Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Dealing With the Best and Worst in Human Nature: Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about my friend Maiga who is a great, fantastic, person.

However, I unfortunately I met some not so great and fantastic people at the Queen West Art Crawl.  My employee and friend Chloe had to go and use the washroom, so I was by myself at my booth. I was minding my own business and watching people go by with their cute dogs when these two guys stopped and looked in my direction. One guy said to the other guy, "Gee, the artist must have stepped away for a minute. All there is is this retard."

It actually made me cry because for most of my life I keep running into shmucks like this and it knocks the wind out of me for a second. I do my best to live an ordinary life and to follow my dreams. I'm very proud of all my accomplishments and I think I'm a good, decent, person who always tries to help anyone in trouble. That's just the kind of person I am.

However, it always comes as a shock when jerks like that don't see me the way I see myself. It's like a slap in the face or a kick in the gut. More aptly, it's like a bully coming along and kicking your beautiful sandcastle into dust.

Sure, I cried at the Queen West Art Crawl, but most times I don't let peole get me down because I know I'm better than that!

Shmucks and bullies, watch out! One day I (or someone else) might just destroy your sandcastles. Karma is a bitch, baby!

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Dealing With the Best and Worst in Human Nature


To try to stay looking young and beautiful, I apply shea butter moisturizer (with Aloe) to my face twice a day.

I used to buy this cream from a man named Maiga who, like me, was a vendor at the St. Lawrence Market.  Maiga had always been kind and generous to me.  He purchased three of my paintings, and he never let me pay him for the cream.

Because Maiga got evicted from the market and I've run out of the cream, I had to look his business online and order a jar.  That was yesterday, and today I received a call from Maiga saying that he'd gotten my order and wouldn't let me pay again.  Indeed, he was going to send me four free jars of the cream!

Maiga is such a great guy!

Other people, though -

(To be continued ....)

Monday, September 28, 2015

Photos From My Day






It was a good, fun, and busy day.

After I got ready for the day, I went to Starbucks for my usual: peppermint mocha frappuccino.

I bought my Halloween costume for this year.  I'm going to dress up as a leopard!

At Dollarama, I bought a ridiculous amount of socks and two plastic bins for my paints.

And now, I'm painting again!

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Pets Past and Present


You know how much I love Hershey and Rascal.




I absolutely dote on them!

It was the same with Dandylion.



Crazy little hot-headed creature - but I loved him and he loved me right back!

And then there were Honey and LuLu, with whom I spent my teens and early adult years.



And, mustn't forget about Tippy, our first family pet!



Why am I getting sentimental about my pets?  Scanning old family slides will do that to you!

Here are a few more photos I found this evening.

Enjoy!








Saturday, September 26, 2015

Pictures From Another Market Day


As always, I'm exhausted from working at the market, but here are some pictures of my day.

Sales were slow, but people seemed to like my art.






As a gift to myself, I had dinner at Hot House. 



All in all, not a bad day at all ....

Friday, September 25, 2015

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

2 of My Favourite Things!




Counselling was especially hard for me today.  Sadness, anger, and guilt - lots and lots of  guilt! - kept coming up in this session.   

I came home; had a snack; and then went shopping at the Drug Mart and Loblaws. 

It was in Loblaws where I found this book Men & Cats, and that made me smile.  It took my mind off everything that made me feel bad.  So, I bought the book.

Men and cats - 2 of my favourite things!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Must Paint!


I had a great, busy day and I'd write about it all - but I must paint!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Playing Catch-Up



I'm afraid that it's time for me to play catch-up with everything I couldn't do because of the technical difficulties with my iPad (bloody hell, it took most of the day to get it fixed!) and because of the time I took off in order to honour Rob's memory.

Mostly, I need to concentrate on finishing my commissioned painting.

Write to you tomorrow ....

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Dinner in Honour of Rob







I thought about Rob a lot today; talked about him with friends; played his favourite music/shows; and, had a small party in his honour.

It was just the four of us: Motria, Brittainy, Lenny, and me.  Very low key; both fun and ... a bit difficult. It was good to remember Rob by telling stories about what a kind, funny, wonderful man he was.

Six years ago, the world lost a cool, great, fantastic and brilliant person in Rob Warenda.

I miss you, Rob, and I love you ....

Friday, September 18, 2015

The Ups and Downs of Technology


I love technology and I hate technology.  I love technology and I hate technology.  I love technology and I hate technology.  I love technology and I hate technology.  I love technology and I hate technology.  I love technology and I hate technology. 

What a day!  The ios9 update for my iPad crashed it, and I spent most of the afternoon at the Apple Store trying to fix everything.

I think my iPad is about 95% repaired now, and I bought myself an iPad Mini.

 I love technology and I hate technology. I wish I didn't have to rely so heavily upon technology, especially since sometimes it can be unreliable.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Haunted by The Love of My Life


All day yesterday and today, I've had Find Her Finer by Frank Zappa in my head.  I'm an aetheist, so I don't really believe in ghosts or spirits ....  And yet, I rather fancied that Rob put this particular song in my head to remind me of how he'd sneak up behind her (me), wrap like a mummy 'til you (Rob would) finally unwind her (me)!  I'd always squeal in delight/surprise whenver Rob did this, and then I'd start to laugh and we'd begin to kiss.

What a wonderful menory!

And then, yesterday, I was on YouTube, trying to aim my cursor on my playlist Anne Rocks Out, but it kept drifting over onto  Songs That Remind Me of Rob.  I was determined to listen to my own music, so I clicked on Anne Rocks Out.  I clicked on the shuffle button, and guess what songs came up ...

Muffin Man by Frank Zappa
Go For a Soda by Kim Mitchell
All We Are by Kim Mitchell
Find Her Finer
Love of My Life by Frank Zappa


Whether or not you were trying to send me messages in music, Rob, you'll always be the Love of My Life ....

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

A Commissioned Painting


Sorry, but I need to focus on a commissioned painting I've been working on.

Tomorrow I'll write more ....

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

A Dandy Contest



It's a bird, it's a plane!  No, it's -

Email me at dandynotecards@gmail.com with the most creative, original, and funny answer and win a prize!

First prize:  A choice of any small framed painting





Second Prize:  A choice of any small tote bag or t-shirt



Third prize:  A choice of any package of 5 cards



Contest ends October1st, 2015.