Expensive Hobbies

On the way to book club yesterday, the friend who rode with me talked about her new hobby, coloring, and the surprising cost of art pencils. I’d just given up one expensive hobby, motorcycling, and started another, collecting wristwatches, so I told her about that. Technically, I already have the watches (counting one that’s out for restoration and repair, which should be ready soon), but the display box I ordered had been delivered that morning and I couldn’t wait to get home and populate it.

It’ll look even better when my Yankee Air Pirate Seiko gets back from the repair shop in LA, possibly joined by the new piece I have on my Amazon wish list (which I haven’t told Donna about yet).

Hey, it’s not like I’m the only spendthrift hobbiest in the house. Donna may have sold her professional two-head embroidery machine a while back, but she has an ever-growing collection of embroidery-capable single-head machines. She uses ’em, too, mostly doing free work for friends and family, but also for the occasional paying customer. She currently finishing a dozen shirts for a local business, and they’re so cool I asked her to make me one too.

One of my sisters texted this morning to wish her siblings a happy Easter. She and my other sisters still celebrate the day, but I lost my faith at a young age and to me it’s a secular holiday. We’re foregoing the traditional ham this year for a rack of ribs and corn on the cob, maybe with some baked beans on the side, or more likely potato salad. I should have planned ahead — today would have been the perfect day to smoke a brisket.

Last week Polly helped me move the birdbath to a better spot. Better for the birds, anyway, not necessarily for he who must maintain it. It’s now under our palo verde tree, which sheds an insane amount of tree crud: I scoop out the basin with a strainer every morning. Since the new location’s sunnier, I also have to add water daily. I enlisted the dogs’ help yesterday when we came home from our morning walk, and as you can see Mister B immediately wrapped himself about the pedestal and tried to topple the bath. Lulu and Fritzi were far more interested in watching me fill the plastic jug from the garden hose (it’s the same kind of container I keep their dog food in, so yeah, I understand).

Whether you’re celebrating a sacred event (there are at least three religious holidays going on right now that I’m aware of) or enjoying a secular but special day, I hope you have a great weekend!