Hello and greetings from the Pacific Northwest! We have rain and snow and warm sunshine. Occasionally on the same day.

Weather. What would we discuss with strangers without it?

I suppose we could talk about our health but usually one discusses that with acquaintances and friends.

These Days …

My health is fine. My computer’s health might be fine but it’s hard for me to check right now. My monitor and my computer don’t seem to want to speak to each other. I’ve checked the cords. I’ve changed monitors. The computer is working. The monitor seems to start but won’t connect to either of my computer or Sarah’s.

When the problem first occurred on Tuesday morning I was cranky about it. By Wednesday morning I was still a little cranky about it but I’d also come to realize that I was mostly using my computer to scroll social media. Again. Not writing. Not doing art. I have read some online articles and essays but in that distracted way that happens when I have a hard time concentrating on anything specific.

So, on Wednesday morning I read a library book as I drank my coffee to wake up. I own a ridiculous number of books but I borrow more from the library. On Wednesday evening, after getting home from work (and having dinner and chatting with Sarah) I sketched.

Thursday was a scheduled day off. I was a cranky person. There are a lot of things that are out of my control right now. Friends and family are ill. We’re waiting on others to finish some tasks so we can move forward on the Billi 99 Kickstarter. New rules have been handed down at the Post Office on how we’re supposed to do our jobs. Sarah, kind soul that she is, put up with me. I did a little sketching.

I finally ran errands for a family member who has been stuck in the hospital. The hospital is, like so many other places these days, very short staffed so everything is taking longer than expected. We’d thought I’d be able to taxi her home yesterday but the hospital hasn’t been able to process some of the tests they run and they don’t want to let her go home until they get the results. Liability issues.

I’m going to try to refuse overtime  today so I can get my family member home. Ideally I’ll be able to work a short shift.

I’m putting off dealing with my monitor until Sunday. I’m writing this newsletter on Sarah’s computer. I do need a working monitor to be able to use my computer and I need my computer as part of my creative work process. But I’ve lived without it for a few days and can live without it for a few more.

More From the War

This week’s gallery features more illustrations from that Call of Cthulhu WW1 set RPG book that will never see print. The first two images are from a scenario involving an Elder Thing on a refugee ship. The other images are solo illustrations set in different theatres of the Great War. The book’s author asked me to do ‘flavor” illustrations that showed the variety and scope of the conflict – especially places and peoples that weren’t featured in any of the actual scenarios.

If you’re reading this newsletter in your email and the images look weird try checking them out on the Skookworks website. I’ve been told that some email programs are having problems displaying the jpegs.

I hope your week has gone well. That your weather has been good and that your health is giving you nothing but joy. See you in seven!