Today, in honor of my father, I climbed a tree and sawed off a tree branch. There is a branch scrapping against the roof of the house that I can hear in my studio every time there is even a gentle breeze. Creak, creeak, creeeeeeeek. It has been going on for a week and I am trying to work in my studio today and I finally had enough. It's my neighbor Kurt's tree, but he hasn't been home in weeks, and I know my landlord won't deal with it, so I took my tree saw and the ladder and I used the ladder to get to the lowest side branch and climbed the tree high enough to saw off the offender. The tree's trunk is pretty thick, but I was surprised that the side branches were more than strong enough to hold me. It sounds like something my Dad would do and it's Father's Day, so there, no more squeaking.
It was a tough work week and I spent three nights on the phone and two nights on the phone late, so I was tired. No one can beat the dysfunction of Ventura County, but the work dysfunction that is directly affecting me at my new job is new to me. I've been trying to practice what Eckhart Tolle talks about in the Power of Now and trying to let other peoples' actions pass right through me without sticking, without me latching on to them with thoughts and opinions, but this takes practice.
In addition, my financial situation today is just like my financial situation was when I left So Cal and I am wondering if I missed something I was supposed to learn or if my financial situation today is somehow meant to be. This made me really depressed, but after talking to Dave on the phone through the full moon eclipse, I decided it doesn't matter and that I am just going to try and focus on the things that are better.
I tried to go to the Botanical Garden on Friday night, since they are open until dusk, but drove into a sea of bicyclists and a line of cars, so I turned around and came home. I forgot to check if there was a concert, I checked when I got home and there was "An Evening with Cake." Who is Cake? The ad encourages people to ride their bike there and many people listened to that advice.
Yesterday I saw Margo in the morning and we both missed each other. It has been barely a week since the Artist Way meetings ended and we were seeing each other again at her sister's housewarming that afternoon. It was a gloomy day and started raining by the time of the housewarming, but it was a nice time. I met several people I liked and one I really did not like. The unlikable one came over, sat in between Margo and I with her back to me and started talking non-stop. I moved on to someone else who also works in government. She just hired an ex-Lieutenant Colonel for a clerical job and he is happy to be there. Don't need to explain bureaucracy to that guy. She also just hired a part-time nanny that is covered with piercings and tattoos, responsible, and always on time. Her daughter is struggling with learning about judging people and it was great conversation. Maryann has a cute little newish house and served lots of great food. I am afraid that the chocolate cheesecake cupcake topped with cherry filling kept me up late last night, but it was worth it.
This morning I caught the second to the last episode of The Killing and I will have to stay up and watch the finale tonight. Cruiser and Spit have been whiny and probably reflecting my mood this week, so this afternoon I worked on the front yard with the gate and the front door open and let them roam. Pierre has been mercilessly teasing them and I was hoping for a confrontation, but Pierre high-tailed it inside as soon as he saw what was coming.
My peas are blooming and I have two strawberries turning red. One of the strawberry plants turned brown and died and I think Spit peed on it. The peas got wilty on the patio, so I moved them against the east-facing fence. Of course, the next day the guy comes to turn the sprinklers back on and I put the pea planter on top of a sprinkler. Hey, wasn't that guy supposed to come in May? So, I moved the peas back to the patio behind the steamer chairs for shade, nope not enough shade, wilty again, so moved them back against the fence in between two sprinklers.
On my walks, most people have a Japanese maple. I love Japanese maples. Most people have a red one and I prefer the green ones, but I can see why red is more common here, the green ones are huge, bigger than any I've seen in So Cal.
I did not get to paint today, but I did finish a few drawings and took the finished studies off the board and stretched another half sheet of watercolor paper. Now I am too tired from weeding the front dirt driveway and the alley around my garage where the tall weeds scrape the bottom of my car to do much else and I did not even get the backyard mowed.
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