Zaphkiellane
Baby Tiger
My new daughter was born n the 18th we named her Eliana Kay Serenity Lane.
Both she and my wife are doing well and I am very much looking forward to taking paternity leave. Because so far the year of the tiger has been ridiculous. I took on a work project in Europe to try and make some extra money to take care of our daughter who was on the way. Very seldom do I regret a decision as much as this one. The team I worked with did not get along and the workplace was disorganized.
Then I got Covid. I've been running around supposed "hot zones" like Texas and Florida for the two years of the pandemic with no problem but as soon as I got vaccinated, wore a mask regularly, and went to a place so locked down as to be obnoxious is when I got it. Make of that what you will. I only felt under the weather for one night but the red tape and restrictions just about killed me it was a struggle to get back in time for my daughter's birth.
Also the Amsterdam Airport lost all my luggage. I only got back with my carry-on bag. There were high winds at the airport that day which must have made it impossible to scuffle around the tarmac in their wooden shoes. All my art supplies got lost.
I would have liked to reach out to some of you who live in Europe while I was there but work and the plague wouldn't permit it. As it stands I have no desire to go back to Europe until they can figure out the lockdown and not get the shake down from COL Klink a bunch of Jackboot clad hoodlums just to get into a shop or restaurant.
I'm happy to be back here with my family again and hope the year will improve from this point. I did get a lot of drawings done during quarantine though. I'm very happy about my new daughter she is so cute. I may be scarce here for a while taking care of my new daughter.
I'm a Dad!
He's so cute. He's premature but very big for being a few weeks early. He's such a even mix of me and my wife that it really fascinates me!
It's a bit hard to tell from the picture but now that we've had him home for a few days it looks like we've achieved a rare genetic "bingo" with this little guy. He has my wife's pretty dark Latino/Native American skin tone but has my red hair and blue eyes. I'm so happy he won't have to deal with sunburn like I had too.
We have been so scared to say anything about him until right now because we lost son last summer. We both thank God that Elisha is doing so well after being worried this whole time. He is the most amazing thing that has happened in my life and I feel so blessed to be a father. Here's a picture of me for reference. ( sorry about the face I'm making I'm really tired)
I can't wait to start this new chapter of my life with him in it. This is so wonderful. ^~^
Points for illustrations
How delightful! I hope this image make some of you happy. I really have to do something with this idea when I get a chance to draw and post again this spring.
Little guy sure looks happy even though the goat seems to lack motivation.
You're all very welcome.
Murray Chrimbus mit Krampus
I'm in Germany for Christmas this year and it's proving to be very interesting.
The Krampus run in Munich was very entertaining. If anyone gets the chance to check it out please go.
The Christmas markets are also wonderful. I'm not really loving the cold but I've also had a lot of fun hiking in the woods out here. I ran into an fascinating sigh that warned me to be cautious of wild pigs and landmines. Which I found to be very droll.
The whole experience has been a bit bittersweet though because this trip has kept me from spending Christmas with my wife. This would have been the first we would have shared together since we go married. This makes me feel a bit of regret about everything I've got to do out here but I hope to get back home.
Happy holidays to all and God bless you!
And don't end up on the naughty list or a terrible horned beast will beat you with switches, stuff you in a basket, and drag you into the mouth of hell....
Merry Christmas!
In imitation of my own art.
This picture of my OC Rakali is one of my favorite drawings that I have produced so far, I decided to design an aquarium based on this.
I built this tank and am stocking it with similar species from the drawing, at least as far as that is realistically possible. So far it has a nice school of Madagascar rainbow fish, a pair of peacock gudgeon, yellow rabbit snails Ram's horn snails, and six algae eating Stiphodon Goby.
These gobies are a lot of fun to watch as they crawl about scrubbing the stones with their little rubbery mouths. I've also planted the tank with tiger lotus, Madagascar lace plant bulbs. Which will take a while to grow in all the way but will be nice when they mature. I'm open to suggestions and what could be used in the place of the Tully monsters and armored jawless fish. So far the best stand in I could think of is Farlowella gracili. However the tank and plants will have to mature and a more robust algae bloom will have to be established before I can introduce them. I'll post more pictures the tank as it comes together if any of y'all are interested.