After the morning hang out we went rock dune hopping. Then we went to see the real sand dunes and Bo rolled down on a couple of hills. It was his first time in a sandy desert.
In the afternoon we left Death Valley and drove up to Reno, Nevada in hopes to find our couch surfing location and Irma, our host for a couple days. Irma is from Georgia, you know, the country next to Russia. She, her daughter and her mom were hosting us in their beautiful house in Sparks, next to Reno. The view was breathtaking from their house.
The next morning we went to the Generator where I received a free work studio space to create my planned installations. We were wondering around Reno and Sparks, thinking what are we actually doing here?
I was constantly searching for cars to buy. I realized how little money I had and how much the car rental was draining me from money. My mom saved us from Hungary, so I was looking for cars... Bill, the artist mechanic helped me look at cars but the few selection was very disappointing for the price I could afford. I thought I was in a nightmare or a comedy or both. That's how bad the cars were that we have looked at. I could not believe it is actually happening. The way these cars were, I never have imagined that it's actually possible to sell cars in that state they were in. Anyway, thank you Bill for all your effort and help! Thank you for your positive attitude too!
The second day in Reno I got the flu. I was so increasingly sick that I had to lay in bed for two days and if I got up and went somewhere I had major headache, unbelievable sore throat and paint everywhere. So I was disabled for a while. After our couchsurfing days were up we had to leave Irma and her family. We had an other couch surfing place with Mette at the other side of town. She to lived in a very beautiful house where we slept three nights. She was a very cool spirit who was moving back to Norway to leave this country behind that got Trumped on. It was snowing and snowing and raining and it was cold, cold, cold. We didn't expect this at all... After our days were up we went on a search for a cheap motel. Because I drained all my cards for ready cash to buy a car , and waiting on line at this casino hotel for an hour, very sick and tired, we had to leave because they only accepted card payments with a $100 card deposit. I felt like the whole world was against me. I didn't find a car, we couldn't stay in the hotel and we had nowhere to go. I was crying, I thought I will give up. I hated the homeless feeling in the ugly casino city, Reno. I talked yo Brian on the phone and he tried to put life into me. We ended up at Motel 6, a disgusting motel by the highway. I felt very unsafe and thought I was an idiot leaving my Upstate New York house behind. We went yo sleep very sad...
I found a 1999 Chevy Astor van, but it was too expensive, so I gave up on that. Then we went yo sleep.
The next morning I had an idea. I offered a deal to the sellers of the van, and was hoping for an answer, a yes. After half an hour a text message arrived: they accept the deal! I was so happy, I looked at the van, they gave me the papers and I gave them all the money my mom sent us to survive. Then the rest of the day we spent in and out of the DMV to get a temporary moving permit.
That night we slept in the van in the Generator parking lot in 19 degrees.
Hey, the next day we still had to go to the DMV! Then we got to have insurance! By the afternoon it was all done. We were ready to leave the area and go to Grass Valley, California. It was not enough we had to wait many extra days to cross the Sierra Nevada because 57 feet of snow, landslides and avalanche, it was also the dealing with the paperwork, smog check, permits, before that I got a flat tire in the rental car that had to be changed. I thought the whole world turned against us.
I had lot of hopes to go to Grass Valley because Brian's best friend was there and my artist friend who we just met last summer at Burning Man. So I thought Grass Valley will save us! Here we go Grass Valley! We passed the Donner peak, they finally cleaned the avalanches, but the snow walls were still by the road higher than the road signs. We arrived at Tatiana's house and after we climbed up the incredibly steep driveway with our new van, she invited us in. Her house was very cause and artsy. We met her family and moved onto the bed in the living room. That's where we stayed for a week. Grass Valley was promising but my plans yo find a farm to live at got canceled after so many tries to convince people to let Bo on their farms. No children allowed on farms! Who would ever expect that?! I would have never thought of that... I was very disappointed about the lack of understanding, warmth and inviting feelings. The second day we visited Brian's friend and his family too. We had a nice dinner. Thank you all for that!
We were going around all over Grass Valley waiting for the art grant decision that would shape our near future. I strongly believed that I will get a grant, this time it will be different and I will get help. On March 2nd the email came. They thanked me for applying and told me that there were no money left for my project from 5.5 million dollars. Thank you Universe. Thank you Burning Man Arts support. Nobody ever helps me. I was so sad, I was so lost, I was do disappointed, I was murdered. I don't have any money. I don't have any money. I don't have any money...
So here we go, sitting in Starbucks, close to 10pm. We will try to sleep in our van at the Kmart parking lot tonight. Our new couch surfing place at North San Juan was very scary so we came back to Grass Valley. Tomorrow morning we will leave to go back to Reno to the Generator. It's 35 degrees outside.
(Kati)
(Kati)
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