Artist Dates and a Blog Hiatus

Today, I need to share two things with you: my artist dates and a blog hiatus.

In my 10-14-18 posting, I explained the concept of the Artist Date from Julia Cameron’s books. I’ve been on three now. The first was to a $ store where I purchased $25 worth of items that brought forth childhood delight. Among my purchases were four “I Draw” booklets that will help me learn how to draw dinosaurs, animals, horses, and sea life. Also, I got a book to teach me calligraphy.

In addition, I purchased several sheets of stickers. (I use these to decorate my morning pages.) Finally, I bought tissue paper in which to wrap gifts for the next year. 

That date was totally satisfying.

My second Artist Date was to Swope Park in Kansas City. The 1,805-acre park is heavily wooded. Located in its midst is a zoo that I hadn’t visited since graduating from grade school in 1950. The changes there represent the enlightened view of animals and their needs that many of us have come to in the intervening years.

I went to the zoo with three friends and enjoyed myself immensely. We rode on the African Sky Safari—some 35 feet in the air! Then we took a tram ride to see elephants and a train ride to view kangaroos. I was happily tired by the end of our three-our visit. Here’s a photo of a friend and me—monopolizing the camera’s view! —in front of the polar bear area.

My third Artist Date took place here in my own home. From the public library, I got a DVD of a Gene Autry movie. All through grade school, my brother and I enjoyed a cowboy matinee movie each Saturday. Our favorites were Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, the Cisco Kid, and the Lone Ranger. My all-time favorite was Gene!

So I got the DVD and settled down in my recliner, munching my way through the movie with a veggie burger, mayo, onion, and pickle sandwich; a bowl of Progresso lentil soup, a Mound bar, an Almond Joy, and a bowl of strawberry ice cream. Two cups of hot Earl Grey tea accompanied my repast! Gene and I fought the “bad ‘uns” and won the day! And I spent some nostalgic time reminiscing about seeing those cowboy films with my brother all those years ago.

So those are my Artist Dates thus far.

Secondly today, I want to let you know that I won’t be posting again until Sunday, November 18. Nor will I be reading your blogs. Those of you who are regular readers of this blog know that I have compromised vision due to my glaucoma. The pressure of 59 in my right eye and 56 in the left back on December 9, 2015, severely damaged my optic nerves. (Normally, one’s pressure is around 15.)

I must do everything I can to protect those nerves from becoming even more defective and ultimately being so diseased that I become blind. One of the things that affects the optic nerves is dry eyes. I put in eye lubricates between 7-10x a day to help with that. (I use glaucoma drops 3x a day.) But things just keep progressing.

So between now and November 14, when I see the glaucoma specialist again, I am having to limit my time reading large-print and e-books, watching TV, and using the computer. These all demand focusing on one spot. These limitations mean that I’ll mostly be listening to audio books and that the brief time I spend at the computer will be an attempt to complete a novel I want to publish next year.

The November appointment is an important one as it will determine if these restrictions need to continue. I’ll let you know what happens. I know all of you will say a prayer or send a healing thought my way when you finish reading this. I thank you for that from the deep center of myself where Oneness dwells. I won’t be responding to any comments this time, but please know how dear you all are to me. Thank you for your friendship.

Peace.