Molly Goatwax

narrrrrrf

I haven't vanished, honest. I was a bit blue about my birthday, but I ate a cow, and a lamb...then a raspberry chocolate buttercream cake. I was more introspective wondering if the pieces I'm working on fall more into "craft" than "art", but then, what matters is that I do them anyway, whether they get collected in a volume of thrift store art in the future or not. I should be so lucky. It's not a matter of luck, however, my turning out a savory pie so fragrant the ten year old put her plate out for a wedge. I see a lot of strolling down the boulevard this Spring trying to work it off.

Getting dim

The plumbing at the public house is repaired and it's open. I have given up looking for a paintbrush at home. Where did they all go? I had one last night.

Until it's safe to come out

Yesterday after I got tired of chasing emergencies all over town I sat for a pint at Molly's. As I was trying to place the television star from the 70's to whom Arthur bears a strong resemblance, water began to pour through the ceiling tiles onto all the electronic amusements. It was a lot of water and the bathrooms went wonky, too. There was nothing to do for it but shut it off at the main, turn off the lights and close up shop. I drove a vanload of patrons to the notorious Mount Royal Tavern and came home to gesso up a few boards. It's too early for the yabbos doing demolition on the upstairs to have fixed it, so I will play with gesso transfers this morning.

Geeking out

How, you may ask, am I keeping myself entertained while my delicate blossom is filing a paternity claim in the Dannielyn Smith case conducting research in Las Vegas? Besides learning how to use a spreadsheet, toying with a biographical narrative using overlapping sets of documents such as bank statements, licenses, calanders and to-do lists, I discovered last night that the magnetic hematite bracelet that Miss. A. gave me keeps my nails handy whilst hanging pictures. How cool is that? The ten year old and I have been catching up on our laundry and dustballs, abandoned paperwork is being persued and tommorrow we go shopping. New clothes for her, racks and rods for the house. What else should I do with my secret life?

More sets

Over tea and madelines, I'm still messing with sets. "Razors, crisco, gerbils and a deep fryer" is another set of 4 items that suggest a bizarre narrative. Miss M., Miss A. and I were exchanging these lists over the cell phone over the course of the afternoon and evening yesterday. Giggles! Throwing lists of art supplies and tools at the Google sets program has also been giving me ideas. A few years ago I made a necklace with Route 66 charms and have recently been assembling a collection of silver charms for a bracelet. And what is a themed charm bracelet but another set? So far we have: Claw hammer, pliers, can opener (church key type), six-pack of beer, drill motor, faucet, paint brush, rubber chicken, unicycle, crescent wrench, bundle of dynamite w/timer, a piggy bank and a toilet. I'm not some kind of girly-girl who has dance slippers, lipstick and a tiny blow dryer on her bracelet, for corn sakes. I'll scan it when I get my jump rings in gear. Speaking of sets, I need to complete my sales tax figures and take them downtown with my checkbook.

Dead Car

As soon as Hubby left for the airport yesterday, I ran out the back door to drive to Molly's. My car wouldn't start. I went inside to grab Hubby's keys so that I could take the mini-van, but they were not to be found. He admitted that he pocketed them when I called, and thankfully, the friend who drove him to the airport not only agreed to drop them off but also to pick the tot up from school and deliver her to me with the keys. Now that's nice! I woulda been in a real bind had Hubby taken the light rail. I also had beer in the cupboard. Now I'll be driving the dishwasher until I figure out what to do with the convertable. We've been talking about replacing it for a few years anyway. You have only one guess as to what kind of car I'm going to buy next.

Cheetos Ipecac bucket stopwatch

A late bloomer in everything, I have been playing about with Google Sets in Google Lab. I stumped it good a couple of times. Listing the first part of color names flummoxed it; pine, sky, ruby, custard and denim. A random selection of items in my studio frustrated it until I put more logical choices in the set (and my previous lists must have been referenced). " Doll parts, drill, paint, beer, paper" produced this set:

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Predicted Items Drill PAPER beer PAINT Glue Pencils wood Scissors Rubber PLASTIC Plastics Yarn Rubber Bands Glass Crayons Bell Pepper Brushes markers Textiles Chemicals Foam Fabric Thin Foils Ceramic Adhesives Ink Pencil paint brush water Fiberglass Marble Brick paper towels TILE CERAMIC Paint brushes Old Toothbrush Fishing Line Plastic Plate Collage Colored pencil Cardboard Office supplies

labs.google.com - All About Google
©2002 Google

I wonder where the Bell Pepper came from? A couple of years ago a game was making its rounds about the web and I was highly amused by this collection of lists produced by the challenge of limiting a shopping list at a megastore to the four items that would most provoke the clerk. My favorite of these sets included a blender, live goldfish, vodka and plastic cups as well as the title of this post. I had a limited success with the Google program expanding any of the lists you may find at the link.

Ugh and yuck

Hallelujah, I can walk! On the mend from a vile bug (you shall be spared the details) just in time to see Hubby off to Las Vegas. Oh, how I will pine for him away on my birthday! I'll just have to steal all his blankets, paint my toenails and eat take-out while he's gone.

Late start

I awoke late from pleasant dreams about being coddled by a spa do-over to find the cat, Homer, biting my head. I don't know if he was eating my hair or trying to show his dominance but as I strenuously object to pets chewing on their owners while they're asleep, I ejected him from my room and vowed to keep the door closed. Next it'll be my toes or hands or something and I need them. I told the ten year old that Homer was having issues and she strenuously objected to the use of that term. And oh, yeah, it may be a weekday but we're all just lying around. Except for Homer.

The sword of Damocles

I am determined to stay cheerful! The ten year old spent Monday and Tuesday with a stomach bug and now Hubby's got it. One of our barkeeps missed Tuesday night and had to be sent home yesterday evening. (Such a trooper! Coming in to work on an upset tum like that!) So Hubby was working last night at the bar and today I must go in early to clean up after the crowd even though I'm certain it's only a matter of time before I get it, too. Must. Be. Cheerful.