A Two-Breakfast Morning

It's only mid-morning but I have covered so much ground already that I keep checking the time on my wrist watch against the time on my cell phone. It doesn't seem possible that it's not later.
Up at 5am to fit in dog walking before driving Hubby to San Francisco Airport, I heard a full rendition of The Morning Chorus from the birds. Coffee and a warm croissant hit the spot nicely and made me feel almost human.
The Artistic One is winging his way to New York, after a full body scan and pat down by security. Mad  salt'n pepper hair, a dark mustache and tanned olive skin pretty much guarantee some extra attention in every airport and sometimes while driving. Even at almost 75 years old and with a visible impediment to his walking ability, I agree that he is a scary foreign looking bloke. I also think that the metal detectors are now so finely tuned that they can detect the dozens of staples that are in Hubby's intestines since some emergency repairs were performed due to an accident a couple of decades ago.
There is an Opening Reception tomorrow evening in a gallery in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He is the Artist and so must attend. It is always an achievement to get the man, the luggage, the boarding pass and the ID papers funneled in the right direction at the right time.
My nannying duties accomplished I shot south, the sun intermittently in my eyes, to San Jose, to drop off a check that would otherwise have been late. Northbound again I stopped at home to let the dogs out, check my email and enjoy a bowl of Tony the Tiger's Frosted Flakes out on the back patio in the sunshine, as squirrels were chased and petunias trampled by the foster-beast. I am belaboring the point that the clouds have cleared and we are promised a dry weekend. We deserve some blue sky for a change.
Back in the car for another twenty miles to reach my place of work. I had a bit of a grumble on arrival as the departing Artist had made an executive and unshared decision last evening to put two padlocks on the gate, one of which I was not sure I had the key to open. That would have been a big nuisance as I do have some clients scheduled to visit today. After fumbling around with my whole jailer key chain I was finally able to open the second lock.
After my work appointments I am meeting a horse person this afternoon. A friend of a friend situation with our middle-(wo)man knowing that I need to ride and the other gal has two horses and needs some help exercising them. When I called to introduce myself our conversation revealed that Noelle not only knows the barn I have been riding at, but sold them a little palomino horse called Gary Cooper. He has been my mount of choice for a while and she was glad to hear he is happy and well. I am not certain but I have the feeling we will be riding Western Style. I packed my short boots as well as the long boots and breeches. I will go with whatever fits the situation best when I get there.
You won't catch me looking a gift horse in the mouth!

Oh, the Jet-Set

Hubby is back in "Jet-Setting Artist" mode. His plane tickets are confirmed. He will fly away next Monday, on the pretext, or out of necessity; depending on one's point of view, that he must leave himself plenty of time to prepare for his next Art Show which opens June 20th. in Mende, France.

I concede that it will be a great show; a combined exhibition of watercolours, by hubby, and photographs, by a fabulous landscape photographer J-F Salles; both of whom love the bucolic and unspoiled countryside that is Lozere.

But here's the rub. This is a region where hubby spent a few summers when he was a boy. This photo shows you his cohorts, whom he has rediscovered since we bought and renovated an old cow-barn in the region. These "Bad Boys" rampaged around together when they were all fourteen and fifteen. Not a milkmaid was spared their attentions, from what I have heard, and they are proud and feisty and looking to get into more scrapes I am sure; totally ignoring the fact that sixty years have gone by.

I shall stay here and run our "bread and butter" business, fielding international phone calls about

lost passports and missed planes, as Chaos follows its most faithful disciple to Europe.

My work time is much more efficient when I am alone and not bound to interrupt my train of thought because the Holy hour for eating has come around once again.

I shall arrange to treat myself to horse-riding mid-week, with no recriminations, for who needs to know but me and the horse? I'll hang out with friends, without having to translate for anyone and I will surely have more Blog-time!

Whatever the opposite of Jet-Set might be, it works for me!

Death by Chocolatini!

I could say that I have travelled to New York for showings of my husband's Art, or I could say that I have driven around Manhattan in a U-Haul truck in the snow; delivering paintings. Both would be equally true.

Every couple of years we book a booth at the Javitts Convention Center and head off to ArtExpo International as exhibitors. Initially under the auspices of another Gallery but more recently under our own steam.

The logistics are stressful; paintings have to be crated and shipped from California. Transporters won't take them too soon as they don't want to store them. There is always someone with the horror story of an empty booth and missing Art. Press releases, invitations and brochures get designed, written, proofed and printed. If they don't get done on time you find yourself bringing heavy boxes on the plane; not to mention fitting one last canvas in your suitcase; with a prayer that it won't be mangled.

Lining up to get exhibitor passes. Everyone fresh in from an airport dragging a wheelie suitcase. Relief that the crate is in the right place at the right time; hours of unpacking, hanging, lighting paintings. Hugs and hello's to co-exhibitors from prior years. Excitement and concern; tomorrow is opening day. Will people come? Will they like what we have to show?

The days are long; the smiles bright; I wear "put-together" clothes with heels and even make-up. I am the sales staff. I travel with my trusty wireless credit card machine.

The show lasts 4-5 days with a day each end for hanging and then repacking art. We are in New York for a week; too tired to go far from our Hotel; making friends with the barman or woman. I have never visited the Statue of Liberty but I have plunged into the depths of the Chocolatini!

One evening we grabbed a drink in the Hotel bar. We were lucky to get a table in a standing-room only crowd. Cuba Libre; a great drink for February in New York. Sweet bubbly coke; spicy rum and the tang of green lime. We relaxed and decided to stay and order food where we were. A Cointreau on the rocks to round out the evening. Damn! They have no desserts. Oh, well sure; let's have an Irish Coffee. 

That was the cusp of a great evening; the moment beyond which it was fool-hardy to linger. We were going to call it a night as soon as we were done with coffee. 

Another couple was obviously looking for seats in the still crowded bar. We offered to share our table as we would be leaving soon. They offered to buy us a drink...

I asked the barman's advice on what I could have to satisfy my craving for sweetness and so I was introduced with little planning and less malice to my undoing: Chocolatini!

The best thing about 2009 is that we are not going to New York this year. They will hopefully have had time to "Forget-About-It/Me" before we show up again next year.