Odd Jobs

I love doing odd jobs. Here is a vintage wicker laundry hamper I am giving a make over for a co-worker. As visitors know I love a project. My friend is obsessed with Bahaman Sea Blue...so on it goes. We spent the day yesterday getting ready for family to visit, and doing errands. Like getting an air mattress for Stagg and I to sleep on this week...and for camping trips this summer when my nephew comes to stay with us. I got a three piece cooler too! Did 5 loads of laundry. Washed the floors at home. Cooked a french chicken stew. Made portabella mushrooms and steak for supper with a Cab. I also primed some small paintings outside on our stoop. The plants are really doing well out there.

City Hall And A Church

 These first two pictures are actually the Thompson Building across the street from City Hall. To get downtown I take the Pink Line...and get out in this building. To pay for my car towed...which I mentioned in an earlier post...I had to go to City hall. It's a lovely building so I figured why not try to have a cup of coffee and enjoy the truer of getting this car situation dealt with in a pleasant as possible manner. HA!

 Here are some shots of City Hall. I always hope I'll run into our Mayor Emanual. I love him!

 Here is a lovely sculpture by Dubuffet. I was once absolutely mad about this artists work. When I was taking painting at York University I would obsess over Frances Bacon, J.W. Turner, Jean Dubuffet, Kenny Sharf, Keith Harring, Andy Warhol...(of course many others). But Dubuffet I was fascinated with n a special way.

 I have posted about this church here at my blog before. I attended a memorial for indigent peoples a few years ago. You can see that blog post here

 A lovely story about a sculptor and this cross is inside the church. I Think it's a beautiful tribute and story.

Guitar Class

 Here is one of my classrooms at Old Town for guitar. My teacher is amazing. Her name is Elaine
. I've been in her class every Friday since January. It's one of the best things I've ever done in my life. My fingers hurt most of the time...but it's wonderful!

 Those are some strum patterns on the black board.

And here is a song book where I collect music with chords at group jams.

Cars, Painting, And Hoods

 Spring was very hectic. I spent a lot of time, trying to make sure I got projects done and no procrastinating. I plan on writing about my experiment with procrastination one of these days.

 April was crazy. I had a painting job, five classes and bar tending. It was also an astrological event called "mars in retrograde'.

 I have been joking that Mars in Retrograde is why my car had so many issues. I had to get repairs...and one day after guitar class I locked my keys in my trunk. Friend from work who shall remain un-named Tina tried to help me open my car door. We hoped to switch the trunk open. Nope. Then we got another co-worker to help...they got door/window open...setting off alarm. I had to undo the battery to shut it off. Eventually got my mechanic to fix the whole thing. The night before...I tried putting my roof down. In order to crawl into trunk. That was also a joke. I had to wrap the car in plastic overnight. My car was towed during April too. No one should have to go to the Chicago car pound. What a cast of characters there!

 I did have a lovely job of painting a woman's apartment. Three rooms...and one set of walls with stripes.

And there is my poor car wrapped in plastic for the roof...because I couldn't open it or close it.

Bears NFL Paintings

Backtrack

 Well...blogging has not taken up very much of my attention this past year. I really miss blogging. However life (and Facebook) gets in the way. I will try to experiment the next couple of weeks and see if I can find things to blog about...and also connect blog to Facebook. Our desktop broke down in December. So that also restricted my computer time. We have a new desktop now. I spent the winter exploring the city, working and taking a lot of classes at Old Town School of Folk Music. One of the things I did in the city was make a trip out to the famous Old Fashioned Donuts. Well worth the drive! I went with friend at work, Tina.

 Here is Stagg at some point watching one of the Olympic hockey games this winter at a pub.

 Here is Tina, Stagg, a friend of Carlos, me and Carlo watching Olympic Hockey.

Here are my tap shoes. I love tap classes. My teacher is amazing.