Wondering

The last few weeks have been exhausting and upsetting. I arrived home from Wells. Both galleries were closed and packed up and so was the little apartment. More work than expected.
Packing up a gallery is complicated because everything has to be listed and carefully wrapped for each artist. Pick up or drop off has to be arranged to deliver work back to owners and shipping has to be done. Visits and calls to post office, credit machine people, banks, etc.

Farewells are expected when you leave a lovely place like Wells. Time is so limited when you are hundreds of miles from your home destination. You get one shot at packing the truck. No returning to pick up a few more things. Not everyone gets said goodbye to and hurt feelings result.

Arriving home has been a whole other issue. It was a complete disaster area and a construction site when I arrived. The manure hit the fan within a few days of arriving home. Tim's father developed pnuemonia and an aortic anuerysm and my son ended up in hospital with heart issues and very scary lung x-rays. My sinus cavity erupted into my tooth and emergency surgery had to happen. They have decided it might be a bigger problem and have sent me back for "explorations" regarding a potential larger issue. I wasn't allowed to fly. Tim had to leave me as I was to get to his poor father. Son had to cope with support by phone and computer.
Tim had gone for medical testing and his results came back quite scary. And an armed man was arrested under our house. Dogs, screaming man, screaming armed cops, blood, terror, etc.

Then a message about my darling Barry's death came.

Everything is now under control or in waiting stage. Not sure how to manage this level of stress but know that I will.

Yesterday I actually went into the studio. Almost all the artists have got their work back. I managed to unpack tons of boxes. Hilary showed me her incredible experiments from the summer. I sat at my little work table and put down my head. Floods of inspiration came to me. Enough for many explorations. We got in first description of our next show completed and in to the curator.

I listened to an interview with Swanee Hunt. She talked about woman in refuge camps internationally who keep going in times of disaster. She said that much to her amazement they carry on with routines and put one foot in front of the other. One step at a time.

I will finish up unpacking and prepare for life again. I am grateful today for all of this. My home, my little family, the construction disaster and creativity.