Accessorize!

Paper money in America is approximately six inches long and can be used to "guesstimate" measurements.  I guesstimated the length of Tessie's collar, but wasn't too sure when I bought a new collar for that brat, Inga.  Thinking it might be short, a couple of extra holes would make it fit.  Without a hole punch, hmm.  For the goat, it was a stout nylon weave with a metal buckle.  Those plastic quick-release buckles wouldn't last five minutes.  Nylon melts.  Holding a very pointy metal screw with pliers, I heated the screw over a flame.  Zippo!  One hole done.  Another might be useful, just in case.  Note to self:  work very quickly when melting through nylon.  Any pause and the screw will weld with the cooling nylon and be most difficult to extract.  Two holes finally in place, Inga now has accessorized with a bright blue necklace.  (Tessie wears red.)  The rest of the herd will probably take up a petition so they can get necklaces too.

All good things must come to an end and Linda left this morning.  After a lengthy search, we found her sunglasses in the truck.  She informed me that Seattle is the sunglasses capital of the world.  They see the sun so seldom there that the residents can never find the sunglasses that they must have as, like moles, they come out when there is that bright light in the sky.  Just to make her feel at home and facilitate her re-entry to Seattle, rain started to fall yesterday and by nightfall we were in a real storm.  With her help, the porch wood rack was restocked before the first drops fell.  It is hard to say goodbye when you don't know when the next visit will be.

The trash barrel is down by the woods.  A plastic bag is stuck in the junipers.  The wind blew rain up onto the wood rack.  I have my work cut out today.

Yesterday, and the entire time with my friend, was good.  Taillights make me sad.