layer

Happy (?) Illustration Friday on Saturday! This week's prompt is "layer".

So I was thinking... hmmm... "layer"... and the images of flower petals and waterfalls and mountain ranges and desserts were swimming in my brain. But there was one particular image that, for some crazy *ahem* reason, kept persisting, so I decided to just indulge and create that one.

Besides, the voices said I should.

.

how will I tell the milkman?

Okay, so we know how I got that world's bravest crossing guard job a little over a month ago. A little background:

This particular school crossing is a notoriously dangerous one in our area. It's 5 to 6 lanes of popular east/west commuter route. A reduced speed zone of about 350 feet is in place during the morning and afternoon school commute times.

But still, they speed.

Despite the fluourscent green signs, despite the white stuff painted on the roads, despite the flashing lights... they speed. I didn't realize how bad it was until I became world's bravest crossing guard.

And it's not just the pedestrian kids to worry about. Naturally, there is noticable increased motor traffic during before and after school. Many left turns a-happening into and out of the street leading to the school. In my short time there, I have witnessed many near misses and am actually surprised to have not yet had an actual incident.

The school safety committee has squeaked the police department's wheel plenty of times to give a little help. They are certainly sympathetic, but with budget cuts and such, they can only do so much. And frankly, I'd just as soon they put murderers, rapists and child molesters as a higher priority anyway.

That said, they do occassionally drive by my post a couple of times during duty. This helps a bit, but this afternoon... Oh THIS AFTERNOON, a couple of totally hawt motorcycle cops came over and set up shop at the side street just across the street from me. Yeah, you know 'em. Black shiny helmets, black cool motorcycle cop jackets, shiny white Harley's... oh baby.

Within 3 minutes, they'd each nabbed a criminal.

As if that wasn't sweet enough, one was an SUV, the other, ... omg omg... a minivan. MINIVAN!

And I am suddenly maddeningly overflowingly bursting with love.
.

sweater

I'm a day behind this week, so it's Illustration Friday on a Saturday on a Sunday! This week's prompt is "sweater".

I've reached the last page of my cutie pocket moleskine, so I drew this somewhat lonely looking girl bracing against the chill... for Valentine's day.

What's the story? Her boyfriend gave her that sweater before deploying overseas? Her boyfriend gave her that sweater before dumping her? Because she's pregnant?? Her boyfriend gave her that sweater before telling her that his wife is pregnant??? All of the above?

Whatever, it's a sweater. It's the end of a moleskine. Time to open another.
.

silver liningness

It's been a while since I did a thankfulness post, but that's not to say I'm an ungrateful person! A few things I'm thankful for as of late:

First of all, with the new job, I'm enjoying having my evenings and weekends free. True, my days are not so free, but I've adjusted to the new schedule and this is way better. Oh, I like the job and my coworkers too.... AND the veritable non-commute.

This past week, with the deep freeze, we got two "snowdays", although they were more cancellations due to cold moreso than snow, but I'll take them. It was kind of nice to have two days to be holed up in the house and get caught up on stuff.

It was also nice when the warmer temperatures returned.

And through my trips to go visit my mom, I discovered that the little Diamond Shamrock gas station down the road has the BEST coffee ever! You can have your $tarbuck$, I'm now a Diamond Shamrock Premium Blend girl, myself.

On that note, my mom is doing better. She's not back home yet, but she's moved to the rehabilitation wing/building where she is to get more physical therapy so as to become self-sufficient and to return to independent living.

And on THAT note, I'm going to go outside now and shovel some snow... because I can!
.

reverse

Happy Illustration Friday on Saturday once again! This week's prompt is "reverse", so naturally I drew some emos.

In case you're wondering what emos have to do with "reverse", I ask you to read it again.

Some Emos.

Now read it in reverse. YES, it's a palindrome. Oh, too fun.

As always, your amusing comments are this drawer's reward.

Didya see it?? "drawer's reward"?!?

(okay, I'll shut up now...)

.

wife beater

Day two of the siege. Yep, it's still too cold to go to school, but things are looking up. The forecast is calling for a high temperature of 5 degrees ABOVE zero, with windchills ONLY down to minus 25 or so. Whoo, turn on the AC!

Strangely, there's not a whole lot of snow around. Sort of a too-cold-to-snow storm. I ventured out last night to get a few groceries. About froze my face off walking through the parking lot. It was strangely painful, unlike any cold face I've experienced before. I can only imagine the pleasant expression that must have accompanied the experience.

And I did get caught up on a fair amount of my domestic aspirations too, but there's always more where those came from. I managed to scratch a few sketches in the sketchbook too, including this one.
Well.... toldya it was cold!

The "maintenance req'd" light came on in our little beater Honda Civic last night during my grocery run. I'd like to get it into the shop today, but am waiting for the temperature to go up. Magnum normally uses that car to drive to work, but he took the "good car" - the 12-year-old Subaru - instead.

I'm reminded of my love/hate relationship with cars. Great to have when you need them, and I do tend to "befriend" them, perceiving their different personalities and such, but they can be a pain to maintain as they get older.

My mom is still convalescing in the hospital, and I may be driving her home when she does eventually get discharged, a round trip of about 300 miles. Which crap car to use?

I actually think the Subaru's in pretty good shape. It does have over 100K miles on it, but it's been a good car and I'd by another. It's just that I don't want anything to crap out while I'm driving my elderly mother.

I guess I'll burn that bridge when I get there.

.

ogres have layers

At least they'd better if they live in Colorado! Dang, it's colder than a witch's... well.... it's really cold outside. We just checked, and the temperature has "climbed" to a balmy minus 8, winchill of minus 35. Frostbite will occur in about 15 minutes according to my windchill chart. Good thing I'm currently reading yet another crazy arctic exploration book to keep things in perspective.

So, we're having us a snowday. Chaco took advantage of the non-obligation morning. He's since gotten up, showered, breakfasted, and spit on the front porch to see how soon it would freeze. He's unaware that I snapped the above photo. I'll spare you the frozen saliva.

Wolfgang and Meego were up just a little before Chaco. It's amazing what a short amount of time it takes them to trash the kitchen.

I welcome the day off. With the "Mom situation", I've fallen a bit behind in the day-to-dayness. Not only that, but this is no kinda weather to be playing crossing guard. And I think I'll fit in a fair amount of playtime, with my art toys

...because I can. Thank you, Mother Nature.
.