Elk Lake Plein Air #2

I woke up very early this morning and took the kayak out on the lake when it was still misty.

Kedrin meant to join but she really needed to sleep.

There is a cove about a 5 minute paddle away from our dock that has ducks and lilypads.

The cat was absolutely desperate to go out, so I took him out and did another little painting.

6x8 oil

Then we went for a drive to see if we could find a painting spot somewhere else.

We were unsuccessful but it was a pretty drive.

Rude Road.

We went back to the house and went back on the water.

Kedrin took the kayak and i wanted to try the paddleboard.

I can stand up and paddle but it takes a lot of concentration to balance.  So I sat down instead and I LOVE it.

We went back to the lilypads.

There were several ducks and I chased them.

Kedrin taking pictures.

I made another fire.

Elk Lake Plein Air #1

I actually slept really well at the lake house.

The kitty cat and puppy woke up hungry.

No oppressive heat!!

This was familiar... :)

This morning first thing after taking care of the critters we went to the farmer's market and grocery store for good provisions.

Just like me, Kedrin loves eggs so we got 2 dozen beautiful farm eggs.

The green ones are my favorite.

The kitty is an indoor cat but his people put him on a harness and take him for a walk.

This cat is DESPERATE to be outside.

I did a painting.

8x10 oil, just under 2 hours.

I did not do another painting because we went for a nice swim in the lake and then soaked in the sun on the swim-float off the dock.

I made this fire and am EXTREMELY proud of it.

(The owners told us we could use the firepit.)

Yes we toasted marshmallows.

Fire still going a couple hours later...

(I am VERY PROUD of this fire.)

The kitty really, really wanted to be outside with us.

Blissful 49 degrees!

Exiting Heatwave Roadtrip

Kedrin's landlady's family has a lake house in PA.
They are taking their son to college this weekend, and need someone to watch the cat and dog.

Kedrin said yes, and they told her she can bring a friend or two.

Bitz couldn't join us, so it was just me and Kedrin for a kind-of last-minute weekend getaway.

We left Friday afternoon.

I made 2 cheesecakes (Daya got a Costco-tub that needed to be used) and onigiri.

What should have been a 2 1/2-3 hour drive was just under 5 hours.

There were about 4 accidents on the road (none of them us!) and some people being stupid, and the GPS was extremely stupid once.

But we made it.

Heatwave Vet Bill

Pebbles had her annual vet visit today.

She's fine.

I really only did it because I want them to keep giving me her heart meds, and it's good to know that Pebbles is ok, even though I already know she is.

She has a really minor faint heart murmur, it started a couple of years ago.

I am NOT doing the echo etc again, and the vet is not forcing it.

Bloodwork and pee normal.

She does have a tartar-cement tooth which the vet says is a problem, but she wont do a dental without an echocardiogram so I'm leaving it alone.

In general, Pebbles likes to be wherever I am, but this does not apply to the vet.

Heatwave Cat Nap

(We have gone down to the 80s so it's still hot but not a heatwave anymore but I'm sticking with the title theme because it is, in fact, still gross outside.)

Part of working from home involves taking cat pictures throughout the day.

This is a perfect picture of Isis:

She had a good nap on the cabinets.

Heatwave Nightmare

I did a whole bunch of nothing yesterday, I just couldn’t do anything.

Some days are like that.

I’ll have to make up for it today, i have a lot of things that need doing.

One thing I CAN do very well is sleep.

I definitely slept too much yesterday.

And I had an Actual Nightmare, it was terrible!

It’s no secret I hate French Easels.

And i had a dream that I was outdoors painting, or rather looking for the right view to paint a particular lovely bit of landscape, and for some reason I was carrying around a stupid French Easel and all i did was fight with the damn thing and I couldn’t find a good spot to set up and it was heavy and bulky, then the light changed and the trees I wanted to paint didn’t look so good anymore.

Stupid French easel.

Yesterday was 91 degrees.

Today we go up to 95.

With humidity.

Heatwave Hypothermia

In Winter, I have been saying for a while that death will take me from heatstroke in the middle of February when it is 17 degrees F (-9C) out. This could happen while I am coming home from subzero painting, wearing heaters and 13 lbs of clothing.

Until today, I never considered it might be hypothermia in August during a heatwave!!

I did not expire today, but I almost got hypothermia during a NYC heatwave.  

Daya's Move|NYC intensive starts tomorrow, and today was orientation.

A four hour long orientation.

For parents and students.

So I went to the boathouse in the morning, because it's not that far away.

Right before I had to leave, we had our very own Pier 26-specific rainstorm.

I was soaking wet.
I did not bring a change of clothes because I did not plan on getting soaking wet.

Look how this black raincloud is only directly above the pier.

So I went to the 4 hour long dance orientation soaking wet.

At the end of it I was Mostly Damp.

The air conditioning in that building is rather excellent, but it is not a good thing if you are soaking wet.

I was shivering and my fingers were numb.

And it was 95 degrees outside.

Heatwave Painting

After the 5k, we raided the fridge for water at the boathouse.

I thought there would be water at the race.... but nope, just ice cream and warm Fanta, which Daya couldn't even drink and I don't blame her.

Fortunately, I know the combination to the Governor's Island boathouse and can raid the fridge, which is well-stocked with water.

Then Daya caught the 9:45 ferry back, and I stayed on Governor's Island.

I had my painting gear nd my boathouse volunteer gear, and I wasn't sure quite what to do.
I was too early for volunteering so I figured I should attempt a painting, even though I still feel weird and kinda artistically dead.

So I found a spot and did a painting, and i am so, so very out-of-practice.  I really felt it.

The painting is "meh", I had some trouble I don't usually have due to being rusty, but I got through it!

I still feel weird.

But I showed up and did it!

8x10 oil 2 1/2 hours

My new box is good, it feels a lot different than my Belly River and I'm getting used to it.

Afterwards i did volunteer at the boathouse for about an hour and a half, but between the horrible heat and waking up at 5am, I caught the 3pm ferry back and went home.

******

I haven't bought a new game for a long time, but there is a new one out called Stray.

It is EXCELLENT.

I have caught (so far) two Skyrim easter eggs.... one of the characters says "Some may call this junk. Me? I call them treasures!"

And the second one...

HAHAHAHAHA!