Arrival...Refrigerator?

FAST EDDIE
Dog Portrait Oil Painting by Laurie Justus Pace

24 x 36 inches
SOLD
Commission Painting

Contact:Laurie

Yes, I painted in New York. I painted Billie's Dog, Fast Eddie. My laptop has the pictures of Fast Eddie on it, but I have not in my bleary state of mind, transfered the pictures from the laptop to the Big Mac. These were still in the camera from our Wednesday Night Barbecue and Fire at Billie's home on Lake Juanita. Slightly tempered in paint choices, I used her oils and canvas to capture the look of her "child" Fast Eddie. He is quite a character. He does not like ANY men. He took exception to Terry once they got level on the floor and played. Terry is like the dog whisperer, he had Eddie totally in love before ten minutes passed. I painted out on Billie's deck, where deer run through the yards as well as bunnies and stray kitty cats.

Mom snapped this picture of Billie and I as I finished Fast Eddies portrait. Terry is in the background minding the barbecue pit.

Earlier in the day we stopped for wine tasting at Rooster Hill Vineyards where my art show was two weeks ago. I am not a drinker, but I did like their Cabernet Sauvingon and I am not a red wine drinker at all. I enjoyed their Dry Riesling. We joined their wine club too, so most of my close friends know they will get wine for Christmas. I came home to have Fedex deliver a case of Black Russian (The signature wine and medal winner from McGregors year 2005) and a case of Cayuga White 2007, a new release. I do use it quite a bit in sauces, but NOT the Black Russian. Too expensive to do much but drink it...and unfortunately I do not like it. Terry and Mom will enjoy it!

Back to the return. We began watching flights on Tuesday and had hoped to return to Washington and stay a few nights with Niki and do the sight seeing thing. Then we got a call from Stacey on Thursday afternoon on Terry's phone, that Jonathan's birthday party was planned for Sunday at Noon. He is our only grandson and we decided we better watch flights closer. Mom was really tired and we knew she would not last if we tried to do Washington too. Terry and I would have little problem jumping a jet back up there and seeing the sights alone later. Somewhere on Thursday my phone walked away. I hope to find it stuffed in a suitcase somewhere as we heard it ringing in the car yesterday as we were driving from Penn Yan to Washington. Funny thing we found out when we arrived home and Morgan was here, he too, lost his phone.

Anyway, Thursday night before we left Billie's after a trip to Horsehead NY to spend time with her mom (Terry went to the Wings of Eagles Flight Museum.) I listed us on a late night flight Friday night. Terry and I woke up early on Friday at four thirty and decided to get up. We had mom up by five and we hit the road at six. Mind you our trip from DC to Penn Yan took us 13 hours due to a long route and A HUGE amt of road work and detours. God is always funny that way. As we skimmed down our new route Hwy 15 through Pennsylvania, Maryland and into Virigina, the road was great with only a few patches of construction. The trip took us 6 1/2 hours with one stop. I looked at the computer and saw there was a one o'clock flight and it was eleven thirty. We had just crossed into Virginia. I began praying then if it was possible we needed to catch that flight for mom. If we didn't we would have a long time at the airport waiting for 8:20 that night. The flight in between the one and the eight was pretty packed. Terry flew that Suzuki XL7 ( which was a fabulous car) into Avis and he jumped out to change clothes, mom hit the little girls room and I ran into Avis. They were so nice. With mom being wheel chair, they reloaded the baggage and the manager drove us straight to the terminal door.

I was not prepared for ONE agent behind the American Airlines counter. I forget, this is not a hub. The time was 12:25. She said they were already boarding and she could not even get her computer to access the flight. She gave us passes for the full five o'clock flight and said you can try and make it to the flight at one, B Gate 73. UGH, that is a distance. Mom's wheel chair arrived and ya know it had it's advantages as they took us through security immediately with her.... but egads we had to get on a transport mover to take us out to the larger gates. I glanced at the time, 12:42. We docked and Terry ran ahead to the counter five gates away. I was huffing pulling mom's luggage and suddenly she zoomed by in the wheel chair with the airport agent grinning and mom waving at me! Too long of story I know, but at the gate, they stopped the line boarding the plane and put mom in her seat and took us on board. We did not make first class, but did sit in row eight near the front.

God is good. I knew as I prayed if we did not make the flight we would be in his care for the day. His hand held us close as it all fell together within precious moments. The flight was fabulous and we arrived back on HOT TEXAS SOIL around 3:00 yesterday. We took a cab to Terry's truck at the hanger and were home by 4:30 ish. I already miss NY and the cool weather, the lake, the people, the Mennonite carriages with horses, the bike riders, the children and the fresh fruit and vegetables at the end of every driveway with a money jar and an honesty system. It would never work here in Texas.

I will relive short portions of the trip in my blog each day, from watching the moon set and the sun rise simultaneously to the huge number of deer we saw, riding on a ski jet and spending hours in a Mennonite Quilt Shop. It would be a dream come true to go back for a month and apprentice to this woman.

I missed blogging but I am ever so grateful to my loving daughter for posting every day. We lived for 8 days with out computer and TV. We read every night before bed...it was wonderful.

Have a wonderful Saturday! I have to box paintings and my work week begins. Terry still has 2 1/2 weeks of vacation ahead! I told him he could unpack today.

Grace,
Laurie


“When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:18-19