Take heart, everybody in northern climes above the equator, Spring IS on the way. Here in Houston, my azaleas, narcissis and redbud have all begun to bloom. And bindweed rules!

I'm working against the clock on a doll that has to be photographed on Saturday. The theme is "Out of the Box" so I'm doing Pandora. Due to the diaphanous nature of Greek costume, she has to be a full body sculpt - cold porcelain over papier mache over a wire armature. The more I work in c.p., the more I like it! This is a homemade air dry clay whose only fault is a tendency to crack as it dries because it shrinks. Not really much of a problem, tho, because it can be patched absolutely seamlessly with more clay after it dries. You just work it in stages. Modeling also can be built up in stages. And I can get such a nice smooth finish!

As I sculpt, I marvel at how differently we use our hands in different activities. I am irrevocably left-handed. I draw, paint, write, sew, wield a kitchen knife all with my left hand - although that last one distressed my grandmother so much she would leave the room.

However, I shoot and operate a mouse or trackball with my right. Both of these resulted from practical considerations. My left eye doesn't focus so Dad wisely pointed out that since it already felt unfamiliar in my hands, I should learn to shoot right-handed.

I remembered this when it got to be so much bother to switch the mouse back and forth on the computer I shared with the right-handed husband. Now I'm very skillful at computer drawing and stuff with the right hand, can't do a lick with the left.

Sculpting I do totally ambidextrously, often using both thumbs simultaneously to achieve the necessary symmetry.

I have come to realize that being left-handed in a right-handed world is no handicap at all, but an advantage. Ha!