Some people considered me a hermit.
It’s not that I was anti-social, I just really didn’t feel the need to socialize.
I was a new artist at the time I moved out there. I was always artistic and after years of sweat and tears, I earned my degree in fine arts. Painting is my specialty. As soon as I started selling my work, my uncle offered me the use of his old lake house that he rarely used anymore. I was ecstatic. It was a nice sized house, old but with a lot of character. And tons of windows. At first, I didn’t understand why there was no air conditioning. Surely, my uncle wasn’t that cheap. Granted, there was no ductwork, but there are ductless air conditioning and heating systems in existence. I learned the first summer why there was no air conditioning. The house didn’t really need it. The house was up on a cliff above a large body of water and full of windows, there was a constant breeze that kept the house cool. As for heat, the house had several large fireplaces and wood stoves/heaters that kept the house warm. Although these needed tending, I didn’t mind. There was plenty of wood on the property to cut down and feed the fireplaces and stoves and this self sufficiency really encouraged me to be reclusive. I spent many, many hours in winter in my workroom,with the little stove/heater keeping me warm and I spent many nights sitting before the fireplace in the living room with a good book. I didn’t feel the need for anyone’s company.