Where Have I Been?

December, 2010
After my return from Cuba in September, 2009, I enjoyed excellent health for several months, but was then exposed to a toxic level of mold in my apartment and became very ill.  In April I was diagnosed with diabetes.  In May it was a genetic liver condition, in June I learned I had antibodies to every single mold I was tested for, in July I tested positive for chronic Lyme disease and in August I found out I also have Bartonella, another tick-borne disease.  In late June I had to leave my apartment practically overnight because I could no longer breathe there.  I spent the summer camped out in various living rooms and offices while I tried to find that was chemically safe for me--free of natural gas, mold, carpets, new paint, smokers, scented laundry products, etc.  In September I finally found a room in a house that's mostly OK for me. 

Sometime during my search for shelter, I had the idea of living in a tiny mobile house, like a Romany caravan, and one thing very quickly led to another.  I spent the fall designing a small house on wheels for myself, with help from a variety of experts, and am now raising money to build it, while I work out a few technical glitches.  La Casita will provide me with housing security for a fraction of what a stationary home would cost, will be built entirely of non-toxic materials, with compact, energy efficient appliances, and will allow me to relocate when I want to without having to start from scratch.  I hope it will also allow me to create my own artist's residencies in communities around the country where I have ties. 

I'm working on many writing and editing projects and will be telling you all about them soon. In the meantime, welcome to my new home online.