Hi,
The last two days Al and I have been painting the garage/shop (24x36). Inside is our 19' Bayliner Capri boat, our rec room and Al's woodworking tools. We HAD to paint it (sooner or later) because it was LEMON! We built our house here in Prineville and moved in the last day of June, 1998. I promised Al we would build the shop/garage in OCTOBER, but Al called a contractor to give us an estimate in AUGUST (unwilling to wait). I had to do some fancy financial footwork because he INSISTED on signing a contract RIGHT THEN! So~when he asked me what color he should get--I said: "If you won't take 'no' for an answer, you might as well color it for what it is . . . a lemon!" So~Al ordered a LEMON colored pole barn :)! Everything else on our 2 1/2 acres is beige (garden shed, house) so it stood out like a sore thumb. Now it is beige :)!
Tomorrow Doogie will have a physical in the morning and then, at two, will see his local eye specialist. (Both are forty miles away.) Then, Thursday, we drive four hours each way to Portland for Doogie's post/pre-op exam. We expect that additional eye surgery will be done within the next several weeks--removal of the oil that replaced the vitrous gel when his retina was reattached and the removal of his cataract lens which will be replaced with an artificial one. There is a 3% chance of severe complication.
Doogie can read in Braille and is going into the fourth grade next year. If his vision improves, I'm to help him learn to read English. I'm still reading to him from "Harry Potter #4.
I also found a publisher for my second book, A Touch of the West, but they only wanted to publish the poems (not my artwork). I have drawn art for every poem I've written and many of them add to the humor of the written word. Therefore, I've declined the contract they offered and will continue to look for a publisher. If anyone knows of a poetry publisher who might also accept/publish art, I'm open to suggestions :)!
Doogie will be going to blind camp July 13th for seven days/six nights. He hasn't been away from us since we got permanent legal custody April 11, 1997, so this will be an experience for all of us :)! (I miss him already :) and he's just playing in the back yard :)!
Do bear in mind that, being a clown for 15+ years, that sometimes I'm being sarcastic and don't choose a LEMON!
If you don't hear from me for the next several days, do still keep in touch :)! Friends are a treasure best shared :)!
Love,
:)Sandy