Well, for those who may not have read in my profile, my job ended on the 3rd since the girls started school. So now my days are completely mine for the first time since the 28th of May. I feel like I'm just now starting my summer vacation...To bad there's only two weeks left before school starts. Technically, I was suppose to start last Monday, but mom noticed (As all mothers have a tendency to) that while the job helped me out financially, it left very little time to get things done such as getting my room in order, gathering up all my school supplies, read and make vocab. cards for summer books that are to be completed before school starts, etc. And so, being the wonderful person that she is, she has extended my break so as to allow me a fighting chance to complete the above list.

The first thing I started on was my room and books/vocab cards. Since Saturday I've been locking myself in my room and cleaning it like some crazy person. The only time I'd let myself out was to eat, if mom called, to get another trash bag, or to get another give-away box. In other words, me and my room are very well acquainted, almost sickeningly so. (The last couple days have been hard...I was starting to feel a little trapped...Caged up maybe?) Anyway, after dealing with many, many year's worth of clutter, I can now say that my room is officially "clean." It's almost scary. No, I take that back. It is scary. I think the last time I was able to see this much floor and desk space was shortly after I moved into this house, and before that....Err...I'd rather not say, partially because I'm not sure if I really do remember...

Well, that aside, I've been able to draw more often since the job ended. All summer it's been quick doodles just to get an idea down so that I could draw it later. So after doing some little cartoons, I pulled out an art book I started and have thoroughly enjoyed. "How to Draw Portraits in Colored Pencil from Photographs" (Nifty little title, isn't it?) by Lee Hammond. I recommend the book to all those artsy people out there. I've spent the last 45 minutes or so working on the nose chapter where I left off before my job started and can happily say I have now completed it! *Huzzah!* I would put the pictures up for viewing, but the scanner isn't capable of scanning right now. The last one I drew isn't my best in my opinion, but it's not the worst. There are a lot of things I could have done differently (And should have) that would have made it look better, but I'm proud of it regardless. The next chapter is about mouths and that should be fun. (At least there will be a little more variety...)

My grandparents have sent me my birthday card. I was slightly confused because if felt significantly thicker then anything I had received from them. (At least by mail, I've received packets of clothing from them since my earliest memories) Wondering if they had sent the usual $20 in just ones, I opened the letter and nearly gagged. They sent me $50 dollars by check. I asked mom if they meant to do that, because with their Alzheimer's increasing as of late they have tried to pay us for things they don't have any need to pay us for and they'll sometimes try to pay for the same thing multiple times. (Such as the rocking chair that we fixed after we accidentally broke it. I think they tried to pay for the two or three times...) Mom without looking up replied, "No, that's just the amount they decided to pay everyone this year."

Doesn't mean I don't feel a little awkward about it. Getting $20 dollars from them on our birthdays was as normal and regular as the pajama's we'd be getting next time we went for a visit. I can't help but wonder that if they hadn't gotten Alzheimer's would the amount have stayed at $20...Eh, dunno. The envelope was so thick because grandma had sent be some newspaper articles regarding art and color. She loves my art and I love to show her my newest works. Its one of the few times that I can talk to her now and everything she says makes sense, almost as if, when she's examining and commenting on my work, she doesn't have Alzheimer's any more and is the same witty grandma I grew up with as a little kid.... *Sigh*

So yes, colored noses, larger check amounts, and emptier rooms...What else is new? *Shrug*

~Jithra