~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~

[coloradochick]

Linda? Oh Linda? You're not avoiding us are you?

We've cheered you on

through your move, so now we're cheering you on

through your next move

 

[caspernc]

Quote:
It is?
<*checking the calendar*>

It is for someone one to ask someone out......You need to ask at least by wednesday for the weekend!!!!!!(don't ya know) You have to have time to get a new top for the date!!!!

 

[momofpets]

Gryeyes:

I say he is giving you all the signs that he is interested.


If you know when he is dropping off the bill, you can always meet him at the door with your purse and keys prominantly displayed and say, "I am on my way out to dinner. Would you like to join me?"

That way, it technically won't be a date..

But before you do all this, would you still be comfortable working with him if the dating thing doesn't work out? I personally couldn't because if I broke it off, that means the person is annoying the heck out of me. If I am the one dumped, then having him work around the house would be too painful. But that's just me.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Quote:

See, I'm right, she wants to slap me!

Professional author and general troublemaker.

But I have been married for more than 25 years.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
See, I'm right, she wants to slap me!

Professional author and general troublemaker.

But I have been married for more than 25 years.

Life long reader and general "Jack of all trades" problem solver.

But I have been married for more than 35 years.

Advice: Don't get your honey where you get your money. (Advice for the handyman, not the employer. The handyman has to be friendly in his service, don't mix business and pleasure.)

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:

Professional author and general troublemaker.

But I have been married for more than 25 years.

Life long reader and general "Jack of all trades" problem solver.

But I have been married for more than 35 years.

Advice: Don't get your honey where you get your money. (Advice for the handyman, not the employer. The handyman has to be friendly in his service, don't mix business and pleasure.)

And I've been happily married for 32 years and I say don't limit your options!

 

[gryeyes]

Y'see, Darkmatter has really said what matches most of the situation. John is a local businessman, has lived up here since 1977 (less than a mile from where I live, interestingly enough - and that's considered pretty darn close), and has a very good reputation as an honest contractor, excellent work ethic, superior quality of work, and "a really nice guy." He didn't build that reputation without being nice to customers. HHandbasket has been telling me for months that she thinks he's sweet on me, but I see it as fostering a customer for the long term. We've moved from the Sacramento area where we are unfortunately familiar with crappy workmanship, poor customer service, and being overcharged or just left hanging. The city of Sacramento's population is 411,718 and that's just in the city limits. West Sacramento is 49K and some. The surrounding smaller communities are part of the "greater Sacramento area" and there are plenty of people for businesses to sell product or services, and building a personal relationship ain't important.

It is, up here.

A telling point: When I asked him if he could scare up some people (burly guys) to move the rest of my heavy furniture inside the house, he was shocked to learn that's what was under the tarps. "All this time?? Oh, no, you need to get that inside!" He checked it all out, sat and considered some options for a while. The tree guys probably wouldn't be interested in just an hour of work. The laborers who do other work, like lifting and hauling trash, they also expect at least a four hour stint of pay. John does most of his own lifting, dragging, and other amazing work with just levers, clamps, The Magic String, ladders, and power tools, but that furniture needs at least three guys to move it. He thought about it for a bit longer and then said, "I don't have any guy friends I can ask..... All my friends are women."

He's sixty years old and ..... well, there are no "ex" Marines, are there?

I'm fifty-eight. He'll say something funny and I don't just laugh, I giggle.

He always brings his own coffee (black, sweetened with honey) with him as he works. He always repsonds with "OH, no, I'm fine" when I ask if he'd like some coffee, or water, or a diet soda. He accepted a dozen eggs, once, but doesn't eat eggs very often. (He's been losing weight on some sort of all vegetable soup plan, which he makes himself.) He did just recently buy a big-screen, HD TV after having seen mine on when he worked in the house on projects. His dad just loves it. Well, he does too, but now his dad can actually read things displayed on the TV screen.

He does have an ex-girlfriend, with whom he is still friends. He was really pleased to be able to give her the abandoned robin's nest with the egg in it; he asked if I had plans for it when we took it down from the electrical box on the side of my house (after the robin stopped attending to it). Noop. He said she's made something really nice with it as a Nature Thing to sell in her "little curiosity shop." I told him I have a hummingbird's nest I'll give him to give to her, too, when I find it...... in the boxes...... somewhere. But nobody's getting my preserved dragonfly!

I did call him one time after I knew he'd taken his dad Down The Hill for a medical appointment. We chatted for nearly an hour. We usually chat on the phone for a bit each time I call to say I'm ready for some more work to be done.

I'm thinking it's just nice to have a "handyman" who does great work and makes me smile when I'm around him. Going on the dump run was a gentle adventure - kinda bumpy during the drive in that flatbed.

But interesting nonetheless. I don't chatter much. At one point, he asked if I knew any jokes and I had to admit I have a "one joke buffer." The last joke I heard is the only one I can remember when challenged to tell one. The last one told to me just pushes any other jokes right out and I got nuthin'. If anybody's just told me a joke, that's the joke I remember. Pretty lame when the last joke I heard was five minutes earlier and HE told it to me. And I will remember that joke until the next one I hear... but I will probably STILL screw up the punch line.

I'm much better at telling real stories of events (got a zillion from the 9-1-1 Center years) or observations I've made of people, places and things. Those things are funny. I LIKE jokes, I just can't tell 'em.

Now, back to our regular programming, fer goodness' sake!

 

[SkyWarrior]

Okay, yeah, just business. Chatting on the phone an hour is just business. Yeah, yeah...

 

[The Sheriff]

She probably had a lot of projects to discuss with hi Sky Warrior.

 

[gryeyes]

These photos were taken this morning, by my visiting friend Soose1.

Well, not this one: This is she.

These are the very few pictures with me actually in them, because neither of my dogs nor any of the chickens have learned how to use the iPhone camera. And Smudge (the Himalyan) simply refuses.

Carl, the main man in my life.

Carl and I have a very special relationship.

Me, discussing something with Carl.

He seems to listen to me.

Treating Carl before anybody else.

Dry oatmeal is one of their favorite treats, which I feed by hand to as many of the flock as I can. It's one of the rare times he actually eats the treats instead of dropping them for the hens.

This is my BYC coffee mug, in use. Probably should wash it, today....

Maggie is also visiting with her human, and she's been accepted by the flock quite well. (Some of them have met her at the rental house, but not all of them, as I've added to the flock a bit. No matter, Maggie is no threat to any of them.)

It turns out Maggie likes dry oatmeal too!

HHandbasket says Greta is the ugliest chicken in my flock. I just think she has character. She is one of the original 8 chicks I bought at the feed store two years ago. Rebecca, the partridge EE next to me in this photo was purchased the same day; she is Carl's favorite hen. She is the only one that can say "No" to his advances and he respects it. They dust bathe and snuggle together and she has Roost Rights next to him EVERY night on the top rung. He adored her even when she was molting earlier this year and looked quite a fright.

More photos in a little bit. I must take advantage of the daylight hours to commune with my flock. Oh, uh, and visit with my company, too! (It's her last day here.)