Happily, we were able to get our roof replaced a week ago before these rains came through. I came home from work about three weeks ago and saw that the roof on our old house next door was being replaced, so I quizzed the roofers about it, since I didn’t think that the warranty was up (we replaced it when we owned it). I was told that insurance was covering it because of hail damage, and that I should check with my insurance about hail damage on my roof. Well. I knew that we needed some roof repair because despite having our chimneys re-chinked and rebuilt a year ago the leaks in my bedroom ceiling have gotten worse. (After spending 4,000 @#$%&@# dollars on the chimneys because my contractor friend thought that was the source of my leaks. But they are lovely chimneys and I’m sure that the work was needed.)
I thought that this guy was possibly conning me, but the adjustor came out, inspected the roof, and cut me a check to replace all the shingles. We’ll have to pay extra for the rotten wood that was replaced, and there was a lot of it, and we are getting a ridgeline vent because the extreme heat this summer was making the nails pop up. The roofing contractor, however, forgot to tell the roofers about the vent, so they have to come back. Insurance is paying for most of this. I’m stunned, to say the least. I wasn’t even here for the hailstorm – it must have been when we were at the lake. We have had a couple of hard rains and no leaks, so YAY.
Sandy and I are in a small exhibit at Artmongerz that is for the Friday’s Reunion Taterheads. This is the first time that Sandy has exhibited paintings in public. I put up a couple of small tapestries.
We didn’t really hang out that much at Friday’s on Tate St. during the late 70s/early 80s but some of our friends did. I was usually too broke to go to bars then and drank cheap beer at home or at my boyfriend’s house, who was broke also. Friday’s is pretty legendary around here among people ofacertainage because of all the alternative and punk bands that played there. Some got famous, like REM and the Violent Femmes. We went to the reunion after Christmas at Somewhere Else Tavern and tonight they are doing it again at the Blind Tiger. Sandy is going a little later but I am officially a lightweight and decided to stay home.
Today I signed up for a workshop with India Flint at Madeline School of the Arts on Madeline Island in Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin. I put down a 20% deposit, and if I cancel there is a $75 cancellation fee. It is expensive but I really want to learn natural dyeing and printing from India, and it is in an area of the country where I’ve never been. I have until July 2013 to come up with the money. I can charge it, but I like to pay for these art trips ahead of time. Less guilt that way.
Whoa, suddenly my computer screen got really bright. This is my laptop that had the nasty virus. Sandy had to completely wipe the hard drive. I asked him to do it, actually. I didn’t want to take the chance that it was still there because it was so hard to remove.
In seventeen days, I go to Art-is-You Petaluma. Lord have mercy. I really am obsessed. After this one with India next July I need to start going to these things in North Carolina again. Flying all over the country is cool but I need to save up for retiring to Ireland. The round trip to San Francisco was only $269, which is why I jumped on it, but by the time I paid for the workshops and the hotel room and meals and the bus ticket and taxi fare from the airport I’ll have spent over $1000. Believe it or not, I am not rich. And I never will be because I keep spending all my money on art retreats and house repairs!
slowly she turned 