School starts Monday

I'm so excited, I finally got myself enrolled in an art class at Napa Valley College. Class will meet two nights each week -- giving me an additional six hours of studio work plus whatever homework is assigned. I hope to have lots to post about.

I have a history of trying out courses and then dropping after a couple months but have my fingers double crossed that this will be a great class for me, that I'll love it and thrive and that I'll stick it out to December 20th, the last day.

In the meantime, I'm also celebrating my birthday today, August 14th. I'm 64 years old. When I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 57 no one expected me to see 60, let alone 64. So my perspective is different from the usual. Others may say, oh dear me, I'm 64, but I say oh my God, I got to see 64! In some ways I'm actually much healthier now at 64 than I was at 57.

The update on Beulie is that she is very happy in her new home. Her mommy called me yesterday and it all sounds wonderful. Mommy is an avid jogger so Beulie gets to run several times a week, the perfect thing to calm her down. She has three other dogs to play with, one of whom is only about six weeks older than she is and has become her best buddy. I'm happy this has turned out so well.

We've been walking (not running) our own dogs more. Our daughter was put on a daily exercise regimen by her physician so Steve and I are trying to be supportive by upping our own time on the treadmill, dog walking, gym time, etc. I made a chart for all of us -- three humans and three dogs -- and we're writing in the activity time each day so the doctor will see the effort. Parisse is the one who gets the least exercise. Since she's so fearful it's often sheer drudgery to walk her for even ten minues - but we are noticing that she does better in the dark, part of her goofy neurology. The other two dogs camp out by the front door just waiting for someone to show mercy and take them for a walk.

Finally, now that Beulie is safely ensconced in her new home, I need to find a new dog to draw. Our three black dogs are available but black is so hard to learn! I look at them and see several shades of black on their fur and it keeps changing with the light. This is going to take a while, that's all I can say.