I think I was swallowed by a whale but now have passed all mixed up with a hockey metaphor

Hello to the 8 people that actually read this! I have missed you!
Ok, that's a bit of a lie. I have just felt incredibly guilty about not having checked in here in a while and I wanted to make you feel better.
So, in my last real post I mentioned that I was trying to furiously paint for a show and we were remodeling quite a bit of the house. The show went well. All of the pieces came together better than I expected and they looked great in the window. Big thanks to the folks at University Art for their love and support.
As for the remodel, it's still kind of plugging along. We have a few odds and ends to wrap up. Window sills to paint, a couple pieces of tile to lay and a bit of faux finishing to tidy up then it's on to yard work and some major curb appeal improvements!
There were a handful of conventions thrown in the first part of the year as well. Miami, Minnesota, Virginia then down to L.A. for Wondercon then back up the opposite direction to Eugene. The conventions were great. Here is a brief run down on some cool things that happened.
Miami, met some cool new folks, tattooed late almost every night, drove all of alligator alley, got coffee and wet toes at the gulf coast, did a guest spot at Eternal Ink....then....
Minnesota, met more cool people and tattooed most of them, ate great food (panakuken), walked on water.
Virginia, stayed at a haunted hotel, went to the Great Dismal Swamp (which was great but not so dismal) met cool people and got to see old friends, had a birthday, bought ham and other pork related products.
L.A. saw a lot of weird people in costumes, met some cool people, met William Stout who was an inspiration growing up, had dinner with Bill from Hyaena and got to spend the weekend with Nic.
Eugene, Oregon, Tattooed Jocelyn's hand for 4.5 hours, won best of day on Friday, got locked out of the hotel Saturday and had to stay at a creepy place for the night, met cool people, got asked to maybe do an award for Eugene next year.
It's nice how compact I can make the craziness of those several months seem. Now for some current stuff.
It's like the second period of a hockey game. You come out strong and try to set the tone of the game in the first period. You score a goal or two then go back to the locker room to rally and celebrate. You get on the ice for the second period and something happens...maybe the other team scores, a fight breaks out, the ref makes a bad call who knows. All you know is the momentum of the game has changed and you just aren't sure how or where it's going to lead you...
As some of you know I was and had been planning on closing down Side Show and going to work for a friend who was trying to open a shop. I wanted the freedom of just being an artist, to travel, to take days off, to have my life back. So, I started dreaming of setting up an art space. Renting a warehouse to paint in and build some frames. Somewhere I could go and make a good old fashioned mess! And you know, store all of the leftover furniture bits from the shop and such.
Then it changed...friend started having some trouble finding a location for the new shop, our families started to get involved...
The next thing I knew, we were buying a building to move the shop to. I found myself in meetings with the Small Business association, loan officers and banks. Driving every square inch of Sacramento and calling people trying to get viewings of properties. Life went on hold. Work went on hold. Painting went on hold.
Then we found it. A great spot...and we made it happen. We got keys last Friday.
It's almost time to head back into the locker room and get ready for the 3rd period. Just a little longer to push though the second and end it with the momentum on our side. But honestly folks, I think we are going to win this one.