I had a paying gig that was supposed to start last Monday, just when I got sick. I’ve put it off as long as I care to, so even though I’m not exactly well I provisionally started it this morning. By provisionally, I mean I did a representative amount of work, took pictures, then sent the pix to the customer asking “Is this exactly what you want?” Because expensive misunderstandings can occur in scut work, as with any other. Took about an hour, just enough to work up a good sweat in the unusual humidity. Monsoon has well and truly started.
Then it was shit-shoveling, and J wanted me to change the oil in his two generators so that took a bit longer than anticipated but resulted in a welcome extra few bux.
Things have been slow lately, and when things are slow I watch the contents of my larder slowly melt away. That’s what surpluses are for, of course, so it’s a feature rather than a bug (I tell myself,) but it’s a feature I don’t especially enjoy employing. Part of last month’s windfall from the ebook went for floor insulation and internet access, and I had hoped to save the rest for cabin siding but then the kidney stone thing happened which means every dime I can raise for months will go to pay off two hours in a clinic – so in what I can only describe as a fit of pique I spent 50 unbudgeted bux on canned goods and chicken feed, which may indicate how weird my finances can get sometimes. Other people buy shoes when they’re depressed; I buy soup.
I buy things like that too, sometimes. I’ve never been able to start my lawnmower (to mow weeds, not lawn you understand). A neighbor sometimes will come up and start it for me, but he’s been so busy this year I didn’t want to ask until the weeds got to really epic heights…Then he sadly told me that this old mower is toast and would cost a lot of money to fix and still not be worth much. I got it for $15. bucks at a pawn shop six years ago, so I guess it really doesn’t owe me anything.
So, I found a nice new one (closeout floor sample) at my favorite hardware store here and got it. Gulped at the $150. price, but knew it was a good deal after looking at the original price tag… It costs $40. to $80. to get someone in here to mow, and I can’t always find someone. And when fire season comes around, you really DO want those weeds to be gone.
The bad part is that I can’t get this new one to run either. I’m just not able to pull the cord hard enough to turn it over. Back to calling the neighbor…
Rats…