Anuvue stands to have it’s grand opening July 12th…that’s if I’m still standing! I’ve changed the date more times than I really care to mention based on the city slapping my hand. And I’m not at liberty to ad-lib on that 😉
This week was the WHEW! I’ve been under the weather and lost 5 days, laying in that bed until I thought I would chew nails. I finally took every drugstore remedy (band-aid) and sucked it up Krisher style. On Thursday I went back to work and then went and met a new artist at her home. It’s too late to introduce her now but it was a good meeting. Friday I dropped off files for the first 2 offical Anuvue T-shirts and I can’t wait to see them. Then I met another artist, Laura (painter), at the studio and got to see her eyes light up when she saw the place. We sat on the new patio and chatted for a while. She’s has such a lovely positive outlook on everything. It’s a pleasure to be her new friend.
Saturday Mike and I hit a large hardware store to load up on paint and we were off. When we arrived, my buddy Jim was already working fast and furious on setting up the new mac that will run all the flat screens that hold the artist’s portfolios. He was immersed in Apple TVs and Time Machines and Airports and a whole lot of cords.
I moved on and rolled up my sleeves and headed for the creepy common bathrooms that we all share. My old buddy Claude showed up in time to water the plants on the patio and then came Jamie (Anuvue’s Young Rembrandt’s class teacher) and Loren (the smartest man I know). It was very sweet to watch Jamie unload her art supplies and carefully arrange them on her shelves. I didn’t risk a picture because I didn’t want her to know I was there and spoil the moment. You cannot imagine what it feels like to watch a lifelong friend setting up for something she’s so excited about and having had a part in it. It’s that good.
Mike and I worked on the dang bathrooms until midnight and finally stopped. The man’s either crazy or he likes me as I am…even while he’s grumbling. Somewhere in there 3 of my neighbors showed up for a tour and then my carpenter Tim with 2 more movable walls that he and Mike carried up the require 19 steps…twice while I logically I hid in the bathroom.
When I got up today, barely, after exactly 2 hours (6 total in 3 days) of really bad sleep due to this bloody hacking all night, I headed straight to ikea to find the necessary pretties to style up the ladies room cheaply. I hit gold in brain ideas and happily left with my purchases. Mike was found back in the bathroom attaching a new light fixture so we can now “See” in the ladies room.
At about 1pm MaryBeth ( another talented painter) came down from Long Beach and dropped off some paintings. She’s working on another tree that is very exciting. I showed her around (big grin on her face) and then Kweli (Jewelry Artist) showed up from Long Beach as well. Heck, they could have carpooled if they’d known each other. Now they do. When later on I watched them hug each other, well people, that is what this is all about. Communing with good people on our own little adventure. That was a great moment ( heck 2 moments I’d had at this point).
MaryBeth went to work putting wires on her paintings while I showed Kweli around and it suddenly became apparent that Kweli had come to work. We were looking at some bars that extend from the ceiling to the track lighting that needed to be sleeved in black so they wouldn’t stand out. She grabbed a ladder and went to town while I stood there gawking at her know-how. I just couldn’t see how this tiny woman was going to reach the height she would need. But, she fed that dang sleeve up the bars by slowly snaking it up inch by inch. Even Mike was impressed.
MayBeth got done and headed on home, Kweli soon to follow…and then Cathy (Fused Glass Artist) came in to see the glass cubes designed to show her work. She got to meet my carpenter Tim and his very sweet wife, Dee as they had come to work on the movable walls. Cathy showed them her glass and told them how she created it while I continued in those dang bathrooms. She got her figuration’s down so she knew what would fit and then headed out herself. Next came the Pizza guys from downstairs to get a tour…I think my head might have been spinning at that point.
We finished the bathrooms (with God bless her), Dee on her knees side by side with me while we stretched the new bathroon “Art” and Mike stapled it to a wood frame. He and I finished at 7pm after everyone was gone and the transformation in the ladies room is pretty darn good. I still need some artsy touch in the mens and I felt good, at least mentally, after it was done. Physically I’m not even sure I’ll be able to get my butt out of this chair and I’m sure as heck not going to ask Mike because I can hear him snoring in the next room 😉 Pictures to follow.
Anuvue Studio 
