On Tuesday, an independent utility auditor knocked on the door to tell me I had a pretty significant gas leak at the meter -- of course it was on MY side of the meter. He recommended we get it fixed ASAP.
About 1/2 hour later, there was an explosion that rocked the house! Nope, not the gas meter, the water main!
The explosion was so powerful, it blew chunks of asphalt the size of dinner plates halfway down the street. This picture was taken about 10 minutes after the blast. For the first 5 minutes the water was shooting twenty feet into the air!
The water department responded pretty quickly to get the leak under control. Thankfully it was on THEIR side. The yard is pretty trashed, and it will take them about 12 weeks until someone comes out to fix the street and lay some sod.The rest of the week was spent on the phone. Talking to plumbers and my home warranty provider to see if a portion of the gas leak problem would be covered, and to actually get a plumber to come. Several promised to come, and never showed up. One finally came late Friday afternoon, demolished a wall in my husband's studio and then said: "This is beyond my skill. I think I need the boss to come work on this" and then he went home.
On Monday, 9/11 the plumber returned at about 4:30 pm and began to work on the gas line. At 9:45 pm he finally finished, cleaned up and went home.
Tuesday I visited the Blue Frog Gallery with Sharon. They have a Tuesday morning gathering of local artists. We all sat at the gallery and worked on our stuff. It was awesome. Several jewelry artists were there. A lady came who makes incredible lampwork beads. Sharon was working on a beautiful bracelet. Another lady came with canvas, paints and brushes. I sat and worked on Sally Sells Sea Shells. Someone asked me: "How much will you sell that for?" I just laughed and said "not for a million dollars. I've been working on this thing so long I could never charge enough." In their eyes, I think that firmly put me into the category of hobbyist.
On the way back to my house, the phone rang and Joel was calling. Sarah was sick and had to be picked up from school. I guess I didn't hear the phone while in the gallery.
For the next 3 days I tried to keep Sarah comfortable and entertained, yet productive. I didn't realize how much I missed her happy disposition, cheerful birdsong chatter and witnessing her unending creativity. The teacher now gets most of that, and what comes home after a day at school is, well, a different child. I enjoyed each and every minute with her and am sad [for me] that she will be going back to school tomorrow.
Deadlines loomed. I stayed up all night Friday night quilting a quilt for my church group which was due to be completed Saturday. At 5:20 am I still had two sections to go, but had to go to sleep. I went to the quilt meeting at 9:30 only to be told it really had to be done by October 22! Yikes.
Even though I'm not superstitious, I kept waiting for the THIRD thing to happen. First the water main, then the gas line. . . what next? Ah, the computer. In the midst of all this, my computer crashed. I never realized how dependent I am on the computer. I told my husband the other day: "Dear, I can sew with a needle and a thread, so if my sewing machine breaks I'll survive. But this, [computer crash] is unendurable. I feel like I am lost at sea."
How does any of this relate to art? It doesn't really, except this is life. The best laid plans to accomplish much are often interrupted by urgent life events that must have your attention. And by the elimination of something that calls to you too loudly (like the computer and email), other things start to happen. Without convenience of my computer, I spent more time in my studio. I was more productive and focused than I have been in a few months. Oh, maybe it is that time of year when after a summer of directionless children we regain our focus.
But as the weeks pass, I miss my computer less and less. I can use the computer in my husband's studio. It's not as convenient or accessible, but it is there and I have to really plan a time to sit down at it! Now back to my own studio.
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