I continue to chat with Andy where the Road trip has taken us two years running for all sorts of learning, daily.
By text and video while we share progress, dinner reports and the weather plus many other shared interests and humour.
He continues to carve out a new life and existence after having 40 years of a most magnificent life with Sharon, his late wife, Not an easy task.
I think some days are tougher than others, though he does not ever complain, being both practical and pragmatic, he is getting on with stuff that needs doing as that’s the kind of guy he is.
Renewing old friendships, hobbies, interests, and at the same time, honouring his past while keeping his hand on all the responsibilities he has on the farm, and elsewhere.
He makes me laugh daily.
But........
Yesterday he found this beautiful Copperhead in his burn pile.....
He let it go.
Copperhead snakes are some of the more commonly seen North American snakes. They're also the most likely to bite, although their venom is relatively mild, and their bites are rarely fatal for humans.
These snakes get their name, fittingly, from their copper-red heads, according to the biology department at Pennsylvania State University. Some other snakes are referred to as copperheads, which is a common (nonscientific) name. Water moccasins (cottonmouths), radiated rat snakes, Australian copperheads and sharp-nosed pit vipers are all sometimes called copperheads, but these are different species from the North American copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix).
Copperheads are pit vipers, like rattlesnakes and water moccasins. Pit vipers have "heat-sensory pits between eye and nostril on each side of head," which are able to detect minute differences in temperatures so that the snakes can accurately strike the source of heat, which is often potential prey. Copperhead "behavior is very much like that of most other pit vipers," said herpetologist Jeff Beane, collections manager of amphibians and reptiles at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
On a slightly more personal note.
Andy has a real thing for mentoring people and has taken many under his wing over time.
One of them is this young man, introduced to Andy when he was 18 and now 38 with a wife and family of three kids.
The wife was one of those carers who made life just a bit easier for Sharon and Andy,
Andy has mentored them for a lifetime.
Now that he is rebuilding his life in various areas, he also has a grandad role by proxy.
So over the weekend, this was the Andy most of us do not get to see, with a pumpkin and team of “mentorees”
Jobs done.......
The one on the right is Andy’s work.
Sadly, one of the lanterns did have a head on collision with the floor.
In other news,
Dennis has put this complete NASCAR race truck front end aside for me.
Not sure how it will fit in my baggage but it is waiting.
He has been back onto his 66 C10 NASCAR truck build with a vengeance, welding up the roll cage and frame.
More on that later.
My progress conversely, is frustratingly slow.
In the last three weeks, I have done less than what would previously taken me two days.
Given that some days, especially the first week, I just sat in my chair indoors, feeling knackered and in a bit of a daze
All of this is so very unusual to me, I generally am not one to slow down too much unless something makes me.
I guess this even has done that.
I had hoped to have this table cleared by last weekend, but after sorting out screws, or hammers, I find myself walking away, shutting shop and coming in to rest.
This probably is exactly what I should be doing, resting, and it has taken me a while to get my head around it.
So this was yesterday’s end of day, I know it’s different, but it looks just like a week ago.
Still, it will happen.
One of my many tea breaks (coffee is kind of out of bounds now)
Harley there, ready to do CPR
Funny creature she is, hanging around and keeping an eye on me.
Mate Kevin came around to drop off the welding curtain, and for a couple of hours nattering and tea.
He also replaced the garage hi fixed for me, a job that was months overdue, and that I weirdly was just not up to.
This will work.
After she got in from work, she was going to cook for us, We took a gentle stroll up to the farm, which my head was desperate for, it gets crazy boring indoors.
Sunset
Back to work tomorrow as my certification showed inclusive of today, and my contract manager asked me in the nicest way on Friday to respect doctors orders and rest as they have a duty of care to me.
Again, restores faith in humanity.
Have a good week guys.
