One day last week I decided to spend an hour or so making a color version of the drawing done the week before. It's far from one of my best efforts but, all things considered, it's okay. Just lately we've been busy getting ready to move to our new apartment so I've excused myself from creative projects until we're settled.
Meanwhile, I've come up with a short quiz for you. How can you tell the students are back when you live in a college town?
a) Water balloons from high elevations bursting on the sidewalk?
b) The park fountain is frothing from a late night detergent run? *
c) Evidence of MFWMS (my first washing machine syndrome)?
d) Frequent visits from the fire department after cooking mistakes?
e) Loud parties after the bars close?
f) All of the above?
I've also noticed you can easily detect which apartments have students in residence by the window treatments. Kids seem to consider sheets held up by duct tape are perfectly acceptable decor, as are blankets, newspapers, or tin foil glued directly to the glass.
Next thing you know I'll be in 'Get off my lawn!' mode so I'd better finish and spend some quiet time before those bars close.
* I wonder why nobody ever thinks to put rubber duckies in the fountain?
♡
I'd say (f). I bet you can hardly wait to move away! Good luck with it and getting happily settled.
ReplyDeleteLovely watercolour, Susan. I look forward to more in the coming months. Will have a little studio?
You're right. I don't think there's such a thing as a perfect place but the new one should be much quieter simply because it's smaller.
DeleteThanks :-) No real studio but a little set apart area. I've had worse.
Hmmm. I was going to say "none of the above," because college students are so well behaved. But not, apparently, in your building.
ReplyDeleteBear sits quietly in front of computer, tongue firmly planted in cheek.
Love your art work, whether black and while line drawings or watercolour.
Blessings and Bear hugs on the forthcoming move.
Oops, I didn't leave that as a choice. Thank goodness it isn't all of them all of the time.
DeleteI'm glad you like my pictures and thank you for saying so.
I like the way that picture turned out. Wonder what the frogs are going to study ... :-)
ReplyDeleteTruth to tell I got bored so never really did the background. I just wish the frogs and all the other creatures could study human language so they could tell us what they think of our behaviour.
DeleteNice pic Susan. Glad I don't live in a university town
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jams. Yes, you're lucky.
DeleteI love the frogs, especially their sweet expressions. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't live *in* a college town, I live fairly close to Amherst with its 20,000 or so undergrads from UMass and the rich kids at Amherst College. Amherst is one of my favorite towns in the world, so I visit there frequently. While the real action happens on campus housing, one occasionally sees a fucked up kid puking on the sidewalk at noon. St. Patrick's Day weekends are often quite the thing to behold downtown, with throngs of students spilling into and out of the Irish pub, The Harp...stumbling on the sidewalk, scaring children and offending the adults. Oh, the foibles of youth!
You'll soon have to put up with a lot less of that. Best luck with the move, my dear! xxoo
They are kind of nice :-)
DeleteHalifax has six universities and a winter student population of 50-60k. Thank goodness most of them are low key regular people but among that many there's bound to be some wackiness. The worst thing about this building is the anonymity allowing people to engage in very unsocial behaviour.
Thanks for your good wishes, my friend.
The whimsy in your work always cheers me up :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the moving and yes siree bob, I'd be fed up with those kids too.
I like being able to cheer you up :-)
DeleteThanks for your good wishes too.
Lib is doing it right. She lives close enough to a great college town to enjoy what is has to offer and far enough away as to not have to deal much with the downside of students.
Delete//consider sheets held up by duct tape are perfectly acceptable decor//
ReplyDeletehold it.... are you telling me it is NOT???? WHAT IF they are CLEAN sheets with a nice leopard faux print? Or some nice Ghost Buster Sheets? I do try hard, I really do.
Come to think of it I should probably pass on the curtains and hang the old Kliban Cat sheets I saved.
Deleteoh oh oh..... I LOVE the drawing.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,
ReplyDeleteColouring really brings your lovely picture to life.
Armstrong was the consummate jazz musician, entertainer and singer / composer but I doubt if such a story could be repeated in modern times. His life story almost took on fairy tale dimensions given the wise mentors who complemented his self taught musical theory which underpinned an outstanding career. Best wishes
I'm glad you like the picture.
DeleteThere were certainly a number of factors that contributed to Louis Armstrong's success - many of which we wouldn't like to see return. Nevertheless, sometimes I wish we could keep all the good after getting rid of the bad. I've always been a dreamer.
I only have to deal with The Kids in the library, you have to deal with them in the real world. My condolences, and best of luck honing your getoffmylawnism.
ReplyDeleteHah! I didn't even mention 'Stinky Garbage 101'.
Deletemy dad & stepmum were king & queen of getoffmylawn. i was SO envious of kids whose parents let the whole neighborhood play on their lawn. i love frog'n toad'n li'l suzie.
ReplyDeleteIt's much easier to be tolerant of little children than super-sized ones.
DeleteGlad you like them :-)
I love everything about this drawing. The soft colors, the sway of her body, the tilt of his head. The short pants on the younger frog. The happy bird perched on her arm.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to report that the only thing I ever put in the mermaid fountain at my school was me. And some pennies.
You're very kind, too kind, far too kind....
DeleteI'd have loved to see you there with the mermaid.
Looking at this one again I'm struck this time by the sideways looks of both frogs - really love that. And as before, the clothing!
ReplyDeleteAll of the above! Plus loud music, crowded busses, a little more litter and more people holding hands on the street.
ReplyDeleteNew apartment?
We need a real catch up sometime! Love your blog when I do visit Susan and LOVE this painting.
Yes, there's good and not quite so good in the student milieu. Part of the latter for us was too much random bad behaviour so we're moving to a smaller building not far away.
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to see you've been by Gary. Glad you like the picture.
Thanks for sharing all this here
ReplyDeleteOff Campus Housing in US