Our ballet teacher, Erica, is leaving town. I brought my camera to the final class and captured this lovely image after class was done. During the center work, I got frustrated with myself because I couldn't complete the combination and got all teary-eyed. I think it came from the realization that she was leaving us and there would be no more ballet class.

Erica has been our teacher for a couple of years now and we've thoroughly enjoyed having her show us the "Cuban way" of dance. She made it look so easy when she demonstrated the moves and she cheered us on to dance, even when it was difficult. It isn't often that you find someone as young as Erica who understands how we "middle aged ladies" long to dance and leap across the floor and feel the power of ballet. It's good for your head and your bod! We're sure gonna miss her!

bLuE noTes

Life's been a wee bit chaotic these past two weeks. Family stuff, you know? The "makes me crazy" kind of family stuff, that is ...

My darling husband and I have been going to the Starlight Musicals at Holiday Park on Friday nights this summer. It's like a big living room at the park with live music and lots of friends. Each week has a theme, like last week was Jimmy Buffet music by a local band and there were tents decorated like Key West and women wearing parrot hats. This week's theme is "The Blues" and I can hardly wait. It'll be music that suits my mood.

What's really sad about these two difficult weeks is that I've had no time for art. I'm really feeling it, too. I promise that tomorrow I will do something artful to make myself feel better.

Meanwhile, keep on keepin' on ... right?

Sweet Sixteen

Tuesday, July 1st was my darling granddaughter's
sixteenth birthday and we took her to dinner
at The Cheesecake Factory where the waiters
sang "Happy Birthday" to her ...
After dinner, with very full tummys, we took a walk
along Las Olas Boulevard. Here's some of what
my camera and I saw ...

Chico's has these rather stylish mannequins and I
couldn't resist taking their pictures ...

The shop window below, was beautifully arranged and
lit so that even at night, it was picturesque.
Don't you just want to go in and lay down
to sleep, perchance to dream?

See them? (BELOW)
The one with the glasses? That's my granddaughter.
The other one is her Best Friend Forever.
As they exited the shop, a young woman came out
and told me I couldn't take pictures. Hmpfh!
As if ......................... !!!

It's been a rather strange and somewhat bizarre week.
It ended nicely though, don't you think?