2008 Summer In Hell...

...is finally drawing to an end.

That's right. I'm sitting in an airport right now. Since 6:45 am.

With this trip I will have logged almost 10,000 miles, between driving and flying, just in the last four months. If only some of it had been for fun. Looking over what's gone on so far, I can say that none of it has been fun at all. Ok maybe a day or two was a good time, but I digress.

With this trip, our gallery will close it's doors for good. As much as I hated the way things went and turned out, I'm still going to miss it. I loved our gallery.

I have little doubt that some day we, or I, will open another one. It just wont be the same. I'm hoping better.

This week will be very hectic. An other loading of trucks, driving across country, stopping in four different cities to unload things here and there, then finally home. For good this time.

It was so hard to leave this morning. Precious and Mr. Man still in bed as I left the house at "O Dark Hundred". That's friggin early to those of you that don't know militant time.

As I kissed them each on the head and told them they are loved, they each gave a, not quite awake moan of acknowledgment. Mr. Man woke just enough to ask me not to go, then cried a bit and asked for his blanky. It made me wish I had a blanky. The comfort would be nice right now.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's so close. Or maybe that's an oncoming train about to crush me. With my luck, I won't place bets.

Focus, I need to focus.

Bitter Sweet..

I'm back at the airport. Sitting at the bar because, well, it's an airport and as we determined earlier this week, it's never too early to start drinking. Oh, and my flight is an hour late. So far...

I flew in late Monday afternoon. Then immediately drove six hours. All to be with Precious and Mr. Man for a mere 48 hours.

Now it's over. Mr. Man is back at my parents house. Precious has gone back to work. I am back at the airport waiting to head back to Oregon and the rain that never stops.

We have been apart for three weeks. It feels like a year. I wanted to hold them close and not let go. Hug and kiss and tell them I loved them. Which I did. I did let them out for some air and room to move. A few times anyway.

We played. We went to the beach. We ran nekid in the sprinklers.

About the time I got here and we all managed to be in the same place, our time was up. Time to spread out and try to get our lives in order, so we can be together sooner rather than later.

The saying goodbye was more difficult this time than the first. I so didn't want to let go. I could have held them forever. And I wanted to so badly.

Another three weeks and I should get to come back. Another life time from now.

I miss them already.

So It Begins...

I have all of my things at the gallery. At least everything I need to get by for a few months. When I told people I was going to live at the gallery they looked at me like I was joking, or insane. It's a fine line. It's not as bad as it seems. It was my choice, not that I had to do it, but I wanted to. It has everything an apartment has. Now it also has everything my studio had. It's perfect.

Anywho...This my 300th post. The start of our summer adventure.

It would be very easy to sink into a depression. Let my grief overwhelm me. Spend the next few months in misery. Well quite honestly that would make for a long ugly summer that I could do without.

I have an opportunity to paint for months undisturbed. I can focus all of my attention to my art and the gallery. I can face this adversity head on and grow. Become stronger.

Technology will allow me to talk with them and see them everyday. Southwest can allow me to be with them in a matter of hours.

In the blink of an eye this summer will be over. I will be in California. This will all be a distant memory. Move forward. One day, one week, one month.

I have more support than I could imagine. Family, friends, bloggers. Thank you all, it means a lot. Now if I could just fall asleep...