Into the Dark

Dark outside this morning and frosty. Will hike around back of mountain soon. Halloween bash was hillarious. Mistaya as a mime with her matching friends, Tabs as an adorable Pippi Longstocking--wearing my old Beatle boots from Harrods. Poppy danced up a storm: all her moves, arms and legs wildly flying--all with her soother still in her mouth. PJ got trapped at the Slime wall because the replacement didn't show. Finished editing the first 50 p of my 2 novels. Must send them out now. Very excited about my new illustrations for Pru--very theatrical: stage lighting, black back ground, poses, costumes, bright light and that is it. The book will be like a theatrical play. Working like crazy--very hyper. I love having my work to consume my energies.Elizabeth tonight--still don't know who's all coming. Girls have a party to go to today.Must go now into the dark for my hike...

Not Pizza Face

Conference was fantastic in every way. Motivated me to rewrite Queen of all things. Theresa and I are both racing for the finish line--trying to perfect our work and get it into the agents before 2 weeks. A little crazy as I feel with my new pointers from my new mentor:Elizabeth Lyons--I could rewrite everything! Babies had great time with their Dad and want me to go away more often: Sleepovers in Dad's bed. Lunch out at the bakery, basketball games out etc.Girls are joining childrens compassion group--giving their old soccer jerseys to orphans in Africa. I really want to get invovled in the project too. Has inspired me to perhaps change my masters idea and do an M.Ed project instead, involving literacy of girls locally and globally.This I feel so passionate about. Girls helping girls around the globe. The school is desperate for volunteers this friday at the Halloween bash--got suckered into running the "Slime wall." Should be messy.Busy making a new web site for my art--so it will be ready in time to help promote "Peter Notpizzaface."

Here's little, fat yellow-bellied Biscuit (tilt head to side)

My Sun Moon and Stars

Camel Day

Leave for Van this pm. Will be back on Sunday. Mist is at Maddi's baking a Camel cake to celebrate Camel day. Holly is over playing playdough with the Tabs and Poppy. Tabs has talent night try outs tomorrow night--PJ will take her. And Mist is going to planet Lazer with Melanie and her church group. Took Poppy to the park this am but it was too wet to do anything. Took a break and walked this am instead of running as my I.T. band on one leg has been sore the past few days and I don't want to injure myself again. Finished Biscuit--will post him as soon as I figure out how. A grey, wet fall day in Kelowna. Later...

Met Grog on my Jog

Nearly completed Biscuit. I am thrilled with him. The painting has only taken 5 days to complete. This bodes well for future illustrations. Tabs stayed home from school today--weepy this am. Her sinuses get her down. She doesn't see a specialist until Feb! A big help to me though-she played with Pip so I managed to get in 5 hours of painting!(Some while Pip napped--no I am not neglecting the chidren!) Mist is a math wizz--100% on math test, only one in class to get top marks. She got her vaccs at school today. Now she has a headache. I will find leaving Pip this weekend very hard. I have never been away from my babies (at her age) before. PJ was asked to write a book for some publisher in Oxford on Scholarly publishing. How Bleeping unjust! Here I am writing my fingers to the bone and HE gets a request. Bought big girls down vests for fall today. Tabs thinks hers is too big and doesn't want to wear it--that kids likes everything skin tight! Jogged this am in the dark and pouring rain--I dislike waiting until Nov 7th for daylight savings. Met up with PJ walking through the forest. He looked like a caveman named Grog in the dark.

Walking With Cave Men

Shouldn't be blogging--no time--must run to take Pops for her vaccs. HATE doing it! She cries so hard and gets sooo hysterical she either: hyperventilates and passes out or takes in too much air and vomits. Either way I can't handle her like that. I get so sorked up myself about whether or not it's her hysteria or her reaction to the vaccs. PJ's movie: FIDO is coming out on video on Oct 23rd. A must see to be sure! Am painting an illustration for Peter NOtpizza Face. It is sooo cute--it's of the mrmot, Biscuit in a turtle nick sweater. I think these illustrations are really going to work! All in black and white because it's a novel and only one per chapter. I'm making them look like old B&W photo's that the characters have taken of each other. I hope to have the painting finished this weekend. I will do hot lunch at the school today and then the big girls will both have playdates over and then it is family movie night and homemeade pizza night down stairs with the giant screen: Walking with Cave Men--a BBC documentary I've been dying to see! The girls are really into anthropolgy too so it should be great!

Thanksgiving

A busy Thanksgiving day. Coffee out, a swim at the Grand and then back to my house for leftover turkey luncheon. T,KW, M&D left at approx 1pm. PJ is out at work. Mist and Tabs are playing with neighbor girls on backyard, Pip is napping and I want to nap too but I really don't need to. It's that Turkey--makes one feel like sleeping forever! The big feast was incredible with everyone's input. Mist and Tabs have been thrilled with their new Game Cube, controles and games. They are addicted already! A hike early this AM was a little nippy but it has turned into a beautiful sunny day.That's all from Kelowna this Thanksgiving Day...

The New Perky Pete

Meet my new Pete. He doesn't say much but he's a good listener. Goodbye old power-nap Pete, hello new Perky Pete! He'll listen attentively for hours while I discuss all my favourite topics such as vacation planning etc--all the while a perky, enthusiastic expression on his face. He comes highly recommended for those lonley evenings when your mate is tired and looking for a nook or cranny to pass out in.

San Antonio and Padre Island

Texas here we come!Hawaii is on hold for a better time--we couldn't fit it in with Peter's teaching and PHD commitments. But we are going somewhere else...somewhere fun. We've already booked the hotels! San Antonio Texas for six nights and then down to Padre Island on the gulf of Mexico for a four night beach vacation. It is right down beside Mexico so we will spend a day in Mexico--Matamoros while we're there.I am very excited as we'll stay in the ritziest hotel in San Antonio and the Shereton Beach Club down on Padre Island--right on the beach--turtles, dolphins etc. The only stretch of untouched natural coast left on the continental USA and I have never read about more thing to see and do than in San Antonio--so many historical sites, parks, museums etc. The girls and I are planning an exciting itinerary. Mist and her friend Mel are rehearsing a rap dance for the school talent show. I had to drop off new pants for Tabs at school as she fell in a mud puddle. Poppy dances with the big girls while they practice. Finished editing the first Ch. Of Sugae Shack at Sea. Everything's ready for the conference. Mom is bringing her homemade pies for Thanksgiving, T is staying at the Grand--will take the girls swimming each day while she's there. Mist has her guitar band tonight. PJ and I tried to go to a Friends of the Mountain meeting last night but the place was deserted. Just my luck as I had an oger of a day--brock 4 bowls within twebty minutes--couldn't keep a hair appt. because the salon was reeking of acrylic nail fumes! Major asthma attack last time I sat through a hair appt. and the fumes were bad like that. Decided to change salons and give up my hair dresser to save my lungs! Went on a jog this am in the pouring rain! The mountain paths were rivers and lakes so I got soaked!