Christmas was coming and I hitched a ride to Albuquerque to shop for some toys and clothes for my brood. We made a stop at Kurt's Camera Corral ostensibly to get a new camera for Ernie - and walked out with a new Canon with a zoom lens for me! That camera was attached to my arms until Kodak stopped making Ektachrome slide film!!! I later gave it to my son when he was about 40 years old! Digital cameras can't hold a candle to that Canon - I've tried several and still miss that old beauty.
There was no backing out now! Am unable to remember if I saw the possibilities that lie ahead then, but I had a lot of questions. What if my application was accepted to show at the fair in Albuquerque? What if this turned into a way to bring in some money to help take care of these three little ones - they needed shoes and clothes and the doctor bills needed to be paid. That winter one of the girls developed a serious ear infection and spent several days at the old St. Vincent's Hospital.
It was fast becoming apparent that my husband paid more attention to his own needs than those of his children. Bills were piling up and I was hard pressed to keep up with the late notices that arrived with greater and greater regularity. Tensions were building and tempers were short. Although some time had passed since our move to Santa Fe, the marriage was not a working partnership. We did not operate as a couple. Confusion reigned I felt totally and completely helpless - trapped with nowhere to turn. I looked at my babies and realized I was their only responsible parent. It was definitely time to paint faster!
