Back up to the ‘bunkhouse’ for work today and, of course, the Wednesday gabfest at the ‘dock luncheonette’. Not the best turnout. Only about ‘half’ the regulars showed up. Weather was a factor.

It poured.

We did OK, tho, on our work schedule. Got more form-work done and even poured some concrete footings.

Work proceeded apace. A pace not dissimilar to that of the old geezers we are starting to look like. Hardly anyone stands up really straight anymore and, if they do, they take a while to get there. Then, when they start to move, they do so with just a little too much hitch in the gitalong. Oh well, at least we all ‘git along’.

When the day was over (a bit early), Sal (who had yoga’d and lunched and chatted) and I decided to head home. It was raining heavily. We were in our own boats. Open boats. I took off first and looked back to see if she was following OK and could barely make her out in the pelting rain. It was ripping down at such a rate that I simply could not see nor could I even look forward and so had to steer with my head turned away and only my slitted eyes turned right. It was practically hail. It hurt. Harsh.

I have simply not gotten hardy yet.

Sal was fine.

So there was some hesitation in my going back up to work today, I must admit. The weather was the same and our work is supposed to be ‘fun’ not w-o-r-k. Had enough of work in my life and now I just wanna have Cindy Lauper-type fun. ‘Cept not quite so girly. You know, hammers and saws-type fun. And not so wet!

It’s strange, tho. And I’ve mentioned this before. We live so much more ‘outside’ than we did. Ever! No offices. No stores. No cars, buses, or elevators. We have our homes, of course, but that’s it, really. Even the Wednesday ‘lunch’ is outside. It’s subtle but it’s a real difference-making way of living.

Today at work, I was carrying some 2×4’s from the bunkhouse to the Q-hut, a distance of about 100 yards. To get to the Q-hut, I have to walk over a little 15-foot bridge spanning a small creek and then proceed across the school playing field. As I approached the bridge I noticed a fairly plump, fully grown, slightly darker-than-typical doe standing just a few feet in front of me and staring. She didn’t move.

I stopped. I have two 16 foot 2×4’s balanced on my shoulder. She must have seen me from yards away. We stared at one another. I began to move forward and talked to her while doing so. She didn’t move. Then another doe moved into the picture. Not OUT but in. She moved in to join us!

There we were – the three of us – all within a 20 foot radius. And I occupied 16 feet of it (with the lumber) and it was just ‘another day at the Q-hut’.

Yin and Yang. Outside is cold and wet and all………….but where else ya going to meet a couple of good lookin’ does?