well I never did

Zentangle has helped me through all manner of trials and tribulations - various shades of pain, illness, concern and sadness.  It has proved versatile, familiar, friendly and faithful in recent years.  But I tested its limits these last few weeks!  Or rather, our boiler did.  Two and a half weeks ago our boiler went out.  Two days later the engineer fixed it.  Hours later it failed again.  Days later we had a new boiler fitted.  After a week of erratic success the pump failed and was replaced.  And now we seem to have a problem with the timer, thermostat or wiring!  The fix is still pending.  We've had days with no heating or hot water (and no alternative source of warmth!).  This shouldn't be much of a problem in Spring on the South Coast - but we've had unseasonably chilly nights - frosts even!  The company are diligent in trying to fix the problems, and we have heat now, it just can't easily be turned off once it's on, or vice versa!

This one reminds me of 70's comics -
pink and yellow watercolour hefty hack background
on  3 x 4 inch Hahnemühle bamboo paper
tangled with Well, Well, Well and Cubine -
black ink and graphite 

Eight visits in less than three weeks, countless texts and phone calls.  Noise, strange smells, anxiety and uncertainty are all demanding and distracting enough.  But the cold - waking to cold, going to bed cold and being cold most of the hours in between.  This was not conducive for tangling - I could barely feel my fingers at times, let alone my toes!

Spinning and springing and surprisingly warm looking  -
pink and yellow watercolour hefty hack background
on a 4 x 6 inch Khadi paper piece
tangled with Well, Well, Who and Printemps -
black and burgundy ink, coloured pencil and graphite 

And yet, little by little, when the blood was flowing through my extremities, one stroke at a time, I have worked on two pieces, and here they are - with less explanation than usual - but the hope that normal service will resume shortly.