“So, is it all work and no play out there, Dave?  Is OTG life just management and labour all the live-long day?” 

Well, yes and no.  If, by ‘play’ you mean casinos and dancing and party girls, then unfortunately not – no playing.  But, if you mean enjoying your everyday work so that it seems less like work and somewhat more like play, then yes.  Yes, we have a good time.  Plus, we do ‘play’ in the conventional sense a bit.  Wine and dinner parties mostly. Sometimes a bit more.  And it is that kinda play I am writing about today.

I like to build crap and, of course, not being very good at it, I have lots of off-cuts.  Plus, Sal likes to salvage wood and, if the wood is old, sea-washed milled wood, she is especially pleased.  “Sweetie, I found this old lump of crap in the sea this morning.  Can you make something?”

I always say no.  “No, sweetie-back-at-ya, I cannot make anything out of that crap.  I can barely make anything out of store-bought wood bought especially for the purpose. That stuff is pretty ugly and has barnacles on it for Gawd’s sake!”

“Well, I am gonna put it under the shed here and, when the mood strikes, see what you can do.  OK?”

There is a lot of junky wood under the shed.

But, one day, the mood did strike.  Don’t ask why.  No idea.  I made a dog.  It was a pretty dopey dog but it was kinda fun.  I gave it away.  And then I made a few more dogs and gave them away.  Then people hinted they wanted dogs…so I made a few more.

Then I made a turtle.  Then a bear (NOT to be confused with a pig).

The Bear/Pig

Now I am gonna make a moose.

Moose Parts

“Why, Dave?  Maybe you should give the casino-thing a try.  Dancing girls is almost a sure thing.  Wine, women and song, man!  What’s not to like and…… well, ……little wooden dogs…ya know…kinda sad…..pathetic…”

I know.  But the wood is here and it is free.  The dancing girls are not.

Anyway, I expanded the repertoire to the odd bit of furniture.  Some crude-built things a bit more practical but still fun….in an impractical sorta way.

Is this stuff fun?  Yeah.  Woo hoo!

Kinda.  Don’t ask.  I don’t get it.

But I like to see my bear when I go outside.  I like to see my turtle at my neighbour’s house.  It’s weird.  But kinda fun.