A Work of Art: Raising Our Exceptional Son

Taxidermy and Hopeful Parents

2009-11-07T15:12:00.003-05:00

As usual on the seventh of each month we're over at Hopeful Parents! Go visit HP today while I work the art festival in Washington, Georgia where the best taxidermist has his shop right on the downtown square. He even takes American Express. I shit you not and have the pictures to prove it. Come back for more NaBloPoMo.

Family Scrapbook

2009-11-06T12:16:00.002-05:00

While scouring for an idea to write about today I thought I'd go back and check my files to see if there was some old piece I'd written that was forgotten, tucked away in that folder where good blog ideas don't get finished or just aren't fitting for that moment in time. Lucky me I found one!

It's little bittersweet since the coolness of autumn has arrived. I wrote this at the end of our family (and I mean extended family) vacation back in June. Those few days with my mom, brothers, nephew, and nieces are a treasured memory.

As you will read Blair, my youngest brother, and his tribe will be heading to England soon to begin work on his doctorate. It will require them being away for at least two years so that brief reunion back in June will have to serve as the first page of our family scrapbook. Also this entry is fitting since (at least in the United States) November is the time to reflect upon thankfulness. Hope you enjoy!

I’m writing this as we’re wrapping up a brief reunion with my brothers’ families. My youngest brother Blair, sister-in-law Lisa, and their four girls will be leaving for England later this summer for two years to earn his Doctorate in Divinities. Cameron and “Young” Cameron were here from Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the week. Despite recently cutting ties to a large law firm and finally setting up his own law practice, the middle brother and the lone nephew on my side of the family we’re able to hang out with the rest of us at my mom’s beach house on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Unfortunately my wife (work), Cameron’s wife Sheri and my other niece and Godchild, Caroline (varsity cheerleading tryouts), weren’t able to attend even though the many phone calls over recent days let us know where their hearts were. I relate this information to you for two primary reasons, neither of which is to make any of you jealous that basically we leave for home today after a wonderful sun & fun-filled, sandy, relaxing beach vacation.

In the middle of what sometimes seemed like a three ring circus was the exceptional cousin, Ben. The Lion Tamer whether he knew it or not was the main focus of attention. In ring number one we had the Little Evie Act. The youngest of the Waddell clan entertained the crowd with antics only a 19-month-old toddler can muster. Misspoken words, dancing with abandon, and demands to return to her new “throne” (Ben’s wheelchair) kept the masses in stitches.

On the far side of the arena The Three Stooges (the three brothers) had children surfing in the waves, building sandcastles (okay, actually pig sculptures and barnyard critters), and generally making fools of themselves playing Pictionary’s Disney version. While much more rowdy and foolish nothing they did could compare to the magnetism of the center ring. The huge smiles, the gibberish sounding coos, the arms stretching for hugs - the other acts within this family circus just couldn’t compete. Young cousins and one big sister wrestling over time spent with The Lion Tamer made the Ring Master one happy grandma!

There is nothing more special than the unconditional love that exudes from Ben but the acceptance and understanding of those who love him most comes pretty close! We are very blessed to have the family that we have: mine and Joan’s. We’ve had tremendous support from so many friends over the past nine years but nothing compares to what is truly a constant in Ben’s life: family.

Ben At Work

2009-11-05T17:41:00.007-05:00

Ben had a dear friend come to visit today. Nurse Stacey hasn't been able to work too many hours with Ben recently but today was a day we'd been looking forward to since she was scheduled to take care of him. Stacey has been the only nurse to facilitate his desire to paint since Vickie took a new job.

On top of that another nurse (Tracy) came to orient (learn about Ben) so that she can possibly be a part of Ben's care giving team. Nothing can be more fun than to show off one's artistic abilities! He's obviously feeling much better because it showed in the return to his flirtatious jovial talkative personality.

Given that my last show of the year is this weekend, I have a full plate of "Ben paintings" waiting for me in the studio upon my return...including this newest one. Check back with us often as I complete some of Ben's masterpieces!

Working with his favorite color. Notice his head leaning toward the right. We suspect this is intentional posturing to use the right side of his brain - the creative side.

When Ben is painting he will pause for awhile, lean his head to the right, and think about the next few hand strokes he will be making. Once the decision has been made he begins talking almost incessantly pausing to laugh every once in awhile.

Ben paints using both hands. The fingers of his right hand will spread out while he pushes it using his left hand. Essentially his left hand is "holding the brush" which happens to be his right hand. Note the lack of paint on the back of Ben's left hand at the top of this entry and the accumulation of paint on the right side of his hand above.

Once again he becomes very animated. It was interesting to note that he put his hands toward his face only once today. If you recall in past creative sessions Ben would often put his paint-caked fingers in his mouth while he thought. This is an obvious sign (at least to us) that our son's cognitive abilities are continuing to expand.

More friends participating in NaBloPoMo:

Down to Earth Mama

NaBloPoMo

2009-11-04T17:00:00.005-05:00

Most likely only a few of you will understand what the title means and I will get to that in just a moment. Since many of you continue to inquire about Ben I'm happy to report that he finally had a fairly good day. He attended school and even participated in his therapy sessions. For the time being Motrin and Advil are our dear friends.

As with most ailments and problems associated with with our son, inevitably they boil down to a process of elimination. Since there are no noticeable breaks, fractures, or internal structural damage the theory now points to inflammation due to either his fall or the expected growth of his hip joints in an abnormal fashion.

Regardless this situation can actually turn into something very positive for Ben's quality of life. We know already that within the next few years he will have corrective surgery to eliminate the "windswept" look of his hip and pelvic region. Our sign to start preparing for this is when Ben shows increased pain or no tolerance for repositioning him in an effort to achieve a more comfortable sitting posture. The expectation was that this would occur in his early to mid teens; not when he was ten and currently not the Year of the Swine! So there are still plenty of worries for us.

Now you may have noticed that this happens to be the fourth day in a row that I've posted a blog entry. Considering that I've probably averaged one and a half posts a week in recent months dear reader may wonder what's going on. November has traditionally been National Blog Posting Month (hence the clever acronym in the title). I've always wanted to participate but felt a little too challenged to come up with a post for thirty straight days. Plus in recent years I've continued my show season well into the month of November which made the chances of achieving that goal improbable. Well it just happens that I will conclude my show season this weekend giving me roughly two or three entries to prepare ahead of time or finding a guest blogger willing to pinch hit for me in the next few days.

There is an actual website about this challenge but as of the moment I still haven't been given access and most likely won't be able to add A Work of Art to their blogroll. It honestly doesn't matter. The bottom line is that this is a personal challenge - not unlike someone taking up running or biking to participate in a race. Unless you are a professional there is no winner. Achieving a "personal best" is the victory.

So with that explanation I hope you'll visit often this month. My plan is to provide some interesting stories from this past art festival season, informative memories about Ben & Jessie, preparations for art shows in 2010, and the ever changing always unpredictable happenings surrounding Ben's family.

PS: If you are also participating in NaBloPoMo then let me know. Through out the month of November I will have a list of blog friends that accept the challenge so you can quickly check their link!

Down to Earth Mama

Touch Smart Magic!

2009-11-03T19:09:00.002-05:00

Finding Nemo was Ben's first theater experience. He enjoyed it until he finally dozed off about halfway through. When Cars came out we knew Ben would have to see it in person even though it was chancy knowing that when his senses are overloaded he has a tendency to shut down - as in close his eyes and go to another world. As it turned out Ben was more of our entertainment than the movie!

The hip issues are still there even though X-Rays tell us all is okay at the moment. Keeping a steady dose of Motrin rotating with Advil seems to keep him comfortable enough to go about business as usual. Since he sees his regular orthopedist next Friday we'll have to make some tough calls about school, therapies, and other activities until then.

For now enjoy Ben enjoying his most favorite possession: his HP Touch Smart Computer. One day our not-so-little boy will be able to thank Aunt Casey in person - at least that is a huge wish of ours...

"Hello Monday...It's good to see you too."

2009-11-02T09:52:00.006-05:00

This was a direct quote from Joan about 2 & a half hours ago. It was uttered dripping with sarcasm as she cleaned up a spot in the carpet after the cat hacked up a hairball in the doorway to our bedroom. Shortly before this Joan had led a queasy exhausted Jessie into our bedroom to take comfort from her dad after a night of almost throwing up. As Jess crawled into our bed my wife was careful to keep the mattress from spreading more waves of nausea over to me since I'd tossed and turned all night with my own stomach issues. At least someone or rather something had finally barfed.

A few minutes later Joan would greet Nurse Dee to explain why Ben looked like he'd been in a Saturday night bar brawl. Although Dee has proven to be a trusted care-giver of our son she is still fairly new to the family. If there was an inkling of an urge to pick up the phone and report Ben's parents to local authorities as child abusers Joan wanted to nip that in the bud right away.

Of course that conversation was followed by a discussion about the possibility that Ben injured his fragile hips in the Halloween Bungee Jump off the couch sans the bungee. After careful consideration of all the circumstances the conclusion was made to keep Ben home from school today and cancel therapy for tomorrow. Who knew a severely physically challenged child could be so clever as to participate in Extreme Sports?

And poor Joan: up with Jessie much of the night with zero help from hubby facing a day at the office meeting with auditors. Good times people, good times! In golf, players use the term "mulligan." If you're unfamiliar with the word it basically means "do over." Yank your first drive off the tee into the duck pond on 18? "Hey guys, I didn't get a chance to warm up so I'm gonna try that one again."

In an Andy Rooney-esque fashion I'd like to make a suggestion to God (or whatever Lords of the Universe you might choose to believe in): I think we all deserve a mulligan on Monday morning every now and then.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

2009-11-01T17:43:00.007-05:00

The last 24 hours haven't been the best Ben has had in quite a while. Late last night I gathered my boy into my arms on our sofa to spend the last waking moments of Halloween in a snuggle fest. When I got up to head off to bed I didn't expect Ben to try and follow me. He did.

You wouldn't think falling 30 inches on one's face would cause such a distressful mess but when you can't react to protect yourself from accidents you are open to all kinds of injuries. Both me and Joan are feeling awful for not being more alert.

Ben still had his glasses on and the inner corner made a ghastly looking gash next to his right eye. To add injury to insult we think Ben may have hurt his hip - a situation we had already been concerned about. Let me rephrase that: extremely concerned about.

There is a bunch on our collective plate at the moment and none of it is very tasty. I'll fill the blanks in over the next few days but our week may get busy due to this being the last show weekend of the year. Add to that agenda that I'd really like to participate in the annual blog fest of posting every day in November...I'd say it was a bad month to start.

I'll have much more to blog about tomorrow...when we feel better about Ben.

Top Gun!

2009-10-30T13:38:00.021-05:00

Today was the annual Boo in the School at the Washington Center. Each year the kids get to trick or treat around the hallways and enjoy a huge Halloween party just before they head home for the weekend. And each year at the party one student is chosen as having the Best Costume.

When Ben started attending his school we didn't make a big deal about Halloween. In fact I honestly don't recall if we even dressed him up for his first Washington Center All Hallows Eve experience. There was a good ominous reason for not liking this semi-holiday at that time which I will blog about later this weekend. But all that changed three years ago.

Ben's primary nurse in October 2007, Lisa Stamey, was bound and determined that Ben was going to win that Best Costume Award regardless of whether his parents participated in the fun (we didn't). After seeing the fabulous finished costume we knew that Lisa's design (created and built solely by her) would win by a landslide. We were wrong. Putting it bluntly, "We was robbed!" That year the judging took place before Ben arrived at school and even though we have to admit the winning entry was quite clever, Ben portraying Lightening McQueen was far superior (okay so maybe there's a tiny bit of bias on our part). Because of this monumental travesty of justice Ben's family and care-givers made a vow to avenge Lisa's loss! In fact we swore a sacred oath to hold onto that Best Costume Award as long as Ben attends the Washington Center!

So last Halloween Ben's two nurses, Vicki Robertson and Stacey Brophy, began scheming and planning weeks ahead. The costume had to be perfect - so perfect that the contest would be a smack-down of epic proportions; a weeping and gnashing of teeth sort of thing. Let's just say the gauntlet was dropped like Sumo wrestler falling out of a three story building. It wasn't even close.

Which brings us to today.

I'm not gloing to claim that my first attempt to defend our victory comes anywhere close to the previous two years. In fact my job was probably made much easier by last year's crushing landslide win. But like Lisa I was pretty much on my own until the very end. Thankfully Joan and Jessie came home from work & school respectively to help rescue me from my knotted mess of duct tape, cardboard, and Rustoleum paint. All in all it became a team effort including Ben's current nurse, Dee.

The result couldn't have been more pleasing! A happy Ben and another victory in the bag. So while I head up to McDonald's to share in Ben's award stash enjoy our ace Top Gun: Ben(nie) & the Jet!

Dee checks out Ben as he taxis onto the runway.

Our pilot goes through his pre-flight check making a special note not to read the blog from his laptop while flying. If you look closely you can see his headphones and microphone with which he keeps in touch with the tower. By the way, the red device front and center is called a Big Mac. It's a communication device for special needs kids. Basically you record a word or phrase and when the child presses the red button it plays it back. We recorded the intro of "Danger Zone," the Top Gun theme song. Evidently Ben liked it because he was way more interested in pressing that switch than trick or treating!

Nothing like jetting about your school too make someone laugh this much.

Bombs dropped from this aircraft can be quite lethal!

Ben's air base: the Washington Center Air Command.

You can see Ben's right hand about to slam back down on the Big Mac.

This Tom Cruise isn't into Scientology nor does he jump up and down on Oprah's couch.

Note the second pic in a row of Ben staring at the Big Mac. We're a little tired of Kenny Loggins at the moment.

Construction last evening. We've reached the part where we try to figure out how in the heck do we attach this to his wheelchair.

Ben was fascinated with the aluminum paint finish.

As I said it became a whole family effort. Jessie applies paint to the "decals."

Coordination

2009-10-27T16:28:00.005-05:00

Looking back over the past few weeks I realized that I haven't really blogged too much about Ben. When that happens it's generally a good thing. That means things have been rather uneventful and Ben is healthy. At the moment those two assumptions are mostly true.

Ben finally got to attend therapy today for the first time in as couple of weeks...and it showed. He is usually excited and energetic when he attends. Today was different. Not only has the weather turned crappy here (cold and rainy) which he obviously feels but both his usual therapists were not in attendance. The biggest reaction came when his left hip dislocated which for the first time caused him a great deal of pain (more on that in a couple of weeks).

Also school attendance has been almost non-existent this month for two reasons: having a touch of the "sickies" and unreliable nursing. That situation is still a freaking circus and it is putting a strain on our relationship (me and Joan). We've made several suggestions that have met deaf ears (obviously) and I have had it! Enter our new ally.

This afternoon Joan and I got to sit down with Ben's new Service Coordinator. This person is the state represented head coach so to speak for all of our son's needs - the position requires an understanding of government services, where the funding comes from, what are the actual needs of the family, and how to achieve the almost impossible task of making all of those things work together. After spending two and a half hours with her (definitely a record for this type of meeting) Joan and I agree we have found a true diamond in the rough!

Because of the sensitivity of some things discussed I cannot tell you a great deal. What I can say is that Marie is obviously a God-send and our nursing situation shouldn't be an issue very much longer. Some things we thought never possible just might become possible. Even better is that the position she took working for our county has been an obvious transitional job. For our new friend and ally, she wants it to be a permanent position! Awesome stuff!

One last thought: I get very teary-eyed looking at the above photo. That is my family! My apologies to folks who think otherwise but I have the most wonderful wife and greatest kids in the world! The picture was taken on Ben's birthday which fell on Challenge Day. They were so very kind as to bring that joy to me later in the evening by visiting Hendersonville, NC where I was attending a crappy show.

May our smiles make yours broader!

Woolly Worm Wrap-Up 2009

2009-10-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

For the record that deer stag was not sporting a red nose on Saturday. It suddenly appeared early Sunday morning and he was not smiling. Rudolph pretty much sums up the feelings of the vendors participating in the 32nd Woolly Worm Festival.

This is the fifth year I've been doing outdoor art festivals and ultimately this season it seems I'm making up for all the weather situations I hear other artists tell me about. This year has definitely been the Year of Packing Up in the Rain. And to the growing list of bad weather weekends I can now add one selling art in the snow.

So as I finalize preparations for the Bluffton (SC) Seafood Festival near Hilton Head where temperatures are expected to reach 80 this weekend I'll share some shivering memories from Banner Elk.

Note all of the hay surrounding my booth. The two truck loads of hay bales went a long way toward drying up the park we were in.

By clicking the image you can get a closer look at the snow still left on mine and Charlie Smith's canopies.

Rug braider and great friend Peter Steidle hides his bourbon flask to acknowledge he hasn't frozen to death...yet.

And then the sun came out encouraging some very crazy folks to come out and race woolly worms.

Christy Buchanan is glad she stopped at Wal-Mart for those spiffy Zebra-striped gloves and scarf.

The eerie view of the fall foliage at peak color while Grandfather Mountain is covered in snow.

Bennie's Chicken Brunswick Stew

2009-10-21T17:03:00.007-05:00

Like Frogmore Stew, this more soupy traditional Southeastern dish has several different varieties depending upon regionally favorite meats and vegetables. Like many southern dishes the origins are unclear. Both Brunswick, Georgia and Brunswick County, Virginia claim to have coined the term but there are plenty of other names associated with the stew. Here in South Carolina a similar dish made with rice is called "purloo" (pronounced pur-LOW) while Kentucky and Tennessee refer to it as "burgoo" (similar pronunciation). Of course most folks will recognize the more famous name the Cajuns of Louisiana call it: gumbo.

Each version of the concoction though has a two common ingredients: a tomato chicken broth liquid base creating a vegetable soup with meat added into it. Most recipes use shredded chicken as the primary meat source. Other meats I've read about in similar recipes include salt pork, pulled pork, hamburger, deer, duck, rabbit, fish, shrimp, crawfish, and even alligator. Our family prefers a less complicated version of the stew.

Ingredients:
Frozen gumbo vegetables (substitute soup vegies if you don't like okra)
1 to 2 cups shredded chicken (we generally use leftovers from a baked or rotisserie bird)
2 cups chicken broth
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (do not drain!)
1 cup water
Cajun seasoning (Zatarrain's is THE best)
celery salt
1 clove minced garlic
1 small onion chopped
1 to 2 cups sliced or diced cooked potatoes (drained)

Combine all the ingredients except the potatoes in a medium pot. Bring to a boil for three minutes on medium high heat. After adding the potatoes reduce heat to simmer for one hour. Serve with fresh cornbread for dipping!

For gumbo:
Substitute cooked rice (2 to 3 cups depending on how thick you want your mixture) for the potatoes. Also substitute diced tomotoes for the whole peeled ones. You can also add ground red pepper or your favorite hot sauce for an extra kick.

Woolly Bully!

2009-10-15T18:12:00.004-05:00

See that palm tree to your left? I love that palm tree! Even though I no longer have this particular painting of that palm tree I know where the real palm tree exists. It's in a warm place. In fact it is very warm where this symbol of summer time is planted.

The actual temperature at this very moment where this palm tree is located happens to be exactly 98.6 degrees. There are close to 3000 varieties of palm trees in the world and after nearly a quarter of a century of painting palms or palmettos a few new species have sprouted up within my summer-loving brain. This just happens to be the one I'd like to be sitting nearby this weekend.

Instead me and the family plus one are headed to Banner Elk, North Carolina. Because of my stubbornness and desire for the Waddells to have at least one "family gig" while doing something fun each year, the annual Woolly Worm Festival has sort of become that event.

Over the past four years we've endured some interesting weather. A little rain, a bit of cold temperatures, even some pea soup thick fog which is very possible at any time of the year in western North Carolina. But all in all the trip has been not only financially successful but a visual smorgasbord to our senses. Each October we predict the color splattered upon the mountainsides couldn't top the next. Each autumn we have been wrong.

Yet the 32nd annual Woolly Worm Festival offers a new experience: snow showers. Yep. High temperature for Saturday predicted to be 41 degrees (Fahrenheit for you not in the USA). 38 for Sunday. Whoopee.

Let me tell you that I used to be an avid snow-skier. In fact I got my first wife into it, so much so that her family still spends time in places like Utah and Norway (I think both might be states by now). Anyway, once I turned 40, skiing began dropping to the bottom of the list of "things I want to do with my daughter" faster than "let us collect boyfriends together." The fact is that I've turned into my dad. He HATED cold...HATED. The fact that he paid for ski trips each Christmas for about a decade still makes for a fun discussion each time my brothers and I get together.

For the record I think I have finally bought into my dad's idea of a good life. The kids and grand kids playing on the beach...me? Lying on a couch in an air-conditioned room sleeping. Bliss.

Instead I get to pay my dues this weekend. I have scarves, layers of clothes, and a really cool heater fueled by those Coleman bottles ready, willing, and able. I have two kids plus one wanting to race Woolly Worms which will sit idly on a string because it is so freaking COLD. I will finally have my family with me for the first time this year.

I feel warmer already,

Birthday Challenge!

2009-10-13T16:15:00.012-05:00

My sincerest apologies for the delay in getting these uploaded. I have no excuse other than our family passing around "the sickies" the past week and a half. True to typical form, Ben ends up with a "birthday month" culminating in our family's annual visit to the Woolly Worm Festival this weekend in Banner elk, North Carolina. Our friends Rita & Peter Steidle have some furry critters in training for our three race teams so we're all getting excited!

I mentioned earlier in another post how special this year's Challenge Day was for our family. Not only was it a wonderful occasion to reflect upon having our son and brother reach 10 years of age but this was the first time Joan, Jessie, & my mother were able to attend special Olympics with him. They were not disappointed!

The following are just a few of the photos they captured from their trip to Bob Jones University. Once again I want to commend and thank those folks for welcoming the kids of the Washington Center to their campus. It is an amazing experience and I would encourage all of our readers to either attend or volunteer for one of these some day.

After the opening ceremony MeMa (my mom) yells so loud that she gets Ben's attention. He looked directly at his family and they got this response! Andrea, one of his new friends poses with him.

Let the games begin! Andrea and Brittany help facilitate Ben's activities.

As you can see Ben had a blast!

Ben has a need for speed.

The faster the better for Ben.

Ben receives his bling!

Parents and BJU students cheer the athletes during the Parade of Champions!

And on the Seventh Day...

2009-10-07T12:26:00.003-05:00

...you will find us at Hopeful Parents! That is my regular date of each month to contribute to our on-line community of folks living with, caring for, praying about, and just plain loving someone special. If you haven't joined us yet then come on over. Every one is welcome! Plus we have a brand new discussion forum where folks can talk about issues, ask questions, get ideas, or just swap interesting stories.

By the way, I haven't totally forgotten about Ben's birthday. Suffice it to say he is having a birthday week even though Friday was indeed a special day for him, Joan, and Jessie. There are pictures I will soon share that shows just how much he enjoys his school's annual Challenge Day! So head on over to HP today and come back here to visit tomorrow!

Birthday Eve!

2009-10-01T14:19:00.004-05:00

As we prepare for a milestone tomorrow I've had the opportunity to reflect upon almost ten years of life with Ben. You can find my thoughts today over at Hopeful Parents! My hope is to share more later this weekend about our son's tenth birthday but alas, I will be working in Hendersonville, NC the next three days. Most likely we will have a family celebration sometime next week. Don't worry though - Ben will indeed have a special day tomorrow.

Each year about this time a local college hosts Ben's school for Challenge Day. That is their name for the Special Olympics. In 2009 it just so happens to fall on our son's birthday. We're letting Jessie skip school tomorrow so she and Joan for the first time get to watch Ben participate! I'm sure we'll have lots of pictures to share over the next few days.

In the mean time Ben is resting up for Challenge Day...

Another Farewell to a Special Friend

2009-09-30T18:37:00.004-05:00

When we began our journey into exceptional living we realized very quickly how some incredibly talented and gifted individuals who mean so very much to Ben's progress (and to us as a family) would have to move on due to career opportunities or life changes. I'll have to admit that for us this is one of the downsides of our situation. Our family has been very, very fortunate in that most of the care-givers in Ben's life have been absolutely awesome - in fact going well beyond the expected in helping our son to achieve significant goals. Once again, one of those special to us has moved on with her career.

Dawn Floyd began working with Ben about two years ago. He made a terrific connection with her almost immediately - not only is she blond and a gorgeous lady, she was single at the time! My boy knows how to flirt with the best!

In all seriousness we (he) will truly Miss Dawn. Ben has probably made more therapeutic progress in the past two years with Dawn and his PT Mark than in any other period during his life. And it seemed Ben knew that this would be Dawn's last visit with him at least for now. Message from Ben to Dawn: "Come visit me soon! You know how much I love you!"

Greetings from Kiawah Island

2009-09-28T13:32:00.008-05:00

Yeah, I wish I were there too but at the moment I'm spending a few hours vegetating with Ben - resting my weary bones from the busy weekend at Duluth, Georgia's Fall Festival. Despite having part of Saturday rained out the rest of the weekend was an overall success. And thanks to my dear friends, artists, and hosts - Cher & Rick Austin - I was able to save lodging expenses while enjoying the relaxation of their incredible home. I'm also happy to report that no fire ants were seen (except for the few that traveled with me in my van who met their untimely demise shortly after it was unloaded).

So as you go about your Monday activities enjoy these photographs sent to my mother last week via her real estate agent. Then close your eyes and rekindle the memories of that trip to the beach or the lake or that special place where you relaxed this past summer. I promise you'll feel better.

Conner & Claire

2009-09-23T15:45:00.001-05:00

Before I introduce you to these amazing siblings let me encourage you to pass this along in any way, shape or form. My hope is that this blog post goes viral like no other that I've posted. Conner & Claire's parents are dear friends of mine from college days.

Via Facebook we have been reacquainted after many years apart. It was simply amazing to discover how similar our families' journeys after the births of our second children. Lynne (mom) and I often talk about how amazingly mature our eldest became due to the circumstances of their younger siblings.

Conner is once again leading the charge to raise awareness but more importantly money by participating in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk. At the end of this entry you'll find a direct link to donate money on Claire's behalf. I think you'll be amazed at the determination, strength, and most importantly the love within this family!

The following is just part of their story but I would encourage you to read this first.

Lynne: "Claire is a Leukemia survivor and while that is not all she is, it is a big part of what has defined who she has become. She was eighteen months old when she was diagnosed with her cancer and underwent 2 ½ years of chemotherapy.She never saw it as anything but normal and she will tell you today that she would rather have an IV than a strep test. While she has survived the Leukemia we are always watching to make sure that the long-term side effects of such intensive treatment do not appear.

Just how far have we come? We walked for the first time in the fall of 2000. There were 5 people on our team and Conner set a fund-raising goal of 500 dollars. He raised over 1,300 that year.

In 2001 he began to attend the planning and logistics meetings...as a committee member. In 2002 he began to challenge some of the corporate teams and won. He still challenges and beats most of them. He also began to run the Coke wagon for the walk, no small task for a child of 8.

At the 2004 walk we had thunder and rain but every registered member of our team showed up to walk. In 2005 we thought the weather could not be worse than the previous year but it was. Yet the film crew that makes the national promotional videos came and taped our team for the official 2006 video used nationwide. That year he also publicly challenged the number 2 corporate team saying our team of friends and family could raise more money than their corporation. And we did.

In 2007 the walk site moved and the walk itself was held so early in the evening that the illuminated balloons did not show up, it was still light out. So Conner started an e-mail campaign and got our walk time moved back so we could walk again at dusk. In 2008 we again were the number one team both in funds raised and walkers. Of the 3,500 people attending and the $300,000 raised our team had over 100 members and raised almost 8,000 dollars."

Over all these years Conner has personally done most of the fund-raising for his team. Now he needs your help to make his last goal a reality. This will be Conner's last year raise funds for the walk. His goal? To be able to say that his team, a small tightly knit group of friends and family, has raised over 100,000 dollars for cancer research. If Conner were to achieve it the accomplishment would take place before this young man, amazing brother, and shining example to other young people has attended his first day of high school!

To reach Conner & Claire's fund-raising page go here.

Information about the national campaign can be found at Light the Night's website.

To find out more about research, the search for a cure, or just to check out facts go to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's page.

And Conner, you already have a bunch of folks here South Carolina rooting for you!

You Know I've Always Said Savannah Rocks!

2009-09-22T16:59:00.006-05:00

Well if I haven't lately then let me say it once again. Savannah, Georgia ROCKS! Just in case you don't quite notice or have forgotten, the mixed media official artwork used by the Savannah Waterfront Association for next spring's Fine Arts on the river was created by somebody who blogs here quite often. Thanks again Kenny & Felicia!

Click on the image for a closer view.

Rainy Days & Mondays

2009-09-21T13:31:00.003-05:00

Once again an apology is due for the length between blog posts. The last three weeks have been incredibly busy! I've just completed the third of seven straight weekends of shows. The first two were absolutely fantastic - the third which took place here in my home town? Not so much. More about that later.

Ben has been fairly healthy for the most part. Most of his issues have been lung related due to the arrival of hay fever season. Although there are longer more difficult to pronounce names for his breathing problems it is simple enough to say Ben is asthmatic. So to combat the sniffles and sneezes we administer more nebulizer treatments.

Along with the seasonal allergy issues our nursing has been rather sporadic at times over the past month. that leaves me covering those days that we don't have someone to care for Ben...which cuts into my studio time...which ultimately puts me behind painting canvases. Fortunately my most despised nemesis at our nursing provider has left that agency while one of our most favorite care-givers in Ben's life has taken the position! Things are finally getting back to somewhat normal.

Both of our kids have returned to school. In fact Jessie has been back almost a month now and I have to say we are once again pleased with her work habits and attitude. This has paid off in her and a few more of her classmates getting the opportunity to take the ACT and SAT tests this year - in the seventh grade! I have no idea where she inherited her gift of learning from but we are just thrilled that she has it. As we like to say around here, "You go girl!"

So while I continue to dry out from this past weekend's show have as good a Monday as possible. I'll be back tomorrow to discuss how rain, fire ants, and art don't mix. Also look forward to reading about another amazing sibling duo, the son and daughter of a wonderful couple I know from college days. I promise it'll be worth your time to learn about Conner & Claire.

The Question

2009-09-08T23:29:00.010-05:00

To Facebook or not to? It's a question of Shakespearean proportions with a resolution that only Ophelia might appreciate. Moi, deleting my Facebook account? It just might happen. I blame it on my friend Lynne. She's the one who got me thinking all Hamlet-like today.

You see we're sort of on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Lynne would say that I'm "liberal" while I would argue that I'm just realistic. I would call her "conservative" while she'd say she is just sensible. In reality I'd like to believe our bureaucratic clocks are just set to 10 and 2 which between the two of us are good times to share a Dr. Pepper and talk about life, love, camping, flaming thongs and whatnot. Most recently those conversations have revolved around more tragic themes like health-care, the economy, and the state of the nation. While dialogue is generally a good thing, Lynne and I have both recently noticed that whatever discussions popping up around many of our friends' status updates that involve politics have grown increasingly bitter and angry. And while those emotions aren't necessarily always bad the tendency toward violent reactions has definitely become quite disturbing. Now that genuinely is bad thing no matter how you analyze or interpret it.

I hand it to Lynne for being cool-headed enough to make a stand today. As much as I know how difficult it is for her she pledged to the best of her ability to refrain from initiating or responding or replying in any way, shape, or form to politcal discussions on Facebook. I snickered to myself.

But after a heated verbal exchange I was involved in this evening based on an article from (go ahead and laugh) the New York Post I'm no longer giggling under my breath. My dear friend has a valid point. In her words: "There is enough anger in the world, I don't need it in my life." Amen and amen.

The Facebook experience used to fun. I truly enjoyed catching up with old friends and keeping up with those I only get to see a few times a year. Getting to see pictures of children I have only heard about is still a real treat. Reading the quick blurbs of folks going about their daily lives can range from the remarkable to downright hilarious. That was the charm and hook of the original FB participation.

But some time within the past year things have changed and changed for the worse. Posts have increasingly become a cheer-leading opportunity for one's own political agenda. We can all blame some one or some thing. The economy, my guy got elected and yours didn't, the President will indoctrinate our kids, attend our Tea Party, no socialized health-care, and on and on and on.

Let's face it, by continuing to prop up our own religious politico beliefs in such a profound way on a website intended to build social communities we are actually doing the opposite of why joined in the first place. Ultimately we are alienating those that we love and care about because we are expressing things we probably wouldn't dare be chatting about were we sitting down with a cup of coffee trading the latest vacation pictures. Deep down we all have to realize that by plastering the latest media story on our pages only those that we already know have like beliefs are going to respond like we want them - you are not going to change those deep down heartfelt personal convictions of those that disagree with you. All you are realistically going to do is piss somebody off that you love and care about.

So I have taken my friend's pledge to heart and I am now vowing to to the same. I will try and do my best to refrain from responding to any political post from here on out. And I absolutely refuse to update my status with anything likewise because I really, really miss Lynne hijacking my inane threads.

Call us the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Facebook. We maybe unimportant in the large scheme of things but perhaps together we'll get a good message across regardless. And thanks Lynne for leading the way.

Labor of Love Day

2009-09-07T16:35:00.003-05:00

It's that time of the month again (no not that one). Me and Ben hang out with our friends over at Hopeful Parents on the 7th of each month. This month's post is directly from Ben! Okay, I may have helped a little.

We hope you visit Hopeful Parents not just on the day we write but as often as possible. The site is quickly growing into a wonderful community of folks who have a compassion for exceptional children and loved ones. Even if you are just a casual reader here you absolutely belong to our larger "neighborhood" so I encourage you to head over there and join! You'll find links to our Facebook and Twitter pages plus a brand new forum where you can participate in discussions or ask questions related to our site.

Also I apologize for the late post today but I just rolled into town from Labor Day Weekend on the River in Savannah, Georgia. If you follow us on Facebook then you'll already know that my birthday on Saturday was highlighted by having one of my best day of sales in a long time! I'll be writing more about that tomorrow. See you then!

A Phone Call to MeMa

2009-09-02T12:42:00.002-05:00

We had one of those special weekends a few days ago - the kind which you just don't want it to end. This despite hosting two of Jessie's 12-year-old BFFs on a sleepover. This despite spending an afternoon in the local indoor air-conditioned mall (I despise malls). This despite having to watch the movie Coraline three times within a 24 hour period (I love that something really weird happened to Tim Burton in his childhood).

Perhaps it was knowing that starting this weekend I won't have another weekend off until early November. Maybe it's because we know the summer of 2009 is winding down and we want to make the most of these last few weeks. Also it was a definite pleasure to have a surprise visit from one of my brothers. Most likely it's that Ben has been absolutely wild lately, making incredible progress in therapies and just loving life.

Both our children are growing fast and furious at the moment. Having a fun three days like we did allows us to take one of those rare snapshots and enjoy the pause between the episodes of life. In fact I wanted to post these thoughts Monday but have been too bummed to share them! Even for me it always seems that it's easiest to hear those grinding gears moving the circle of life on the first day of the week.

Enjoy Ben's conversation with his grandmother - it's mostly one-sided.

Wagon Wheel

2009-08-29T11:14:00.002-05:00

I found this gem of a live performance of one of the best Americana bands around. This is one of those songs that I could play over and over and never get tired of it. Enjoy!

New Paintings from the SoulShiner

2009-08-27T17:52:00.009-05:00

I've kept busy during my off weeks in August. Despite my inventory unexpectedly not getting depleted I have the need to slap paint on a canvas. And as I said in the previous post I just can't seem to tap into Mick Jagger's need to "paint it black."

Yes, there are two pieces that are a bit more serious because I included some interesting quotes for a change but the passion for color obviously overwhelms me. But it kind of pisses me off that when troubles are mounting I continue to produce really decent work. I also find it strange how much I fancy Vincent Van Gogh's work and embrace the dark side his many "isolation" works. Most everyone unfamiliar with his background view his darkest themes as cheerful! Perhaps I should do a self-portrait sans an ear to reach a more serious side of me? Maybe that's the surface I've been scratching for 25 years now.

These are just few of the things I've completed and I'm working on another half dozen paintings...

"Good Day, Sunshine!"
I think this is like 18" x 24"? I could be wrong because I keep working on this guy.

"Perry the Pelican, Jr."
24" x 36" commission (right side)

"Petie & Penny the Pelicans"
24" x 36" commission (left side)

"Peace"
24" x 30" canvas

"Peace Too"
24" x 30" canvas

"Flamingo Flirts"
24" x 36" canvas

"Flip Flops"
16" x 20" canvas panel