My daily driver is at the paint shop for the next few days. Donna’s either at the grocery store, barn, or meeting girl friends for lunch. The weather is in 70s and it is too nice to do inside projects. I have no big outdoor projects to work on. I have landscaping things I would like to do but I'm not picking up materials in the MG. That leaves small-around-the-house things. I washed down the MG garage. I dismantled and cleaned my chain saw. I did touch up painting on the back porch. I plan to clean the dryer vent today. That may take all of 20 to 30 minutes.

I could be cleaning the house windows (annual fall project) but I’m trying to get quotes to have the exterior of house painted. Finding a contractor who wants to work around here is not easy. Several have not returned my phone calls; others make appointments for quotes and don’t show up. It is really frustrating! So far that one who did show up wanted 110% more than a quote I got last year (that contractor canceled due to needing a hip replacement and he hasn’t answered my calls this year).

I’ve got MG projects and John Deere projects to do but not till it snows. I’ve reached the point where I’m wandering around inside and outside the house looking for something to do. I do have an oil painting I laid out at the end of last winter but knowing its nice outside makes it very hard to start.

I guess this must be what its like for people who retire without hobbies or live in a condo.

 

Can't you set up an easel and paint outside?? Why is it so hard to find a painting contractor? Not that many around or they have so much work they don't need yours?

 

You've got a lot of energy. How about I come and get you and you can do some of my work. Beer will be included.......afterwords of course.

 

You could hop on an airplane to Newark, NJ. I'll pick you up at the airport and you could help me work on my TD. Or, you could buy a guitar, set of drums or a trumpet and learn to play it for times like this. Or you could sit on your porch with pencil and paper and write the great American novel. Or you could watch CNN and get worked up about the direction of the country. Or you could wait for Donna to come home and take her out for dinner.

There's lots for you to do. I sort of like the last choice, and Donna deserves a nice dinner.

 

...or you could put the lounge chair out in the back yard and take a nap...

 

...or just go back to bed...

 

Dave, if you were closer, Rick and I would pick you up in the Jeep. We would pick up whatever stuff you need for upcoming projects and then we'd get a drink or two...I could use one.

 

Have any cable series or flics you need to catch-up on? I like books, playing and listening to music.

 

Since the weather is nice, you could go for a nice long walk.

You could surprise Donna by doing some things around the house, such as laundry, vacuum, dust, cook Donna a nice meal, clean up the kitchen, mop the floors, etc.

You can read, do puzzles, adult coloring books, etc. Many of those things can be found on-line. Jig-saw puzzles, Sudoku, cryptograms, solitaire, on-line genealogy.

Post lots of interesting new topics in the S2000 Vintage Forum. Even set up some interesting polls.

Do you have access to the Politics Subforum? I bet you could get into some interesting discussions there.

What time do you expect Donna back home?

 

I've only tried painting outside once. I took all my paint, etc. with us on a northern vacation. I don't recall the results; just that I never did it again. I think outside painting only really works with oils and I likely had acrylics. I like acrylics because I don't have the patience for oils. That's why a lot of oil painters have a number of painting going on at the same time - "or" - they are way better than me at getting the colors they want the first time.

We really have little new construction in our area but lots of refreshing going on. Demand must exceed supply. Many seem to want big jobs with big profits so they can rest all winter.