Lift This

PT Cruiser went bye- bye yesterday and we said hello to a 2007 Saab 97x. My PT was a 2001 so I was due for a refresher. We are thrilled with the new vehicle and can't believe we own this nice of a car.

Now the not so fun, I can't go anywhere in it until I get a new lift for my wheelchair. My PT lift doesn't fit the new car so we have go purchase a new one. That all sounds easy right? If you are me, no. Because I refuse to conform. For instance, my lift in my last car had some kind of "cool", "beefiness" to it.......I don't know how to explain. Actually, my PT was the first car to receive this particular lift and it just fit me and my car. It was a VMI Excel. It just had a non-dorkiness to it that just made sense.

It might be frivolous to some, but this is important to me. I've worked hard to be an individual with my own ideas and know my own wants. I don't want to have the lift that every old person and handicapped has. Just because some companies have flooded the market and you feel there's nothing else out there.

We know there are lifts that fit, we just have to find the right one. The dealer tried to help, but didn't have a clue about disabled stuff and so on they were no help. GM has mobility program but it's for new cars and the equipment available through that is not my favorite either. We went to the Mobility place that deals in this stuff and I straight up told the guy what I needed and that obviously I'm putting this into a Saab and not a mini van. I want some thing that is cool and has some type of line and that is functional and I want him to think out of the box for this one. He proceeded to show me the same brochures that are just the walliest of equipment. Nope, I say.

I see a smaller version of my lift up on a shelf. Yeh, that's a used one out of some one's car he says. I like that, does it work? I don't know and my service people aren't here, I'll have to check. As he's saying this, we watching him deflate. They are sales men, just like at the car dealer. He proceeds to tell us they aren't that great. I had mine for 8 years with no problem. But then again he wouldn't be making his commission on the $2,400. dorky one he's trying to sell us.

We took my old one out of the PT before trading it in. So now hubby is trying to figure out if he could cut it down and re-welded it shorter to fit the new car. I think he could do it, but it could take a while and that would put me out of a car for quite some time. Not liking that, already don't like that just today. Plus if it doesn't work or I don't like it we have to wait for one to be ordered (if we can find the right one.)

I know.......there are more important issues in life than this and I probably should just settle, but I can't. This is me and I think this is the drive that has made me not go with the norm of what people think handicapped people should do or be.

PreOwned

We spent 2 of our 4 day Thanksgiving vacation looking for a new (used) car for me. I've had my last one since 2001 and it's just that time. Because of my wheelchair, balance, etc. I have certain requirements for an auto. We had been leaning towards a Ford Edge and test drove it blah, blah, blah, dealer was a jerk, walked out. The car has to be able to hold my wheelchair lift in the back. The problem we've been running into is the spare tire comparment or third row seating. Anyways, we saw the neatest car at Carmax, I hated the bright blue color but loved the car. It was a 2007 Saab 97X. It is what we want in a car. It's the coolest thing. So we ended up at a Saab dealer and they have a killer deal on one (2007, black, with bells and whistles). My goal today is to find out if a lift can be put in one, financing, and what the heck GM is going to do with them. I don't know anybody with a Saab and that scares me and intrigues me at the same time. I like being different, you know.

My question to you guys......???????

Has anyone ever owned a Saab and if so, could you give me your thoughts on them?

We need to just stop and fuck.

I know at least for us this happens periodically. Where we get so many things going on and we just lose focus of our sex life. It's been about a month and it seems like forever. I asked last night, "don't you want to have sex with me,lately it doesn't seem like it"? He replied, "we need to go to bed earlier". To me and probably many other women, it's not about going to bed early because I want the teasing and the wanting. That gets me going, that turns me on. I want to know I'm wanted and I don't want to ask for someone to do that. I told him that, he replied, "I need to know I'm wanted". Ok that makes sense. I guess I don't assert myself enough and that is something I'm willing to work on. In my mind I think I am throwing off those signals and be flirtatious. I guess they aren't strong enough or they are not ones that do anything for him. I don't want to be boring or not fun anymore.

When we are on the same path of sensuality, there's no stopping us. I yearn for that.

This is such an important part of our relationship, I don't know why we let it go by the wayside like this. I think we have come to a new level with sex in the past couple years or so and that should be a good thing. I know there are underlying thoughts of different sexual thoughts and they need to be addressed. I would like to be in that comfortable spot, that time or place, that day when all is good.....when we can be totally free to both share those deep intimate thoughts. I think there are things we are unsure of..... if something is right or wrong or what the other would think and how far do we want to take these matters. I'd like to think we are way more open than most and have shared a lot, but there is more....there usually is.

Tis the season

Oh joy the holiday season has arrived. Let's get a bunch of people together that are never together and all their ideas of what these certain days should hold, and all their crazy views on life and have some good times. WoooooWhooooo!!

What is it worth?

I've been painting like a mad woman for weeks now to get ready for our next show at our gallery. We had decided to have a small works show during the holidays thinking that the prices might be a little easier on the wallet. In the past couple months I have lowered my prices and I can do that without pissing to many people off (if any) since I really haven't made a name for myself yet. Now if I was a person selling to a solid client base this would not be good. But little ol me hasn't quite gotten there yet. Some of these small works I've painted lately take longer than a big painting and it hurts to price them low, but that is the only way right now to get your artwork out in the big world. Art simply is not on the top of peoples list to buy. I try to base my prices on the real estate of the canvas, with maybe a slight variance. My last 2 pieces were 6" x 9" and I'm selling them for 175.00 each. The gallery gets half so.......this is a labor of love. I have about 18 - 20 hours in each piece, maybe a little more actually. I can't go by the hour or the difficulty. People think you whip art out in an hour like Bob Ross on TV (PBS). That's pretty rare, and more of a plein air style. Not a bad thing, just not my style. So tomorrow is the hanging and I have 12 pieces that I'm showing. About half are pieces that I already have had. One is a sketch that I did, which is new for me to be exhibiting. Our size requirements for this show was 20 x 20 or smaller. This show will run through Christmas and hopefully give me time to paint some bigger works.

Take time for nudity

I just had to take a half a second and get a little nude.

I've been crazy busy painting and drawing, either here or at school or our gallery.

I've been getting ready for a small works show coming up real soon.

Actually I'm off to school right now.

This girl needs some time off for a good spanking.

Hopefully soon.

Stupid things make me happy.

Tiny rubber chicken in sepia.

I need to do a painting of this little guy.

Santa didn't like me.

As a family each of us compile a Christmas list. Items costing no more than 50 bucks.

It can be one thing or a bunch of little things. We bring this list in an envelope to Thanksgiving dinner and put it into a basket. We each draw an envelope and that is the person whom we buy gifts for Christmas. We've done it this way for several years and it has cut costs immensely.

I was trying to think of some items to put on my list and I just can't think of anything.

My mind wandered off (common) to being a kid and for as many years as I remember, my list to Santa always including these items.

A Kick n Go and a Sit and Spin.

Did I ever get them?

No.

I know, sad huh?

I love sweets!!

Girlfriend has been on Weight Watchers since last January.

I had gained some lb's after the death of my brother-in-law and stopped smoking. I tried but I wasn't to successful losing it on my own. I felt I needed a place that would help make me be accountable for my actions. When you have to step on that scale each week, it does make you think before you eat. I've actually enjoyed going and have probably eaten healthier than I ever have. I feel great. I think it's a good program. I'm not doing very well in the losing part. I've gotten the healthy eating habits(almost) down and the right filling foods in order.

Where I fuck up almost everyday is the sweets.

I eat the turkey sandwich, the salads, wholegrain breads, low fat milk, diet cokes, water, fruits and veggies. I enjoy a slice of pizza here and there or a small burger, because it is okay.

I blow it almost everyday because I love to have a couple cookies, an ice cream, a chocolate somethun somethun. And don't even let me see cake. Oh good god!

I cancel out all my good eating doing this. Plus, girlfriend does exercise, but doesn't exert as much energy as the reg person. If you put it in, you need to be able to burn it off.

I need to just treat myself every once in a while, not everyday .

I know I'm in the wrong when I choose to eat these little goodies, I just need to get a grip and fight this urge.

It's a good thing she's cute.

Sketchbook

These are just some pages out of my sketchbook as of lately. I first described about it on my September 11th post "A little Sketchy". It is one of the many things I'm doing for my class. We draw still life's in class, but are to keep a sketchbook. She wanted us to always have a pencil in the drawing. That was just because she ran into so many students saying I can't think of anything to draw. So basically you can draw anything as long as there is a pencil in it, or it can be the main subject. I've decided drawing really isn't my thing, I'm just ok at it. Painting is the thing that does it for me. I love the application, making and painting colors and thinking up an interesting subject for the composition. Unfortunately, the two go hand and hand most of the time. Unless you're an abstract artist and I'm not. So, I will plug along and try to refine my drawing skills until I am comfortable with the process. I already have picked up things that have been very beneficial to my craft, so it has been positive. It's just not in my comfort zone.

Feeling like having fun this morning

Playing with shadows

I saw these beams of light and knew I needed to play with them.

Wayne Thiebaud

http://www.pmcaonline.org/

(check it out)

We went to the Pasadena Museum of California Art today.

Wayne Thiebaud (Tee-bow) was the main reason we went.

This picture above doesn't do him justice.

He paints a lot of bakery type items, delicatessens, and also great landscapes.

His use of color is fabulous especially in the shadows and his use of thick paint goes right along with his subject matter. It's as if it was frosting instead of paint on the canvas.

Got a little culture today.

Space Invaders

My Moms house was broken into yesterday and I'm so thankful she wasn't there. She was with me, thank goodness. She got home and was doing her little pitter puttering around the kitchen and then decided to go to her bedroom for something and saw her curtain blowing. Then realizing her window was broken out. She called me first, I told her to call 911. The intruder had taken one of those lawn ornament flag holders and smashed the window, then conveniently takes one of her wrought iron chairs and puts it by the window to climb in. This was a quick job, because all he took was a jewelry box with costume jewelry,with maybe a few small gold chains. He or She (I guess)? didn't take other stuff that was readily available to him. I mean stuff that was way more valuable than that little box. It was so cute, my mom was checking her curio cabinet and was amazed they didn't taken any of her antique figurines. The cops said, "mam, they are looking for money and jewelry." But those things are more valuable to her, which I guess is a good thing, because they didn't take them.

Hubby and sister also came to be with mom. Hubby boarded up the window until glass guys come this morning. We cleaned up glass and made sure mom felt comfortable. What a nice hubby.

I've always feared something happening to my mom. She is my sweet mom and my sweet friend and the thought of something happening to her makes me sick. I always try to remind her safety wise to do things and try to protect her as much as I physically can. I'm so glad she didn't walk in on this person. I'm so glad she's OK.