I was going to post a fancy widget I found tonight, which described me in pictures (was better than that sounds), until my computer chucked a spaz & left me with only the boring pages I had up, so I've lost it.

Instead:  I actually had enough sleep last night, albeit broken to answer a couple calls of nature.

It's surprising what I dream about when I have enough sleep!

Sometimes if I sleep during the afternoon (this doesn't happen often) I actually dream of ... s e ...!

Well, some time this morning, after I'd crossed that line when I actually had enough sleep (that rarely happens) I dreamt that I was sitting at an outside table, under an umbrella, & I believe I was both smoking a joint & drinking alcohol at the same time!

This was truly shocking behaviour for me!

I have never even had one puff of an ordinary cigarette, in real life!  I am anti drugs, apart from caffeine, which I enjoy in chocolate.

A couple of times in my life I have dreamt that I've had a puff of a cigarette, & have been so disappointed at breaking my clean record!

I don't drink alcohol either, unless you count the miniscule amount that _might_ be in my lemon lime & bitters drinks, which I have when I'm dining out.

So for me to be doing both of these illicit (to me) things in my dream, it makes me wonder how to interpret it?  Is it that lately I've been sensing that freedom is possibly in my near future, whole new options, together with the yearning for pleasure & happiness & fun?

NB:  drugs are _not_ fun, the pleasure is temporary, & they're just not worth a try, in case you're gullible.

There's no place like home!  There are few beds as comfortable as my own, it seems.  I could do exactly what I wanted, when I wanted to do it, if I holidayed alone...but I expect I'd become lonely.

My ideal holiday:  luxurious & comfortable surroundings, sleeping in until I wake on my own every morning, going to the cinema, going out to dinner, (mainly window) shopping, going for drives through never-before-visited picturesque villages, visiting art galleries, and slowly driving by the most gorgeous mansions we can find.

I didn't get one sleep in, thanks at times & in part to my loud five year old niece and/or early waking toddler nephew!  None of the beds, in the three places I stayed, were comfortable!

I did, however, go to the cinema (once), we did dine out several times (Indian, Chinese/Vietnamese, & Thai), & my daughter & I did visit an art gallery in Dayboro, which is only a 45 minute drive from the Brisbane CBD.  We particuarly admired the work of Hungarian man, Bela Grof.  I loved his bright colourful roosters, & my daughter wanted his series of three zebras.

My parents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on the 6th, & with their party of about 60 guests on Easter Sunday, at their farm.  I spent most of the time making & serving punch.  I like to use pineapple juice, lots of ginger ale, & some lemonade whn making my punch . 

Mum has quite a green thumb, & the butterflies were partying too, but these photos don't adequately illustrate their great number:

 

 

We left the party early, in time for the Easter (chocolate) egg hunt with the young cousins at the other farm.  Cadbury  are my favourite chocolate makers. 

In Brisbane we stayed in Auchenflower, overlooking the Brisbane river, for three nights.  I bought our daughter's formal (senior prom) dress at The Mask, at Broadway on the Mall, Brisbane.  It was expensive, more than twice what my weddng dress cost in 1989!  (We had a shoestring wedding.)   It's full length, red, low cut, with a low back under which is a decorative bit of silvery glitz.  There's a tie/bow on one shoulder, & two others at the back.  We're thinking silver high heeled strappy sandals.

While the other three were shopping in City Beach, I sat in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall & people watched, for over an hour.  There were hardly any well dressed people, & nearly all of those who were both well dressed & well groomed were just dressed that way for business anyhow, so there's no guarantee they'd look good outside of work.  An ibis scavenged in a bin near me:

There were catfish swimming around in an open pond inside the Carindale Shopping Centre, which I walked around in on Thursday:

While at Carindale I bought myself an adjustable table easel from an art & craft supply shop.

In Mooloolaba for two nights, we stayed in one of the rooftop towers of Nautilus, not far from the beach.  We had our own private open air rooftop jacuzzi & bbq area.  This is one of the views from it:

Now I'm Home Sweet Home again, where it's still so hot that I'm perspiring under the ceiling fan while I type, despite the fact that it's the middle of Autumn (Fall)!

This is something which means a lot to me:

 

It's actually the first time I have been paid for one of my original artworks! 

(confidential details blurred of course)

You're surprised, probably.

You most likely thought that I had sold lots of paintings by now?

Well, despite the fact that my art has been in several art exhibitions, none of those exhibitions has been outside my small rural town in Queensland, Australia.

Even though lots of lovely people have seen my paintings online, & locally, & have sent me positive comments about them, it seems that liking my art, & buying my art, are two different things!

I'm thinking of adding more details to my online art gallery, such as size/dimensions, price,  perhaps "Buy Now" buttons from Paypal (!), & maybe a few words explaining what inspired me to create each piece (if I can fit all that on the page somehow).

Would that encourage YOU to buy?

What would prompt YO U to actually "show me the money"?

(please comment, or send me a tmail)

....................

Happy Easter!

Here's an Easter picture for your child/grandchild to colour!

I'll be away for a week & a half, but don't fret:  I'll be back!