It Could Be Worse

A week from today I'll be counting eighty-one candles on my crown and celebrating the passage of same sex marriage in New York state. I think this means it will become constitutional all over the country, though maybe not in my lifetime. Sadly I'll never be able to claim Lee's social security, but my younger friends may be more fortunate. I'm doing pilates four or five times a week, painting a little, eating and sleeping well, and blessing my friends and furry tail wagger. IT COULD BE WORSE!

Even though I promised not to write anything more about my Provence trip, I just have to share one more insight. Among the painters on my trip were three Northern Minnesotans. Not only their accents but their down to earth humor and good sportswomanship kept us all entertained. Most often we giggled or convulsed at their colloquialisms. Since coming home I’ve decided that these three expressions address almost any celebration, event or catastrophe one could encounter in a lifetime: “you betcha’ ”, “it could be worse”, and “oof da”. The latter expresses something bad, sad or distasteful. For me that means liver, raw oysters and quail eggs.

Listening to Obama’s speech Wednesday I found occasion to mutter each of the three at different points. As I observed more and more Tea Party members declaring for president this week I fantasize what if it split the Republican party throwing a majority to the Democrats? A fun fantasy, you betcha'.

Last weekend Kodi and I visited surrogate daughter Catherine at their new (to them) someday-to-be retirement home in Santa Rosa. We had a glorious time. I thought I didn’t overindulge but when I came home I was up two pounds on the scale. (OOf da.) Tuesday when I planned to work in the roses we experienced a major downpour that beat many of the stalks to the ground. In the Bay Area this is unheard of; we’ve had more rain in June than we had in January. Yesterday I clipped all the branches that were broken and dotting the ground and now I have overflowing vases of roses all over the house. (It could be worse.)

According to Rachel Maddow ‘s program, as of this Friday the Kansas legislature has manipulated regulations to virtually eliminate all abortions in the state, including rape and incest. What happened to Roe v Wade? (Oof da.)

Yesterday I heard that one of Sandy Delehanty’s paintings had been accepted to another national show. That will make her a signature member of the Watercolor Society. You deserve it, Sandy. Congrats. (You betcha).

Earlier this week I painted the scene above of two French ladies deep in conversation on market day in Ile Sur la Sorgue. I can’t figure out if they are saying oof da, you betcha’, or it could be worse. You decide!