Winston Salem Is Getting the Blues...

Red Hot & Blue that is. Yes, it's true. A wonderful opportunity came our way and here we are preparing to open our first restaurant in the triad, probably in the next few weeks. We are a part of the Wake Forest renovation project off of University and Deacon Blvd. (It's in the old Goobers for those of you who know that area.)

Richard Bloyer, one of the managers from D. C. who has an art background, came to paint our Blue's guitar playing pigs over the fireplace in the new restaurant two weeks ago. I didn't even have to beg to help! I became his apprentice and took my place over the mantle and VOILA...people have to take a second look to determine if the bricks are real or not. I really enjoyed working with him. Once he got home, he sent me two books on how to paint murals. That is a true teacher...encouraging the fledgling artist to try her wings...which I did.

It was Richard's last day and a group of workers from down the street came in and walked right over to us. One said, "Do you two work alone, or do you work for these guys?" I smiled and said, "I work alone, but he works for these guys," as I pointed to Richard. They asked if we'd be willing to paint palm trees on the back of a building they had just painted. Richard looked at me and said, "Let's go take a look." We did and the next thing I know, I have been commissioned to paint palm trees on the back of this building." Richard left that day and I was left alone to myself because I had said one too many times, "I can do that."

I felt confident as I took my supplies and laid them at the back door, where I thought they would be out of the way. My new jar of paint thinner didn't last long. It only took one hard bang of someone walking out for it to reach the jar and turn it over. I just smiled and chalked it up to inexperience. The next thing you know, I have the Roto-Rooter type guy pumping out the sewage system only 1 foot away from where I was supposed to be painting. Other painters, electricians,a telephone cable worker, supervisors and a whole bunch of other workers doing various jobs, are all around me. I don't have a problem painting the stem of the tree, but when it came time to paint the fronds, everyone has an opinion. I painted over those stems 5 times before I finally called my friend Marsha to come and help me. She got there and we whipped those fronds out in no time flat. It took her 2 hours to do what I had been trying to do in 4 hours. I considered this a lesson learned and went back to finishing the pigs at Red Hot & Blue.

Last Monday came and I dropped my friend Gail off downtown to take care of some business, then I went and picked up some food for Ella and I, and we sat on her front porch and had a picnic until I had to pick up Gail. I took her by to meet Ella and then off we went to see the restaurant in progress. In the midst of all of this, I called Randy to see how things were coming, and lo and behold, he tells me that the painters are looking for me again. I figured they didn't like their palm trees and wanted their money back, but it was just the opposite...they wanted me to paint palm trees on the new dumpster walls they had just built AND a palm tree on the door. I am a runner and I wanted to run, but if they thought I could do it, I was willing to give it one more try. When I saw the guy who hired me, he said, "Here's my girlfriend, " so I knew I must have made an impression of some kind. I agreed to do it. The palm fronds look like fountains, but I have heard no complaints as of today. To tell you the truth, it may be a work in progress. It may look totally different from week to week as the mood hits me. My sister Pam said she can't wait to take a driving tour of all the stuff I've painted in Winston Salem. I don't have the heart to tell her it will just be a walking tour of two places. Maybe I need to get busy on some graffiti.

I will try to keep you posted on our progress as we head toward completion. In the meantime, call me if you ever need someone to remind you that you sometimes just need to say "NO," when someone asks you to do something you really aren't qualified to do. On the other hand, it could just be the beginning of a great adventure.

For more pictures of the restaurant, and me painting the pigs, visit Red Hot and Blues facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=202886&id=43579759913

It's a New Day!

Did any of you know that birds mate at least twice? Once in the spring and once in the summer? I did not know that. We have had double occupancy this year in our front porch baskets and trees. We left for that week to Florida and came back and there were nests EVERYWHERE! We just had the new Mourning Doves fly the coup this past weekend. I'm getting really good now at recognizing the signs. Dad starts out being a great dad after the birth of the babies, then he pretty much leaves the rest to Mom. Next thing you know, he's absentee...shows up sometimes. I always knew when because he'd be down below on the porch making that sad mournful call. The mom appeared to be drawn to him again, because she'd go visit and the teenagers would be propping themselves on the edge to test their bravery. Mom eventually starts leaving for short periods of time, that progresses to hours, then she's gone for the day. Before you know it...they're gone with nothing to show for it all, but the mess down below and 2 new birds in the sky.

It's been a while since I last wrote. My birthday has come and gone and it was the best yet. Our children convinced Randy that I need an iphone because anyone can use one and I need to be current in the 2010s. I am amazed at how easy this phone is. The best feature is that it has voice command. I can just punch the little button and say, "Call Matthew," and it does! I've never seen a cell phone do that. Speaking of Matthew...he loves toys. He stood in line all night while we were down in Florida to get the newest iphone IV. His actually has the video where you can see the person if they have a compatible phone. Our friend Michael, told me that you can actually put on a application (Aps, they call it for short.) where you can just bump the phones and they trade each other's numbers! Can you imagine? What will they think of next?

I just want to update you on the book. I am writing once again with a vengeance. I am almost through with the toughest chapter, which has been holding me back, because I wasn't sure how to execute it, but I feel I have a clearer picture and I am just free writing. The information just flows as opposed to writing word for quoted word. I would love to have a completion date, but I know me, so we will just wait and see.

I would like to welcome all of my visitors from other countries, even if they somehow made a wrong hit on a key to get to me. Go back to the very first posts, because they certainly are the most humorous. Sisters and friends, hit the follower, BG4, if you want to see a beautiful slide show of Maine. Make sure your sound is on and set aside about 35 minutes for uninterrupted pleasure. It's how I started my day and it just made me HAPPY!

"This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24.