A Tale of Two Aprils

 Earlier this year my nephew Michael proposed to his love, Marianna and set their wedding date for April 5th. I called my sister in law and asked if they were registered so I could send a gift. She told me that Michael was hoping I would paint (watercolor) their cat, April,  as a wedding gift. Hoping? I was thrilled to be asked! So I tried to find the picture he had sent and eventually got it and began to draw out the design.

There were several false starts. 

 

I realized that the nose was wrong, which in turn made the eyes wrong,  and nothing I could do would fix it. So at the almost finished stage, I scrapped it and started all over. 

I might add I was pressed to paint this during the few hours that I had a care person here to care for Dave. I would get started and into the zone and it was already minutes until she left. Very frustrating. Then I started getting up at 4 to paint when Dave would still be asleep, hence making drawing mistakes because I was still sleepy. 

Eventually I just got through it a second time and was all ready to record the image for myself, before I sent it on.  It was just days before their wedding ( of course) and I needed to get the painting in the mail. I made it just in time. Phew! When I got home I looked at the pics I had taken of the details and then realized O NO!!!! I made a really stupid mistake.

I painted their wedding date, 4-5-25, and then I repeated it under the body of the cat, as April 4, 2025!

 I was so so so upset and it was already in the mail, impossible to retrieve and probably unfixable at this point anyway. I felt so terrible and angry at myself for this goof up. I called or texted everyone and they could tell I was verklempt to the max. They were all so kind and understanding and still loved the painting. But still....

This event made me understand my situation more clearly. I really couldn't focus on making art and maintain my responsibilities caring for Dave. I put away my paints, packed up all the studio supplies back into the closet and begrudgingly attended to my patient. There were things I could do, like knit, or cook or garden where I could be creative, but my need to make art, had to be suppressed.  

Until now.

Now I have a new care person, (also named April!) five hours a day for five days a week, And she is great! She can lift Dave out of bed and into his wheelchair, and not hurt herself. Phew! And I have a studio where I can close the door and focus and when she leaves, I have actually gotten something accomplished. This means I can be kind and caring when it is just Dave and me alone. 

What a blessing for us all.