Frustrating week

I have been putting together several pieces for my friend, Carolyn.  One in particular has proven troublesome.  I now have it to the stage of a bit of hand finishing, but have devoted the last four+ days to it.  But it will be done today, and I have made arrangements to deliver it tomorrow afternoon.  I am dropping it off with the friend she will be staying with overnight on her way back to Montreal.  This friend is also an acquaintance of mine.  When I called to arrange to go over, she invited me to stay for tea, and I thought why not?  I had spent some time on the phone with my friend, Shirley earlier, and we had talked about the philosophy that a door is never closed without a window being opened, and how you have to be able to recognize opportunity when it is presented, because it is often disguised.  Shirley has had many challenges in her life, and has worked hard to overcome them, but now is living a life where she is content.  I admire her for that, although she sometimes makes me a little crazy.  Anyway, to come full circle, I think that maybe the lady I will be having tea with tomorrow could have been more of a friend, had I been open to the opportunity.

But the work I've been doing has caused quite a bit of stress and a few tears.  I'm very glad it is done.  There are a couple of flaws, but I'm ignoring them, and hope that they won't be noticed.

On Monday, our next door neighbour had some very expensive new windows installed, and of course, David had to help him supervise.  The neighbour has a new bird feed this year and the subject of squirrels came up. ( Two of this years red squirrels were playing in our Elm tree) I think I have mentioned this neighbour, and his fear and loathing of squirrels before. He is convinced that they will get into his house, and asked David if he should poison them.  We enjoy watching the squirrels play in our yard, and especially enjoy the young ones learning their way.  I think David dissuaded him.  I certainly hope so.

There is a surprising amount of wildlife even here in the city.  When talking to Shirley, she told me that she had been standing on her balcony ( third floor) when two  of Mississippi Kites flew by.  These are very rare here, and the bird watching community has been very excited to discover a nesting pair in River Heights.  It has been written up in the paper etc.  When Shirley spoke to the local bird "guru, she was told that there is more than one pair around, and her spotting was legitimate.  I think that things like this say as much for climate change as anything else going on.

So I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in the studio.  The downside to this is that I will now have to do all of the housework I've been neglecting over the past week.   BLa-a-a-a-h!