Fixed income and Palm trees

My version of Charles Reid’s Palm Trees – 140# 1/2 sheet Arches Cold press

The Husband is almost retired from the NYPD.   Although we are both too young to retire permanently, he can always retire and get another job.  He says he wants to be a dog walker. That’s fine with me.  He loves animals and they love him.

But it got me to thinking.  What would we do if we were really retired and on a fixed income.  I recently told a friend that I liked the words “Trust Fund”. Unfortunately I doubt the words “trust fund” and “Carol King” will ever be uttered in the same sentence.  However, I have some sentence examples if anyone is interested in helping a girl out:

“Carol King, we like you so much we set up a zillion dollar trust fund for you.”

“Carol King, because you do some much for everyone else, I’d like you to take over my 20 million dollar trust fund and live in my townhouse on East 71st Street off 5th Ave which, by the way comes with a live-in house-keeper and chef.”

“Carol, you know I don’t like living in the City anymore, but why don’t you live in my 15 room apartment in the Dakota.  I’ve set up a Trust Fund for your living expenses.”

Other phrases I like:

• Expense account
• All inclusive
• It’s on us
• Rebate
• Free

Another friend once told me that if she was at the point where she was eating cat food, she would make sure it was at least Fancy Feast.  I do wonder what life would be like after retirement.  Would I like it?  Would I be bored?  Would I do all the things I say I want to do and then never do.  (paint, draw, learn Spanish, read all those books, exercise, learn yoga?) I know when I’m off I have a tendency to start watching daytime TV and next thing you know BAM it’s 5 pm and I’ve lost the whole day.  Or I start to sleep later and later and then stay up all night.

The same friend who said she will eat fancy feast if it came down to her eating cat food also has a rule that she will not turn the TV on until 5 pm.  I think that’s a good rule.  I won’t follow it, but it’s a good rule.

Right now this is all just speculation.  I’m not retiring anytime soon.   So excuse me,  I have to go back to work filling out forms and dealing with red tape.

Not having any inspiration to paint I pulled out a Charles Reid book and decided to paint from one of his paintings. Palm trees and a beautiful beach.  Maybe that could be me and The Husband?  Hmmm, retirement wouldn’t be so bad.

Sketching at home during the polar vortex

Beach scene from Paint My Photo – photo courtesy of Karina Robin

Winter.  I’m tired of it.  And what is the polar vortex?   I thought it was just called winter?  Since I was too tired and too cold to join the NYC Urban Sketchers today I decided to stay home, watch watercolor videos on you tube and play with my watercolors. Using a watercolor sketchbook given to me by my nephews, I did this beach scene using a limited palette, no more than 2 washes and no drawing first. I’d like to be there right now.

I moved on to this dog, again courtesy of Paint My Photo using ESP’s photo. No drawing first, only using a few colors and a few washes.  He looks a little sad. Why do all my painted dogs look sad?

And finally I did every watercolorists’ favorite subject.  Pears.  I did sketch the shape of the pears, but again used a limited palette and not many washes.

I’m off to do some weight lifting. My friend Christine and I were talking about how we can’t remember things anymore and she told me about how weightlifting helps to stave off Alzheimer’s.   And I hear curls keep you warm.