Hi blogger friends.
Boy today is a far better day physically for me. It's been a tough few days of being on the verge of driving off a cliff. I also went to bed at 8:30 like a good toddler so that helps too.
I told Rick that since I was up at 1am being ill I was really tired. He tried to tell me to go to bed but I kept thinking, it's only 7pm. I fell asleep on the sofa sitting upright I might add. I awoke to Rick watching the youtube channel on TV and he was watching woodturning.
You see Rick makes bowls and tables and the like.
He is forever making things. Now he watches others making things.
I awoke to the sound of the lathe and I said, "wood porn again?"
I awoke to the sound of the lathe and I said, "wood porn again?"
Yep, does it bother you?
Nope.
Better than the other porn on a loop like you do I guess.
I kissed him and went to bed. But this morning he had to show me how this man turned this bowl and in a crack he put epoxy. Rick asks, "do you think this looks good Margaret?"
Oh my goodness I love that he has a hobby but I don't get quite as excited as he does. I did think he was right and it did look good. I am more of the person who tells him to make this, leave off that edge there but do it on the other side. I give my aesthetic comments since that is all I can offer.
He was struggling with legs to a table and I asked if I could see what he was doing. I said, 'Yes, you can't use those legs, they do not match the top" I drew what I felt would look far better. So he made the change got $500 more for the table than he asked once he changed the legs. So now he asks me all the time. I help with ideas and the aesthetics and color if using something with color. I find it funny how I always get sucked into his work.
He made a butcher block cutting board for someone and had some of the walnut wood leftover. I suggested he add something like a small charcuterie board with a handle, like this one below from the web.
I suggest he could tell the person who ordered the board that you had some extra walnut wood and you made this, would they like this as a set for the price of xyz? Or just sell it as a separate thing to someone else.
Rick did just that, he first asked her about it as a set, and they wanted it so he sold them 2 things. That will be our retirement extra money or the way things are going, our much-needed money to live.
See why I long for a talent? Everyone around me has a talent.
My talent is remembering anything at all these days.
I have a cousin with who I am very close. Hell, I'm close with all my first cousins, they are like my siblings. Anyhoo Steve turned 70 on the 7th.
I called him on Sunday because I didn't want to text him as my husband kept saying to do. How impersonal to me. Fine for a friend, acquaintance but not a sibling type figure to me.
I called him and he answered and made some noise and I heard him say, Peg hold on I'm brushing my teeth. I laughed.
When he got on the phone I asked if those teeth were in a jar or still in his mouth. HA HA he says, "a birthday joke"
So we teased one another because he's now considered a very old fart.
In all honesty, this man looks like he may be 55 at best. I hope he gets that from his mom's side because then maybe I'll get some of that.
He was going to brunch at a restaurant with a niece and with his sister. Both of his children live out of state.
He mentioned to me, "hey you'll be 65 soon and you'll get on medicare. You'll love it, after all those years of taxes now I am reaping the reward"
Knowing he is a card-carrying GOP fella I said, "WAIT. you are taking socialized medicine? Why ever would you want to do that? Socialism Steve!"
He said, "even on my birthday you have to bust my balls don't you?"
Yes Steve, when you say foolish old man shit I have to call out your shit.
He laughed and said, "God I miss you when you coming home?"
I am home Steve, you mean when will I come to my hometown?
Well, when you nuts jobs up there begin to wear masks and stop going to bars and brunch at restaurants etc. Then I'll come home. (crickets)
We went back to how he could possibly be 70. We had a few laughs about his brother and sister and then I wished him a wonderful day!
I will never understand how people think taking medicare is fine but any other type of socialized medicine is wrong. That's just plain goofy to me.
______
p.s. Rick got paid yesterday. It took 3 credit cards before one was not declined. Rick said he felt terrible, but only for a minute.
He told me that the BMW and brand new Lexus in the driveway they could downsize to a cheaper car and pay him. Ooh that was mean I told him. He shrugged his shoulders. If we can't pay for things, we don't get them. Others should try that. Oh, he was not being kind but I understood him...to a point.
10 comments:
Yeah people have a hard time with that budget stuff. I always tried to explain to my kids how some of their friends had these fancy houses but they also owed A LOT of money. My friends who make A LOT of money once had to get a loan off their car so they could go camping because everything was maxed out. I was totally baffled by that one.
I don't think Rick was being mean about noting how grown adults pay for things, but that's me.
I texted my brothers on their birthdays. Hmmm...
A woman at work recently told me that she had a dentist appointment that she was anxious about. Later, I saw her as she was headed to the shuttle bus and encouraged her to relax at the dentist.
"Oh I totally relax at the dentist. I just give him my teeth and wait in the waiting area for him to finish working on them. It's the bus ride I hate!"
Ha, I should know my audience.
I SO love that Rick does wood turning. My dad had a machine that he could make chair spindles, candlesticks and bowls and I had miniature lathe for making stuff for dollhouses. I'd watch wood porn.
"Wood porn" tickled me, I've been know to watch it.
Ha ha, too bad we can't convince those not wanting socialism to just refuse medicare and SS. Then there would be no doubt of it being there always for those of us who do. Of course they would not want to pay into it while working so that would hurt. Oh well.
Julie, that is what Rick always says. They may have the trappings but they may not be able to pay their bills. Scary to me. A loan to go camping should tell you that you need to make a change in your life.
Ah but for the grace of God go I.
Abby, oh I text my sisters too. But this was a biggie for him. I knew it would mean the world to him and it did. Covid and all. I LOVE this story. I just read it to Rick too. Too damn funny!
Patti, Yea when I said it I thought it was clever, and made me laugh at myself for thinking I was funny. But he really does watch it over and over and over again. Things could be worse as I said, he could be doing that with regular porn. When I told Rick this exact statement he said, "so in real porn when they do it on the table I can see how it was made, what species of wood..." Oh my God was he making me laugh. Dove joints? He is good for the belly laughs...some days.
Jean, well you and Rick can watch wood porn share your favs. There is one guy he subscribes to that he loves the guy's work but his hands and nails are always filthy and it bothers him. That makes me laugh. He tells me it's distracting sometimes.
I think it's cool that you made things on the lathe for your dollhouses. Very cool. My father was not handy. So unless it was plumbing he wasn't any help in teaching me much more than Dad things like driving etc.
Abby, the reason I thought Rick shouldn't think like that was when we lost our jobs we had some fine cars and we had a very nice lake house along with this house. We had stuff. We also had no debt and we made great money. But after we lost our jobs we sold things like a house, we began to sell all kinds of things. People assumed when I had to have something fixed to overcharge me when they saw the sports car. Real story. The man who recommended him to me ask about the estimate and I said it was 3x what others were charging. The man who recommended this guy apparently called him and then called me. He apologized, he saw the car and assumed you were able to pay a lot more. I told him to tell him we are selling it along with the other car if he'd like to buy them. I will not hire him. So I felt Rick was doing the same. Maybe because of Covid they are broke, we don't know. I sometimes do it too, sadly it's human nature. BUT having been there I can't automatically go there. We lost everything including a pension. Even a big fat savings. Started all over again and it's painful, it's hard at this age and it's scary. Retirement will be moving, I will still need to work even if part-time. Life is different now. No one can understand until they lived it you know? So because he has I wasn't giving him a break. Everyone else can have a few breaks! 😁
Peggy, thanks for that explanation. Makes total sense now, and gives me food for thought!
"It took 3 credit cards before one was not declined."
I'm sure you've mentioned this in the past but how many no pays do get a year and how do you handle them?
I am glad you are feeling better. It makes everything a lot more tolerable. I might have to find out what Rick is watching. After cleaning out the shed, I have visions of what I can do with all of my leftover lumber from various projects over the years. Take care.
Mike, 2nd bounced check ever. Credit card declines have happened a couple of times and I just get another card. Once in person Rick had all cards declined in front of the customer and he said guess I'm paying cash. Who has a couple grand in cash? But he paid.
Courtyard by Marriott that was a franchise never paid us from 15 yrs ago. Long story. We learned a valuable lesson. First year in business. So we have had several years when there is nothing like this. We've been lucky. Only one non payment. 2 bounced checks. Not a bad record for all these years really
Post a Comment