Jim Harrison, Pride, and Lasciviousness

As I lay inside the bathroom vanity I watch intently as the first gallon or two of water flow into and out of the newly installed sink through Ikea-designed plumbing.  I smile as I observe myself taking a lot of pride in seeing no leaks and immediately wonder if Jim Harrison ever had prideful moments like that. Did Harrison, one of my favorite authors, ever install an Ikea sink?  And if he did, did he regret not spending the day writing?

Jim Harrison and Brown Dog Mentality
I’m no Jim Harrison, though I like to think of myself as a writer and I relate to him and many of his characters in their lascivious thoughts and behavior.  After all, I did offer to fuck my wife right before we started installing the sink together. Harrison’s character Brown Dog would have been proud of me!  Alysia paused, shirtless as she changed into work apparel, to decline the opportunity but wasn’t a bit offended by the offer…we get along that way.  And then she said April Fools…the shirt stayed off for a while.  It being designer’s day off, Easter Sunday in fact, (and April Fool’s Day) we were working together to get through a seemingly endless list of cosmetic remodel projects.  The idea being to sell this place for the most possible income which makes it totally ironic that with every completed project, we love the place more.

Designer’s Day Off
Designer’s day off…right.  Sort of a joke in the rarity of any real days off as most people would visualize them.  I’m thinking it would be nice to be fishing with a bobber from the shore of a quiet lake while I sit in my zero-gravity chair with a cold beer in the holder and a bunch more in the nearby cooler.  I know, this scene does not impress real fishermen, but I’m talking about a day off here, not the strenuous fly-fishing that I actually enjoy.  This place, a huge house on 5 acres out in the wine country near Eugene, Oregon, would have been paid off by now had I not made bad relationship decisions prior to meeting the game bird with which I now cohabitate.  But the last one did me poorly, so I work like a driven 40-year-old instead of the guy with senior discounts that I am.  No regrets…well maybe a few.  But if the timing had been different, likely neither I nor my beautiful, young wife would have been single when we met, and for that I’m ever thankful.  She appreciates my lewd comments.

​Not All Work and No Play

It recently being spring break, and Al being home from work to watch the dog, I did take a few days off in the more traditional meaning of the word earlier in the week.  Another old guy, the only guy I know my age that will still do stuff like this with me, met me near Orick California and we spent a couple nights in the redwoods, car-camping the first night and then backpacking about 6 miles out to the beach for the second night.

And really, I’m the luckiest guy in the world in that I like, no, I LOVE what I do.  I’m a jewelry designer and manufacture.  I specialize in custom work and I have the best clients in the world, working worldwide and locally.  I’m also a fair handyman.  And I like to write.
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