Art, Moose Spottings, and Sloth! Lots of Sloth!

8:21 a.m.

We have declared today to be a "we refuse to leave the house" day. And it is going to be good. We have many snacks, including cold chicken, mint chocolate chip ice cream, tiny Snickers bars, and cheese dip. We have wine and beer and Diet Sunkist. We have episodes of Futurama, Animaniacs, and Duck Tales. We have an exhausted dog and two bad kitties who aren't allowed outside because some sort of cat plague is going around. (Yes, the newspaper really did say "plague.") I have an unread Vogue and the book I've been trying to finish all summer.

The last week/month has been EXHAUSTING.

Saturday was the art fair. I was terrified, terrified, and worked all summer to get my shit together. I was stressed, I had nightmares, I had doubts. Saturday morning as we loaded our vehicles I even started crying and blubbered, "Why am I even BOTHERING? No one will buy ANYTHING" and it was all very stupid and I am lame. But we went, got everything set up, and then, to my extreme surprise, had an AWESOME DAY. The first people to come look said about fifty bajillion nice things about my art, and that's how it went the rest of the day. And! I sold things! Several pieces. Even the four feet square painting. And Monk came! And people would look at my art and actually laugh out loud at the silly monsters I paint. Belly laughs! My ego grew three sizes that day. (You know, like the Grinch's heart, but with a much less positive and warm message.)

So, that was good. I got asked a lot "Why are you in WYOMING?" Which was fun.

It was a good, exhausting, wonderful day. And I made enough money to pay for over half my new computer.

I WENT TO ART SCHOOL.

I wanted to tell you a lot more, about all the dogs there and about the crazy people at the leather booth next to us and about the guy who was wasted dancing by himself in front of the stage when the local rock band played, and about going to the bar to play darts and celebrate but instead I kept falling asleep, and about how awesome it is to do something you love and have people be positive about it, but we have to move on.

At this point my writing is going to become completely lazy, and I'm okay with that.

So Sunday we cleaned the house a lot so Justin's parents don't think we live in squalor.

And Monday I worked all day and then we drove down to Estes Park and stayed in a hotel room with Justin's parents and uncle. And then we followed them on their motorcycles around Estes Park Tuesday. I don't remember much from this day--it is as if it is GONE, seriously, but Justin bought me a kachina doll from a guy in a gas station parking lot. Not a Hopi one, because those were 300 bucks. We drove and drove, and Tuesday evening we got back here, and ate Mexican food.

Wednesday we followed the motorcycles through Snowy Range, and we took the dog. The dog got to splash around in a mountain lake. It was Exciting. Also, it was Beautiful and Peaceful. Then we drove to this random bar in the middle of nowhere, and Monk got to come inside. There was a bar dog, Willie, and Monk and Willie fell in love. There was much crotch sniffing and genital licking. Willie stole the dog biscuit the bartender gave Monk, though, so I don't know how healthy their relationship was. Maybe Monk likes abusive men, I don't know. Willie was about one-third the size of Monk, we should keep that in mind. Way to be a gigantic pansy, Monk! (Monk later ate french fries and part of a cheeseburger. Take that, Willie! That's what happens when you steal a biscuit from your new boyfriend! Jerk.) Then we drove all the way back.

And! On the way back I spotted a MOOSE! And I yelled something like "OH! I JUST SAW A MOOSE!" So we pulled over and walked back to where the moose was (trust me, we were at a super respectful distance because moose? are HUGE) and took some photos. Then a bajillion cars stopped and there were a lot of kids running around excited about the moose, and the moose left.

And I felt so fancy! And hawk-eyed! For seeing a moose! I clearly am a stealthy and skilled predator. Beware!

BEWARE.

So we drove back, and the Jeep sounded terrible, and my car always sounds terrible, which spawned a night of discussing how We Need to Buy a New Car. Also I possibly told Monk, "Hey Monk, this is what we do every day when we leave you at home. We go to the mountains, we play in lakes, we see other dogs, and we eat burgers! Every day! And you stay at home!"

I'm a terrible pet owner. Simply awful.

Thursday morning the parents left on the motorcycles, and I got a frantic call from work. You know, because my boss's dog had surgery this week so she's been gone and it's a long story that you really don't care about and I really don't either, so...yeah. So work was sort of annoying, and the whole week was very tiring and at times INCREDIBLY, STUPIDLY STRESSFUL, and at times very fun, and I am just happy it is all over and no one spit on my artwork or lost an eye from a random bullet or drove off a mountain cliff or was gored by an exasperated moose cow.

And now, I am ready to begin a very full day of inactivity, and it will be delightful.

Inactivity + Futurama + Ice Cream + Cold Fried Chicken + Pets + Justin = Best Day Ever

Photos soon.

Lurve,
black sheep