A lot has changed recently.  I am separated from my husband, soon to be divorced.  I’m now renting a room from someone, but the adjustment hasn’t been bad.  I no longer have the cute puppy that is shown on my page.  I miss my little girl.  The other dog my husband kept.  I have a new one now.  I miss my animals, but one is enough if I’m staying in a bedroom only.  I am art journaling daily and enjoying that very much.  Lots more time to myself in the evenings.  I am okay with being alone, it doesn’t bother me.  My ex is constantly inviting me over to watch movies, etc.  What part of getting a divorce doesn’t he understand?  I’m enjoying hanging out with my sister whenever I want to and to not have to worry about when to get home.  I am a proud grandma of a 5 yr old boy.  I get to spend lots of time with him.

I just started a Facebook group called Women friends in their late 30s, 40s and 50s hoping to make new friendships.  Some events will be girls night out, wine tasting, hikes, travel, Bunco, etc.    I am in the Willamette Valley in Eugene Oregon.  http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=118031291449#/group.php?gid=118031291449

I need to work at being more open.  I think I’m more of a closed person, and hard to get to know.  I really don’t let too many people get to know the real me.  If it is “on the job”, I am just there to do the work, I’m not there to make new friends.  That’s not a good attitude, but it is hard to trust people sometimes.  I enjoy being alone, working on my hobbies and being creative.  Hopefully I am doing all that I should be doing.  I know that time passes us by, and we can’t relive those moments.  I enjoy my art, walking with my dogs and family.  I have not worked for two years now.  Being only a one-car family, and not working, I am limited on where I can go and what I can do.  I have learned to find things I enjoy that I can do.  Sometimes I wonder if I am not fulfilling my purpose on life here, but I do spend my time how I like.  I did give 22 years to raising a family and outreach programs to kids in the community.  I feel like for the past couple of years I’ve just been having “me” time.  Now that I have a grandson, I look forward to spending any time with him that I can. I have a beautiful granddaughter too.  I’m actually enjoying early retirement, even though I am not up to that age and haven’t actually earned it yet.   I know some people hate being retired and don’t know what to do with themselves.  At least I do enjoy my time.  I can remember even only five years ago hating to be alone.  Even though I spent my spare time doing crafts, it still didn’t seem like enough.  My husband went to trucking school and was gone for three months on the road.  I learned that I actually was fine alone now and enjoyed it.  I guess I’ve finally grown up.

Back online again.  It’s beautiful outside.  I’m heading out there as soon as I eat my lunch.  It’s quiet around here today.  My husband took one of our dogs with him on a coast trip (the hyper one).  I have one dog here with me.  She’s the calm one, luckily.  I stayed home because of being sick for a week. 

Everyday I check my flower beds to see what has bloomed that day.  It’s really coming together this year.  Spring is actually my favorite time of the year.  I just like it warm enough to wear shorts and be outside.  Unfortunately here in Oregon, it’s not always sunny.  But it is beautiful.

A couple of days ago I started teaching myself Spanish.  I have been enjoying it.  I have a friend that is learning it also, so it is cool to talk to each other.   For example:  Hola. mi nombre es Rhonda.  Me gusta el dibuyo y la pintura.  Tambien me gusta tocar la guitarra. I’m a beginner, but you have to start somewhere.

Mayzie

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Schipperke/Terrier

have two puppies.  One is a 1 yr old Schipperke/terrier mix, “Chewy”.  The other is a 11 wk old Pug/Terrier, Mayzie”.   I am glad that I have them to keep me company.  They always lift up my spirits and make me laugh. 

I also have one very large cat, “Bandit”.  He is an unusual cat.  He’s about two years old and loves playing rough with my husband and with the two dogs.  When I take my two dogs for a walk, Bandit follows us all around the park and back. People think it’s so funny.  It’s like I have a invisible leash on the cat.  Mayzie loves the cat and is constantly licking him or whining for him.

I haven’t been writing online for some time now.   I thought I’d get back into it again.  I started art journaling again also.  For example; today I drew a tree and painted it with watercolors and added a rope swing hanging from the tree branch.  Then I journaled about how it felt to have that freedom, hearing the wind rushing past you.  On the facing page,  I tore a tree shape from newsprint, and placed a crow on a branch. The background is painted with watercolors.  So far I just wrote that trees are for wishing and dreaming.  When I don’t have anything particular that I want to write about, I take a prompt and go from there.  Yesterday I had at least five things to be grateful for, so I made a page on gratitude and glued on pieces of paper telling the good things that happened that day.  A couple of days ago I was painting backgrounds in several journals.   When I was finished and cleaning up, I noticed how pretty the newspaper was that I had used underneath my artwork.  I tore out my favorite areas and glued them onto a journal page.  The next day’s journal prompt was to use up scraps, so I had already done that.  I also added in a tip-in manila folder.  I tore two pages out of my journal, leaving a margin. I then glued in the manilia folder between the pages.  On the front of the folder I glued on scraps of watercolor papers, all in turquoise shades.  I tried working on an art journal and an altered book about a year ago.  I was frustrated and didn’t like how it looked, so gave up working on it.  For some reason now, I am pleased with everything that I have drawn or painted.  I have improved without practicing.

I always seem to be able to find the good books when I go to the thrift shops.  Yesterday I bought a book, “Wild Heart Dancing” by Elliot Sobel.  It’s about arranging one day of solitude to liberate the artist within you.  You are to take with you only watercolors, pen and paper, journal, cd player and music.  You are not to see anyone or talk to anyone for at least 12 hrs at a minimum.  You are not to take any books to read or write letters to anyone.   For a lot of people that would be very difficult to find a day to be alone.   It wouldnt be too hard for me as I don’t have any kids at home and I love art, dancing and music also.  That’s pretty much how I spend every day now.  I actually do dance here at home daily, although my puppy barks at me and sometimes gets in my way.  I can play the guitar and I think I can carry a tune, however I’ve only done karaoke with others, not alone.  I reached the point in the book where he says not to turn the page until your solitude day.  I thought maybe Monday would be a good day to do this, then my sister calls and says that she will be down visiting for a couple of days.  Looks like it may be harder than I though.  I guess that I will have to set a date and let everyone know that I can’t be reached that day.   This book is similar to  “The Artist’s Way” that I am also going through.   Wish me luck.

I started reading “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron, 2nd time around. I have been doing the morning pages and artist dates like she suggests since the first time I read it. I write three pages every morning in my private journal. Once a week I take time out for myself like going to a gallery, craft shop, thrift store, museum, library, etc. I’m in a Yahoo Group now that is going through the book, so today I picked it up from the library.

I also found a book that I wanted to buy around Christmas time titled “Fairyopolus”, I love the journaling and the envelopes and pockets. I plan to make one myself, maybe a different topic. Probably to do with nature, my hiking and drawing. I got all of the other books that I checked out from the kids section. They have better pictures that the adults. I still dont consider myself an artist. But I’m learning how to do lots of things. Practice will make it all better.

When I’m out on a trail somewhere by myself, I enjoy drawing so much. It’s so peaceful. I’ve been to all the parks in Lane County. Mt Pisgah aboreatum (sp) was my first one last summer. I felt safe because there were always bus loads of kids there. I took time to look at the small details. I even wrote down what weather the day held, temp., identifing the clouds, etc. I checked out books on wildflowers, trees, animal tracks, etc., and tried to identify what I saw.

I went quite a few times to Alton Baker Park. Many ducks and geese to watch there. I was there in April when all the babies had arrived. Hendricks park was a beautiful place with lots of flowers. It was Mother’s Day. I heard the National Anthem being sung somewhere.

I was craving something new to draw, and couldnt seem to find it. I finally went to a boggy pond and woodland swamp area that is protected for wildlife. Exactly what I was looking for. Finally some dragonflies, and turtles. One day I went on a walk on the trails in that area. It was where you stop at different stations and get your passport stamped. It was a long walk, should have biked instead. I finished it. All of that went into my sketchbook. I love to look back in my sketch book and see how I spent the summer. I’m wanting to get another large sketchbook for this coming spring.  You know where I’ll be.

I’m so glad that we have a place of our own now.  I am eagerly awaiting springtime to plant things.  It was 28 degrees today here in Oregon.  I hope to go for a 25 minute walk today.  Part of my goal to lose 15 lbs before summer.  I’m also grateful to live in the same park as my sister.  Wishing my other sister would move here also.  I’m thankful for good friends, we’ve been blessed with a few good people.  I’m happy that I stumbled upon swap-bot and that I learned many new arts thanks to that group.  I’m grateful for the time that I have to pursue my interests.  I have two awesome cats, a orange long haired one “Naruto” and a grey tabby “Bandit” and a terrier/schipperke “Chester”.  They make me laugh.  I have awesome inlaws, I got lucky!  See, I am a blessed woman!