On 01.02.02, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Too late for surgery, I had chemotherapy, which failed. In May the chemotherapy was changed and I was soon in remission which was celebrated and welcome and lasted nine years - until October 2011. There was progression in 2011 so more treatment was indicated and I am now back in partial remission. But I'm not only a cancer patient - I also enjoy my family, walk my dogs and am learning to draw and paint. Life is good!

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

The whole world is watching....



I hope your 2008 has begun as warmly and gently as mine. The one thing I noticed, immediately, is that if you blog your New Year's resolutions it feels as though the entire universe is aware of how well or poorly you're keeping them .... I asked for that, didn't I?

The truth is, I jumped right into it. The poinsettia above is the first of the 300 sketches I promised myself this year. I used watercolor pencils on 75# drawing paper. I LOVE watercolor pencils. I like the way you don't even have to use watercolor paper, just don't mix with too much water.

What else? Well, when I was looking for my many anthologies of short stories, the first one I came across was actually for children. "The Minotaur, " in Nathaniel Hawthorne's TANGLEWOOD TALES, is filled with plum words that today's children wouldn't understand. I hope that's true given that I had to consult a dictionary myself.

Steve and I walked Brix and Beulie for an hour. My resolution is to walk 3-1/2 hours a week, however I add it up. It looked as though much of the community had made the same commitment, there were dogs everywhere. Ours don't bark and nobody forged, good doggies, those.

We ended this wonderful day with a family game of gin rummy. I won two out of three, yes, the year is starting well!

8 comments:

  1. Wow so beautiful! It is a blessing to hear that you are living your life wonderfully rathr than letting life ruin you
    God bless
    PamYla

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  2. Anonymous1:36 AM

    What a good start into this year.
    Have fun.
    Greetings from France
    Meinhild

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  3. Anonymous3:00 AM

    Lovely sketch #1! I just looked at your Goals for 2008! WOW! You will need a journal just to record progress on a daily basis. Best wishes for a HEALTHY, happy, productive New Year.
    Shirley
    http://www.paperandthreads.com

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  4. Lovely sketch! Great start on your 2008 goals :)

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  5. Happy New Year. I am still avoiding committing to NYR's... but I hope I'll have some by the end of the week. Maybe I should resolve to "make friends with failure" so that I'll take some risks!!

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  6. What a beautiful painting and a wonderful way to start off the new year.

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  7. Thank you for all your comments. Anonymous -- You're right, I have so many resolutions (including others not on my blog) that I almost have to hire an accountant to maintain my progress notes!

    All the rest of you have blogs I follow regularly. Thank you so much for your posts and inspiration, otherwise I'd be so lonely out here I'd never draw a line. - Barbara

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  8. Gorgeous work! This looks like you took your time and enjoyed the experience. Lovely colour and tone.

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