More Emme & Emmes

In the studio: I touched up panel two a bit and started panel three; as it stands, it's a good examble of the interplay between positive and negative space. That about sums it up.

After boring you to tears with my photographic problems,(I know, I read it), I decided I'm never going to write about art again--even though this is a blog about art and I'm suppose to write. I don't like to think about art while I'm making it; I do like to think about anything else: BB King's lyrics, Honey walking around the kitchen above my head making me nervous that he's home and unhappy, Mr. & Mrs. Emme and Boise, Idaho.


Two day ago, I was talking to Mrs. Emme who called about making a change in the plan for her master suite project. After we got that out of the way, we went on to talk about Boise. Mr. Emme is smitten by the area--wants to relocate there as soon as their nest is empty. Mrs. Emme wants Honey and me to come build their house; she wants a view of the mountains. I assured her that Honey and I would love to come to Boise. I was dying to see the town. I'd heard so many good things about it.

Not really. What happened was months ago I took an online quiz ,(Kimble site I think), about possible places I might like to live where Honey could work full time. The result was Boise, Idaho. I was blown away. I had thought about Arizona--too hot, no water and good for sinuses. Sarasota--too humid and hot,lots of water and not good for sinuses, but great art community. I had never thought about Boise. I had forgotten it even existed.

I surfed for more info. Southwest corner of the state. Middle size town. Then I checked the weather. It's cold there. They have four seasons--like Michigan, and Honey would prefer a warmer climate. BUT: it's a bustling community with economic growth and residential construction going on. Honey wants to work till he drops, doesn't like being home by noon. Toss a coin. So I filed Boise in the back of my mind, and there it lay till Mrs. Emme brought it up.

I understood Mr. Emme's enthusiasm. But Mrs. Emme told me she couldn't believe that her husband was actually serious about relocating there. He had even planned a trip in September to have a look around. I asked her to take a lot of pictures, and get the scoop on the synagogues and rentals in upscale neighborhoods. I'm not religeous, but knowing no one in Boise except Mr. & Mrs. Emme, I would have to join the sisterhood--get into a canasta game-- find some couples to do dinner with, make some sort of life for ourselves while building their home. OMG do they have a museum? An art group?

Last Sunday another possibility came up out of Seattle. My Middle Son called and said he and his Honey had decided that we should move to Sacramento. It's an hour and a half from Seattle by plane and two hours from Fresno by SUV where Young Son lives. In Sacramento, we would be closer to two of our three children. It has a decent museum, the Crocker, and a University. The city, the capitol of California, has culture--and probably a super market, a drugstore, a dry cleaner, a beauty salon, a Nordstrom, a directory of doctors, AND warmer temperatures.--But I'd still need a synagogue with a sisterhood in an upscale neighborhood with rentals and three gals to play canasta.

Hmm? Leave Michigan? Leave West Bloomfield when I've finally lost my fear of driving on Orchard Lake Road? Sacrifice. Scary. A lot of work. Plus the kids say they'll visit, but we know better. Honey and I would be out there floating in the unknown, without the slightest idea of where to find a charming restaurant. NO NON STOP FLIGHTS. --There are probably no non stop flights from Boise or Sacramento to any beach.

I hate changing planes. I love my house; it has all the rooms I need. I like Michigan. It's a pretty state with lots of lakes. It has all the seasons. The fall/winter issue of Harper's Bazaar gets me excited. I love wearing my fur coat, ear muffs and boots. I can drive expertly in the snow, (though I keep that a secret). And I have cross country skiing on my list of exercises still to try. What makes me curious about moving is the damn economy here--worst in the nation--with not enough Mr.& Mrs. Emmes. But then I met Rita.

Photos from top to bottom: my entrance garden with marigolds in foreground; my lake view in summer, (there is none); wine time on our deck; another varmit enjoying my garden.