Early Sunday..

Morning everyone. I've just taken some almost-burnt macaroons out of the oven and I've popped open a Sierra Nevada 'cause there's nothing better to do. Both my roommates are out and I don't feel like going to bed just yet.

This morning, Chad and Ben and I got up to clean the whole house. We cleaned the common areas and stopped there 'cause truly that's what matters. I proceeded to unpack my room a little, since I've lived here since May and I'm not yet out of boxes.

Now let me tell you something about having lived here since May. Smokey Park Highway is a noisy, noisy, noisy place. Sure I live off of it, but not all that far. Trains and trucks and more trucks and idiot rural people grinding their souped up engines at all hours of the night. I had some whopper dreams the first few weeks I was here. Nothing at all strange, by x-files standards, mind you, just really vivid ones.

Anyway, the house is great. Huge bedrooms (we're still trying to fill 4 of them so if you know anyone), a kitchen that could have swallowed my old apartment, room for a ping pong table and shuffle board.. 3 stories.. It's a great place, and I was glad to clean it this morning.

The owners go to my church and I'd hate it if they felt like a slew of raccoons was renting their place.

Anyway. At about 2 this afternoon I wound up at my studio where I made another creature. As soon as I got there I discovered I'd left my phone at home. Sucked 'cause I was supposed to make arrangements to grab a pint with my friend Luke. I wound up driving to his house within the prearranged time window to inform him of my phonelessness. The timing was perfect 'cause he was just back from the gym. I made a beer run and he was showered and changed by the time I got back.

It was great not having a phone on me today. I felt oddly free and undisturbed. Luke and I chatted a great while, even after his wife came home (her name's Anne.. she's a great lady). Roundabout 6 I made it back to the studio and got to hacking away at another stuffed toy, this one indicative of my having drained half a sixer. It has no legs. Not yet anyway.

I worked on that monster till 11:30 or so and came home to an empty house. I folded my clean towels from the dryer, made some macaroons (I bake. Shut up) and checked my email. The signal from the neighbor's house is nice and strong tonight so I figured I'd blog a bit.

I'm getting ready for the American Sewing Expo in Detroit next month where I'll be a lecturer and instructor. I'll be talking about various aspects of stuffed toy making, so I've got to produce study aides and info packets for handing out, plus I've got to make upwards of 20 creatures for "background noise" 'cause there'll be a TV crew. I can't wait. Finally people recognize my skills and what I can teach 'em and are willing to roll out the carpet and pay me to come impart my knowledge. I love being an artist. It's like growing up at Hogwarts. Being an artist is the greatest gift I've ever been given besides, of course, my salvation and that book of Pooh stories my mom got me when I turned 8.

Gotta run. Church at 10. That means I have 9 hours to get ready and I haven't even tasted a macaroon yet.

Much love to everyone!