Hi, James!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

JB>  I've had so many foibles over the year, that I'm pretty
JB>  sure I'm duplicating info.


          Not a problem.  When you allude to something you've mentioned
earlier you often use a different wording or add details I didn't know
about.  As I say to Nora... keep throwing clues at me, and eventually I'll
get the picture.  :-)



AH>  Are you doing this because it suits your style, because
AH>  it's what you're accustomed to, or because you're still
AH>  trying to please your grandfather??

JB>  I'll let you know when I find out. 


          Okay.  I'm not always sure about these things myself....  :-)



JB>  I think I strip it down to two options: Lay down, and
JB>  play dead until you die, or quit bitchin'cause nobody
JB>  is going to do it for you. The net result is what drives
JB>  me. I prefer to mend my beaten body, than to feed my
JB>  body, just to grow more folds.


          On the whole, you find it better for your mental & physical
health to keep active?  And maybe... just maybe... the pain in your hip
improves when you take on a variety of construction projects &
whatnot??  Makes sense to me.  :-)



JB>  [Half-year shelved data warning]


          I don't mind, if you don't!  I knew your father had died but I
wasn't sure who owns this property now or whether you'd be expected to
assume the role of landlord.  So I take it you constructed one fence for
yourself, then another as a favour to your Mom?  Seems to me the latter is
a business expense....  ;-)



JB>  I *may* put in a bill for the work, but I am more proud
JB>  to 'get it done' on the cheap, and stand it next to the
JB>  contracted fence from last year. (Realistically, pennies
JB>  compared to thousands of dollars.)


          Yes, Dallas & I found it very satisfying when my mother
remarked that we had done a better job of refinishing a floor than the
professionals had done in her case.  I doubt most people would be willing
to pay for the hours it took to remove every bit of grit, but IMHO we're
justifiably proud of our work.  :-)



JB>  A job that opened my eyes to my approach, happened last
JB>  year. About three contractors warned mom that, "You can't
JB>  do that."


          Heh.  When I was younger & people told me something couldn't
be done, I'd just go ahead & do it.  I haven't changed much in that
regard... [chuckle].



JB>  Before I realized exactly what I was doing regarding
JB>  my mental attitude, I *was* doing "that", and I knew
JB>  exactly how I could make it work.


          Uh-huh.  Give yourself another gold star....  :-))



JB>  Just when I thought I was over the "Oh... Ya?", I was
JB>  covered with the dust of another one.


          I can relate.  As soon as I begin to think things are settling
nicely into a comfortable routine, I seem to attract the attention of the
gremlins who enjoy stirring up another crisis.  That's why people knock on
wood... the sound allegedly frightens them.  If there's no wood nearby I
touch my forehead.  :-))




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+