Fridays are the best of blessings. Pressures of the week coming to an end. The hope for some sunshine, warm wind on my face, and inspired thoughts that might lead to something worth hammering out in the studio. The fact is, around here, things are just less irritating on the weekends. Dogs barking, kids fighting, the mess scattered across the house. It's tolerable because I have two days to stray from my schedule, to walk around outside and collect fallen curly willow branches, to watch the fat little dove, belly full of eggs, swish around the twigs until they are just right to house her hatchlings. I can make breakfast for dinner, we can pile in our big bed and watch old John Wayne movies. The hubby and I can share a glass of Pappy and smile at each other - the smile of extreme contentedness. The same smile I hope to see on his face in the later seasons of our life together, when I'm not looking so spry.
Fridays are idea days. When random thoughts become potential projects on my to-do list (for myself of course- I gave up trying to manage my hubby years ago). I start doodling on a napkin at dinner, and it's a full fledged painting by Sunday night. For some reason, Fridays have become my favorite day to dream, and the best day to get things done. Fridays are the light at the end of the tunnel for me.
I have a trip coming up. A big trip. And I'm leaving on a Friday. My buddy and I are turning 40 together in Thailand. She and I have the same birthday (when the time difference is taken out of play) and we were undergrad roommates at University of Maryland, College Park. She's a microbiologist for the Royal Thai Government now. I have an upcoming show at West Annapolis Artworks this summer and the theme is somewhat urban. I'm hoping to snap lots of good photos to paint of the city there. The downtown areas, the floating spice market, maybe some local scenery that's exclusive to Bangkok. I couldn't be more excited! So today, Friday, I'm spending the afternoon scouring the internet for places I need to see there and possibly paint. I wish I was a plein air painter, but alas, I'm a lowly studio painter, and will need to get home before I get to work on my show. Very exciting nonetheless. Besides, I can't see my microbiologist friend sitting there for hours waiting for me to finish up a painting when we could be having a formal tea on the river, at the beach, or sightseeing at the ancient Buddist temples. So, today, Friday, is an idea day, like any other, albeit more so, because I have more to look forward to than usual. Although, later on today, I will absolutely be collecting fallen curly willow branches and finding a way to put them to use on my house facade. The arch that I made last year from the fallen branches is now housing the mourning doves on my front porch, and I see a dove hotel in my near future...