Paint Party Friday - Rose Leaves ACEO

I am showing a Rose Leaves ACEO (2 1/" x 3 1/2") for Paint Party Friday today.  I used alcohol inks and outlined the leaves with a Pentel Sketch pen.  The pen has a paintbrush feel.

And we are at the end of July!

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Descent

For Rain's Thurday Art Date's 'Descent' theme I did an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") of some 'Stairs'. I wonder what everyone else thought of?

A new normal

Denthe posted these on her blog recently, I found them so funny.

My dentist finally called to set up my delayed dental cleaning appointment. It will be towards the end of August. I will be required to remove my mask just for the duration of the appointment and I am asked to bring my own pen to sign a consent form. Apparently it will be very safe, they use a machine to clean the air in the room after each appointment and there is plexi glass everywhere.

Son K went for a routine blood test at the blood lab, his first since covid. He said the technicians and receptionists wore both masks and visors although there was no plexi glass. A man dropped his health card on the ground and freaked out, rushing for the hand sanitizer station. Husband M is now encouraged to go get his own blood test done.

We are trying to cope in our new normal.

Now it seems I am being forced to try the new blogger. It takes a bit of adjustment, sheesh!

A Now Hilarious Story

Daughter L hosted a small party with 3 other friends and her boyfriend recently.  They started out wearing masks and sitting outside on their condo patio.  But as the evening progressed she had to admit they didn't end up keeping much of a distance.  However they were all happy to be together after many months apart.  L said it was great catching up with each other.

One of her friends had been on safari in Africa a couple of years ago and recounted a now hilarious story.  It seems the people on the safari tour bus asked the driver if he could open the large sunroof so they could have a better view of the wild animals.  He complied and before long, a monkey jumped through the sunroof into the bus.  L's friend said she was so scared.  The monkey moved through the bus aisle and curiously touched everyone.  He ended up at the back of the bus and grabbed someone's backpack and jumped out of the bus.  It turned out to be L's friend's travelling companion's bag.  The driver eventually located said monkey high up a tree.  He was rooting through the backpack and luckily found a bag of oranges inside  Happy with that he threw the backpack to the ground and went on his way.  The lady who own the backpack said all her valuables including her passport and money were inside.  It was a great relief to get them back.  The driver said if the monkey had not found the oranges, he would have kept the backpack and run away with it, but he was happier with the oranges.

We have to remember that monkeys are wild animals so it must have been a scary experience.  This monkey was as big as L's 5ft something friend and wider.

My Homemade Pizza

I made this delicious pizza using this recipe. For toppings I used onions, bacon, chicken slices, olives and lots of mozzarella cheese. I will be making this one again.  It occurred to me that I should layer the pizza in the order of sauce, cheese, then toppings, silly me.

Garlic Parmesan Herb Bread

I made this garlic parmesan herb bread using this recipe. It was delicious, really garlicky though. I used a mix of white flour and whole wheat flour.

On decency and lack thereof

This young man was walking his large dog by our house one morning, the dog was wearing a cone on its head. They stopped under our street side tree and the dog pooped large and they walked off. I indicated to my husband M and he ran after them and asked the man to pick up. The man said he didn't have a bag and would come back. M said he would get him one. Then I ran out and saw him down the road and asked him to stop. It looked like he was tying his dog to a post at this point. M gave him the bag and he scooped up. M was still angry and started berating the man but I thanked the guy and told M to calm down, it was not worth it. The man had at least picked up. I am pretty sure that dog pooped in our garden bed one year, by the size of his poop. It is so rude what people do. How is it ok to just let your animal do that and walk off as if nothing happened?

Later that evening my cousin was cycling by and pulled over for a socially distanced chat.  I happened to be on my front lawn.  We hadn't talked since last year so it was great to catch up with him.  He mentioned they had recently tried to make reservations at a restaurant to celebrate his son's birthday but it was booked out.

Another good thing is that husband M finally mailed off his DNA saliva sample.  He was gifted a test by daughter L last Christmas.  His first attempt months back failed as he had trouble getting enough saliva.  This sample should be fine.  My cousin said his cousin had done his and there were a couple of surprise siblings who turned up on his profile.  Apparently that cousin even met with them.  My cousin didn't think there was any family resemblance but there you have it.