WE CLOSED!!
We closed on the house. Much last minute running around, no help that both cell phone and house phone conked out. Figures. Many trips up and down the mountain. Last minute documentation. Frantic, frantic two days.
Who cares? WE CLOSED, the loan was funded, we have the key! I've already started tearing out the drop ceiling in the front bedroom, which will be our library/offices and guess what is underneath? VIGAS!! Yes, yes, yes! Tomorrow I'm tearing holes in the ceilings of the other 2 bedrooms and the front room--which will be the gallery--I'm pretty sure there'll be vigas in the front room at least and a good chance they'll be in the bedrooms too. We are, of course, keeping the vigas visible.
All that deconstruction experience from The Other Lumber Company of many long years ago is coming in handy! I just love tearing stuff apart!
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Tomorrow.
at 3:15. Valley Abstract Title Company, Espanola, NM.
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Clawfoot Tub
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Go to Trishtown.com
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Return Visitors!
We had our first return gallery visitors today! A woman from Taos with a friend from Florida brought up a friend of theirs who was not with them when they first stopped by in May. Yay! They promise to be back next week with someone's brother.
Making good progress on Tehachapi and have gotten back into Black Horse Lake, two panoramics. Hot up here today, but 94º down in Chimayó, 8 miles down the mountain.
Leonardo's out on a B double E double R you en. Guess I'll get back to the canvas, there's a couple things I can do to Black Horse Lake before I call it a day.
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Normal Real Estate Stuff
“Monument Valley” is now up on my website. Now I am working on “Tehachapi Pass” which is shaping up to be another stunner. I need to get this finished in the next week or so—I’m taking “Out by Cordova,” “Mission Wall,” “Monument Valley,” and “Tehachapi Pass” in to the digital studio to have them capture and make some prints before the High Road Art Tour.
Our neighbor has fresh produce from his garden out for sale today—I think we’ll wander over and pick up a few things. We did harvest 3 tomatoes from our two plants we have growing in pots out front. They were Soooooo good! I found a place that sells heirloom corn—what folks here ate in ancient times—apparently the kind we eat today bears little to zero resemblance to the taste of ‘real’ corn. We’re going to plant a variety that is hundreds of years old. The soil here is good and there seems to be enough water so we’re looking forward to having a nice big vegetable garden next year.
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Wow, Wotta Coupla Days
Hubby got home Monday with the awesome, beautiful stove, after the both of them drove through Hurricane Erin on the way back. No kidding. Everyone is fine, Hubby, Tonka (the truck), and the stove, owned by only one previous owner, a Mrs. Elva Evans. They sent me the original Sears-Roebuck catalog page from 1931 with a parts list for the stove. And, being foresightful like she was, Elva was kind enough to order some spare doors and frame for the upper part, which we have as well, brand-spanking new. Even if they are over 80 years old! Also all the little parts are there—plate lifter, some little tool to spread around the coals...a couple other things. Amazing. Elva kept a neat house. I also would have had a pristine wringer washer had there only been room in my little Tonka.
And! In the photos I posted the stoves colors look similar but slightly different? NO WAY! You could switch parts on these babies if only they would fit. They are sisters! They could not be a more PERFECT match! And they are both in such pristine, excellent shape—even for the gas and time Hubby spent—we got both stoves for far, far less than that one over in Arroyo Seco for $984.
On Sunday the FedEx package arrived. Or was discovered. No one sought me out for a signature, they just left it not in front of my house, but in front of Therese’s house. No worries there but she never, ever uses her front door. She found the pkg. Sunday, I freaked out at the cost of the loan (interest over 30 years—and why they made it a 30-year loan is beyond me. This is less than I borrowed for college.) So after a few frantic phone calls, some consultations, and some research, we decided we still had a good deal and a few ways around things and decided to sign. So by the time we sign there is no time to mail it back by the deadline.
So we pile in the truck—with the stove—Husband says he will move this only ONE time more!! (It’s over 700 pounds, cast iron, you know) we drive all the way to Albuquerque to hand back the signed loan agreement in person. We left at noon (‘cause in the AM we had to get proof of homeowner’s insurance from Vicki’s agency—and of course they did it wrong—I noticed it on the way out of town—so we had to turn back and go get another!) Not that her place does things wrong—they do not, they are really quite good, it was a thing like a typo—but one that could have had dire consequences. Anyhow—we were told with the solving of one tiny thing (apparently the assistant rather than the appraiser in charge signed off on the appraisal. Not allowed. So once they get that straightened out) we were told we could close as early as this afternoon.
When we got up this morning I think we’d both just had enough of this waiting! We’ve been waiting for phone calls or papers or whatever for over THREE months now! So we resolved to actually get on with our lives. OMG, what a productive day for me....and of course there was no call to “come on down.” But we are closer than ever—IF something crazy doesn’t happen and call it all off. That still could happen—which is why we have “WAITED” SO HARD, but really, we’ve done all the hoping we’re capable of. This thing is in the hands of the universe now. And we’re back, fully engaged in our actual, real lives. Well mostly, I still hope...but at this point it is not the main thing I’m doing!
AND tonight!! Ah tonight. I like to “invent” dishes. I generally begin with an established recipe and don’t have this or that, but do have something else, and wonder what would happen if I fried instead of baked or vice versa...you get the picture. I’ve “invented” several favorites that have become seasonal favorites in my crowd. Once again I’m fooling with tradition—Tonight I’m making a cross between Carne Adovoda, Posole, stew, and something Trish came up with....It smells great.. We have previously fire-roasted, and now chilled, corn to sprinkle on top for a nice contrast in flavor, texture, temperature, and color. I’ll let you all know how it turns out.
When I was at PGW I picked a book out of the free book box that looked like a great cookbook. Ha, ha, it only had a few printed pages in the front and the rest of it was blank—a “mock-up” for selling to stores before the actual book is finished being published. I’ll have to make a new dust-jacket, of course (maybe one from the leather place?) Anyhow, all our clipped SW recipes and my invented ones will be hand written in that cookbook, so thoughtfully pre-bound for me by the marketing department! Thanks!
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Indian Market
Just got back from the Indian Market with Craig & LaShonda, a couple new friends. Wow! Wish I could afford the pieces there--beautiful stuff. I looked at (and asked about) 3 bracelets--Oh don't I wish! One was $900, one was $1200 and the other one was $2100. Argh. Someday. Someday I will have that Zuni Bear Claw Silver cuff. That one was only $1200. You know, I should have picked up one of their cards, duh. Maybe by next year--I will recognize the work even if they don't have the same piece. And they might. I WOULD pay $1200 for that bracelet.
There was fry bread, yeah! And the best ear of roasted corn I have EVER eaten in my life. I did not think corn could be that good.
And when people ask you why you don't buy you just say "We live here. We can't afford any of this stuff" and everyone smiles, nods, and wishes you a great day. Cause they totally know, it's true. No one here would have a living at all if it weren't for the art and tourist market. We lust for each other's work but can't have it. Hell, no one can afford their OWN work! Which is too bad because I'd love to trade for stuff....but no one can afford to trade. We all must sell just to meet our 'beans & rice' allotment. And materials and creation time COST A LOT. We've all got so much invested into our artwork--there's only so much unsold inventory a person can afford to support.
Let me tell you--it is one thing to vacation here and quite, quite, quite a different situation to live here. The experiences do not dovetail at all! Still in all, we are glad we made the move. With perserverance, creativity, intent, OK, quantum --what is it? physics or mechanics? Everything will work out. Everything IS working out. And we are truly enjoying the actual reality of actually living here. It was a spiritual decision that has, so far, paid off.
We create our own realities. (I might quantify that with: to a degree.)
But still.
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Screen Doors
We SO NEED them! I've got ANOTHER bird flying around the gallery ceiling, perching on the vigas, getting ready to shit on who knows what. For some reason my husband feels screen doors are "low rent." Like what we'd call "white trash." Well whatever. I do not feel that way and it would keep many birds, bugs, mice, voles, rabbits, and snakes out of the house. Not to mention whatever else creeps, flies, crawls, or just plain runs in next--I just shook one of those two-inch black and grey things with the two-foot antennas out from under my t-shirt! I felt a snick on my belly but it made it up to second base before I realized it was a bug, a HUGE bug, and shook it out. OK, I sort of like the wild west but not underneath my clothing or up in my vigas. Out in the arroyos or up in the mountains, please, PLEASE!
I say Hubby gets creative with the woodwork and we put up screens on the windows AND the doors, and yes, a little swinging cat door down south, and he LEARNS TO LOVE SCREENS!
Actually, September will be here soon and the autumn will take care of all of these problems for us. Maybe I should not be complaining about the vibrancy of summer. Hmmm. OK, Once again philosophy solves a physical problem. Live it while you have it.
Cheers, then, to the little creatures! Just not the ones in my shirt!
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PHOTO Saturday!!
Ja, Ja, I just posted a brand new Photo-doc up on Trishtown! I swear, this is my new hobby!
PLUS, I've posted up a pic of the latest, finished painting--Monument Valley.
Do not delay! Go over there right now.
Happy Saturday!
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Monument Valley
is finished! I finished it and signed it and put the d-rings and wire on the back and hung it on the wall. The paint is still drying, of course, but it is complete! Yay! I'll post pictures up later, got another one close to finished--maybe I can get 2 done today.
Monument Valley is really a nice one.
A couple of our new friends stopped in today for a visit. They're really cool people. The guy has been a photography teacher for 26 years, is now retired. She's much younger and talks a lot (more than me)! She's the one who works down at the leather place where I probably will be working, at least for the winter.
They're cool, and into music. We've got a BBQ lined up when Leonardo gets home and they'll give me some pointers on the guitar. Yay, it's been sitting there collecting dust. So has my fiddle but I got it out today and tuned it up and managed to almost remember most of a tune. I'll need to re-learn all the songs I used to play but I just have to pick it up for a bit every day and it'll come back.
They're also both from Atlanta where there is quite the substantial South African community. So, when we go there for the Booth Museum reception (Cartersville is only an hour away, so we'll fly--or drive--into/through Atlanta) in January they'll let us know all the SA places and all the insider spots.
AND they have 5 cats. Which makes for potential cat-sitters when we travel...and vice-versa ;-)
Speaking of cats I had the scare of my life this morning. Missy was missing. She was just gone. Then I remembered hearing a cat spat at the open window in the middle of the night! I looked all around the field, calling and calling. Nowhere to be found. She always comes when I call. I was sure she’d been gotten by a coyote, I was beside myself. I called my husband. I nearly closed down the gallery. Then after awhile of having a broken heart she comes sauntering out of her bed in my armoire. Sheesh. I was so happy to see her and you can be sure they’re both sleeping inside with the windows closed tonight!
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house, job, birds
OK, no house papers yet, Called our broker, she left a message for them for first thing on Monday. But perhaps the papers will arrive Monday. Anyhow we're only about $2K short of paying cash so if it comes down to that, then that's what we'll do and figure out what do do next once we come to that bridge.
I have an appointment to see the folks at the leather place next week. We're trying to nail down a time to meet. My new friend already recommended me, as they noted in one communication. All I need to do is sell 2 large paintings to get me through the winter! Comon' painting deities--kick in before I take this job!
We’ve got a real bird problem here with the cats. We’re on our fifth or sixth carcass in here this week, yesterday I had to clean bird poop off a painting in the middle room! I didn’t notice it until some visitors were here looking at the artwork! Ugh. Now this morning I hear a funny little chirp from the back.....I go back there and Wizzy is standing on the bed watching a bird fly around the bed/bathroom! Sheesh. I opened both windows all the way. I’m hoping the creature can find it’s way out. Cleaning up bird feathers is getting old.
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Synchronicity--Opportunity
This is a long post--but you have to read it all. Un#&%^*^^%velievable.
This whole trip, moving here, accidently finding the house (papers should be here tomorrow XXX --that's crossed fingers) all the wonderful people we've met---we feel like we're about 2 years ahead of our plan so far, and now there's another crazy opportunity for me. I feel like it's sort of too soon but I also recognize when you see them you should take them.
A little backstory. Before we moved here I thought I’d have to get a job right away. So I cruised Craigs List—a staple of mine in the Bay Area—a little thinner here, though that is how we found our house/gallery. I found what sounded like a great job—working for this high-end leather place, making books and bags. Ah, the smell of leather. I learned to sew at about 9 years old and have been making my clothes ever since. Plus, I’ve been in the corporate world for a long time and am quite certain I do not wish to return to that world, salary notwithstanding. So I sent this place a message and they said, “sure, come on in and talk with us once you actually get here.”
Well, I intended to but did not, as it turned out it wasn’t necessary I go back to work right away. But with the buying of the house, and even if not, I’d planned on finding outside employment for the winter as gallery traffic is nil here in the winter. Just makes sense, right?
Well it’s not quite winter yet, but perhaps I manifested the reality in advance?
Tonight we had the “Hooked on Art” meeting. I met a neighbor here who works at said Leather place. They are extremely short-handed and need people desperately. After being thoroughly filled in by said new friend, it sounds like I could ride down there and go to work any day I chose. Plus—they recognize my artwork from my website I sent them when I applied for the job from California!
I’m not quite ready to go back to “other employment” yet, but this is just about Synchronicity at it’s best and I think I will convince my husband he just has to learn how to greet customers and run the credit card machine.
It’s not that he can’t, he’s being socially shy. Well, this is a team effort, and if I’m going back to 9 to 5 then I think it’s something he should do. It is frightening at first, but once you greet a few people it gets easy. It’s just a matter of practice. The thing is he gets flustered....the key here is—can I convince him it’s easy? and he’ll actually enjoy it? (I think he would) and it’s really no big deal to sell art for thousands of dollars to complete strangers. The thing is--the people who like the work and buy it are the absolute nicest people that come into the gallery. The weirdos and demanding ones (we do get our share) you can just ignore because they don't want anything you have anyhow--they're just looking for love their mother never gave them and they're taking it out on you. Yeah, we get a fair amount of those and I've learned quickly not to take it personally. Probably the same folks that berate wait staff at restaurants.
On the other hand, if the leather place really is so desperate, they will recognize me as essential to their operation (I’m not being the gloated ego here—to hear my new friend tell it I am just the pill they need—and I DO know how to sew, I DO know how to make things, and apparently, MOST importantly I am completely and utterly reliable) they may agree to give me part time hours. I also understand it is good to be a “completely left-leaning, motorcycle-riding, atheist, hippie, artist and craftsperson with occasional propensity for colorful language” which I certainly qualify for.
So great. I just got myself a job (not officially--I still have to tell them I'll go to work for them, but it sounds like a great place) and I really still do have to get ready for all these shows.
The best part is—they reportedly understand when you call in sick during winter months with the “I’m snowed in in Truchas” excuse, even though the truth is Peggy just called you up and said @#$^ work, we’re going skiing today!!
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!
Oh yeah, not to mention the fact that I would GET PAID for learning a new skill, rather than having to pay tuition for it. How can I go wrong here? Sychronicity Rocks!
And I will have the means for making the belt that goes with that crazy new eBay belt buckle!
At this rate of sucess I will have my horse by next November!! And she'll be an easy rider as well. Plus like cats.
Why not try for everything? When you reallly, really, do it comes true.
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Nutty
Arruugghh! FedEx guy is not here yet. I don't know where the documents are coming from--my last experience with receiving "overnight" mail was it took two and a half days to get here. I even put off going down for the mail so as not to miss him. I guess there's still all afternoon, but I have a feeling it may be tomorrow. Sigh.
Had a very nice couple just in the gallery...they were very interested in Amsterdam. They recognized the station in the painting as they had recently spent 3 days in the city. They took a card and promised to be back. This is all good--my neighboring gallerists tell me it takes time, and people do return year after year.
Oh...another couple came in and spent some time and actually looked at the art. It's always nice when people take a little time and have questions.
I'm in the middle of a new project that I don't want to talk too much about until I have several finished. It's a new art idea as well as a marketing idea designed to get some cash flowing in here! Let's just say for now that it involves "little ones" and I'll tell you all about it soon enough!
It's rumbling and thundering out there already.
Yeow--the rain is here already! Early for our rainstorm.
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After Dark...
Two of my favorite Native American proverbs....
After dark, all cats are leopards.
And...
Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.
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Now the Animals!
I'd even forgotten about that band. But...it's STILL GREAT Rock n' Roll! Crazy, man! Esp. since WHO? has ANY of these albums anymore?
Oh that's right, music used to come on albums. Big, round, black, vinyl discs. About the size of a dinner plate. And the more you had the cooler you were.
Now, I love THE WHO, too, but they came much later.
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OMG, I'm as old as dirt
A song just came on my Pandora (that's the website for internet radio, remember, where you can pick your own music and then they give you new music you haven't heard that has characteristics like the music you love. Now you remember) So. A song just came on, one of my old favorites that I have not heard in years--who was it by?
3 DOG NIGHT!
OMG!! When I was in adolescence it WAS 3 Dog Night and Steppenwolf. I cut my teeth on "In a Gadda Da Vida!" Oh, hell, now they're playing "One is the Lonliest Number!" Can you believe it?
Somehow, I'm as happy as rain!!
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Papers on the Way!
All righty then, the papers are on the way from the loan company for me to sign. They're coming overnight, FedEx. So, I HOPE that means they will arrive tomorrow. We know how the time thing works here. Our Broker says everything is going along as it should. So....this should be one of the final steps toward home ownership!
Addendum: Our Broker said the disclosure staement is on the way for me to sign. I was confused as I thought they had every ounce of info on us already. DUH! We've got a loan--the disclosure is from the lending institution making sure we understand the terms of the loan. They're the ones disclosing, not us! I think this calls for another bottle of champagne!!
In that case I believe we can expect to actually close next week, as scheduled.
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It's a small, small world
I submitted my portfolio to the Art in Embassies program, a division of the US State Department. They are considering my work to be sent to an embassy in Namibia. Cool. That would make me an internationally-exhibited artist. Here's the funny part. The woman I'm working with at the State Department has a cousin who is married to one of the curators I'm working with at the Booth Western Art Museum for the exhibition I'll be in there.
How funny is that?
Go over to Trishtown. I've added a link to the Art in Embassies site and you can have a look at what they've chosen so far.
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Over in Trishtown
A few more ramblings. i've been negligent in keeping TT up to date....Coming into crunch season here...and no hubby to ask to go out on errands--I've got to do it ALL myself. No such thing as a "quick" trip into town--2.5 hours turnaround time--at best. And that's just Española. Go into Santa Fe or Taos? The entire DAY is shot. Remoteness, baby, It's the new New York.
Check out the latest buzz in Trishtown.
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ID, necklace, house news, DIC
Sometimes it's helpful to have whilst banking or purchasing libations. I went down into town today to do some chores & pick up a few things, including a little vino and you know I got carded. No worries--I always have my documents with me--I opened my wallet and realized my license was in my motorcycle vest pocket, which I almost wore, but did not as it looked like serious rain threatening and so I drove instead. (I did check that my wallet was in the purse, like, four times. I just did not look INSIDE the wallet). Urk. I was so embarrased--I actually explained to her where my ID was--and she said "oh, well, you're 21, right?" I blurted out that I was actually 52 only garnering even more stares from everyone around me. And actually I'm only 51. It's gotta be the nose ring. Or eyebrow ring. Or just my youthful demeanor.
Picked up a little table lamp for beading anytime other than noon--I just can't see at all in dim light any, more, esp. tiny little things like beads. My 3rd necklace is almost done, got held up waiting for parts. It's a beauty. I'll post a pic. Having a tad bit of trouble finishing off the ends--it's 3 strands & I'm not quite sure how that's handled. I do have cones for each end--but may end up re-stringing the thing as I've gotten a bit short of extra wire on one end...we'll see if I can't jury-rig something. My first crimps went in place as planned, though.
Not much house news but a new (hopefully OUR new) lending institution contacted me today. It'll be a bit longer before we find out just which sort of deal we're working and then we may have to wait for Leonardo to get home for paperwork and such. So it may be this week but it's gotta be by the 24th! At least that's what the papers say. But they can lie too as we're finding out.
I got a good (I hope!) picture of a dog on a, uh, motorized vehicle--I wasn't fast enough for the one of a dog actually riding outside, on top of a pickup cab! No lie. This is New Mexico. Will send that one along to Dog in Car when I download photos next.
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2 birds today
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Martini Friday
Well, hubby's on the road. Even so I'm going to take a break, let Artie get on with things, and shake one up! Not stir.
Happy Friday!
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Art Factory
That's what it looks like in here--I stretched five canvases today and gessoed 13--they completely cover the big table.
Ghost Pony Gallery is going to partner with Galleria de Amor right next door for the opening of our September exhibitions. I’ve pushed the opening date of our show, “Auspicious Autumn” up til September 15th. We’ll have both galleries open and have receptions on Friday and Saturday. And we’ll serve iced tea and lemonade in the yard under the tree during the day. Hopefully we’ll generate a bit more traffic that way. I’m going to put up a page for Galleria de Amor on the Ghost Pony web site so soon you’ll get a little taste of the art Therese is showing over there.
Not to mention I have about a zillion paintings to finish by then and other stuff as well. I’ve got to make a new “gallery parking” sign. Our driveway intimidates people—the parking is in the back where they can’t actually see it from the road.
My husband was on the other side of Indianapolis this morning. Something funny is going on with his phone & he’s having trouble calling home but we managed to make a connection today.
Had a group of visitors today, about six that all came in together. What a weird vibe they gave. One lady kept saying “how unusual, what unusual work.” I think she probably meant “this is the best work we’ve seen!”
I've been forgetting about photo phridays! I'll see what I can get up over on Trishtown in the next few days. This is good--I'm starting to think about stuff other than the house! I think it will happen soon--the St. Joseph I buried in the flower pot is beginning to surface--his feet are poking through the dirt!
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Art Collectors
I had actual, real art collectors in here today and they absolutely, positively, and shamelessly loved my work. They asked for a business card and asked me to staple it to a postcard with an image of my work on it and made sure they had my website addresses. Yes. This has a good feel to it. Dummy me, though. They were asking so many questions I let them get away without signing up for the mailing list.
Ha, ha, and now that we're under contract on this house a lady called up about a place we were interested in before but was just off the market. It seems it is back on. So I told her if we closed on this house that was that, and if not, then we were still interested. We'll like what we're into better, but nice to know there are options.
That's about it. Messing around with the slew of small canvases, updating my iPod. Husband is off to Pennsylvania for that other stove.
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