Sketches and Rambling

Is a post with just sketches or a post with sketches and rambling from my wandering mind better?  We won't really know because I'm doing the second idea.

We went in to Austin to get some shoes and decided to stop at the Ford dealer's to get a replacement for the second key for the Escape.  The key burned in the fire at the house.   We wanted one with the buttons and a third with just a key.  So after an hours wait, the attendant came back  with one key which we assumed was the button key.  He went back for the second key.  He returned in about 10 minutes with two plain keys, no button keys.  It was a surprise to him that we wanted a key with the lock buttons, etc.  Those have to be ordered he says and it will be $150.00.  The other two were $75 I think.  Anyway, we still don't have an extra key.

But while we were there, waiting, I did my first sketch in ages and it fits in Scavenger Hunt 238.  Hopefully I will get it posted there.  It is in the little purse sketchbook with a Pilot ball point pen.

 Number 1, smells good - the coffee and Number 2, wet - the water faucet.

Then yesterday morning or this morning, I got up very early and sketched at the table.  I thought it was yesterday, but I put today's date.  Sigh....  My mind ain't what it used to be.  Number 3, lamplit - the nightlight by the stove.  Number 4, black and white - Gene's iPhone case and a paper napkin on the table.

As you may know we are in an RV temporarily (we hope) after being made homeless by the huge Bastrop fire.  These interesting balls are falling off a big tree here in the RV park.  Turns out they are Osage-oranges.  Have a sticky latex in them, repel bugs and the wood is flexible and strong.  The wood is popular for bows as in bows and arrows.  Hmm.

Osage-Orange

This is our RV, utility trailer and the cars.  Home sweet home!

This is remnants of the Spicewood fire on HWY 71 on the west side of Austin.  We drove through the area on the way back home from New Mexico.  You can see "our" fire in previous posts.

So that leads to my rambling.  We are working on inventory for the contents of our house for insurance purposes.  We had soooo much stuff that we can't run out and buy.  15 years of South American keepsakes, a house full of furniture from grandparents, bought 40 years ago, collected pieces.  Art from my aunt back in the 20s, antique collection of clocks, Christmas ornaments from the White House, DEA, State of Texas and the Texas Lottery, and the list just goes on for pages.  We did not have the antiques insured separately so........ or my jewelery which included antique turquoise and silver from the late 1800s and some from South America. 

Then we are house hunting along with 1600 + other home owners.  Not that many houses left over in this small community.  The fire has really upset the market as you can imagine.  We found two houses we liked that were signed on just hours ahead of us.  Vacant homes away from the fire are at a premium.  The rental folks are trying to give the displaced folks help, but there aren't that many.  We have to be patient and probably go further from Bastrop than we hoped.  But again, we are better off that some.  I can't imagine the families that want to keep living here and keep their kids in the same schools and not have to move away from their work ... if they have any.  We talked to a builder that sounded more stressed than us as his house burned and he is trying to help others, too.  The people that had homes that survived will have big losses in their property value with the burned trees all around.

Which reminds me, we have a nice black and gray lot for sale by owner.

I don't really mean to complain about all this, just explain.  People have offered us places to stay and to buy us replacement gifts.  I have most of my art stuff with me as I take it with us to New Mexico.  There are so many other people that need help ... real help.  We have insurance, and some stuff. 

Today we volunteered at the Bits and Pieces thrift store, Family Crisis Center, sorting clothes for their sale.  We have been volunteers there since 1997.  You can help there or through the Bastrop Christian Ministerial Alliance which helps the community in so many ways.  Both of these organizations are local and help EVERYBODY.  You can donate on-line for both.  The money goes directly to these families that way.

Thank you so much for all the wonderful messages and calls.  It means so much to us.  We will be fine, it will just take a little time.

The kids are coming out again tomorrow and we will rescue our mail box and clothes lines that Gene's brother made for us to go to the new place, where ever that is.  Dig a little more in the ashes and then turn it over to the disaster clean up folks.  We will have to also get trees cut down and removed for safety, etc.

I am avoiding facebook these days except for my public page.  Please comment here or send me an e-mail at jo@jocastilloart.com.

I haven't forgotten the contest that ended on September 12.  I will take care of that, soon.

Thanks again for your concern and hugs.