New haircut, new puppy, (sort of) new car

With Joel driving, I've been without a vehicle three days a week. I've gotten lots done in the studio and some done in the house (I have my priorities straight, huh?). I kept thinking "the right car will show up," since we didn't want to buy a new car...

My friends and I got together two weekends ago, and when I drove up, there was my friend Becky's cute little red car--with a "For Sale" sign in the window! It's the first car I've had in FOREVER that doesn't scream "Mom", and I love it!

We've got 'Mohawk Man" and "Daisy," but my little car has yet to be christened...Any suggestions?

P.S. I remember when the OnStar came on in our Tahoe by mistake, soon after we bought it. That night, Jenny said, "Oh! So our new car's a GIRL car!" You gotta love her...

Our New Puppy

A couple of weeks ago, both girls were home sick. The doorbell rang--ding dong ding dong ding dong!

The older man who lives down the road was at the door. He'd been on his way to a neighboring town when he came across a litter of seven puppies that someone had dumped on the road. Two had been hit by cars, but he picked up the remaining five and took them to a vet in town.

He finished this sad story, and by this time, both girls were standing next to me, feeling very very sad.

"So," he said, "I just happen to have one of the puppies out in my car, and I wonder if you'd be willing to take her for a night or two and see how it goes."

Okay, well, when I said 'girls' and 'puppy' in the same paragraph, you knew what was going to happen...

Introducing Daisy--she's turning out to be a real gem.

Mohawk Man

Most of the football team got Mohawk haircuts for last Friday's big game against the cross-town rival (Richard also happens to be principal there). Katie took this of Joel after the game. Looks pretty fierce, doesn't he?

Another Goat Story (Oh No, Not Another One?)

I've written before about my goat-wrangling adventures--I showed you videos and pictures of our two baby goats, here and here and here, illustrated funny things here, and shared ridiculous misadventures with my goats here.

All in all, I have to say that the goats are a pain in the neck. They don't stay in our pasture very well, the one who has one tentacle left thinks he's a LUV MACHINE, and they're persistent and smart enough to make a tiny gap in the fence into a major freeway in no time at all. But last week--last week was the absolute tops. It's after school, and Jenny's having a snack and getting ready to start on her homework. The phone rings and I answer it.

"Karen? This is Alyssa next door, and I know that this is going to sound sort of random, but I just saw a bunch of goats running down the road, and I wondered if, well, if maybe they were yours?"

Let me repeat what she said, in case you missed it. She said, "I JUST SAW A BUNCH OF GOATS RUNNING DOWN THE ROAD..."

So the goats are running down the road. RUNNING. DOWN THE ROAD. And let's be honest--if there are a bunch of goats running down the road, they must be my goats.

Sigh.

Jenny and I go to hunt them down. We walk all the way down to the corner, and there's no sign of them except for little piles of what Jenny has always called 'goaty pebbles.' We walk down the other direction from our house. No goats.

Finally, we check the back yard, and lo and behold, there they are, in yard next door, basically right where they started out, calmly eating my neighbor's lovely plants as though they hadn't just taken the scenic tour of the neighborhood...

So...

My goats now have their very own private condominium area behind the barn, newly fenced in five-foot tall rigid fencing, never more to roam.

I hope.

Vistaprint--A Recommendation

I love Vistaprint! I've used them to print my business cards and the postcards I have for sale for the last three years, and I've been thrilled with them each and every time I've ordered. After my first order, they send me regular emails for specials, and I've taken advantage of these specials to have stuff printed for an incredibly reasonable price.

I've put a widget in the sidebar that will take you to Vistaprint's website. I encourage you to scan some of your own artwork and use their easy templates to create your own postcards--If you need help with the technical part of it, let me know and I'll be glad to help.

these new postcards arrived yesterday. I tried something new and had the back of the postcard printed in color rather than grayscale as I usually do, and I really like how it turned out. These new cards are available for seven for ten dollars, in either a mixed package or any combination, just let me know in the comment section for Paypal.

Golden Girl
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Follow Me
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There Lived A Little Girl
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She Hears The Earth Murmur
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My Basket Is Empty
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I Call It Home
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I Will Wait For You Forever
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Yes, Yes, And Again, Yes
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Take Flight
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Order these for a holiday gift for yourself or others--hang them on the wall or send them in the mail--this set of seven professionally printed postcards, each sized 4" x 6", featuring my original paintings--only $10.00, free shipping.

She's Waiting...

A Long Break

Okay, it's been awhile since I posted here; life has just been hectic with Joel playing football and getting his driver's license (and OHMYGOSH how did THAT happen?), and Katie finishing tennis and starting basketball and being very determined to improve her writing skills for her Honors English teacher, and Jenny just being Jenny, singing a solo in her old piano teacher's fall recital and playing with her new puppy (and OHMYGOSH what was I thinking when I said yes to that?). Not to forget all the minor stuff like cooking dinner and capturing wayward goats...

Because Joel and I will be sharing a vehicle until we buy something for either Richard or me, I'll be home, completely grounded, every Wednesday/Thursday/Friday. Let's just say I'll get to spend lots of time in the studio, so it won't be all bad.

Big day here in our little town, as a school bond measure is on the ballot. Sharply divided opinions--who wants new taxes? Not I, says this little red hen--but what it comes down to, for me, is the words of one of my very wise friends, who said, "Sometimes the right thing to do is also the hard thing to do."

I have a whole other post developing in my head about politics and government, but I'll save that for another day.