Only four days since the last post, but they've been busy.
One of the useful things about this blog is that I can literally talk to myself - and it can help hearing what I want to say. When I posted on Wednesday I said that I was really dreading Friday, having one of Bob's friends come over to look at models and maybe take some. I was fine with the models going (I've had several other friends come over for models and art supplies. I like the idea of bits of Bob being appreciated and spread around.)
What I was dreading was the visit. Danno is likely some flavor of neurodivergent; his social skills stopped developing around age 13. After Covid restrictions started lifting we went out to lunch once - and then he wanted to be my bestest buddy and kept wanting to go out and asking when he could come over and I could cook dinner for him, or maybe just hang out - which I kept dodging. We also continued for awhile to message - but like any adolescent, he really liked off-colored jokes and comments and I finally had to be a little harsh, tell him he was being annoying, and ghosted him some time in 2022.
Then he pops up a couple of weeks ago in messenger, very polite, and asks if maybe Bob had a particular model. I decided after putting it off four years that I would let him come over and look at them. Then it all broke loose - in the following week I got something like 20 messages and a phone call and he was all excited because I'm such a good friend, and he really didn't need any models but was looking forward to hanging, out with me, especially since he had been having a rough time at work because of problems with a female (red flag there - I instantly knew that he still tells off-color jokes). I realized that I was going to have to start all over again at getting rid of him - so I decided to head it off at the pass, told him that he was making me very uncomfortable, and cancelled the whole thing.
Whew!
Instead of doing that on Friday, I went to Lowe's to get my new toy. I've written before about The Beast - my big gas powered brush cutter. Having a big brand name (Stihl) monster, it seemed like a complete indulgence to get another brush cutter. But I did - a smaller, battery powered one. There are still times that I might want The Beast (like if I ever try to clear a path down to the stream again - I haven't been down there since Hurricane Michael in late 2018). But for regular maintenance, I really wanted something easier and lighter. And because it's battery powered, I also think it's safer. If I want to pause to lift some cuttings out of the way, switch sides, or even wipe sweat off my forehead, I just turn it off for a moment. I'm less likely to do that with The Beast because I'll have to yank that pull cord to get it started again. The Little Blue Beast (it's a Kobalt Brand) and I are just about evenly matched; I was doing some clearing yesterday morning and I was getting a bit worn out and about to give up when the battery finally wore down.
Saturday the woman did come over to look at the loom that I mentioned. It's a nice one, but I simply don't use it, and I believe that things should be used. Her timing was good - I've been thinking for a few months that I should start putting out the word that I'm willing to re-home it. Then I saw in the minutes for the Weaver's Guild (I don't go to meetings, but I still read the minutes) that this woman was looking for looms - so win-win.
That made for a little work this morning. Last night I was walking the path that her car would have to drive to get to the cottage - and there were a couple of small trees and overhanging branches in the way. I've been getting in the habit the last couple of weeks of doing yard work in the morning before breakfast - before the heat rises. This morning that involved grabbing the chain saw and loppers and clearing the way.
Of course, now that means that I have a huge brush pile and really should have another fire soon before the rains hit. But not today.
The people came, we were able to get the loom into the vehicle, and they came into the house to look at my big loom and have a short visit. When we were walking back to the door, I realized that it had not closed all the way when we came in, and my heart sank. After they left I searched the house and shook the box of kitty treats. Sure enough - Stumbles was missing. She's my fearless (meaning that she'll do dumb things because nothing scares her) little wobbly cat. I did a quick search of the house. Then I went outside; I looked under the deck and under the house and under the bushes and the car, and crisscrossed the property, calling and shaking treats. I was trying not to panic. After a half hour or more, I came in to re-search the house. 10 minutes of that, and I headed back out, only to find her sprawled out on the front porch with that cat "what took you so long" look on her face. And wondered why I hugged her.
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