Tim's Lucky Day.

 Yes. I have an appointment on Monday with my doctor to get a tetanus shot, if necessary. Why they can't tell you if you need one over the phone is beyond me, but I don't really have a choice but to play the game. I've been soaking my foot. When I went to bed last night, the sole of my foot was swollen, and it was quite painful to walk on. This morning, the swelling was gone, and it did not hurt to walk. Just to be on the safe side, I wore hiking sandals, with socks. I looked like an idiot, I suppose, but it kept my foot clean and dry and it was the deepest puncture wound I've ever had.  I gave it another good soaking tonight and another thick coat of Prid. 

So, today, we got that big table cleared off, and got all the things boxed up and in the basement. It does make everything a lot more spacious looking. Naturally, I forgot to take a picture before we left. I stuck to cleaning and sweeping and moving Tim on the scaffolding. The living room ceiling and the kitchen walls and ceiling have all received their first coat of drywall compound. The seams are all taped so that really is progress there. 

I did take one picture today: 

I was sitting on the floor of the garage, talking to the cats like I usually do, when I happen to catch sight of this not more than five feet in front of me. It was huge, probably 1 1/2 inches from one extended leg to the other.  I was trying to find something that I could use for scale, while not moving from where I was sitting for concern of scaring the kittens. I finally decided that my water bottle would work. I reached for it, turned back around and he was no longer there. I'm not afraid of spiders, however I discovered that they do make me a little nervous when they disappear. 

We discovered we will probably be losing a tenant tonight. The prospective landlord called to check with us. We love Harlee and were surprised to find she was looking for another place, but you can't really blame her. She lives in a second story apartment and she's taken in a foster child that she's in the process of adopting. Of course, I gave her a glowing reference. 

It was interesting that the person I was speaking with began to ask me questions about what we charge for rents. We discussed that. She had a bad experience with the last people that lived in the place. I asked her how she vetted, and she said it was mostly based on what kind of sense she got after meeting them. She's new at it, and they've just moved here from midwest. 

I said, "You really can't go on your feelings here. It is a poor area, and there is a drug problem. 1 out of 3 kids in the elementary school have had a parent in jail." I made a couple suggestions on vetting. Number one, check their facebook. The stuff people put out there is mindboggling, but it is a window into their lives and the people they run with, etc. 

"Aaaaaahhhh!" she said. "That's excellent." 

We talked about a couple other sites I use regularly, and I told her that if she needed help learning how to screen people, she was free to call. I'd be glad to show her. 

Tim walked out to see who I was talking to. He was hungry and wanted supper. I said, "Well. We're going to probably be losing Harlee." We discussed it in the kitchen as I started supper. 

He sighed. He thinks an awful lot of her too.  But all he said, "Well, while you're cooking, I'm going down to 606 to count how many bundles of shingles I have left." He's arranged to have the garage roofed next week.

So out the door he went. 

He came back laughing. "Did Paula call you?" 

I told him she hadn't. 

"She called me! Her ex-husband is looking for a place to rent." He told her that we didn't have anything, because we haven't actually received notice that our tenant is leaving, but the timing of the request made us both laugh. 

He said, "I need about 10 bundles of shingles and that is going to be a major hit. They are between $46 and $60 a bundle." He has the underlayment, but he needed the drip edge too. 

After supper, he took a quick run to Lowe's to price their stuff, having already been to 4 other stores earlier in the day. 

He came back home while I was soaking my foot and peeling a quart basket of garlic to put in a jar of olive oil. He was in high spirits and laughing once again. 

He'd walked into Lowe's priced their stuff, found it at $46, but because he's married to me, he gets the 10% veterans discount, bringing it down to $41.40. He decided that he was better off buying it there. He would come back with the truck over the weekend and get what he needed. 

Except...as he headed out the door and noticed a customer return. 9 bundles of shingles and the matching ridge cap, clearanced out at $16 a bundle! Since one of his bundles of shingles was to make ridgecaps, after some quick calculations, he decided it was enough. 

"I just came back home to get the truck. I'll be right back!" he said cheerfully. That happy discovery saved him about $400.