My Brother, the artist..

I've talked about my brother a number of times so I thought I would show you him today...The first photo was taken about a year and a half ago, the second photo is my mom, Jim, me, and david. One of the last pics I have of her before she died.It was taken about 10 yrs go.

When he was young (and healthy) my brother was a dress designer. (re: the dress I had on in Round Robin) Here are two pictures of things he made many many years ago, which accounts for the fact they may look "outdated"..

Since those days his health has failed. When he was 50 he had a stroke leaving him paralyzed on one side. His right side.. and he was right handed. When he turned 60 he had a heart attack and quadrople bypass surgery. The meds from the stroke made him diabetic and have high blood pressure. Up until his heart attack he still managed to "walk" around by dragging his bad side, still cooked dinner and fed the cats. After his heart attack he gained alot of weight and his health is steadily going down hill.. the diabetes is effecting his kidney's now and his bad side, since he could never really use it, the muscles have all but disappeared so he's lucky if he can get up and into his wheelchair.

Until recently (and after his stroke.. remember he was right handed) though when he tried to write with his left hand it looked like a preschooler learning the alphabet, he found he could still paint on sweatshirts and tshirts.

If you are into fantasy art you may recognize that what he does is copy from books.. in some cases Frank Frazetta or Boris Vallejo. He did this for many years just to be busy and give as gifts. Since he was copying someone else's work he can't and wouldn't charge anything for them, so he mostly made them for christmas presents or birthday presents. To anyone who never saw his work before they think they are fantastic, but I can see a huge difference in them, before and after the stroke. But anyone who was gifted with one always loved them.

So.. there is my brothers story in short. He's back in the hospital right now, as he was sick and they thought it was the kidneys but it's looking like he may "escape" going on dialysis one more time. He will probably be home by Monday.

Meanwhile.. something very exciting happened to me yesterday and I am "up" for a change!

I know I've mentioned my writing of my stories about Kesterwood before and recently mentioned I had an idea to continue it but couldn't figure an ending for the next *book*.. welllllll.......... out of the blue, I have an ending!! I quickly jotted it down last night after coming home from visiting my brother in the hospital and now I'm excited to get started once again!! I love my own characters and to be in Kesterwood with them for periods of time while I write is wonderful to me.

It's if I am escaping.

I can feel small ideas of things to happen in the story and will begin jotting those down as well. What they do for me is give me some direction.. but more then not the characters seem to give me the direction I need all by theirself. I'm feeling good about this next story.. and the sun is out! I feel like nothing will go wrong today