NEW BABIES

I have always wanted more babies though I stopped after 2 boys. Making these softies are like having more babies, endless babies. They are so much fun to make - my housework is so neglected.

A DAY LIKE ROMAN HOLIDAY

I had a great day the other day and at the end of the day I told my husband it was just like a day in "Roman Holiday". He nodded and smile. Not that he really understood what I meant but he can see I was clearly in a good mood. My day started well, make up in place, hair did exactly as I wanted it, I did not look fat in my clothes, my favorite songs played on the radio on my drive to work, everybody was so pleased to see me at work, met nice people and strangers smiled at me at the store. For a second I was paranoid that maybe I had my knickers on the outside. I did a quick check - no everything is good. it was just a delightful day. You may say "what? That is nothing like the movie". I know I did not spend the day with Gregory Peck, or rode a scooter through Rome, or was slim, beautiful and graceful swan necked like Audrey Hepburn but I felt like I did and was - everything was great and everyone I met liked me. Must be those new medication!

WHAT DOES BEING 50 MEAN?

I am 50 today.

For some, they dread their 50th birthday, some have a big party to truly celebrate, some have a big party to pretend it does not bother them that they are 50.

For me, it means REHEARSAL IS OVER - TIME TO LIVE FOR REAL!

29th WEDDING ANNIVERSAY

Hard to believe but Jeremy and I have been married for 29 years. We were married on July 17, 1980 in Portsmouth Registrar, Hampshire, England.

QUOTES FROM PICASSO

Some of my favorite quotes from Pablo Picasso:

Are we to paint what's on the face, what's inside the face, or what's behind it?

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Bad artists copy. Good artists steal. (Shocking!)

If only we could pull out our brain and use only our eyes. (I agree)

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.

Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others. It leads to sterility. (I am glad I am not successful yet).

The chief enemy of creativity is "good" sense.

The world today doesn't make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?

There are only two types of women - goddesses and doormats. (That is not nice. I know some very nice doormats.)

To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic.

A LEAP OF FAITH

This beautiful painting is the work of my youngest sister, Ting Yuen, a talented artist. And yes, she is like all the girls in her paintings, slim, slender and graceful. This painting is call “Leap of faith” depicting her leap of faith in daring to live the life of an artist. Like me, she is a self learned artist but unlike me she is braver than I. The actual action of leaping escapes me. I am one of those who cannot run without looking funny and absolutely useless at leaping. Needless to say, I am no good in sports and no one wanted me on their team in school.

In the last year I have arrived at the cross road in my life where my sons have grown and I could, if I am brave enough, concentrate on doing more artistically. But I could not commit myself being always hard working in the secular world and bringing home my half of the bacon. Ting has always encouraged me to do more artistically and fulfill my dream as an artist. She always tells me to “take the leap”. All my life I would miss the other side when I leap and fallen in between. I would summon all my courage and take a run at the leap I am about to take only to freeze into etty bitty steps nearing the edge to leap off from and fall short of landing on the other side. One of the most awful leap failure happened when I was three. My mom and I were visiting my grand parents who lived in a small town where not everyone has running water or proper sewage systems. People living in the outskirts of the town use outdoor latrines. Not the pit latrines but latrines built over a stream running on the outer side of the town. So no flushing and you can imagine the role of the stream. Anyways, during this visit there was a bad fire and the whole town was nearly burnt down. I remember the panic and commotion. The whole town was running to the other side of the stream on the outer side of town to take refuge. My mother was busy with my grandmother packing my grandfather’s jeep with valuables and she asked her younger sister to take me across the stream. I was crying off course, so scared and not knowing if I would see my mother again as the fire was fierce and I could see it approaching my grand parents’ house. Anyway, my aunt ran with me and we got to the toilet stream. It was a tiny stream. My aunt asked me to jump across and it would all be ok as she would hold my hand. I was crying and kept saying I can’t do it and the stream was too wide. She pointed out to other children leaping across the stream and encouraged me. I was not convinced. I had to try when I notice my aunt getting impatient and mad at me. So I held her hand and took the leap – I fell into the latrine stream. I know - euuuw!!! I did not remember the next thing but apparently I passed out and nearly drowned. Next I know I was awake on the other side of the stream and my mom was there. I felt safe to be with her again and we sat on the grass and watched across the stream where the fire was finally conquered and died, sparing my grand parents’ house. But no other kids came close to me that day because I smelled. Years later they still made fun of me for falling in the shit stream.

ISAIAH & MICAH

These are my two favourite little people, Isaiah (dark hair) and Micah (lighter hair), my beautiful grandsons. Isaiah is 3 going on 4 and Micah is 2. Isaiah loves Duplo and strawberries, Micah loves choo choo train and raspberries. Best of all, they love me!