Monday, May 18, 2009

. . . attended two graduations




this weekend. A van full of family, including me, left for St. Louis Friday morning. My nephew Sean Patrick McManus graduated from St. Louis University. We went to the business school's ceremony on Friday evening, partied with the families and kids at the hotel Friday night, and attended commencement ceremonies on Saturday morning. After touring the campus, we piled back into the van and left for home. Thanks to my brother and his family for the ride, and to my sister and her husband for the lodgings and parties.


On Sunday I went back "home" to attend the high school graduation of my niece Hannah Grace Buenger, who was co-valedictorian. Afterwards we attended a party for Hannah and ate great food, watched Betsy and Joe steal the show, and now finally I'm home again, ready to hibernate a bit and recover from the busy weekend. Joe and Betsy rode back home with me yesterday. Here's a bit of the backseat conversation with Betsy:

Nana, did you know we have a parrot? . . . No, I've never seen it, where is it? . . . We keep it in the attic. In fact, Nana, the whole attic is just stuffed with parrots. They're invisible, though. No one can see them. . . Do they ever get out of the attic?. . . Ack-shu-lee, Nana, sometimes they come in my room, at night. . . What do you do when they come to your room?. . . I feed them.


Waiting to be picked up on Friday morning, all ready to go, all dressed and prettied up as much as it is possible for me to be, I decided I had enough time to start another painting. Above is the canvas with the first application of paint. I was so damned careful. . . but I should have known better. . . paint on the sleeve of my sweater, transferred to my shorts. Not too bad, probably noticeable only to me. Pitiful.

6 comments:

Jeane Myers said...

LOL! laughing at the 'trying to be careful' bit! my world - the graduation celebrations sound like a wonderful family time and I really like this first layer, but of course, my world is all red all the time right now! ha!

Leslie Avon Miller said...

Ack-shu-lee, Betsy is so fun to hear about. Parrot's sound like an ideal imaginary friend. I love this red painting. Just love it. Looking forward to see where you go with it.

Jazz said...

That red is beautiful.

I never had an attic as a child. If I had, it would surely have been full of parrots, elephants and dancing hippos.

Isn't a child's imagination great. Too bad so many of us lose it as adults.

Unknown said...

Too funny about the paint! I did it too wrapping a birthday gift & deciding to paint a wooden balloon for embellishment! I don't think I have any clothes without a stain or two!

~Babs said...

Love where those little minds go,,,flights of fancy!
Relating to the painted clothing too,,,aren't we supposed to look like that?
Lush first layer,,,very rich.
I know you're welcoming some alone time, even though it was fun, and good to be with family.
Great to go,,,great to be home.

Mary Buek said...

Jeane: Seems like my world is all red most of the time, too. Love your current work that turned the great gray piece into a great red piece.

Leslie: You are living "red" vicariously, aren't you. And I live b & w vicariously through your paintings. Yes, and here's to parrots.

Jazz, my childhood attic was populated with monsters. Parrots are much much better.

Marie, I don't either. Almost everything I wear can now be classified as "painting clothes".

Babs, it is soooo good to be home again. I'm not a good traveler at all. I think the next kid to graduate will be just a bit more than an hour away.