a cop-out

there is only so much a girl can do in one day.
  

today, i began by making myself tea.  next, i cleaned my cat's ears.  she's been struggling with a chronic ear infection since before we adopted her.  after that, i took my truck to anacortes to pick up some new clothing goodies from calli blau for the store.  upon my return, i started work on a commissioned oil painting.  i worked on that for several hours and gorged myself on tea until i desperately needed a break.  i decided to brave halloween costume construction.  i made a prototype garden gnome hat plus white-fur-tie-on-beard, and one deer headdress of fur with perky ears.  i toiled over sewing the fur and leather for some time; alas, my sewing machine is finicky with such stout materials.  upon completion of those projects, james came home, marking the hour for our ritual dog walk.  we sauntered around town, said our hellos to joey and allan and iris. upon return, we fed the animals their respective homemade foods.  at that point, it appeared we needed water and some other supplies.  we ran off to the coop, which consumes half-hour driving either way, plus some time to dilly and talk with faith about the logistical troubles with our upcoming halloween party.  when i returned from that errand, i realized i had forgotten to finish alterations for clea's beyonce costume, which she needed for school tomorrow.  i quickly mended a hole in the slinky gold number, added a slit up the side, and hemmed the bottom up five inches.  pretty flashy for a girl of eleven, i thought!  i delivered the much anticipated dress, checked out tom skinner's perfectly dead pheasant he found by the side of the road, and by the time i got home, it was pert near time for band practice.  tom farrell arrived, and we ran through the forty minute set, which left me famished, so the gang and me went next door for a bite to eat.  during our meal, we brainstormed words for all the songs that had yet to be fully written.  at which point i remembered:  i have yet to do my "one a day".

today, i present an alternative.  it shall be called the "one-half a day".  since i spent the greater part of the day painting, and i got a good way along on this particular piece, i find it unfair that it could be excluded and that i should have to slave away, paint more still, just to placate the demands i have set upon myself.  i also thought, hey, it may be an interesting experiment, to begin a painting and show it to you in stages of completion.   so here we are. a compromise, of sorts.  oil on a solid cedar antique table top.  the blue on the edges is masking tape.  when i finish the painting, i will pull the tape, and voila! clean edges.  but you'll just have to wait until later to see that.