Christmas Crackers Exhibition

I feel a bit sad writing this … I have works in the Christmas Crackers Exhibition in Dunedin at the moment, and it is the last exhibition I’ll be in for at least 12 months. I am cutting right back on art, except for personal journals, to concentrate on Museum studies in 2012. It’s not an easy choice but my library career has to come first.

The Christmas Crackers exhibition has been organised by Tanya Dann, a talented artist in her own right, whose work I collect. I’ve blogged, with considerable excitement, about acquiring her pieces in the past. In the attached photo you can see my four black and white pieces on the top of a display.

All the world’s a stage: Crusade #57

This month, over at the GPP Street Team site, Michelle asked us – what are the songs that make us sing aloud. What do we listen to in the car, the art room, wherever our music is? I tend to create art in silence unless I am using the music as part of the painting, such as painting to the tempo of a jazz piece. Other than that, silence reigns.

I have a few CDs I listen to in the car, but a lot of the time I listen to audio books. When I do listen to music as I drive it’s a consistent mix, half of which dates back to my late teens! In the corner of our bedroom we have a big leather chair and a micro stereo. The sun pours in there in the afternoons, so sometimes at the weekend I sit in there and read – and listen to quiet music as I read. If I go to bed early to read, I do the same thing. It’s a safe haven away from all my responsibilities.

 

Here’s my excuse :-)

It’s been a few weeks since I updated my blog, and it’s been on my mind, but then so have a lot of things. I thought I’d share with you an email I sent my staff, as it’s a good explanation of what’s been happening. Most of you know Tony and I live with my 87 year old Mum as her caregivers, so this will make sense:

Mum got much worse Wednesday and I was told to take her to base and a surgical registrar would be waiting. By yesterday morning the gallstones had blocked the duct to the liver and without intervention she would die. Surgery was not an option as she can’t be anesthetized. After a blood transfusion and much debate they decided to put a tube down her throat into her stomach etc and try to get the stones out that way.

They had to call in 3 surgeons, 2 anesthetists and some nurses and grab a theatre of someone — some poor patients got bumped off surgery for the afternoon – poor things 😦 

The anesthetist was so worried he went back and asked the surgeon if there was any other option because even sedating her enough to do this was a major risk. No other options so off she went. I said to them “don’t underestimate how tough she is!”. I also said I knew they would do their best and if she died, it was okay, there’d been no other choice. He said we needed a lot of luck…

90 long minutes later she was back. Looking good, on low level oxygen, and by 7pm was eating yogurt. She’s pain-free today and her bloods look good so she may be home later on today. Incredible! We really will have to poison her eventually!

Well, that was two weeks or so ago. She did in fact come home that day, and my sister cared for her for me as I was off to a work conference where I was co-presenting a workshop. Mum has continued to improve and has put on about 1 kilo so far. She is quite frail and very tired, but getting a little better each day. Our doctor is delighted with her progress and the change in her. (and no, we’re not going to poison her eventually – honest…)

So, why haven’t I been blogging? I’ve been playing nurse, not just caregiver and as I work fulltime it’s been a bit of a hard slog. But we’re getting there 🙂