Good morning!
I hope you all had a great week. The fourth of July started kind of melancholy as I took a moment to consider the story we as a nation seem to be telling ourselves about who we are. I woke up with the Concrete Blonde cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Everybody Knows” in my head, and it seemed so apt. It’s impossible to know the future, but it’s so SO important to keep on living our best lives and to take every opportunity to push back the darkness for those around us.
Monday, I got a haircut (finally) and took the girls shopping with their Tooth Fairy/Birthday money savings. Abby was so excited to buy this banana outfit that she’d seen and I love her excitement and enthusiasm for the bizarre. Head to toe bananas and she couldn’t be happier. 😀 One of the great joys I get from working at home is having a flexible schedule to spend much of my days with the girls. Even when I’m busy, I can pop upstairs for a few minutes to sit while they eat breakfast or to see them whittling RD (for roller derby) out of a block of soap on the kitchen floor.
The fourth ended up being SO MUCH FUN in spite of my initial misgivings. We skated with Arch Rival and St Louis Junior Derby in the Webster Groves parade and were able to insert some subversion with our “Make America Skate Again” Shirts. There were so many great moments and even though it was super hot, the kids all did amazing and I got to spend the day with some of my best friends.
I finished up a couple of portraits too! It’s both the hardest kind, and right now my favorite kind of work to do. I’m so amazed sometimes that I’m able to do what I do for a living. This year, as I’m stressing out about my life, and my house it’s hard not to stop and wonder, and be thankful that not only to I get to draw pictures for a living, but that also somehow when the work slows down in one area, it tends to pick up in another. I’m also more than thankful for all your support. You help make the magic happen more than you can ever know. Thank you so much for that.
Next week is my birthday, I’ll be teaching drawing AND sketchbook classes, and I’ll be at Let Them Eat art with my best friend, Sally. Until then, take care and be good!
Your friend,
Jeffrey