Brian Wildsmith

I love this style of illustration. Loose and loved and lively.

Vintage Books

I put these up for a book seller to easily look through. Although if YOU are interested in any of these. please let me know. I just don't want them to end up in a land fill.

Harmsworth Natural History: a complete survey of the animal kingdom / chief contributors: Richard Lydekker, Harry Johnston, J.R. Ainsworth-Davis: complete in three volumes 

Publication date: 1910

Leather covers, worn, scratched

Color Plates

 

John L. Stoddard Lectures series

Set of 8 

Endpages has silver foil

The spines are broken, very worn

 

 

 

The Literary Digest - Book of Marvels, JH Miller

 

 

 

Literary England, Christopher Morley

Torn, worn dust cover

 

 

 

 

1950s Vintage Treasury Blue Book Set from Grolier, Philosophy, Speeches, Science, American Literature, and Familiar  

 

15 Volume Set THE WORKS OF CHARLES DICKENS * Classics! Illustrated

 

The World's Greatest Letters

 

 

The Harvard Classics, set of 8 

 

 

 

 

Vintage 1920 Public Speaking Set 1 - 4 Books

 

 

Melbourne by Lord David Cecil

 

Ivanoe

 

 

Comedies,  Tragedies, Histories, Poems of Shakespeare and Speeches and Mankind

 

Additional books, probably going to the Free Little Libraries

Unearthing the past

Sitting in the alley, in front of the backdoor of the Thrift Store, trying to decide if I was really going to forfeit a box of partial leaf dish set that has been packed away for years. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I kept thinking, I will just take them home and look at them one last time! 

I forced myself to take the box to the door along with many of other boxes I had intended on "looking through". I have loads of old quilts to get rid of. Tons of antique books I am sure no one wants. My mom was an antiqued book collector in her day, mainly historical or informational. She has the complete set of Shakespeare. 

Then I ran across this little treasure. This was my first serious relationship, who married his secretary, a friend of mine. He used to tell me that the clothes I wore made him physical sick and why couldn't I dress like Dana, or the wear the lipstick Dana did ... he suggested a get a job at a bank. Needless to say our breakup was very painful. I moved out with nowhere to go and no car. He had bought me an old car but then took it back. He was 12 years older then me and I hate to admit but sometimes I Google his name and obits and see if he is still "with us". I know, that is mean.

I sent this to my friend who knew him. Honestly, there are few left in my friend's circle that knew him and me then. She said "you look like a lapdog, a pretty one" ... and she was not wrong! It was a pleasure to shove it in the trash can.

 

Then I found this life size portrait of mom. Circa, time we lived in Malta. Matt said, who had life -size portraits of themselves, who does that? And I said ... people who live in castles in England?
 

 

So I think I got all the boxes out. Only thing left, the large furniture. Kids are dealing with that later today. I have lots of Seattle Times historical stuff that I need to see if anyone wants.

Dealing with stuff from the past to clear a path for the future

Maybe because it feels like all I have done for the last 6 months is rifle through belongings and take it someplace, throw it away, give it away, make those decisions, feel like I am intruding on David and mom's stuff. 

Yesterday was a hard day for me. And added to stress was the kids were not getting along either. We rented a U-Haul and sorted through the storage unit. A big load to Goodwill, a big load to the dump. Then we were left with a few boxes I want to go through and the furniture. Furniture that my mom has had forever, stuff that I had been saving for my brother for the day he got his shit together. Furniture and crap I have paid a fortune to hold onto. Maybe the frustrations is the anger I feel at myself. Or some anger I have for David for insisting we keep most of that stuff. 

My usual reply was - "if we take it to the storage unit, we will never see it again, so we might as well get rid of it now". But that never seemed to happen. When we could not make a decision, off to the storage unit it would go. Then the kids started using it for extra baby/kid stuff, Christmas stuff, stuff that would not fit in the house but was saved for a new house. I was worried about spending the money on a truck to haul it off but I thought, if it is less than $720, then it is a bargain. Because my rent went from $500 (which was ridiculous) to $720 in ONE month. Of course, I have questioned them and complained, with no results. But I am going to write the newspaper about this little scam. I have no idea what is going on with Public Storage, but they are screwing over their loyal customers. 

Between my frustration, confusion, anger. I am sure the kids picked up on and then they were angry/frustrated with me and each other. I just wanted to come home and have a nice good cry.

I am dreaming of the day that I am not going through a drawer, a closet, a storage unit, the garage, trying to decide what to keep and what to sell and what to return if I can find the receipt or what to throw away. I am mentally exhausted and I WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH MY DAY.

Mind you, I still have the entire studio to go through which is sky high in art SHIT. Mostly stuff that came from David's work. All kinds of new storage for all of his airbrushing equipment. All the art we produced for the magazine that he did not want to throw away. I keep thinking, I will tackle that later. But if I ever want to do art again ... that is the next priority. 

Decided yesterday I will find an art class, or High School, or individual artist, or maybe Edmond's Community College that might want the vast amount of air brush equipment, paints, etc.  I will ever use it and someone should before it all dries up.

So today, we are going to haul most of the furniture to Goodwill or someplace like that. That was not what I thought I would do with it but I am at a loss and this seems to be the quickest solution. I just hope that we can get along today, with no tears or raised voices.

A few thoughts running through my brain

The nice, sunny weather has turned crows into kamikaze fliers, getting dangerously close to running into my car. 

All of the rain and the sun has created an explosion of dandelions! Everywhere! 

I love watching old, grey dogs waddle around on their afternoon walks. 

I am watching a 1944 movie, Murder in the Blue Room. The boogie woogie boogie man!

The pottery that David bought looks wonderful in my SIL's house ... just like he bought it just for her! I think he did!!!

 

It feels like all I have to do is think "the grass needs mowing" and my yard guy shows up within the hour. It is a little eerie.

I am paying someone to mow for me and also need to pay someone give me a pedicure ... I can't reach down there anymore. 

One of my caps pulled out with a very chewy night melatonin chew ... the last one I will take.

It is better if I start the washing machine, or wash a load of dishes before I attempt a hot shower. Otherwise, there is not enough water built up. 

I am back to not sleeping again. But I remembered to take out the trash yesterday!

David Attenborough documentary Wild Isles is fantastic. Denim Daze! Designs by Heidi is really fun.