It is AMAZING how Life has gotten in the way of writing blog posts – yup, it gets in the way of everything.

I left the east end of Ottawa, bought a “fixer upper” in the country, did seasonal help at Lee Valley Tools (bucket list), did a stint at Carp Fair (also bucket list), dealt with flooding basements and sump pumps, buried my black Lab, learned to live with box elder bugs, became an (almost) enemy of the City over the storm drain in my yard, got a nice lengthy contract, left that contract, went to the Bahamas for my sister’s wedding, learned to cut 1/3 of an acre with a push mower, found out I can shovel a 75 m laneway, found out I can hate a 75 m laneway, had exactly one lesson on a tractor/snowblower (apparently my clutch skills leave a little to be desired), flew to Florida on a whim (thanks AirMiles) to go on a road trip home (ALLIGATORS), motorbiked a lot – all over from PEI to Pembroke (passenger so far, licence this year), drove through a tornado, fundraised for my hometown of Dunrobin, nursed my mother through dementia, cancer and strokes with my siblings…and soooooo much more.

I began 2019 writing a eulogy for my mother. She was….well, she was my mum. She worked and played and raised 4 kids pretty much on her own; to this day I don’t know how she pulled it off. She was smart, got shit done, and had a sneaky sense of humour. That sense of humour, and her optimistic outlook stayed in place even as her mind and body failed and hurt.

Throughout this time, I have been loved and supported by Thing 1 and Thing 2. The continue to grow, and amaze me with their strength, perseverence, and yes….even wisdom. I am in awe. Also, I love them a bit.

I have a renewed determination to make life good (gooder? It’s already pretty good, just takes lot of shovelling sometimes). I have been reminded about what’s important, (maybe more importantly) – what isn’t. I have learned that I am good at a LOT of things, and love to learn even more. To that end, I am beginning this year comitted to making more room for creativity in my life, alongside the usual worklife. I am happiest with a pencil in my hand, and a camera close by…and some time left over to spend in my workshop. I hope to post samples of what I’m up to every now and then – stay tuned.

My McSweeney’s Internet Tendency addiction is in control this morning. Some days you should not get at it. You should sit and read short articles until you are kind of crying from the laughing, and wishing someone would bring you more coffee and not point out your runny nose.

Today after a few other columns, I re-read I’M COMIC SANS, ASSHOLE. By Mike Lacher. You should read it too.

This year’s theme was BLUE, and was entirely open to interpretation. I completed one work just for the show, and brought another I had on hand. Both works will remain up until the end of December and would make LOVELY CHRISTMAS GIFTS. Visit Cyclelogik at 1111 Wellington Street.

“Rayleigh Scattering” Graphite and pencil crayon on bristol. (Framed 340.00)

Blue Room: Graphite, pencil crayon, and conte drawing on vellum, layered over photograph – canon chromalife inks on Moab Entrada Rag paper. (Framed 450.00)

On the road in Newfoundland…Trepassey. I got up early and started wandering with my coffee. Found this spot, and spent the better part of the morning by myself, staring at the water. Breathing.

On the Lower Coast, Trepassey, Newfoundland, August 2011.

Wild fire, near Lytton, B.C. June 17, 2015

Driving through the Fraser Canyon, we could see this fire coming for miles…it was a surreal drive in so many ways, then we came up to the actual fire and could not stop watching – it was so beautiful, and so awful. We were struck by what seemed to be the hopelessness of these tiny dumps of water on a fire that was spreading for miles.