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There are times when we get so caught up in our own environment, become cocooned and intensely preoccupied with other things,,,, 'so busy it slipped my mind'  'time goes so quickly', We've all been there with the feeble excuses. I cringe when I answer the phone from yet another (acrossthewater) call  from a caring sister & lamely say "Ive been meaning to get back to you". Its always Queenie who calls me,, except when I'm homesick and need to hear the familiar homely lilt from my birth place. That portrays me as selfish as well as uncaring as she calls to inquire about me, I call her for comforting, my personal recompense or gratification. I'm not selfish or uncaring of course, 'Its trying to find the time',  'I just need to finish this painting'  'I'm neglecting things I should be doing',,, things like updating this blog !!! Ummm, on second thoughts I am selfish,, but not uncaring, if I was uncaring the subject of this blog would be something other than,,, ummm, just what is the subject ? Apology may be a good title. Ages ago the longest running friend of mine (both sides of the water) requested a painting for his wife, he told me what she likes, we even discussed ideas I came up with, that's as far as the painting got, I got busy finishing the painting I was working on with the intentions of commencing Fran's wife's painting immediately afterwards. Then I got a commission, then I needed to paint a picture to get it out of my head, then a follow up, etc etc. Fran wanted me to do a painting ! that's not like Fran to ask for something, not something to own, maybe to borrow an obscure engineering tool but not for something to own. It must have been important. He never reminded me again. This is the guy who called me every day when my wife was in long time hospital care, who fetched me groceries, who visited me in his lunch breaks from work to see if I was all right. He never asked anything from me,, just this once, a painting for his wife. I have four wet paintings on the go right now, Ive turned them to face the wall, Ive thought about Fran's request and how to make his painting the best I will ever have painted, a work that Dante Rossetti would have slapped his forehead and exclaimed, " I wish I had thought of that ". As soon as its finished I will call Queenie just to see how she is.




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