had been the love of her life and when I had met her, I could feel the weight of her loss and the burden of having to quickly move on with her home and her life.

In my hand was a letter of love and hope for the coming year.  So beautifully written.  So mature in its sentiment.  It must have been in the bottom drawer as a keepsake.  Dated a couple years prior, I imagine it was very special for him to keep it.  I felt fortunate to witness such a love that comes with maturity.

Sitting in the room, with paint up to my elbows, sandpaper on the floor, and dust floating through the air, I wondered about the magic of this moment and what I should do with this special message of promising plans, hope and deep abiding love.  Should I find her address and mail it to her with the message of where I found it - letting her know he had kept it?  Should I leave it in the bottom of the cabinet for the next person to find - maybe fifty to a hundred years from now?  Or should I just make note of it, cherish the moment and toss it in the trash - perhaps saving her from reliving the grief of her loss?  hmmmmm......

What would you do?

Convenience Stores

Convenience Stores.  It's been a long time since I heard those two words....but I've been thinking lately about words and their meanings...about convenience stores and how they have changed over the years.  When I was a young girl, the convenience store in our neighborhood was Brooks.  Down West River Road from our house about 1/2 a mile or so.  A good walk for kids looking to spend their allowance on slow pokes, rocket candy and ice cream bars.  Brooks was the place where most kids tried their hand at steeling for the first time and most were caught and forgiven if the items stolen were returned.  The place where first time cigarette and condom purchases were attempted, as well.  A few ruffians would hang out by the ice machine and smoke, watching girls coming and going.

The convenience store was also the place where one went to gladly part with a few more pennies for the convenience of a loaf of bread or gallon of milk at nine o'clock at night.  Sometimes referred to as the corner store, they all had personality or something that defined them as part of what was known to be your neighborhood.  Our store (sense the ownership?) carried a butcher in the back and we would order the most fabulous hot dogs ever made!   The meat would be ground and cased right there in the shop.  The excitement and the smell (I know...sounds weird but they would add spices I still can smell) would be the pre-empt to our Friday night dinner.  I no longer eat meat but if one of those dogs was in front of me, I would make exception!  :) yum.

Usually, I would feel claustrophobic at Brooks, as I was so small when I was a kid - still am rather short at 4'11".  I would be face-to-face with merchandise, peoples legs usually dodging the occasional careless smoker as their hands would brush by my head with lit cigarettes between their fingers.  A unique ambiance, there was the smell of beer in isle 6 and the smell of chocolate donuts in isle 2 and bleach in isle 4 - all laced with the ever-present smell of tobacco.  The lights buzzed and there were always flies trying to get out of the store by way of the solid glass paned windows.   A place where the men from the neighborhood would make a quick run to the store last for an hour as they groused about this and that with "the old lady" at home or brag about the winning touch-down Johnny who's-it got at last Friday night's game.

As I became a teenager, I found the convenience of running to the store for last minute things a saving grace.  Pads of paper, pens, tampons - usually hidden amongst the pads of paper and pens, and the occasional can of Tab.  It was great having this little store in the neighborhood.

Somehow, we have lost the quaintness of having the cashier know your name and that of your folks. No longer a store owned by a family for two or three generations where you could buy a few groceries on trust until pay day.  Now it's all about coupons and vitamins and drugs.  There really isn't anything personal about our stores today as they are just a place that sucks the money out of our wallets as quickly as possible so that we can be on our way in our busy days.

Do you have a favorite convenience store memory?

Putting myself out there!

Isn't Life Grand?

My life is and always has been charmed by events that come full circle in some way or another.  It's fun to look back and see the threads that weave the most amazing chapters in my life.  Like the time, when I was in radio, and met Robert Hayes when he was touring and promoting the movie "Airplane."  Thirty years later, I meet him at a friends dinner party and learned they went to school together.  :)  Full circle.   Fun.   Insightful.

Well, here's a story that will definitely give you a tingle up your spine:

My father's grandfather was an immigrant from Belgium.  His name was Albert Van Overberghe and at this time, 1914, his residence was in Manhattan.  He was married to my great grandmother Julia who was from Paris...they had met on a ship bound for America.  He found work with Barnum and Bailey Circus as a high wire act and a clown.  Attached are two photos of him at that time....in costume as both the high wire performer and the other as the clown (I think he looks like Jack Nicholson in his clown garb!).

Who would ever think that decades later, on the opposite side of the United States, his great granddaughter, me, would end up working for Mr. Barnum's offspring as an artist painting woodgrain on his study door in his home in Pacific Palisades, CA?   We had a good laugh about it as we connected the dots between our families.

  Here's to you, Great Grandpa Albert!

I Saved A Life Today!

I SAVED A LIFE TODAY!  Well, okay, it wasn't a human life but it was the smallest of little birds, the hummingbird.  While painting a vanity in one of my clients' homes, I heard the soft sound of what seemed like fingers patting against a window.  Rounding the corner, I looked up and saw a hummingbird caught in the skylight in the foyer.

Climbing a ladder, barely being able to reach up, I coaxed the little bird into grasping my index finger.  Slowly and steadily I moved down the ladder with this tiny creature hanging on for its dear life.  As I cleared the skylight dome, it took off and flew right into one of the window panes which caused both my client and I to draw deep breaths of desperation.

As the bird tried to pierce through the glass with its long needle-like beak, the dog began barking, rushing at it and forcing additional panic.  My client held her dog, Starbucks, firmly by the shoulders and I once again coaxed the small little bird onto my finger.  I could feel it's heart beating but it sat still - as if to rest - and we then proceeded to walk outside into the courtyard.

hummingbird in middle of picture

 I realized this little creature wanted to rest and so I stood in the courtyard for what seemed like 5 minutes but was probably a few seconds and allowed the sacredness of what had just occurred to sink in.  As the bird flew away I thought about the concept of not being able to get to where you can see you need to be and not being able to understand what holds you back when it appears nothing is there.  hmmmmm.....something to ponder as I finish out my artful day.

NEW NOW Moments

In March of 2013, my new home came into view and materialized.  A beautiful little apartment in the lower part of a house on an acre of land overlooking Vista out toward the sea.  In April, I began moving my belongings into the new space I now call home.

Over the period of sixty days, I enlisted friends to help me out here and there until everything from my storage locker had been moved in and arranged to turn the empty space into my new sanctuary.  The peace and joy I experience in my home is the comforting energy that allows me to get out into the world of busy and cooperate with on-the-fly people and the demands of that interaction.  Anyone who knows me publicly sees an energetic, usually happy, sometimes grousing, individual.  Anyone who knows me privately sees an introspective, thoughtful, happy and peaceful soul, moving slowly and methodically.

The land I live on is an acre of dry hard dirt that demands major maintenance and continual upkeep if plants and trees are going to survive.  I have done my best to plant a few gardens near my deck and patio area and to plant fruit trees and rose trees/bushes on the property in general.  It's coming along.  My landlord resides in the upper part of the home six months out of the year and so maintaining the property has become my responsibility while he's gone.    He is a kind and interesting man who always needs to be digging a hole in order to be happy.  Which, I believe, is great because it gives this retired dad of two adult daughters something to do 6 months out of the year when he's not visiting them.  And so, it is time for him to return to the property.

It has surprised me, taking something like this on in my life after spending two years traveling for work.  It's time in my life for this change in regard to the aspects of commitment and time management for something outside myself (like gardening and maintaining the land).  It's a welcomed change that is bringing security and enhancing my self confidence at just being and existing quietly with nature.

My business is changing and I find I am working less with decorative painting IN homes/estates/businesses and more creating decorative paintings and fine art.  I'm excited about this change and am affecting the change rather quickly.  Having discovered my interest in sculpting, I'm joining the Foundary in Fallbrook to begin creating work for which I already have buyers.  The loss of a sculpture I had been working on at another studio, my first one, was a devestating blow to my progress as an artist and to my client who wanted to purchase it.  The instructor/owner of the studio, who will remain nameless, destroyed it.  I will not get into the details here, who can get into the head of someone who is so defunct as to commit such an aggressive and devious act such as that?~  The loss of my sculpture was shocking to me.  Ah, I will always remember her; I was sculpting Mathilda of Tuscany.  Adjusting to this loss was quick and positive.  I found a new home to sculpt in (the Foundry) and a new-found freedom with the process and subject matter.  Ahhh, Mathilda, I will remember her always.

I've joined a pool league - 9ball- on Sunday nites.  Happen to be quite good at pool.  And my coach Brian, is such a confident and talented player, it makes the game fun.

I'm learning how to make shifts and changes to accomodate the NEW NOW moments life presents and am happy to be involved and living life with this intention.    Happy to be back!

Happy Holidays

I love Christmas trees!  All the beautiful types of trees and their scents are amazing!  They stand so tall and proud in a house with their trimmings imbuing light to warm us up on chilly nights.  In my hometown, The Twin Cities, snow is a-falling and people are a-shoveling.  Two feet here and a foot there!  Nothing like it!  There is a smell to crisp nights with fresh snow.  It's amazingly magical to crunch crunch through a parking lot with gifts in your hands and love in your heart for those you hold so close.

This will be the second Christmas I've spent without a home.  Last year I was in Indonesia, although I stopped back to see my family for the holiday.  And this year, due to projects out of my current town of San Diego, I packed up my belongings and put them in storage.  Having returned to the area, I'm staying with friends who are hosting me until the next project takes me out of the area.

Stacy and her husband, Adam, are making me feel welcomed with their hospitality and the comfort of their beautiful home.  How wonderful to be able to come in after working at CCA (faux painting their offices) at Palomar Airport and seeing Stacy's decorated tree!  It just warms the heart.

Today is 12/12/12....and my nieces 21st birthday.  Yay, Lauren!   I love that her birthday is so near Christmas.  It just makes this time of year so very special.  She's special.  Intelligent and beautiful, my dear one.  I watched her come into the world and wondered what she would become as she grew....so far I am impressed!  Keep up the good work, little one!  Ha!  She towers over me by about a foot!

My nephew Brant is graduating with a Business Degree this weekend and this also makes me so proud.  As well, another nephew, Brad,  has also graduated with his degree.  I am such a proud auntie!

Okay, so I started this post out with the word Happy!  Now you know why I'm happy.  I stand just as proud as the decorated trees I see!  This season, although I'm not at home with family, I am fortunate enough to be with my friends.  How cool is that?!?  Merry Christmas everyone!

Ooohhhh!  I smell cookies baking....gotta run!