I haven't posted here since July! I guess I got the summer doldrums in August, but I have very good excuses for not posting in September. First, Melissa and I both finally got The Covid, after having managed to avoid it for two and a half years. We had just gotten the new and improved booster shot for the Omicron variant, and a few days later, Melissa tested positive and two days after that, I did too.
Neither of us got terribly sick though there was a day or two early on when I felt pretty awful and we were both worried that maybe, despite all our efforts, The Covid was going to get me after all! It didn't, but it was a full two weeks before I tested negative.
Then on September 28th, a horrible fellow named Ian put us in the eye of his horrible hurricane! I won't go into lots of detail, but it really was TERRIFYING and went on for more than 10 traumatizing hours! We kept hearing noises on the roof and praying that the roof didn't come off. Well, it didn't, but more than half our shingles did, and toward the end we got some water coming in through vents and the smoke detectors. Fortunately we didn't get a lot of water intrusion, but there are water stains on the ceiling and some buckling that will need to be fixed, and of of course roof repair, lanai screens, and probably repaint the exterior of the house.
Our house the day after Ian and a week later after the blue tarp went on.
We didn't have water, power, internet or even cell service and stores and gas stations weren't open for days. It was getting scary, because we didn't know how long that was going to last. We thought we might be without power for weeks, but were lucky to get ours back after five days. A lot of people did go weeks though. Things are starting to get cleaned up and places re-opened, but it doesn't happen as quickly as people think. If you're not here, you think it's all over because it was a month ago, but it's not. Folks here are still shaken up and still cleaning up.
We were pretty traumatized, but realized that a lot of people have much worse situations and so we are definitely counting our blessings. We're just hoping not to come out of the whole thing broke after deductibles and out of pocket expenses!
Anyway, our BIG NEWS is that a few months ago - before Ian came through - Melissa and I had already decided to move back to New England and had our sights set on doing that next year. She's been homesick for a long time and wants to be on familiar ground and closer to family as we manage my Parkinson's. So that's still the plan but of course we need to make the home repairs first, and our buyer will have a house with nice new roof, new ceilings, and a fresh coat of paint! We're hoping to set things in motion in early spring.
So, I haven't really painted much, because it's been hard to get back into a normal routine after a scare like that. But I've been trying. Here are a couple of paintings I recently did in water-soluble oils.
Marshland Three Pines
Before we move, we'd love to find homes for some of my paintings, so that we don't have to pack and move them or put them out for curbside pick-up! Anyone local who would like to come by and take a look at the ones we've got hanging up, or go through some of my boxes is welcome to do so! Just message Melissa through Facebook. If anyone from away sees anything in these photos that they're interested in - do the same. We'll be motivated to make good deals :)
Here are shots of the pieces on the walls in my studio that are available. I also have some large ocean scenes and southwest landscapes on gallery-wrapped canvas and plenty of ocean scenes and landscapes in smaller sizes.
Also, Jennifer French, who owns The Yoga Sanctuary where Melissa teaches, is letting me show my work throughout December. We're going to be raffling this painting to benefit Guardian ad Litem. I'll be showing a few hung pieces and will have a art bin you can look through with a variety of mostly smaller paintings on canvas panel - all original paintings.
JR
