I'm just finishing a double espresso, thanks to getting thirsty for one when I saw Marta's avatar. My old Krups burned out a few months back and I installed my spare coffee maker, an under-the-cupboard Black & Decker gem that I boxed up over 15 years ago when the ex and I bought the Kruppy.

The B&D machine doesn't do espresso/cappo, so my sister, bless her Annie Oakley heart, shipped me a Mr. Coffee espresso/cappo machine.

I fired it up tonight at 8:00 p.m. so I could get on with the painting projects that I began this morning.

I require caffeine to work after dark.

I wish my machine looked like this one:



It is an Etienne-Louis espresso deluxe. It costs a bundle of Euros. It makes two demi-tasses at a time! How quaint!

Now the art pricing items:

1. I got the check from my Columbus patron. Mi Padrone is a Mensch! What a great collector! He sold another one.

2. This upcoming June 20th one-day art festival is my first one (outdoors.) I am maintaining my process as you see them on the web page, with slight increases. The studies are all unframed. They start at $50 and go up. I have yet to decide what is "up."

I aimed for this exhibit for selling as many little paintings as I can. The cash from this show, after taxes and permits and booth rental and the tent, are my summer income. All I get is Social Security and a minor stipend from the marriage dissolution/depletion of the Keogh account and the latter isn't enough to pay my house rent. I have utilities (they are doubling my water bill!) and if you have ever spent a winter living in a northern Ohio house you know that the heating bills range up to $400 a month six months of the year. I am still paying for February-March. My car is paid for but it required $2.80 gasoline to run. Etc.

So I cannot jack my prices to what my patron sold that little one for. First, he bought an expensive hand-made frame for it. The frame cost more than he paid for the painting. Second, this is Tiffin, OH. "Art" here is what you find at Wal-Mart in those ready-made plastic frames.

3. After the festival I will re-evaluate the prices and duly respond with a new model. I am taking a tour of big city galleries with a carload of my paintings in July. I have one, maybe 2 shows in July, both outdoor festivals. In August I have the big antique auto show and encampment. That sells art! And in September I am doing a Jazz festival and our local weekend Heritage Festival.

I am busy thus.

Damn this is good coffee. Thanks, M.