I should be drying my hair and getting out the door to go to my freelance job right now, but this gorgeous Friday is making me linger a bit more in my office. This job is a wonderful thing right now, and having only my nights to work on my art has kept me wonderfully productive. But when the sky is so blue and the sunshine so warm, it is awfully hard to drive to another office where I have to sit for 8 hours. But the checks I get at the end of the week certainly help ease the pain. :)

Lloyd will be done this weekend and for anyone that reads my blog and emails me, I will send you a free print. That's right, a free 8x10 of beautiful Lloyd to remind you to make your own adventures. So once it is up for you to see, and if you think it would be something to inspire you, email me to let me know. I would love to send it your way. It is my way of saying thank you to all the people that enjoy reading my ramblings about life and encouraging me with my art.

Ok, better git. Hair is still wet and time is ticking. Hey, at least I get to have my "Yippee, it's Friday feeling!" (you don't get that when you work from home, everyday is like Friday!)

Have an amazing, gorgeous day everyone!

Working tons lately and loving it. My festival last Saturday went really well. I made some baby tees and layettes with dogs and cats on them and they sold well. I was excited by that. I will put them up on my site soon and am bringing them by the store tonite. I have done the initial sketch for Lloyd and and may sell prints of it, it is turning out really sweet and I will post it soon. Until then, here is another illustration of Lucy in Cork, Ireland right before she goes to kiss the Blarney Stone. I may be late, but at least I got the right month!

Last night a sweet golden retreiver turned up on our porch. He was older and seriously just about the sweetest dog ever. Sophie dubbed him "Cosmo" and we let him settle in for the night. I called a vet to arrange to have him scanned for a microchip and made a flyer to post the next morning. Cosmo is a cuddler with a fondness for stuffed animals. Not chewing them, just methodically carrying them out of the kid's room and lining them up in the living room. When I went to bed he jumped up on the bed, layed his head on the pillow and refused to move. I had a feeling he was not feeling very well and let him stay. Besides Rufus acting like a jealous boyfriend and the fact that I felt outnumbered, things went smoothly. This morning I posted flyers and just about 30 minutes ago his owner called. 'Cosmo' is really Lloyd and yesterday he was scheduled to be put down, but when his owner got home found out Lloyd had gotten out of the backyard. He has terminal cancer. I could tell he was sick, and even told my husband that I thought he didn't have long to live. (which is why my husband allowed him to sleep on the bed) Even though my gut told me this was the case, I still felt so sad to hear it. I looked into this loving dogs eyes and could tell he knew what was going to happen soon as well. I think he had his last hurrah at our crazy dog house and I am glad I let him sleep in the bed. I guess Lloyd just did what we would all do if we knew our days were numbered, go out and find one last adventure. I think I will paint a portrait of Lloyd today to look at and remind me that we need to go and make our adventures happen sometimes.

Yesterday we planted a butterfly garden. My daughter and I cleared a spot, put down bricks in a pretty pattern then the whole family walked over to the flower shop down the street. My son and daughter each picked out two kinds of flowers sure to attract butterflies. ("Says so on the label!" my son excitedly exclaimed. Then he fell in love with a hummingbird feeder so we got that too. We got bunches of terra cotta pots to put them all in and set off back home. After a few hours, the cutest little pot garden appeared. We spent the rest of our gorgeous Sunday Spring cleaning inside and out. Threw out 4 huge bags of stuff an my husband tidied up our messy winter yard. Everything feels lighter now. I went to bed feeling very calm and peaceful. At 2am I awoke to Sophie crying. She had been coughing during the day and said she had a scratchy throat. I had given her medicine and she was her normal a million miles an hour self. But in the middle of the night an ear infection (I think) started up. I slept with her all night, her little curled up hand in mine. As she fell back asleep she kept checking to see if I was there. I promised her I wouldn't leave and she fell asleep with a smile on her face despite the pain I knew she ws in. This morning we sent the boys to work and school and I rescheduled an appointment. I will take her to the doctor later. I just gave her breakfast on the couch while she gets to watch Clifford. (perks of being at home and sick) I am going to go now and have coffee while I cuddle with my daughter and smile as I realize THIS was why I have always wanted to work for myself. Because when my child is sick I can be with her. I can stop my life for a few hours or a day or whatever and be there for her. And that is all I have ever really wanted. For my life to revolve around my family, because for me, that is what life is really all about.