Spring storms and me

About three weeks ago, we had one of those Toto-I-don't-think-we're-in Kansas-anymore spring storms that occur in this climate from time to time. My wife, our two dogs, a radio, a lamp, and I spent a good deal of the evening sitting in the hallway while the storm raged outside. We heard unusual noises. The dogs made unusual noises, as well. The power failed. Howls and moans occurred. Some of the howls came from the dogs. Some came from the storm. Some came from assorted transformers and power lines.

It was scary.

But the storm passed. And the house held together. In fact, we went to a dinner party at a friend's place later that night. We had great fun eating by candle light, even after the power came back on.

My studio was another matter. It's a building next door to my house. The power of the storm was great enough that the roofing was lifted up and the wind forced rain water through the decking, saturating the ceiling. Waterlogged, it collapsed under its own weight.

No paintings were damaged, though a few minor studies now look rather more aleatory than they did before the event. The situation may be a lesson in using weather maps as sources of imagery (as I have done in recent years). Be careful what you deal with, boy; it may be stonger than you'd anticipated.

The insurance guys say they'll cover almost all of the cost, and I plan to angle for a little more than they have so far offered.

Meanwhile, I won't be working in that room for a while.