Milk District Christmas Market

Posted on by Thor

I was giving serious consideration to buying a property on Forest Avenue in the Audubon Park district of Orlando. After walking the home and taking measurements, I decided to then walk the neighborhood. Several blocks away was North Bumby Avenue. I walked towards the Plaza Live Theater. Within a block I ran into this Christmas market set up in a parking lot. I decided to just sit down and sketch. This is exactly the type of event I tend to seek out and sketch anyway.

It had rained recently and there was a big puddle in front of me. On sale were vintage records and various arts and crafts. This neighborhood where the home was located felt right. A short walk from the front yard and I was already finding sketch able subjects. The Plaza Live down the street was having a Krampus event and I was excited to get there to sketch as well.

The home I was looking at had a wild and overgrown front and back lawn area. There was no grass, which I like. It had all native plants including bamboo which grows like wildfire. The house is a small 1 bathroom and two bedroom place. I had already drawn out a map of the rooms to see if I could fit my art studio furniture into the place. It was a tight fit. A huge live oak tree cut off much of the light that could make its way through the studio windows. Looking back the place was kind of dark. I could have controlled the light with natural electric lights but that would have run up the electric bill.

After spending $700 on an inspection, I decided the place wasn’t for me. Termites had infested the carport and they made their way up into the roof rafters. Though the roof hadn’t leaked yet it was structurally unsound. Rats had also taken up residence in the insulation in the attic. I figured that I would have to invest well over $100,000 to put on a new roof and it is also possible that interior walls were infested. What I would have been buying was a pile of cinder blocks. It would be a long time before I could move in. This was far more work than I wanted to get my studio set up. It is a good fit for a contractor who wants to flip the place.

Right now I am in between residences. I need a roommate situation or rental so I can stay in Orlando through the end of May since I plan to sketch the Orlando International Fringe Festival which runs from May 12 to the 27th . I am paying top dollar to stay in an AirBnB next week in downtown Orlando but that is very expensive. Apartments often want an 8 month commitment for the lease. I want to drive north in June to look at the possibility of setting up a studio in New York State. If anyone knows about short-term rentals in Orlando Florida, please let me know. I am living out of a backpack and scrambling to find a place. My studio and art supplies are packed away in a storage container and my Prius has my backpack a few groceries and my bicycle. I can view this as a problem or an adventure. I hope it is an adventure.

Air Bag Recall

Posted on by Thor

I got a notice in the mail that the the passenger side airbag on my Prius was recalled. It would be replaced for free but I  would have to take it in. The Toyota Dealership is state of the art with a lounge and indoor cafe which makes the wait less painful. Having to  wait also of course is a perfect opportunity to get a sketch done. While most customers used their cell phones, I was busy putting lines and washes on the page.

Now, more than a year later, my rear back tire has a slow leak and I am long overdue for an oil change. Chances are this month or next, I will be going in for another sketch opportunity. I can’t vouch for how well the new air bags work, I haven’t had a chance to test them out.

50,000 mile check up.

Posted on by Thor

I brought my Prius in to the Toyota of Orlando Dealership for its 50,000 mile all points check up. Because of the Holidays and m procrastination, the car was quite over due based on my odometer. I like to wait at the dealership while the work is done because there are always people waiting around to draw. They chat on the is phones, conducts business or finger their phone surfing social media. A large screen TV behind me was blaring some program that claimed that they have pertinent evidence in unsolved murders. A young college girl was murder and they had audio that apparently was from the killers cell phone. She shouted the killers name and cried for help. The show host then played | audio for the devastated parents to hear so the camera co get their reaction. I didn’t look. I tried to block it out.

My tires were well worn. I knew this from the last time, I had the car in for an oil change. There was z sale, buy three tires and get the fourth tire free. The damage was still over $500.  I ended up having t wait an extra hour and a half. Since I was sketching, the time flew buy. My car is probably in better shape and healthier than I am. It is time to think about getting a tune up myself. I’ve put in quite a few miles since I saw a doctor last.

Back to the Toyota Dealership for scheduled maintenance.

Posted on by Thor

My Prius was due for its 40,000 mile maintenance check up. I got a letter in the mail last week that let me know that a digital title was on file with the Florida department of motor vehicles. The car was finally paid off. I haven’t had a single issue to date, but I figure everything will go haywire once there aren’t any other expenses.

The Toyota dealership is close to my home and the place is brand spanking new. There is a commissary and comfy chairs for people waiting for repairs. One costumer snoozed while his girlfriend surfed the web. I only needed an oil change, but the technicians checked everything.  The sales rep, Jay Morales, let me know that there was some wear and tear on my tires. When I park on the street, I tend to scrape the tire against the curb to get as close to the curb as I can. I’ve scrapped the front passenger side hub cap and scuffed up the rubber quite well. Since all the scrapes are on the passenger side of the car it is easy for me to ignore the damage. They have back-up cameras on some cars now. I need hub cap cameras that show me how close the tires are to the curb.

Judging from my sketch, I’d say that my wait at the dealership was about an hour. My synthetic oil was changed and my tires were rotated along with a multi point inspection. My sales rep saw me sketching and he told me that his girlfriend Melanie Daniels had done a series of paintings called “Movement in Time.” The paintings depict a view of the landscape as it streams by, as if viewed from a fast moving car. I thought I would find her paintings online, but my search only lead me to find that Melanie Daniels was the character Tippi Hendren played in Alfred Hitchcock’s, The Birds.

Waiting at the Toyota Dealership Service Department

Posted on by Thor

I had to bring my Prius in for its thirty thousand mile service to Toyota of Orlando (3575 Vineland Road Orlando FL). There was a nation wide safety recall of certain Prius models built between 2010 and 2014. My car was recalled. It seems that if there was a heavy load like a trailer, or boat attached to the car, it would not be able to handle the load an the car would shut down. I never haul anything heavier than a sketchbook, but I was concerned that the car might not handle the Florida heat. All that was needed was a software update and the power management and motor generator system would be repaired.

The thirty thousand multi-point inspection involved replacing all the fluids and rotating the tires. I had a few scuffs on the side of several tires because I park so close to curbs. The service technician tried to sell me new tires even though there is plenty of tread left. He claimed that there might be road noise since the tires were rotated but the car now is as silent as ever. I suspect he wanted to sell tires weather they were needed or not. There was a deal where you get the 4th tire free if you buy 3. The invoice also shouts out that “We Sell Tires!”

Middle aged business men used the waiting area as their office. One paced back and forth worried and upset about fees incurred in a deal. I decided to do a digital sketch since the recall was because of a computer software glitch. Just as I finished the sketch, the computer blacked out. Up until this visit to the dealership, all the service was free. The thirty thousand mile service ended up costing $730. Ouch!