I have accomplished a lot in the last two days, but neither of the major goals I set for myself are fully realized. The windows, ah, the windows. Needless to say the cutting down of the "cut to fit" blinds I bought was a much bigger job than I anticipated. I don't know why I never seem to learn that nothing is as easy as I think it's going to be. I expected to get the job done in about ten minutes, but it took at least an hour and a half of fumbling and experimentation (of course I had thrown away the directions). I did finally get the two blinds on the windows that face the street altered and found some lace curtains to hang on the lower half. I really like the way they look, but they are too white. I'll have to find something that is off-white to go in the room. The true problem, though, did not manifest itself until today when some people walked by the house. Benny did his usual thrashing at the windows. Those curtains on their flimsy tension rods fell down behind the couch before the first bark was out of his mouth. I still think the idea has potential, though, and will persevere.
Yesterday I gave Lytton a tranquilizer the vet had sold me so that I could cut the matts off his legs without risking serious injury(to me). Poor boy was reduced to a shadow of his former self, barely able to stand as I went after his feet with my scissors. I still put a muzzle on him. Despite the fact that he was almost unconscious, his patience went only so far. After about a half hour he rallied to lunge at my hand as I started in on his back legs. The muzzle came off instantly and all that saved me was my quickness and his lack of precision. Still, I got the job mostly done. He looks funny with his skinny legs and hairless tail, but he must feel better. I certainly do. He slept the rest of the day and didn't return to normal until today.
The studio began to come together once I thought of moving the bureau from the bathroom so that I could use it to store art materials. Now I have no place for the towels that I was keeping there, but that is a problem much more easily solved. I was able to put most of my supplies away in the chest. The biggest task ahead of me is sorting through the hundreds of photographs I have lying all over the place. There are three shelves in that room where I was able to put my art books. The paintings are still standing all over the room, but I will put them under the bed (a perfect spot for canvases). Unused canvases can be leaned agaianst the wall, neatly I hope, as well as large paper, linoleum, and unused frames. I still have things I don't know what to do with, like Jeannette's dolls and my boxes of still life props. I may have to resort to the attic, but it's hard to get up there, and I'll probably never see the stuff again once it's been put there. Who cares? Well, if I didn't care, I would throw the stuff away, wouldn't I?
The promised rain arrived, and I spent time cooking, too. I made bread and brownies and a complicated casserole. I love the smell of food cooking on a dismal day.
