Calm The Critic

Another work in the series. Reiteration is defined as “The action of repeating something, typically for emphasis or clarity.” Admittedly, I do fall out of awareness and clarity from time to time so it’s helpful to have the reminders.

Oil Crayons

As a logophile, I’ve created many works with text. And, I have others focusing on color only. With this one, I thoroughly enjoyed the flow of the crayons, and I love the rich colors that are available. Yet another work that can be rotated.

Spiders

Yesterday I saw a rare occurrence - a spider crawling on my bathroom floor. I have never been afraid of these arachnids. Primarily because they’re beneficial creatures that eat pesky insects like mosquitoes, flies, moths, silverfish, etc. As I was traumatized by mosquitoes growing up, I welcome them.

This is a photo I took at my former house.

Cut The Ties That Bind

As this lifetime has been punctuated by a very complicated set of contracts, I know a lot about this. It’s been no easy feat to extricate myself from birth family, spouse, and certain friends who have blocked my voice and success. My dogged determination to align with my integrity and speak out keeps me going.

Similar to others, this acrylic work can be rotated for visual appeal. Although barely visible in this image, text is incorporated in it.

Kinkeeping

Word of the day from Dictionary.com. “The labor involved in maintaining and enhancing family ties, including organizing social occasions, remembering birthdays, sending gifts, etc.” Oh my goodness! On the heels of subterfuge, birth family kinkeeping is not happening!

Subterfuge

Word of the day from Dictionary.com. “An artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.” For me, this word coincides with purloin referenced in a previous post.

Following my mother’s death, I received a “Petition for order instructing trustee to abate residuary gift to petitioner, abate general pecuniary gift to Karen Justis and distribute specific gift of real property to petitioner.” This petition to rescind the sum bequeathed to me was, in essence, a second subterfuge used by my 16-month older sister and her twin sons to steal my inheritance. The first one was the scheme to transfer the deed of mother’s high-value property outside her will thereby omitting as an asset. Consequently, it was not available to meet commitments or legacies. All contingent upon absconding liquid assets and the elder financial abuse that I witnessed for years from sisterhood of 3.

My sisters and I experienced the same childhood traumas, upheavals, dysfunction, and craziness; yet, we have responded differently. With victim mentality, fear of survival, getting and having enough, and wicked jealousy in play, they became liars, cheaters, and stealers. I always wished the best for them, but this was certainly not reciprocal. I feel particularly sorry for the mastermind, 16-month older vitriolic sister, for her many wrongdoings, including with Power of Attorney, forbidding the hospice social worker for our mother from speaking with me.

With many despondent days, it took an entire year to process and come to terms with the shattering, deep utter betrayal, and familial loss. The final nail in the coffin! Ultimately and sadly, this turned out to not be a good sisterhood with contact completely severed. Truth be told, I was always different and never really fit in with the family once Dad died. He was my beloved, sole ally. My everything! I now realize my observations and feelings of sadness, disconnect, and aloneness as a child and adolescent were right on. It was not safe for me to be in that household. So, liberation! Moving forward, other than speaking out with acknowledgement and noting prevalence of elder financial abuse, for reverberations, I invoke a higher, perhaps more divine order of karmic law. Presumably, we don’t get away with anything.

This is a black-and-white situation.