We arrived home around 2330 Sunday, after nine days on the raod. We had driven to Detroit to visit Liora's family for a few days, then to Loraine, Ohio to spend some time with friends, and to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland.
Detroit was fun, and mostly relaxing. We spent Tuesday at the Henry Ford Museum, seeing (and "riding" in) the bus on which Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat, and the chair Abraham Lincoln was occopying, when he was assasinated. (Who knew the Henry Ford could be so dark? And that's not all! We also saw JFK's Presidential Limousine. Yes, the one he was riding in when he was shot.)
We ate dinner at our favourite Indian restaurant, and Linda's favourite BBQ restaurant (my second favourite; my number one BBQ place is in KC.) We did a bit of shopping, and had ice cream at a streetside bakery.
Cleveland was fun, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was awesome. I saw several of Jerry Garcia's custom guitars (including the one he played the only time I saw the Dead, in Kansas City, front row, in '85).
We stayed in a beautiful Bed & Breakfast in Loraine Thursday and Friday nights, enjoying a delicious dinner outdoors on the terrace (also lakeside) Thursday night. Friday afternoon was spent walking along one of Lake Erie's gorgeous beaches. (See photo.)
We had dinner with friends in Akron Saturday evening, before a bit more shopping, then back to our hotel.
It was a wonderful trip, very relaxing and refreshing.
Back home, the woodworking project continues. I delivered the first display shelf the Monday before we headed out of town. I'm nearly finished with the second one, but I was told last night that the client is not pleased about some of the details with the first piece.
I worked out a schedule to address the problems, and fix them, but today I was told to "hold off" on working to finish the second unit. (Yeah, never a good sign, right?)
I've spent a great deal of time on these pieces, working from a basic schematic that the client changed after I'd already started buying the materials, and doing some basic construction. Because the project was for a store where a friend of mine works, I didn't insist on an up-front downpayment, so all the materials that have been paid for with my own money.
Considering all the time I've spent woodworking over the past month, I haven't had as much time to paint as I wanted. I'm not going to have the painting done in time to submit it to the Gamblin contest, by the deadline.
I feel like I should be more discouraged than I am; honestly, I'm feeling all right. The painting is looking good, and I'm focused on getting it done, right. (It's more important to have a good painting, than crank out a mediocre piece on time.) I'm also working on a couple ideas for a other new paintings, and I feel good about them, too. I think they're going to be really exciting.
If the client decides not to buy the displays from me, I'm going to use the wood to build some bookcases I've needed for several years, and perhaps a sewing table for Liora's studio, as well.
And, I will have learned a valuable lesson--again; don't make unfair compromises--not even for friends.
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