Friday, October 30, 2009

I have been lax, it seems, in updating my blog. I apologize to my loyal followers (and to the not-so-loyal ones, who actually won’t know that I’ve been so lax).

It’s not because not much has been happening, gosh no. We’ve had thanksgiving, there have been family issues, it’s nearly hallowe’en, and I had an interesting thing happen at the local Salvation Army Thrift Store.

I went in there, actually, on the morning of Thanksgiving dinner with my family. I had made a triple threat chocolate cheesecake and I needed a proper plate to put it on. It was so yummy. I layered it wrong, but it was gosh darn delicious.

Anyway. All the plates I have are not right for cheesecake. I did stop in at the antique store on the way to the Sally Ann, and they had a plate that was almost right, but not quite. I did promise to go back there and pick it up, once I got some cash, cuz all I had was my debit card, but I did not. Hopefully she won’t remember me the next time I go there. I also wanted a cute purse, that was made of mother of pearl, and had room for your lipstick and cigarettes, and came with a tiny little comb in it and everything… I should have gone back for the purse. Still regret not going. It was kind of like this but without those little jewels… sooooooo pretty… I have a bit of an obsession with purses. I think I’ll go back and see if it’s still there.

I looked in the Sally Ann store, and they did not have what I needed, but I took a look around the rest of the store anyway. At the store I frequent, they have auctions, usually on a monthly basis. Out of the stuff that’s donated, they put some of the really special things up for auction. Jewellery, antiques, art, that sort of thing. You may remember that my father was an artist, .

On the wall, in the area designated for auction I saw a familiar style of picture. Sure enough, when I went up closer to see the artist’s name, it was my father’s. My father was quite a prolific artist. Of the framed pieces my mother had after he died, there was enough to give to each one of my siblings (there are seven of us in total), and enough left over from that for my mother to have a living room that looks like an art gallery. (We all got one as a wedding gift, too, over the years.) I know that there are lots of pieces ‘out there in the world’. It was just such a shock to see this one hanging there.

I asked the salesgirl if she knew where this had come from, and she didn’t, it was just part of the donations that come daily to the store. (I think she got a little panicked, too, thinking that it had been donated by accident. If I’d been more on my feet, I would have said yes, maybe and got it for free.) I ended up bidding on it and winning the auction. Which was surreal. I think my dad would have gotten a good laugh about it. I had a second thought about it, thinking that maybe I should have let someone else win it in the auction, let someone else enjoy his talent, you know, I already have so many of his pieces. But then I worried about them not taking good enough care of it, I pictured it rotting away in someone’s basement. So, I think I feel good about having it. Just weird.

6 comments:

Kelly Polark said...

Monica, that is quite a find! Not many will appreciate his artwork like you. Enjoy it!!
(Did you ever find a plate for the cheesecake-which sounds delicious by the way. I am so not particular about serving dishes. I probably would have served it on a paper plate!)

Monica said...

No, i did not. i ended up borrowing something from my sister. The cheesecake is hella delicious.I don`t usually care about serving dishes, either, but it looked so good, it deserved something special.

I`m so happy i won the sketch in the auction, i would have been so bummed if i hadn`t. I feel like my dad was reaching out to me. I`m glad i answered.

Anita said...

You know how you're feeling about not getting the purse? I think you would have felt ten times worse about not bidding on the painting. Good for freaking you! Man, I'd like to see that painting.

Monica said...

i meant to post a picture of it, but my camera's not cooperating. You're right, Anita, i would have felt terrible about not getting the sketch.

Anita said...

I keep thinking I want to sketch and paint, but it's almost like I'm afraid to try...like I have these great pictures in my head of the things I'd do, and then the actual product wouldn't look anything like the pictures in my head and I'd feel like a failure.

Monica said...

same with me, Anita. I always think of how i would draw things, how i'd love to paint with watercolours.. but i'm so afraid to do it badly. My father used to say he just looked at things, and put them down on paper. His mind, his eyes, are what he drew with, his hands were merely the tools.