A view of Saskatoon in February, taken just before my fingers snapped off. So hard to type now.

I’m home, but there have been many details to handle since my arrival, like the kid’s impromptu birthday party. And detoxing. Perhaps Swapna and I overindulged in a couple areas. Maybe I introduced her to Snoop’s favorite beverage…

In case you were wondering, when you hand a Canadian a concoction of gin and grapefruit juice, they do not automatically fall into a gangster lean and start humming Snoop Dogg songs like some of us do. They just say thanks. Kind of a let down, really.

Edited: The “letdown” remark was a joke. My trip was in no way a letdown. It was just amusing to be among people who don’t automatically associate gin and grapefruit juice with gangster rap. The same way you look really stupid when someone offers you a cognac and you throw your hands in the air and start singing “Pass the Courvoisier!” like you’re an extra in a Busta Rhymes video.

Several small celebrations, actually. There is lots of random goodness going on around here, not all of it currently blog-able. First, I was able to upgrade my website software with only a small cussing fit, and without destroying the existing site in the process. Secondly, I am taking off tomorrow for an extended slumber party with my amazing friend Swapna. In Saskatoon where it is currently 8 degrees and snowing. And thirdly, my kid’s team won a very important basketball game by 20 points. They officially have bragging rights for a full year. That’s a big deal when you’re in 3rd grade. And my friend Kathleen has lifted the curtain on her e-press HearThrob Books.

So to celebrate all these exciting things, I am having a contest. Leave me a comment, or send me an email (carlarey at wednesdaywandered daht commmm) and when I return from Canada and thaw out my fingers, I will put every one’s name in a hat and choose someone to get a free print. You can choose from this site, from my Trunkt portfolio, or from my Etsy shop.

Still can’t post an image. Everything web related is refusing to cooperate with me today. This and several other factors are making me intensely grumpy. I need to get far away from computers for the rest of the day.

Also…I cannot recommend ordering a shrimp and chorizo platter for dinner. I have no idea why a selection of bottom feeders smothered in cheese and mole seemed like a good idea, (other than the expression of horror and a barely concealed gag reflex from the husband when I ordered it) but I am afraid I will never be able to taste anything else.

I had a new image to post today, but WordPress is being an arse about uploading images, and I do not have time to screw around with it just now. My friend Athena is coming over for coffee and artsy commiseration in a little while.  We both have shows coming up, and are perhaps a teensy bit stressed about the prospect. Actually Athena is stressing, I am living in blissful denial for a bit longer. I will begin stressing the week after next.

So while you can’t see any new work from me, you should look at new work from her. I love her style. I intend to get one soon, but every time I think I have chosen, she does something new and I can’t make up my mind. Perhaps I should start an Athena Wall.

If you know me, and you looked up around 5:00pm, you knew what I was doing. Another spectacular moon rise. If you are bored by this sort of thing…well…damn. I just hate that for you.

I am evaluating some old pieces for the show. I love this one. The original hangs in my studio. I wanted to hang it in the hallway beside our bedroom door, but the husband objected. He says I am the only vaguely malevolent entity he wants hanging around our bedroom.

The first thing – My sister got emailed me yesterday to let me know that some high school friends were trying to get in touch with me. Apparently I am listed in the reunion records as lost. This is amusing because they had no trouble finding her, and her name has changed, but me, with web sites and portfolios that all feature my name and have contact info, they can’t find. She wanted to check with me before giving them my email (coincidentally the same email that all the reunion updates come to). I told her to feel free, thanks to caller id, spam filters and delete buttons, I can avoid 99% of all human contact if I choose.

The second thing – Our house has pocket doors in several rooms. I love them, see no reason to rip them out and replace them with ordinary swinging doors. The one that confuses people is the one to the hall bathroom. Quite a few people who use that door leave it partially closed when they come out. Now I can see how you could walk through a regular door without it being fully open, but people will open this pocket door halfway when they come out of the bathroom. Seriously…there is no way they got out without having to turn sideways. I have literally seen people squeeze through the half open door. Why would you open a sliding door less than halfway and squeeze through?

If you have an answer, please tell me. And if you are coming to my house don’t let me catch you squeezing through that half open bathroom door. That just does not make sense. It takes as least as much effort (probably more) to squeeze through that small space as it does to slide the door all the way back into the wall.