Jess Klein – Backstage

So here I am back in TX, after a month in Ireland and England.  I could, and have done, go on at length about how gorgeous Ireland is, how it looks to me like the outward reflection of my soul – (an idea that Anais Nin talks about in one of her diaries.  She says everyone has some place which looks like their soul. I’m grossly paraphrasing, but it’s roughly the idea.)

Last night we had a dinner here at the cottages – I haven’t written about the cottages in a few months, but to summarize, my neighbor decided she wouldn’t stand for our cottages to be torn down in order for the developers to build multi-family condo units.  But here’s the twist in the story: she actually won.  We all won.  She convinced them to give us 6 of the cottages AND enough money to move them to a new plot of land.  Then… we were wondering where on earth we would put them.  Enter Design Build Alliance, a nonprofit headed by UT Architecture Prof. Stephen Ross and Rick Linklater, the filmmaker.  Suddenly we were talking to the right people.  They are funding the project, the land, and putting it into the books that these cottages will forever be rented to artists at an affordable price.  Can you believe it?  Last night all the people involved in the project came by and we had a potluck.  I feel so blessed to live in such a creative community.  That’s a huge understatement.

Today I was knee deep in sorting out emails and receipts post-tour when I got a knock on my door: my friends Charlie and Will were here with a bike – for me!  They knew I needed a bike so they bought one at a Halloween yard sale.  It’s bright blue!

I’m speechless.

Thanks to Charlie and Will!