Picture 1
Still puttering away at it.  Now that the background is completely covered I may use a solvent to be able to work the pencil already layed down like a paint.  Then go over it with a colourless blender to mix and even out the area.  I also want to do a bit more work on the hand itself.  The frog is done and hopefully with become more vibrant when the whole painting is finally fixed with a workable fixative.  This should get rid of all the wax that has risen to the surface dulling the work.

Picture 2:
"OH NO!  Don't pick up that spider it might bite you!  What if you get sick?  Can you die?" I heard from many mouths.

You can usually tell when a spider is angry.  He/she goes into a defensive stance with it's front two legs up in the air.  If it is staying around it's web it's probably female and if it's wantering around it's more likely male.  This fellow was wandering aimlessly with no web in site.  Cruisin' for chicks I presume.  I pick them up all the time and they don't ever bite.  I've held tarantulas much to my glee.  Love them.  Love them all.  Well......maybe not so much a black widow.  That I might think twice about.  You've gotta admire the gals though.

In the city that I live:
They arrested three terror suspects that they have been watching for over a year now.   I had heard rumours that they would arrest them just before they were ready to strike.  I'm glad that so far the various agencies have been able to stop each attack before it happend, but I suppose it's only a matter of time before we eventually get hit.  Canadians seem to think if they are nice enough to everyone and give everyone what they want even the wackos will love us and leave us alone.  NOT!  I'm not sure what it will take for people to realize crazy is crazy and no matter what we do they'll do what they'll do.

In the shower:
I had no less than 5 interuptions this morning when I was taking a shower.   We have two guests in the house and I'm not so sure that they weren't standing behind the various kids when they were questioning me.  (I had soap in my eyes.)  Mr P. always gives me heck for my lack of modesty (whilst walking around the house in my underwear for example.)  But I figure probably everyone in the neighbourhood knows what I look like by now anyways.  What's that you say?  Locks?  Ha!  They know how to jimmy them.

What to do:
Art classes start in another couple of weeks.  Lately I've been thinking of throwing in the towel artistically speaking for various reasons.  Time to get a real job perhaps.  We shall see.