High School Classmates Found

This has been an even slower week, but I think I've really needed it. 

A few months ago, a high school friend Linda Hufano got ahold of me through Classmates.com. We had a wonderful talk and she gave me the phone number of another high school classmate Barbara Wessels.  Well, I called Barbara and we talked a long time. It was wonderful catching up. We are going to visit each other in the near future. I'll take a bus down to see her. These blasts from the past have all been so good.  There is another I hope to see and that is Toni Kimberling.  Linda is coordinating a date around Christmas for the four of us to meet.  I can't express well enough how excited I am about this!  I feel like a little kid and I want to jump up and down with excitement! These people were very important to me at that time, especially Barbara.  I spent a lot of time with her.  I don't know why we ended up just going our own ways.    So I went through our yearbook at copied some pictures, including one when I played in the dance band in high school.  We were called The Naturals.

Starting upper left is Linda, then Toni, then Barbara.
I'm at the bottom, and I look way too intellectual!

So I was in the Dance Band playing the Bass.  I loved it.  This is in my senior year 1967
I used to think I was fat!  That disturbs me, because I do seem to get bigger each year and
I wish that I didn't have that mentality about weight.  Such a bad place for girls and women to get into!
I was majoring in music through my junior year of college and then decided on Social Work.  I had
a lot of catching up so I did six years of undergraduate schooling to get my degree.

At my class with Carol the issues she pointed out in my pictures were to keep the lines going in the same direction and be aware of where the lines would reasonably come from and go- this was relating to the pistil and stamens in the flower.  So I did work on the drawing.  She also felt I needed more layers of color on my daylily. This week we are drawing a parrot. I did a parrot a long time ago so this is a different one.  I'm not ready to show it yet, but I will have the drawing done for class and next week, I should have the drawing and painting done of the Parrot.

This is my most recent attempt to do what Carol  recommended on the drawing of the daylily. 

My Drawing of a Daylily Corrected

More work on the painting of the Daylily.  It needs more layers both in the flower
and the black background.  I also need to remove the mask on the Pistil and Stamens.

Janet and I went to dinner Saturday night since she got back later from the coast where she was playing in a woman's golf tournament. This time we went to The Red Pepper on my side of town. They have excellent food. We were talking about it when we were at Mexicali's last week. They are very creative and do an excellent job with sea food.  Her trip went well - the weather was mild, she had a opportunity to spend a lot of time with a particular friend. I'm happy it went so well. I also shared with her making contact with a my high school friends.  I had scanned some pictures I found in our senior yearbook. I loved sharing this with Janet. 

All the females on the Jerdin side of the family have been texting each other to plan for the next Jerdin child to enter the family. My Granddaughter Crystal is going to have a girl. It is amazing all the details everyone is bringing up. The excitement is high.  They think they are doing it in October in a park because they think it will be a very large group.  This is very doable because weather is usually very mild at that time of year.  They had ideas of the cookies they really liked, but these ran $125 to $150 a dozen. We nixed that. Way too expensive. As my granddaughter Heather said "that is what I take home in a week for my part time job!  I didn't think we would need a budget just for the cookies!"  She will be my third great-grandchild and the first girl of this generation.

That is all I have to share today.  It was a break and gave me a chance to reminisce about people who were very important to me at another time.  I hope you have a good week.  I believe I am doing better.  Talk to you next Sunday.            Rachel

A Beach Weekend

This has been a fairly slow week for me. This was intentional since I have been dragging for quite a while. I thought that perhaps my body caught up with me saying "enough!"  I had dinner with my friend Janet at Mexicali's. She will be spending next week at the beach playing in a golf tournament for women. 

No art class this week, but I did work on painting a daylily. I also drew a version of this daylily.  The painting is not complete. There is a mask on the stamens and pistil. I also want to paint the background black made from the colors I'm using on this painting. 

Drawing of Daylily

Unfinished Painting of Daylily

 We will be working on drawing and painting a parrot and then an owl. I asked if after this we could go back to drawing so I could finally finish the pictures of the dogs my friends Janet and Barbara had. Their dogs  have since died.   I had worked on them but had problems with proportions. I look forward to giving them their pictures. I also want to draw the pictures of the dogs my friends Mimi and Marc have. I need to take pictures to start working on them at a later date. 

On Friday, I had Chemotherapy first thing in the morning. I had a substitute nurse, Edna, who shared with me her experience with going to estate sales.  I think Shelley and I will try this together sometime.  She also suggested for the neuropathy to rub my hands together to create friction to increase blood-flow to my finger tips and also to fold up a beach towel on the floor to rub my feet to lessen the effects of n  She said it would also help for numbness (yes and issue), and pain (not an issue for me).  This seems like such an easy fix, I am very willing to do this. My social worker Robin happened to be here to see another patient.  She also went to the going away party for Susan and Jennifer. We had a nice talk. Kaiser started a senior clinic similar to the one I used to work in with Kaiser in the late 1990's to 2003. It was an excellent clinic for problem solving with patients and their families. I really enjoyed doing that then. Patients and their families need this information, and it is a service that is really needed.

After chemotherapy, my daughter Shelley and I went to San Diego to see a friend of mine Yvonne, whom I haven't seen in several years. She invited me down and said I could bring a friend. Shelley did the driving. I was worried about how I would do because of this sense of exhaustion I have been experiencing recently. I'm happy to say I did pretty good.  We met Rich, a friend of Yvonne's. We went to a small Thai restaurant with delicious food and lovely ambiance. We sat outside with lots of plants all around us. Then we went to the beach to see the sunset. There was a fog bank in the distance that covered some of the sunset, but it it was not a failure. 

Shelley and I at the Thai Restaurant

Yvonne with her friend Rich at the Thai restaurant

Yvonne and Rich at the Beach

Beautiful Sunset at the Beach

Shelley and I in Silhouette at the Beach

The next day, minus Rich, we had breakfast where the surfers hang out. Delicious food and nice bodies and then stopped at points along the ocean. So beautiful!  We went in a crystal store. I bought a piece of Amber hanging from a cord necklace. It is supposed to be the color of your energy. I figure I could use something to increase my energy!  after that, we went ocean side to see Bird Rock!  What a sight!  We took a nap in the afternoon which is exactly what the doctor ordered.  I felt so much better after this.

Yvonne, Shelley and Me at the Surfer Place for Breakfast

Shelley and Yvonne with Crashing Waves Behind Them

Yvonne getting Artsy with Shelley and Me Next to
Beautifully Tiled Bench

A Local Sight Called Bird Rock

Shelley with Bird Rock Behind Her

Yvonne Called this Evolution House.  There was More
around the Corner

We also stopped to get fresh smoothy. Mine was green which I needed for my medications. Very tasty!

At night we went to an Indian restaurant, Spice Lounge. That also was delicious food and fabulous ambiance. 

This morning Yvonne made us chilaquiles.   So delicious!  Shelley and I haven't had that. But now I'll rate everyone's version to what Yvonne made for us.  Yum!! 

So Yvonne is a host on Airbnb.  It is on the Internet.  It might be easier to use on a computer, but you can download the site onto your mobile phone.   She has two rooms she rents out in the Pacific Beach area. Beautiful!  And, she is a gracious host. Price is reasonable, close to the beach, lovely ambiance. No guarantee of a meal, but you'll probably get a meal. Love the coffee! I don't understand why we in America  we would drink such weak coffee that it just seems like colored water!  Ugh!  Yvonne coffee tastes just like great coffee!  Also, parking is an issue.  However, Yvonne gave us her parking spot at her home so we wouldn't have to walk much to our car.

I had mentioned in an earlier post that  a journalist and photographer from Bakersfield Life, a local magazine,  had stopped me and asked me what part of Kern County I liked the most. Actually, there is a lot I like, but since I was downtown I talked about that, First Friday, a monthly event with the emphasis on the art galleries in Bakersfield.  It is a wonderful event and now they are raising money to make this area more inviting. 

I'm in the Bottom Right Corner

Close up of the Caption

This was a good week. I really do much better if I take breaks. I hope your week went well and I'll see you next Sunday.             Rachel

And the Wall Came Tumbling Down

I thought my sleep issue would have been corrected with getting my blood pressure in normal range. But that was not the case. On Wednesday after lunch with a friend, I came home feeling overwhelmed with exhaustion and laid down to rest. I woke up at ten in the evening and was able to go back to sleep and sleep through the night. Ugh! Later in the week I went to Mexicali's in the evening with my friend Janet.  I suggested she call me about an hour before we meet in case I was asleep.  I didn't know if that would help because my daughter Ronda called me before heading for the airport to go to Sweden with her boyfriend for a week. They have friends they will stay with and who will take them sightseeing. But my point was, I never heard the phone ring when Ronda called.  I was awake when my friend Janet called.

Last Sunday I received a text message from a childhood friend, Zona who asked if we could get together and have dinner. She was on her way north to do a solo camping trip.  That was a good experience for her.  She got a hotel room here.  I went to pick her up at the hotel and we had Chinese food. We had lots of catching up to do. She said she would be passing through on Wednesday and might spend the night, but she became ill and headed home. 

While out to dinner, I got an email from Gary Hollingsead who was putting up a new retaining wall in my backyard. They wanted to start at 6:30 the next morning. I agreed.

They were prompt and knocked the bricks out one at a time. There were several men here so they moved quickly. They needed to cut some of the branches from the vine on the chain link fence above the block wall. It looked so raw and exposed with the block wall gone.  They asked to come the next day at 6:00 am. The idea was to get the most done during the coolest hours. It is very hot here. The soil in front of the chain link fence had fallen a lot more. It is obvious that it was not packed down when they initially put in the chain link fence to the private neighborhood above me. It was done in 1959, so who do you hold responsible?  My neighbors on my side of the street abutting this private community will face the same problem when they need to do this. My backyard is just a construction zone that I am trying to avoid looking at until it is done.

It looked so raw with the wall down!

The workman were fast in getting the wall up.

The block wall is up.
The clean up will happen tomorrow.

On the first day of the wall project,  I had lunch with my friend Jo at the Chef's Choice Noodle Bar. It was enjoyable. We are both in the Red Hat group. Jo is hard of hearing which interferes when talking much in a group. So it was pleasant to talk with just us two. When we parted company and I was heading to my car, I was approached by a reporter and photographer from Lifestyle Magazine. They asked me what did I like most of Kern County. Of course, there is a lot I like, but since we were downtown, I said I liked the downtown area especially for First Friday ( the first Friday of each month in the evenings) which focuses on the arts.  The art galleries, craft type stores and arts & craft tables outdoors with some musicians playing at street corners.  The restaurants in the area do very well that night and you need a reservation to get in.  I praised the push to raise money to be put toward making the downtown environment more appealing. 

The following day I had my "private" lesson with Carol (it is supposed to be a class with at least one other student). I showed her what I had done on the drawing of the sunflower. I only did the one I was going to paint. I asked how she would paint this picture, etc. so I watched as she did one of her own and asked tons of questions. It really was very helpful. I'm also glad that I can ask any question I want. It helped me to understand the process. Now it was my turn. I felt much more confident about what I would do. Though I'm getting private lessons when I don't pay a private rate, I really appreciate it and I would fully understand if she couldn't continue this. She did say she would tell me when she reached this point. Right now she schedules appointments on the same day when coming into town. She lives around Lake Isabella (about an hours drive into the mountains).

Sunflowers by Rachel

I had lunch with my buddy Victor. We used to work together. I mentioned that he is writing a book and that he wanted me to read it. We will get together once a month here in Bakersfield and he will bring sections of his book each time we meet for me to review by the next lunch. 

My son Jeff and his wife Stephanie had an open house where they live now and a graduation celebration for their daughter Cassadie (my first grandchild to graduate from college).  My grandchildren Crystal and Devin went with us.  The weather was balmy in the mid-seventies.  It was a wonderful break from the heat we have been experiencing at home.  With their front door open, there was a wonderful breeze wafting through the house.  Stephanie, who is a wonderful cook had lots of snacks that could be a meal for anyone who needed that.  She sure has a knack for putting together an event.  This home was built in the 1920's and very well maintained.  Very stylish but much of it not to current code like a window on the second floor going down to the floor where there could be a possibility of someone falling to the ground (I can assure you it wouldn't be me!  I stay away from open areas above the first floor).

Cassadie with her boyfriend Bogart-
They both just graduated from different Universities.

Meghan Jerdin, Jeff and Stephanie's youngest takes acting classes-
I have a feeling we will be seeing her on the big screen or television in the future!

Shelley, Crystal and Devin

Jeff with a jaunty step in front of their duplex (what a lovely home)

Cassadie with her Aunt Shelley

Well, another full week, despite sleeping for hours at a time!  More tests this next week to see if we can figure out what is going on with me.  I hope you had a good week and I will see you next Sunday.              Rachel

Art in Different Mediums to Heal

On Monday I went out to Hart Park which is a really lovely park with a small lake and the Kern River flowing through it. There were few people out there, which is fairly unusual. I took art supplies to draw and paint trees. I watched a couple of tutorials on this on my iPad. So I did do some work. Going out to this park was what I needed.  The problem was when I was making the area around the butterfly and flower a deeper green, it probably was not a good idea to do that outside because even though I used water, each stroke of the brush can be seen. I need to find out what are the rules for plein air painting. My teacher's suggestion was to wet the green area again and add another layer of green. While I drove out I saw a parrot flying between the trees. Parrots do not live here unless someone has it as a pet. So it must have got loose. Anyway, I thought he was enjoying himself. Wish I had gotten a picture of him!

Butterfly on Flower with the Streaky Background
Watercolor

Butterfly on Flower, Less Streaky
Watercolor

The following day I thought I had nothing scheduled and just worked on my art. At the end of the day, I was checking what I had on my schedule and saw I missed an appointment. That is embarrassing!  I called the office and they said to call the call center. I'm scheduled a month later to see her.

So I figured out why I was so distracted. The next day was the eighth anniversary of my husband's, Paul's death.  I was glad to be alone and found working on art very comforting.  The following day Shelley, my daughter, texted me and asked how I was doing.  I told her I was doing fairly well, but missing her dad. She asked me if I would like a hug from her and I said yes. I offered  her a glass of wine and we talked about Paul and what he meant to us. A little later my granddaughter, Shelley's oldest daughter Alyssa same over. It was a wild trip down memory lane and became more lighthearted. They will come at Mother's Day. We will barbecue. 

I started a book called Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orlando. I had this book and I couldn't locate it. So I bought one for my Kindle.  My stepmom Kate raved about this book and she felt it freeing to get this perspective. So I decided it is time to read it.  It has some good thoughts about us all being in the same boat. So I connected to the Google Plus group called art and have found this to be s supportive community. 

I told  my teacher Carol Bradshaw what my stepmom suggested I read (which is a good book), Carol suggested I buy newsprint paper to work on making big movements, from my shoulder. She thinks I keep the pressure in my fingers and that it is too constricting. I did buy a couple of pads of newsprint to work on making big moves.  Here is a flower drawn on the newsprint using large strokes. So this is 18 by 24 inch newsprint paper using oil pastels.

Oriental Poppy and Buds

Our assignment was to  draw a poppy that we will then convert to watercolor.    I will do a full drawing of this before class on Tuesday and then I will do a light sketching for preparation of my watercolor.  Here is my picture.

Beginning Sketch of Oriental Poppy

We were supposed to draw a California Poppy so on the eighth anniversary of Paul's death, I did research on the California Poppy and then did a drawing.

California Poppies = Graphite

So my youngest great-grandson Kason has weathered the storm and doing much better.  All of us are relieved.  His mama, Meagan wants us to know his name is Kason Zylar Roydell Lane.  She loves the name Zylar and does not want it lost.  Here is a picture of Conner, big brother holding Kason Zylar.  They are just about one year apart.

Kason Zylar and Conner

My garden continues to do very well.  There are three tomatoes growing on the bush next to the house.  The other plants are flowering and/or budding for the vegetables I expect to get.  Here are today's pictures.  By the way, I found out that lint is good for a compost pile.  I did not know that.  My pile has been going for a year and I thought about all that lint lost!  Well, for now on it is going in. 

My Planting Boxes

Tomatoes and Lavender

I am leaving shortly to go to a group meditation run by a friend.  I think I could use it.   She is also very good.   I am going for an outpatient procedure to get cortisone shots around my spine and then a followup of this three weeks later.  And, I just have a lot going on.  I think it is all good, but if I could put it on a schedule that works for me, I'd pick one a week at most.  I am excited about Mother's Day next Sunday.  We always have a wonderful time and for some reason, all of us are feeling the loss of Paul. This is now eight years, but there you have it.

So I hope you are having a wonderful week.  Mine was good, and I'm sure next week will be okay.  See you next Sunday.     Rachel