Carvings and haircuts

I mentioned some time back, at Yuma, I believe, that I had been doing some wood carving. I’m still at it! We have time here, it’s relaxing, enjoyable, and it fits the lifestyle. Not only that, but there is a “Woodcraft” store only a few miles away in Roswell GA. They sell tools and stuff and of course a guy can always use a couple of new ‘toys’. So we went and I got some; toys that is. Actually we have been there twice and I got a couple of things both times. But all my paraphernalia combined is still small and fits in my little ‘carving’ bag and a small box. I could probably fit everything I have for carving in a breadbox, except for the two ‘walking sticks’ I haven’t finished. My latest project was the ‘outhouse’. Don’t ask where the idea came from, I was just holding a piece of wood and visualizing what didn’t belong there and it became an ‘outhouse’. That is how it works for me! I could not draw what I can carve out of wood but I can see it and remove what doesn’t belong. Strange! And I did use the new micro size tools I just bought. Couldn’t have done it without them. I think I do pretty well for a ‘newbie’ but I’ll let y’all be the judge. I will say that the items pictured are pretty much the sum total. That is, these aren’t just the best stuff, this is mostly all the stuff. I’ve left a few things along the way on our trip. I did a bird and left it at the fish hatchery on a post, Cousin Shirley got a bear, I made Erwin a walking stick because he needed it, and I left a couple of other things on picnic tables just for fun.

I have discovered one other thing as a result of carving; that is that Kat is a pretty good nurse and unequaled with a band-aid. Wood carving requires very sharp tools and I’ve learned how to do that too. But the one thing I haven’t learned yet is to wear my protective glove and thumb guard ‘All The Time”. But that’s were Kat comes in; I swear with two band-aids, a pair of scissors, and a little wood glue she can re-attach a thumb. But I still have to clean up all the mess. “A small price”.

Kat has a relatively new hobby too. And I am very proud and delighted to tell you that it revolves around me. I now get haircuts. I am fortunate enough to still have a full head of hair along with my full beard. Kat has never known me without the beard and probably won’t and early on she would trim me a little when I needed it. It’s not always easy to get the lines straight and proper and she would help. Over time she did more and more and I did less and less. Why would I resist? I’m a guy and she is not and attention like that is a very good thing. Not only does she do it more often, over time she has begun to do more cutting and trimming. We just go outside and she has at it. It now is to the point that I got my first real haircut a couple of days ago and it looks great. The only bad part is that she is very critical of herself and that can be distracting for me. I’m like a piece of art. I just reread that last and it needs an explanation. I don’t mean to imply that I think of myself as a real hunk or anything; unless you consider the ‘Bronze God’ thing. Just kidding! Bronze Buddha maybe? Anyway what I mean is, I see her staring at me from the side and then she frames me in her fingers like a photographer or grabs a loose hair and talks to herself about doing this and that; a snip here, a tug there, a tweak in this spot………… But who am I trying to kid. I love the attention!