A week of the plague...

I caught the plague [as some call it] from a coworker who brought it to work and who shall remain nameless; I have spend my week of vacation - well, most of it - with a horrendous cold.

I intended to take the week and go to the Society of American Mosaic Artists 2005 conference in Washington, D.C., but I decided early in February that my car needed work more. From what I have heard, the plague was there, too, so not going was a good thing. Nothing commends you less to people than passing on a plague. I would have liked to go, traveling to Australia in October to attend the International symposium is responsible for focusing me more into my art, but I will go next year.

Yesterday was the first time I felt like doing anything outside since Saturday when I relapsed but I got the urge to mow the grass for the first time this year before the rain came back in that evening. Considering that the amount of 'grass' is right at 2 acres and interspersed with trees... It was fun. Lawn tractors are the best inventions for the mind that there is... Nothing like puttering along and coming up with ideas, resolving mental disputes, leveling yourself out into balance again.

I have almost gotten my mosaic work area clean - that was a goal - one of many on a mental list that I had made - and one of the few that might get done before I go back to work on Wednesday. Cleaning and arranging and moving things has been a major effort. I did get a new piece's substrate cut - going outside and using a jig saw to cut it put me back on the sick list Saturday so I've been hesitant about getting more active outside - so far the jaunt on the tractor has not caused a problem.

Regarding work in progress - the elf and his pony are taking a break as I work on two other [new] pieces that will be entered in competition in the next few months. There is no real rush on him - I just have to have him finished by the end of August.