A toast to you! Still underpainting.

In the kitchen researching for the doctorate
Stage 3
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

Still underpainting and checking the layout
Today did not offer much time
for painting, so I am still
adding layers of colour and sorting out the design.
I like the painting more and more as I
go along

Thank you for hanging in with me through some intensely
busy times. At the Don Valley Art Club opening tonight
a friend from our Tuesday portrait night told my husband
that I had to quit working so hard. My husband
just rolled his eyes and smiled, because for sure I don't
work any harder than he does. Free lancers like me can
take a break mid-day every now and then. Full time
workers like my husband cannot.

But that's hardly the point. The point is that we finally
opened that tiny bottle of Veuve Cliquot tonight after
dropping off the taxes at the post office. Check. Paintings
off. Check paintings to show for tonight. Check opening --
and so much beautiful work that it was wonderful to see.
So at our late dinner we drank the small
bottle of Veuve, sharing a glass with our now old-enough-to-
drink youngest, who has been home from school for a week
and has already arranged his work for the summer.

Magic. I rarely have glass of champagne (although in the
past year there have been many more occasions) but I'm
always pleased when I do. So we laughed, took the dog for
a walk to the park where she met a 3 1/2 month old St.
Bernard named Bernie and frolicked like a young puppy
herself. All good. A huge pink moon. A happy mood, and
normal life more or less resuming.

To you. For being so kind and encouraging when a lot is
going on. For inspiring me with your amazing work. For
changing my life in wonderful ways.

Have a let's-toast-one-another day.