It definitely did rise.

Dear sisters,
It has been a little while. Sometimes things move so fast there is nothing to say. Sometimes things move so slow there is nothing to say. Sometimes silence is a wholesome thing. And sometimes, you are just waiting for the sun to rise and emphasise that it is once again a beautiful spring day. Like one of those cherry blossoms everywhere kind of days. Like today.

Driving onto the ring I picked up a hitch hiker who hadn't written a sign; he didn't need to, I knew he wanted to go to Holland. I also needed a navigator and he had a friendly face. It turns out he lives with his wife in a self built wagon drawn by two Shire horses, they travel all over France and are living not far from our Normandy refuge in an organic orchard. How funny is that? They had even had a similarly disturbing experience at the same spot as I did by a huge white statue on a cliff... We had a lot to talk about and he even gave me a porcelain house. No room for those in house-carts! The woman in Gorinchem I delivered the works to has a parrot. I have been looking for a parrot to photograph for months, and I wanted to do it with a boy in the picture. My hitch hiker friend posed with his hands. Since he knows horses there was something going on with his hands. (I have the distinct suspicion I had a nature boy in my car...he left some good vibes behind...) The parrot's name is Tarzan. We spent some time feeding banana chips to Tarzan. As you do. My instant travel companion had picked me some flowers; when we tipped out the coffee from my flask it became the 'auto bouquet'. He fed me a sandwich and some 'pinksterbloemen' which you can eat, very spicy, fresh, tangy. And some wild garlic. I was so delighted for it was only a couple of days before that I was telling my roommate how I wished I could have a vase of flowers on my table to eat from. Ask and ye shall receive.

A wonderful singing lesson involving singing in a tube whilst placing one tube against an ear (very complex stuff this) which made me realise, after quite some time, you can sing through your face (do try this at home) although I have always 'known' this, I have never known this. I delivered another work to a place nearby, where, when I came back to ask for assistance in getting out of the carpark, I happened to catch the receptionist trying to look inside the package which she was not really supposed to do. Funny that the woman looked like the artist who made the piece. Then, a walk on the beach with an old school friend from 22 years ago, whom I recently met again, turned into a two hour trek on barefoot after we kicked off our shoes for the full San-Francisco-China-town-foot-massage-defying experience. We rounded it off with Mexican food as the sun went down on the sea and it only began to rain lightly as we made it to our respective cars...a spring rain which smells ever so sweetly.
Love from
S2

Catching up

Dear sisters,

Yes, a little quiet on the front.


I have been to Texas again, hot and humid this time, for five days to give D some much needed female support. Annette came too.

Our days revolved around the visits to the hospital to see D the invincible, who is still very sick.




The rumor was buzzing around the hospital that we were escorting the patient in a wheelchair OUTSIDE the building. The normal thing would be to take him by ambulance the 800m down the road for his radiation treatment. The second day they sent a student nurse to watch this strange procession of a patient in his wheelchair, his hospital robe flapping in the hot breeze, one determined blonde lady pushing fast up the ramps, followed by a grey headed one trotting behind, carrying three handbags (that's me) and the other blond running beside the wheelchair ready to support D, if he happened to fall asleep during the trip, which he did occasionally.





In between we assisted D. the Pool Champion with much needed retail therapy. I visited a Wal Mart for the first time, we did the rounds of Target and I got acquainted with Steve & Barry's, selling Sarah Jessica Parkers line of clothing, Bitten, a dream for every budget shopper, the new me, because every single item is $ 8.95. We went twice.



D gave us a a frownie every night to retrain our wrinkles. We are not gettting younger, you know.

While we were there we saw D, the Invincible improve steadily, which made us optimistic. His smile made us jump with joy. We are hoping it had something to do with the female attention. If so, we will be flying more in.





Jippie's six birthday came and went. His best birthday, so far he says. He had a Pokemon sleepover party. Four of his friends came, ate pizza, watched Pokemone movies, made a lot of noise entertaining themselves, dropped at 11.30 p.m. and were up demanding pancakes for breakfast at 6.15 am. I have removed the last half licked lollipop stuck to the carpet in a corner somewhere. It went smoothly.




Last weekend we were in the car by 8.30 am on Saturday to go to Baker Beach for a workout. Kids played on the beach, while we did lunges in the sand. So by ten, we had exercised and walked the kids, all with a view of the GG Bridge. We were very pleased with ourselves.


Love S1

Reckless behavior, listening in on conversations and wondering about the swingers scene, in no particular order

Dear sisters,

Loved the pictures. I think Yeti looks very good in his hoovering coat.

Last week I woke up with a funny feeling. I have lost my sense of purpose. It was the first week in nearly eight months that I did not have to turn up for a doctors appointment, treatment or blood withdrawal and read out-dated travel magazines in waiting rooms. I wandered aimlessly through the week, a bit like this post.




1. While I was visiting Isabelle and her house with the garden, I spent a few minutes wondering about her mysterious neighbors, she has never seen. The front of the house showcases a fine collection of replica Greek and Roman statues, the drive is permanently filled with at least fifteen cars of all shape, size and age, and the garden, what we can see of it, has two large blue marquee tents set up in it. I am guessing this is the hub of the South Peninsula swingers scene. I will let you know if we ever find out.




2. I was at the Mission police station. I had been given a ticket, because my back brake light didn't work, and I had to have it fixed and signed off by a police officer, to avoid a fine. There was someone in line just in front of me. He looked like he was in his early fifties. It was a sunny day. He was wearing a dark suit and tie, with a long dark overcoat. He was balding on top, neatly cut around the edges, flower pot style;

(names have been altered to protect the innocent)

- "Hello, my name is Father Daniels, this is my id card" he said to the officer, "I want to report a theft"

- "Where did the theft take place?" the officer asked.

- "From my room. 407 Valencia, Morning Sun Hotel."

- "That would be a burglary report, sir. An officer will have to come to the scene of the crime."

- "I am trying to make my way over to the East Bay to see my old mother today, can I make an appointment?"

- "No, when you get home you will have to ring the station and you will be put on a wait list."

- "I don't have a phone."

- "All right, when you return, come by the station and explain you don't have a phone, and that you would like to be put on the wait list and then wait at home."

" There are two women I have become close to in SF, I think they are victims of blackmail and extortion, and they are stealing from me to pay of their blackmailers.."

"Sir, did you understand what I just said?'

- "Yes, yes, I should come by on my way home"

- "Lisa Fernando and Grace Akosua, from Ghana. I lived together with one of the ladies -well not lived together - in the same hotel, and we became very close.."

- "Sir, if you come by on your way home, an officer will come to your home."

- "Yes, I will come by, thank you, goodbye."

The officer signed off on my ticket without checking my brake lights.




3. We dedicated our yoga practice to the homeless this week. While we were hanging upside down, the yoga teacher told us:

"Now, hang loose... that doesn't mean checking OUT, but really taking time to check IN".





4. I bought a rice cooker and have made rice three times.




5. My son's poem has been chosen to be read at the Art and & Literature night of his school this week. The students in his class had to think of a poem based on the letters of their first name.

Okay, don't blink, here it comes:

JELLY
ICE-CREAM
POPSICLE

Talent is bursting at its seams, I think you will agree. We are now working on the delivery of his poem. Being made to recite his poem might just turn out to be the most traumatic event of Jip's life, so far.





6. A and I had a romantic dinner out. It was a nice French restaurant but the service was so efficient we were in the cab again by 9.30 and in bed by 10.30 pm. My reckless behavior, referred to in the title, consisted of drinking caffeinated coffee after a meal, which left me staring at the ceiling from three a.m. onwards.



7. It has been hot in SF. We went out on Friday and drank on the roof of a building overlooking the city. A very rare occasion for it to be clear and warm after dark. It doesn't take more than two beer to make me feel tipsy nowadays, which is good for the budget. You may be interested to learn that A & I are looking into this concept "balancing the budget". It's simple once you know. It could catch on. The aim of the game is to spend less than you receive. Amazing. Did you know you CAN'T have your latte every day AND go out 3x, using a babysitter at $20 an hour AND that little item in the Sale AND go on holiday?

Well.


Lots of love,


S1

Silkscreen prints and Yeti style

Here are some of my latest creations on silkscreen holders found in the bin ! The faces are from a little book found for three dollars in a bookshop in San Fran , it keeps me inspired!
And here is the king of style himself the one and only Yeti with his grandad's raincoat that makes more noise than my hoover when in movement! All my love
S3

Asperges à la Flamande in London

Dear sisters,

Hooray indeed, one year of sisterblogging, long may it continue!!!

Check out Vegas Gallery in Shoreditch for the images of the exhibition I am in, “Against Nature” based loosely on the J-K Huysmans book “A Rebours”, one of my all-time favourites.

I was late booking sleek, speedy Eurostar who usually have my favour, so it was cheaper to fly on the tiny taxi plane from Antwerp’s tiny Deurne airport: 10 minutes’ drive from my house. The flight of 45 mins is about 7 songs long on your personal listening thing. It lands conveniently at London City Airport. Excellent service, no crowds, and as soon as we had landed, my luggage came out first!! Wow. The hostess kindly kept two of my paintings in the cabin in front, together with the diamond dealer’s secret suitcases. One painting was of three fake crystal juggler’s balls seen in Prague, so my works were in good company, jostling with gems as we took to the skies.


When I arrived I made Asperges à la Flamande. Also known as white gold, it is any kitchen alchemist’s dream. Everyone kept saying the vegetable looked phallic but the thought didn’t even enter my mind! Egyptian women used them as hair ornaments, actually. There is nothing like that vegetable melting in your mouth. Although it’s early in the season and the asparagus I brought had actually come from Peru, it was such a treat (with thanks for the recipe to my source on all things culinary after our mother, my friend F.) For desert we had blue cheese on toast with Sauternes wine, which fit well with the exhibition given the fact that I had painted rotting orchids and that the grapes used for this delicious drink have noble rot. The next day I had an acupuncture session which was delightful; even if the lady said she had never encountered a lady with such tense back muscles before. I got lost in Foyles, an amazing bookstore, so my bag home, although 5 paintings lighter, was a lot heavier than when I came. It was a good opening: lots of friends and a surprise visit which made me yelp for joy! It is a beautifully installed exhibition and the subject is deeply enigmatic.

Glad to see your hair is growing back in Spring, S1, just like we said it would. And S3, we really cannot wait much longer for your news.

Love from S2.