Heavenly Beverley : Back from the Brink of Financial Catastrophe...Again!

Living by the financial seat of your pants can be fun. And terrifying at the same time.When Michael's health broke down in June 2010, his income rapidly fell from around $80 000 a year to nothing. As he was forced to retire, there was no redundancy. He was also faced with the ongoing spectre of becoming "complex medical" for the rest of his life.

Fast forward to the present. Michael is still "complex medical" In fact, his health, in real terms, has deteriorated quite markedly. Five hospital admissions in the last year and a half, including his very near death experience in April 2014. He battles chronic anxiety, structural lung disease, asthma, emphysema and bouts of debilitating reflux.

What's no annoying is that he appears so well. Except when he's not...Apart from being enguard against any new chest infection, his physical capabilities have declined as well, hence our need for enthusiastic, young, fit backpackers who do the grunt work.

Most of the time, we live reasonably well on Michael's Disability Support Pension and my Carer payments. We are lucky enough at present to have both shops 1 and 2 leased as well, which provide a little extra income. I have organised as many fortnightly direct debits as possible, to reduce the number of nasty surprises.

Unfortunately, once a year loom the dreaded Rates and Insurance for the House that Rocks and the Forbes Building. We managed to pay a large wallop of the rates with a refund from an insurance policy we had cancelled. So far, so good. But we know the insurance for the building is still to come. The figure is a trifle scary.

Because we have had to insure the building for what it would cost to replace now, with today's materials, that figure is a mind-boggling $800 000. The insurance for that figure is about $4500. This year we will definitely have to pay the insurance off in installments. And that is still a sizable $500 every month, as the last installment for the year is after ten months, not twelve.

Because we are still establishing the East End Gallery and we are yet to become well known, sales of our artwork are a bit haphazard and infrequent. As wintery weather has returned this weekend, I was not expecting many visitors to the Gallery today and certainly not early.

Michael and I were both suffering from Failure to Launch at the House that Rocks. A combination of watching the Dockers triumph over the Swan in the footy and then indulging in far too much James Bond led to disturbed sleep and late rising. Imagine our surprise, whilst drinking our morning cuppas, when we received a phone call from a couple wanting to view the East End Gallery!

Michael shot down to open. I finished my tea, completed printing more catalogues, left the dishes and pulled on my clothes for the day. I was in the Gallery fifteen minutes later. Just about a record.

Graham and Louise were a friendly, chatty couple who had just arrived from the Big Smoke on their motorbike. They easily picked one of Mandy Evans' prints, which they could carry on the bike. Then Louise spied the Chris Meinema painting "Meelup Bay".

This was too big to carry on the bike. We discussed various ridiculous ways to tying the painting onto the bike. Then I remembered we were coming to the Big Smoke on Wednesday. We recorded their address and arranged a suitable time for delivery. They were thrilled. So were we.

We have wanted this painting to go to a good home since we were given it for the Gallery. It is a piece of history as the scene it depicts is no longer bush overlooking the beach. It is a carpark. And I feel that Louise, who works in a gallery herself, recognised its beauty and value.

The additional bonus is that the building's first insurance instalment this year isn't looking quite so daunting anymore! Saved again.