Channeling Churchill

Once again, I am "greeting inevitability with a smile". My new chemo treatment begins this coming Friday, April 22nd. Accepting this next phase has been more difficult than I thought it would be.

Wednesday was my appointment with my surgeon and his team to discuss my chemotherapy treatment. I reminded him about the allergic reaction in Cycle 6 to Carboplatin, one of the cocktail ingredients of last year's treatments. He then made the decision to treat me with Cisplatin. I started to laugh when he said this particular drug causes kidney damage and more nausea. Oh, joy.

We also discussed the after care drugs. I told him I would rather do the same surgery we just did than take the after care drugs that messed with my brain days after each chemo treatment. He said it would have to be discussed with the pharmacist and the nurse. All in all my surgeon foresees me doing well especially when he reminded me how sick I was last year when I went through treatment. It was not a total comfort to me. Things got more upsetting when the pharmacist came to discuss the chemo drugs.

A specialized pharmacist bearing short pretty bobbed blond hair and a cheery patterned dress with a sweet angelic face came to see me. No, her heavenly presence did not diminish the gravity of her words. She confirmed the Cisplatin causes kidney damage and more nausea. I then asked her how would we know? Would I pee blood? "No," she says -- "It will show up in the blood work." Great, a silent killer. More assurances of being able to reverse or stop the side effects spilled from her mouth. Oh yes -- there is also a chance of some hearing loss. Sigh. What about the Gemzar portion? What exactly does that drug do? In her calm angelic way, "It messes with your RNA and DNA....to stop things from growing." Goddamn it, are you fucking kidding me?! (Remember...all these drugs are poisons designed to treat cancer.)

Next my surgeon's specialized nurse came in. We discussed the aftercare drugs and my feelings on it in great detail. They looked at the dosage prescription for the chemo which was surprisingly lighter than they thought. Instead of having two drugs for after chemo drugs, I will have four drugs staged to minimize nausea and brain fog. Later I found out that instead of paying about $12 every three weeks, I will be paying $70+ because one drug is not standard and my insurance company will not cut me a break on pricing.

I must must must remember I am being treated in the No. 4 ranking facility in the U.S. and that my surgeon is the best in the department. I must must must also remember that I am in a better place than last time. My new scar has healed nicely and looks fabulous. Hell, I look fabulous thanks to more weight loss and my determination to look extraordinarily normal and beautiful. I will experience some hair loss, but not a total one like last year which is a plus if you're trying to retain your own beauty during chemo.

There was one unexpected news... Tab has gotten engaged and is getting married today. After I told him off in December to stop our association even as friends/acquaintances, his now wife has managed to be employed in my company in the same building starting while I was out on medical leave. Of course, being the Class A Jerk he is, he also managed to instant message me last Monday to "say hello". He didn't know I already knew of this new development prior to my first day back to work so I made sure to make a preemptive strike and ask him how she enjoyed her new employment and commented on her engagement ring I saw earlier in the day. His response was dead silence for several moments until he recovered and prattled on and on regarding his new wonderful life. I wasn't so accommodating. He soon lost interest and was tired of getting insulted. (For some reason, he keeps coming back for conversation when he thinks my temper has cooled off. He banks on my forgiving nature.) Two great things came out of this: 1) I feel nothing when I see his fiance/wife and 2) I felt more of nothing when he contacted me. Hooray for Sprinkles!

Quilting...yes, I have taken it on. Since I cannot practice my other womanly arts (wink), I might as well take on a more leisurely one. Last weekend, I took a road trip with Kimmee and Quilting Cathy to shop four quilt shops where fabric was a calming drug. I am halfway through my first one. That one is being named "Manila Sunrise". A pic will be posted when it is completed.

It is near noon... I should make a nice lunch and work my plans for preparing for chemo, minimizing side-effects from chemo and getting through it. My surgeon wants to do 6 cycle sets which should have completion in August. My support system of family and friends keeps me going when I start to have doubts. I am often reminded that I am important to many people.

It is essential for you to know that I am doing great; I just have to dig deeper in my faith to keep my smiles. Luckily, the well is Infinitely Deep and will not ever run out as long as I never, never, never give up. Think Churchill.

Love and Blessings,
Sarah Sprinkles
xxoo

Channeling Churchill

No Rest for the Wicked

Kids are natural ghouls -- fans of things gross, uncomfortable and slightly scary. The kids in my family are definite ghouls. We are constantly teasing them mercilessly. This afternoon I had my cousin's kid Kristen sit on my lap facing me and watch as I slowly revealed my bald head by pushing back the wig off my head.

"Ew! Don't ever go outside like that," was her response.

I wasn't offended in the least. We were giggling the whole time. Her brother Carter watched with his mouth open as he peered on the other side of the sliding glass doors into the living room. I asked him later if it was weird. He smiled big and said "yes". Later he told me how much he liked my wig. Their mother said I reminded her of Cirque du Soleil with the dramatic make-up and bald head. It was an odd comparison but I knew what she meant. I got up and showed her husband in the front room. He didn't bat an eyelash. I think he was taken aback and trying to keep cool. For once, he was speechless.

Why reveal to the kids? I had talked about getting shaved weeks ago and when they saw me this time around I had a new hairdo. I find it easier if you are more honest with kids about what is going on in your life, in this case -- cancer, and what happens during the its treatment. Knowing things gives them comfort instead of wondering why the appearance of someone they love keeps changing in an unusual way. You don't have to be macabre or bang them over the head with the truth; however, being secretive does them no favors...

I have not blogged in a while because I have been mentally tired from work and my evenings have been consumed with planned and unplanned visits. On Wednesday, I was too tired from my Tuesday night outing. Serina visited on Thursday because she wanted to paint my toes a very dark apple red. Friday had Tawny making a stop to visit after she and her husband walked around the apartment complex around 8pm.

Why not turn them down I hear someone asking? I don't turn them down because my chemo is on the 23rd and during that weekend I am sequestered at home to recover from my third infusion. Maximizing my time with friends and family in between chemo recoveries is very important to me no matter how it tires me.

By noon today I had already gone with Kimmee to a quilt shop. I bought a yard each of three fabric designs I am going to sew into envelope pillow covers for the pillows on my sofa. One of my goals is to do manageable changes within my apartment during my chemotherapy (two and a half more months!). I can't sand and prepare furniture for paint and paint them but I can do some light sewing.

My aunt changed our dinner plans for Sunday to this afternoon since my cousin's family was available. You may remember telling you that my aunt is going to the Philippines next week for three weeks. This meant that I had to cancel my dinner plans with Kimmee and Serina. Family first...

I made one stop to my new happy place before venturing to my aunt's. The owner was singing and playing an electric guitar as I walked in. I placed my signature order of jackfruit with mango jelly and boba (translation: jackfruit flavored slush drink with little bits of mango flavored jelly and giant tapioca pearls at the bottom) with the Vietnamese guy behind the counter. I had to reveal to him that I had my Asian license to order that particular flavor. HA! Once I assured him I was half-Filipino, he seemed relieved to make me the drink again from the last time I was in the cafe. He was too busy before to ask.

When I was finished confirming my order and turned towards the small stage, the Caucasian owner was excited to see me and announced to me from the stage how he was having his own private concert. I clapped to show my own enthusiasm. He was a better guitar player than singer, but I appreciated his enthusiasm while he sang "Your Song" by Elton John while my drinks were being made. (I ordered an extra one for my aunt to try.) My drinks were ready when he started another song. I raised my drinks to him on the way out and I was rewarded a smile and accompanying wink for my effort. His age was hard to tell with his boyish face and all gray hair. I will have to wait two more weekends to bring my laptop and actually sit a while.

The week before chemo seems to have a harried pattern to try and get things done. I have extra cleaning to do as well as make my chemo candy bracelets. Wish me luck on making it through with work and everything else. There is no rest for the wicked.

Hugs,
Sprinkles

No Rest for the Wicked

You Cannot Make This Up

Forgive me -- Everything has caught up with me and made me a little tired so this is a rush post...

Thursday and Friday were very good days at work. I felt like myself again. Saturday I met Kristey and Myrna for a long breakfast. The rest of the morning and a part of the afternoon were spent bumming around town shopping for more beads and some grocery. Kimmee invited me with her family to a Japanese steakhouse for some yummy dinner. On Sunday, I waited for a nurse to come see my wound. Part of it had reopened -- surface only!

I've driven to and from work with Tawny the past two days as her husband had taken time off for his birthday which was today. I treated both of them and their eldest son to a favorite haunt where we had a jovial dinner. We also went to my new happy place, a bubble tea cafe, before driving us home...

You cannot make this up -- I noticed the bruise on my left forearm is heart-shaped! I received it after a nurse stuck a needle in there and dug a little for a vein before my chemo two Fridays ago. My port was acting up so she had to take blood from another vein. If you were in front of me and looked at my arm you would see a heart staring at you. I even bruise in hearts!



Hugs,
S

You Cannot Make This Up

Card Reading

Today (April Fool's Day) made me so mad that I cannot include most of in this blog. My other blog with Tawny -- have you found it yet? -- gets to have my less genteel and less loving entries. Sometimes you just have to vent any incredible bile boiling within someplace specific to get it off your chest...

Kimmee and her daughter Serina (plus cute doggie Belle!) came over around 8pm. Serina had requested a card reading from me a few hours earlier. I almost said to come on the weekend, but remembered that my freshened infusion of chemo would alter my energy. She reminded me of a reading I gave her years ago that came to fruition regarding her chosen medical field and wanted new insight on things in general. Part of me was excited to see how I would feel giving a reading for someone else now that the alien protrusion from my tummy was gone. I gave Serina a reading in my bedroom for more privacy. I am not going to give you specific details of that reading but to tell you how I felt because I want to remember it later.

Giving readings to individuals who are very close to me are few and far between. (Yes, Jill - I owe you one!) It is a personal fine line and I only I agree to it if I feel good about it when asked. I could get a request for a future date and know instinctively it would not be a good day energy-wise to give a reading. Tonight's reading was last minute but health activities facilitated a yes decision and I knew she need some immediate guidance.

There we were sitting on my bed when I asked her to shuffle my Osho deck and pick seven random cards. She repeated the shuffling and then gave me an additional five cards at my request. Do not ask me how I do it every time because I don't have a routine or follow any kind of special pattern. The deck is just a tool for focusing on the individual; God knows I need special tools for focusing these days.

My favorite Osho card...naturally:


The cards may present and illustrate a theme but my inner voice gravitates to a portion of the beautiful illustrations that is more meaningful to the person who has picked the cards. I was a little nervous at first -- with the second card everything came so quickly and with such surety that my confidence built. The reading itself was for about 30 minutes and the rest of the hour, before her mother reminded us it was getting late (weeknight!), we discussed general things that were brought out by the reading. Serina felt much better and could take some mental/emotional burdens off her shoulders.

The girlies and beautiful doggie Belle left my aunt and me to talk until after midnight. We both suffer some sort of insomnia so it was easy to enable each other. It was great to be with my aunt. I went to sleep thinking more about my first reading since the alien tumor was extracted in January than my next chemo infusion.

Hugs,
Sprinkles

Card Reading

Shop Til You Drop

In nine days I will be returning back to work. My last day at work was January 11th, a day before my surgery. There is much to be done as far as preparation like grocery shopping and clothes shopping. Oh, yes -- I do have a shave on Monday, a nurse visit on Tuesday and my second chemo appointment on Friday. Today there was only one thing to do and that was clothes shopping...

I drove to my friend Kimmee's house where her daughter and daughter's two college roommates were visiting her. They left and Kim drove us to a very good Mexican restaurant at the mall. What could be more flattering than shopping for clothes on full bellies? It was better to be full than have touchy tempers from low sugar.

Did I tell you that my company is now allowing denim or Casual Friday wear everyday? The only employees who have to dress Business Casual are those who are meeting with clients face-to-face. With my much slimmer figure and the new dress code, I have no choice but to buy new clothes. I can still wear some of my blouses; they will be roomier but will do for now.

I don't recall the last time I was really outdoors for a certain amount of time. The mall by Kimmee's house is all outdoors so people can stroll outside in between ducking into posh shops and restaurants. I kept my sunglasses on and wore a beige cap embellished with shiny silver dots drawn into a cute skull and crossbones on one side. Kathy had given me this gift the weekend she stayed and cleaned my apartment. Brushing my hair is too traumatizing right now so I have elected to cap my head since I can no longer style it for fear of creating a significant bald spot somewhere.

Meandering around the stores and trying out clothes in a few different fitting rooms wasn't the chore I thought it would be. I was able to find things on sale so it was more gentle on my pocket book. Three shirts and one pair of black denim were my treasures. I need to buy a few more pants and new bras/panties. That will be a Tuesday adventure to my regular store. Kimmee was able to find a pair each of black and dark gray denim pants. Happiness all around!

We made it back to her house all shopped out. Her daughter treated us to a generous Thai dinner for five of us gals to share. We laughed and talked until Kim's husband came home at 11pm. I got home at 11:30pm! It was a great day to feel normal.

Hugs,
Sarah xo

Shop Til You Drop

A New Dawn

The first few minutes of waking involved me taking inventory how I felt physically and mentally. Physically my body didn't harbor any pain to really note other than leftovers from the outpatient surgery on Thursday. My mental clarity was surrounded by a light fog akin to the effects of taking cold pills. I made sure to eat breakfast and to take the medications exclusively prescribed to control any possible nausea. Three pills total of two kinds twice a day for three days. I waited another two hours to take my everyday water pills for my legs. Vitamins may have to be included sometime soon just to make this new pill-popping hobby fun.

My bowels were none too happy this morning assuring me of the chemo in my system. I was worried, but realized I should only worry if the malady persists. I am hoping the side effects of all my meds will cancel each other out and give me normal "doings", if you will. Sigh.

Through the light brain fog, I was alert with energy. I managed to take meds with breakfast, update my blog, take a shower and make lunch for my aunt and me. She worried that I was tiring myself and I was waiting on her too much when it should be the opposite. I wanted to as long as I could still manage it.

Kimmee came over with doggie Belle for a couple of hours for a visit and to deliver a sample of the tongue scraper Kimmee had purchased a while back. It is a very important dental hygienic tool if you've never used one. Your body secretes waste in many different ways like your bowels, skin and through your tongue. Brushing only moves stuff around, but scraping the tongue removes waste and keeps your breath fresher. With chemo, I am even more resolved than I am now to clean my tongue to ward off bacteria.

My uncle came to pick up my aunt around 3:30pm and Kimmee left soon after. My visitations were not complete until Tawny came to drop off a "power picture" she found for me. She framed it in an IKEA black frame to remind me of who I am and how I am to forge with Amazonian strength like that of my childhood idol Wonder Woman through the last part of my cancer cure.



Here is opening theme from Season 1, Original Series set in WWII:


Season 2 Opening of The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, updated for the 1970's from Season 1:

PS I love that Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (played by Lynda Carter) is wearing a headscarf in this video as I will soon!

Fighting the Axis,
Sprinkles
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A New Dawn

Inevitable Infusion

Excitement was not exactly the word that described what I was feeling this morning when I woke up. It was a quiet greeting to inevitability yet a happy one.

Breakfast was my first order of business. I tried not to make a lot of noise as I scarfed down on cut up banana with my cereal. My aunt was sleeping on my sofa even though I offered her a nice air mattress to sleep on. I had to eat to make sure I survived the day especially since I was the dumb bunny that signed up for a research study that involved a stress test just a couple of hours before her first chemotherapy infusion. After feeding myself, I got dressed so I could give my aunt time to get ready and eat some cereal, too.

I drove us to the hospital and checked right in the fourth floor and had blood drawn. It wasn't a quick job because my port wasn't relinquishing my blood so after a while I had to be reclined with my head lower than my feet to get the draw. I was teasing the nurse saying that the "research hookers" were probably already searching for me. My prediction was correct as I read the name on the badge of the blonde waiting for me at the second floor reception check-in. The lady behind reception recognized me from yesterday's surgery check-in and said hello.

My aunt and I were whisked into a room with all kinds of instruments. When I was firmly hooked up to various electrodes and a breathing mask, a cardiologist was called to be in place during the stress test just in case anything went awry. It went better than I thought. I started off to a slow walk then to a faster pace. My concentration was more on making sure I had the correct foot strike instead of what was happening. I only broke a sweat on my scalp, but I still felt the fatigue from yesterday.

This was me with the breathing mask plastered to my face widening it like the moon. Of course, it wasn't helping that I was laughing too hard as the "research hooker" took a movie of me.


We checked in a second time on the fourth floor for vitals which later had me alarmed. The male nurse decided to verify my height and now apparently I have shrunk. I am no longer 5'8" but 5'6.5"!!! WTF? Did I somehow get sent to space without my knowledge? Astronauts lose height every time they go to space. In reality, perhaps the tumor had been leeching all the nutrients for many years thus causing me to lose height. A heavy regimen of yoga and pilates will be in my future as soon as I can manage it for sure.

I went back out in the waiting room to tell my aunt my news while we waited for the restaurant-like buzzer assigned to me to go off signaling my infusion seat was ready. To my surprise, Kimmee's daughter Serina (she just got a research job at the hospital) came to see me. In fact she ended up seeing me two more times while I was in the infusion seat. Sweet thing. I made sure to call her mother when I got home to tell her what a good cookie she was for attending to me.

The infusion center was a catacomb of halls and rooms filled with nothing but bluish green vinyl chairs with "wings" sporting drink holders on either side. I felt like I was in my old hospital room again with the IV stand which I had to unplug its industrial size plug (normal if you live in England - hee!) to take it with me to the bathroom. There was a flat panel TV I could maneuver comfortably and attach a pair of headphones they gave me. Lunches, snacks and drinks were free to the patients. I shared everything with my aunt.

So what was it really like? I didn't have an opinion on it. It was neither good or bad, just something I had to do, you know? There was a bag for saline, Benadryl to combat any allergic reaction, Taxol (Part 1 of my chemo cocktail) and Carboplatin (Part 2 of chemo cocktail). The Benadryl had me sleeping most of the five hours it took to administer everything one by one. I was given anti-nausea pills before my last IV bag.

I couldn't stay awake to save my life. The "research hookers" tried to give me follow up instructions and give my tools and diary for my end of the research as the drug kicked in. My bladder woke me up periodically and I was able to eat a quick lunch early on. I saw Serina for one minute while she came to see me the second time. My poor aunt was left to her own devices. She watched TV and also took a walk outside. I also received several text messages from the Sprinkles Posse checking up on my progress and to send their love. My nurse called, too, to confirm our appointment. I had to put her off until Monday -- my infusion was taking longer than we previously discussed.

Aunt Maria drove us home where I suddenly became alive again. I made coffee in my French press and preheated the oven. My uncle was on his way to drop off medication for my aunt and I was set on us having frozen pizza for dinner and maybe ice cream for dessert if they were up to it. I was a busy bee for some reason or perhaps I was afraid to sit and let exhaustion take over?

Dinner was good conversation and laughter. My uncle left earlier than I anticipated. We gals made it a movie night, but I fell asleep part of the movie. Luckily I was awake enough to call Angie in California to give her an update. I eventually made it to bed around 12am. Before sleep I splayed pieces of instructions for follow-up medications in the morning, emergency instructions for side-effects and another sheet of instruction for something else on my dining room table...

I ruminated all day on how the people getting chemotherapy didn't look like me. They were all much older and if they were women, they looked like they were getting it done. Call it vanity, but I still show up dressed and made up. My aunt was dressed and made up, too! This is your life and you can prepare for whatever comes. I hope I don't sound mean to the other people; I just feel you should make the very best of it instead of surrendering to a type of resignation. Greeting inevitability with smile or an extra sparkle should go a long way to recovery, shouldn't it? In any case, today was a long day. It unfolded much better than I imagined.

Love,
Sarah
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Inevitable Infusion

Bargello Heart Warmed

Repeating last week's events would not be as much fun as say......applying bandages to yourself and ripping them quickly off your body hoping the glue didn't take any hairs. Yes, it was so memorable that I will try to briefly comment.

Last Wednesday had me screaming and crying not only to my aunt but to my cousin Angie over a misunderstanding about my approach to my health. I am sure Angie enjoyed me screaming at her at 7:30am her time and abruptly hanging up on her when I sensed myself about to hyperventilate. This incident was over by the afternoon and everything was all good again.

The hospital nurse was not "all there". I had run out of my pain meds and it took an Act of Congress to contact the doctor to release the refill. To his credit, he was in surgery, etc. Tawny drove me to retrieve it from the hospital pharmacy. The nurse also forgot to mention my appointment for this week until I called her on a different matter a day later. There was another issue with my surgeon for his signature and notes to be faxed to my insurance so that my extension to go back to work (tentatively March 15th) would be approved and I would continue to get paid. This part was nerve wracking. It was faxed last minute on Friday afternoon.

Another concern was making sure my home health care to change my wound vac dressing was transferred from Brandon (suburb of Tampa) where my aunt lives to Tampa where I live. The nurse seemed to have a problem calling, etc. to confirm her arrival. Once she was here, she was okay. She came last Friday, too.

During all this I was trying to prepare for Kathy who was coming from Jacksonville to stay with me all weekend. This poor woman took down and put away my Christmas decorations. She also cleaned most of my apartment and drove me on a big grocery shopping trip. Where I am to put the excess food I don't know. Kathy also carted in packages of almond milk, hemp milk and other organic groceries when she arrived! Oh, she also gifted me a beige baseball cap with some shiny silver dots or bling on it that was in the image of skull and cross bones. Very cute! I wore it during my nap late Sunday afternoon. Hee.

AND -- In the middle of all this, my uncle Al from Germany had arrived on Tuesday evening as well as Angie from Los Angeles on Thursday to be with Nan. On early Saturday morning, Nan passed on to be with God. Everyone had been able to say goodbye. Kathy and Tawny accompanied me that evening to my aunt's home to be with everyone. My aunt and uncle looked relieved and tired, but were thankfully distracted for several moments by their smiling grandkids. Nan's Tampa service is tomorrow night. Her body will be flown Wednesday to Baltimore for another service on Thursday and then she will be buried next to her husband. My aunt and two uncles will go and meet the rest of Nan's grandkids in Baltimore as well as her old church family.

................................

I know I've been overdoing it. Today I tried my best not to, but I half succeeded. I moved furniture just a little (five inches here and there!)... My air conditioner had not turned itself off so I did because I got too cold. When I turned it on again later, it was not blowing cold air. For the first time I consciously used cancer to get the unit fixed immediately. My reasoning to them was not a lie and was supported by the visiting nurse. It yielded the desired results. Three hours is lightyear speed for this place.

The early evening held a pleasant surprise. My friend Kim, her husband and pretty dog Belle came to see me and dropped off the lap quilt Kim had made for me. The center had been completed for years; I had not found the time to get the binding sewn so she took it from me last week to finish. The colors are bright. I had a hand in picking out the fabric colors and of course it was a heart design in Bargello style. The details are best appreciated in the video below.

My tea is just right for drinking about now. I am going to sit in my favorite chair with my new quilt adorning my lap as I read a little. Sounds marvelous doesn't it?



Love,
Sprinkles xxoo


PS Let me not forget Jill who was first on the scene to offer her own sunshine when I ran out last Wednesday after venting my anger on facebook. ;p
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Bargello Heart Warmed

Arts in Angles

Crazy ready. I was already prepared to leave when Kimmee arrived minutes after Tawny at my apartment around 9am. There must have been an astrological alignment that caused such a rarity of meeting, more importantly: Sprinkles was not only being on time but crazy ready!

I drove us to Ybor City where Tawny gained us access to the garage parking of her new art center: Arts on Ninth. She and I were just there for the soft opening last evening. The grand opening is next weekend which will have some media coverage, a band playing live and lovely beings who share the love of art.

We made our way to La Creperia for some much needed breakfast and cups-after-cups of jolting java. The waitress now smiles more as she recognizes me from my recent visits. I finally made my introductions to her so I could call her by her name for future visits.

There was a Fiesta of sorts in Ybor where food and product vendors were setting up their wares for another event. I swear it has been nonstop since the weekend before the Super Bowl was here. Several snaps were taken on the way back...

Please forgive me but after searching 15 minutes to get the name of the shop that housed the following two pics, I gave up at trying to find it. Recognize them? They are like that old Brit show Spitting Image where the puppets were also in Genesis' "Land of Confusion" video.

Meet Sir Paul..


And Robert DeNiro with The Godfather in the background.


From my vantage point at the crepe place, this guy had made several passes back and forth. I was pleased to be able to capture him as we walked back. I totally dig the bubbles he was blowing as he walked by us.



I love trolleys especially the ones in New Orleans. Settling for this now.


The tiles were begging to be pictured. These are found in front of the movie kiosk in Centro Ybor.


Inside Arts on Ninth: Two artists who happen to be roommates living in the same house as Tawny's eldest son agreed to showcase their work as the first artists at the center's debut. Damon has shown all over the world while Reuben was awed at his work hanging in public for the first time. They are quite impressive and genuinely nice guys.



The building's owner is letting the art center borrow these breathtaking chairs from the 1920s. They were recently steam cleaned to bring out the fabric's splendor. For now, they are displayed in the middle of the Skylight Gallery. It is called that because of multiple skylights above the two-story ceiling.



The gilding on the scallop design is beautiful and has held its age incredibly well.


Drove Kimmee back to my place and left Tawny with her hubby who was busy preparing his area for the grand opening. Hours later Tawny came to pick me up so I could spend more time at the art center. We ended up in their studio room to make beaded necklaces. Tawny asked me to design a necklace for her mother-in-law using certain silver tube beads as focal points which she later strung and finished. We drove around a crowded Ybor to see the different kinds of character of people milling about before making our way back home.

My mind was filled with how I would stretch out my Filipino cooking series at the art center. Tawny and the other partner John had railroaded me last night at how I could start my cooking classes. Egads! I am still trying to figure out how much I can produce in sellable art for the shop.

In other AGOL news, I ended a casual relationship with someone after a year. He seemed to take it well enough. His voice during a call on his way home suddenly didn't affect me like it normally had and that's when I knew. Several days later, I discussed it with him. Perhaps the re-feng shui'ing my home feng shui'd him out the door? Ha! Also, a decision about my blog: a complete redesign is coming. I've already sent color and element ideas to Tawny's daughter who designed it originally. She has college finals at the moment so I will have borrow patience until she completes those. We have plenty to look forward to, don't we?
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Arts in Angles