Thank You & A Few Hurdles Leapt…

So… this is a short update and a heartfelt thank you to so many of you, who read A Bucket of Glads last week. And if you remember, I wrote about Scout encouraging me ( well.. sort of demanding in her very sweet way ) to apply for a residency at an artist retreat, just north of us.

Thanks to all your encouragement in the comments, to set aside my anxiety about the interview process and go for it, this kinda’ pie in the sky, oh that sounds incredible but… idea that Scout had, just leaped over a few hurdles the past few days.

Thursday I asked MrJ, my supervisor at work about time off,

‘Wow! Hey, just make sure you give me plenty of advance notice.’

Now…if MrJ actually heard me refer to him as such, he’d be blushing through his dreadlocks. Him and I are longtime employees here, and we’ve become trusted friends over the years. About 6 months ago, a few of us vets were so disatisfied with the direction this company was going in, we were about to find other opportunities. One of the owners took me to the greasy spoon on the corner for some cheap coffee in those nice heavy ivory cups, and a heart to heart, and when I was asked what it would take for me to stay,

“I really need a four day work week. I want to focus on my writing.’

It was done the next week, just as I was beginning to blog here on WP. And yesterday I came home to an email from Ms. N, Scout’s friend who is on the board of directors of the Ragdale Artist Residences, and she apparently enjoyed Bucket of Glads as well. She was so reassuring that I had nothing to fear with the interview process, her encouraging words really allowed me to just set my anxiety aside. There is an opening for a tour of the house and grounds this Monday, which is my third day off at work and so far it looks as though it will happen.

She asked me to think of an ‘attainable goal,
something that I would or could accomplish in
the peaceful environment and free time offered
there, and surprisingly I’ve thought of two.

I believe the universe is whispering again
because very early last week, days before
Scout came home with the residency idea and
the bucket of glads, she came home with these;
.

.
These are the world’s greatest, extra fine point,
permanent ink drawing pens. The last I’d known,
PILOT discontinued manufacturing this pen they
named Razor Point, it just stopped being carried
at all the usual outlets I had come to rely on.

I haven’t drawn in many, many years and this pen,
showing up now as it has, represents my long lost
love for drawing, especially in pen and ink.

I’m not sure the whispers could be any louder….

And lastly, to all of you my dear friends, this little blog of mine, that began in March with a very simple idea and very little expectation, is about to record it’s 2500 th comment. I still sit back some days and shake my head in wonder, that I could be writing anything that would resonate with anyone else, but myself.

And on days like this, days that I take a
necessary and grateful step back and realize
how far I’ve travelled in these past few months,
and why: It’s because of all of you.

Thank you all so very, very much.