In Which I Get a Grant and Then Can't Sleep

The title of this posting pretty much says it all. Yaaaay!! Hooray for me! I got a grant from the state, which makes me a National Treasure (all friends/family members/coworkers/sycophants take note!) and worthy of the utmost respect. Hey! This is my third (3 time's the charm!!) grant from the state so I must be doing something right...
After all that excitement and the general craziness at work, I was so tired and strung out that I couldn't sleep on Monday night. That meant I was doubly tired and mixed up on Tuesday, so of course I couldn't sleep again and had another of my crazy post-Apocalyptic dreams. That made me such a mess on Wednesday that I actually cancelled my riding lesson. Boy, I KNOW I was tired if I bagged on that as I look forward to my ride all week long. I tried napping but Robin the Good keep poking me with her nose and paws to make sure I wasn't dead and I never really did sleep until later that night. I think I've caught up now, but it still hasn't entirely sunk in that I got a grant.
So what does one do after all the dust settles and reality hits? I start a new piece! *(1) Seen above is another of that awful Rush Limbaugh's portmanteaus... "Feminist" and "Nazi" make "Feminazi", of course: a title I will proudly claim if it makes me deplorable in Rush Limbaugh's lard encrusted eyeballs. I began this piece when I heard that The Orange Menace had awarded Limbaugh The Fucking Medal of Freedom for (apparently) being a racist, sexist, homophobic right-wing moron. I swear, what won't they dream up next? I read that The Orange Menace was dictating what kind of architecture is to be used in governmental buildings- shades of Mussolini!! Could things get any weirder??!? Dangerous question, that! *(2)

*(1) Well, yes, I started a new piece but it was so cold my studio wouldn't warm up so I actually began a through house cleaning. I vacuumed upstairs, downstairs and the actual stairs and am going to clean the bathrooms once I post this. Maybe I should hire a cleaning person with that grant money! Hahahahahah!


*(2) And now reports have The Orange Menace wanting to do a victory lap in the presidential limousine (nicknamed "The Beast") at the Daytona 500 or some other NASCAR event. Banana Republic here we come!!

Other Life Forms and Us

Because we're all friends here. I will share the following portfolio of images. Due to extenuating circumstances- such as work, crazy scheduling that allows little "free time", multiple time-intensive art projects and the like, Bob and I have done very little cleaning of late. This means we have "interesting" environments being created by other species in nooks and corners. If cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness, then Bob and I are fast speeding our way to Hell.
As I was describing to my sister Beatrice this morning, I have a size imperative when it comes to insects cohabiting in our humble abode. Small spiders and Daddy Long Legs' are more than welcome but when they approach (or exceed) the quarter-pounder rule, it's them or me. I just cannot sleep think they may decide to share the bed with us. The spider that resides behind the washing machine is a good example.
Bob has apparently struck up quite a friendship with this bug. When he first introduced me to the fact that we had a large arachnid living near the washing machine, I sort of brushed it off. It's not near anything that I spend quality time doing (such as in the bathroom or my studio), so I thought, live and let live. But then one day, as I vacuumed the downstairs bathroom and hallway (that had to have been pre-party as I have bee remiss of late as referenced above), I felt as if I had company. It's a coy spider, though, and it kept ducking behind the machine preventing me from getting a good look. But I have now encountered this spider a few times late at night, and I need to tell you that he/she is rapidly nearing critical mass. I admit that they're eating other bugs and doing good, but this puppy is getting BIG.

Oh boy. Here's another (equally filthy) corner, directly above Jules' place mat where he eats his meals. I think the some what spider-like decoration in the lower middle inspired a spider to move in. That thing dangling in the web isn't the resident spider, but it's meal for the next month or so. Seems the little spider that lives there snared a much larger spider.

Here's a close up. As you can see, I have no shame what so ever and am  more than happy to share our less than stellar house keeping with you. Remember that the next time we invite you to dinner!