A Short Guide To A Happy Life

Hope Floats

12"x36"

Mixed Media on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

In Progress..........

This morning as I was listening to The Sunday Edition with Michael Enright on CBC,  I was surprised to learn one of my favourite authors was about to be interviewed. .....  I love Anna Quindlen.  I've always enjoyed her books, her sense of humor and her uncanny ability to write characters that you feel you may in some way or another,  know.  Her books make me think about them long after I've turned the last page.

About six years ago around Christmas time I was in a Chapters,  just wandering around looking at books and I eventually came across "A Short Guide to A Happy Life".  It is a small book laced with words strung together so beautifully you can't help but stand there and read the entire thing...which is exactly what I did.
That day I bought seven copies and gave them to my closest friends as Christmas gifts...I kept one for myself and after hearing Anna Quindlen speak today I went looking for it.  I imagine to say I sent looking for it was an understatement as I actually turned the house upside down trying to remember where I put it.

At some point I gave up and decided it wasn't meant to be found yet.

This June my oldest daughter graduates high school and in September leaves for university.  I wish I were as great a writer as Anna Quindlen so I could have written this to her before she leaves.

Anna Quindlen's commencement addresss to Villanova University.......

Simple Things Make Up A Great Day

Just Beyond

Work in Progress..................

16"x16"

Yesterday did not go altogether according to plan..............

John and I both needed to renew our passports and since he is headed to Colorado for a fly fishing trip in July we figured we should visit the passport office in Toronto in person. My passport photo is probably the worst photo I have ever had taken.....yuck.......I look like I just returned home from the asylum.... and no, I can guarantee you it will never be posted here.

So other than I fright I gave the passport clerk when I pulled out my photo, all went smoothly. $165.00 poorer.

John had an appointment so I dropped into Chapters........books and a chai latte... deliriously happy.

Lunch ended up being a fantastic little Indian restaurant just north of the city. We were planning on eating at the King Eddie but it was getting late and we decided not to drive downtown. So as were sitting there, across from each other, the only promise we made was to not talk about the kids. This was our time to discuss our stuff. We talked about how well things were going lately with my work , his work, a bit about politics but mostly about us.........

Note to self: Need more romantic lunchs with the man.

We we arrived home there was an email from Michelle at the Silverbridge Gallery letting me know she had sold two of my paintings today. Good news!

So here I sit ......... happy in this moment.