Forgot it was Saturday today. It has been a busy day with a bit of drama and a good ending. Finished packing for my trip to Spain, got the apartment tidied up and tied up some lose ends.

My friend Susanne and I are going to Denia, Spain for a week to celebrate her birthday tomorrow!! Yes! She paints dalmålning style of painting and did one especially for me. She has added touches just for me with my Quaker bird Murphy on the rooftop, Olive the cat on the roof and Lucia the cat below by the black door, plus all the hearts which I love. Very impressed at how she customized it thoughtfully just for me. She is super talented.

Susanne often paints with acrylic but sometimes oil and even the traditional old way with fish glue and pigment. She has been painting for a lot of years and even taught courses in Tacoma and Seattle as well as Karlstad where she lives. Dalmålning is a traditional style painting with kurbits, flowers, people and other elements. She is always painting something and currently working on several projects. She inspires me all the time with her accomplishments.

We are looking forward to a full fun week in Spain. The trains are not doing their usual route today or in the morning so we have to go a little earlier than planned on a bus instead the train which takes 35 minutes instead of the usual 13. Not as convenient. Also I was re-routed when I went to get Susanne but it was good to find out beforehand. Not super convenient but it never is. You see the impact when things like this happen but it is good they have options.