Three knives shipped Monday. I sincerely appreciate the buyers who have allowed me to continue my work, and meet our immediate needs.

Two knives are supposed to arrive Wednesday. One to arrive Thursday. I really hope you enjoy them. I was very pleased with all three.

My Foot/Toe is achy. I've been doing the soaks. The antibiotic cream. The wraps. Protecting it. I've studied, and I've tried to do bench projects. I finished the Pendants I offered. Into my fifth decade of offering Handmade objects, I'm never surprised when people don't purchase, but I'm still dumbfounded when people have absolutely nothing to say. The pattern struck me as so odd .... all the way back in 1974. I'd load my old truck with dozens of Handmade objects. Try to keep them from blowing out on the way to some field or fairground. I'd try to set them all up to be displayed as nicely as possible. Just as today - 43 years later - when I watch the sun, dash out when the light will be nice. Clean and arrange. Blow off a dust particle. Move a pine needle. Chamois a finger print. Break my back trying to bend to achieve the correct angle between reflection and dull sheen. Back to 1974. There I'd stand. Baking in the sun most likely. Greeting each person who ambled by. Having a nice chat with the very few. But so much of the day .... just standing there smiling, greeting, ready to converse. But, the majority would avoid the eye contact. They'd stay that extra four inches back to what they felt was safety in the "main isle", and quickly scan the objects, myself included. Then comes the lean in .... "feet still planted in the isle - so the lean in doesn't count - they can still regard me as a wax figure." They study one or more objects - sometimes in great detail. But .... ah ah ahhhh .... feet in isle .... don't have to speak. Finally, they turn and walk - one slick movement. Or, they may turn a completely expressionless eye toward my smiling face .... and, showing who's got the upper hand ..., walk away without so much as the smirk/wink that I grew to appreciate/crave. It came to be a trophy I'd collect. That split second flash of life in the person's eye. The thing that communicated the message, "you failed to sufficiently impress me today young man ... but do not dispare. Those of your trade must strive long and fail often; but you may yet earn a crust if bread today." I came to search for the smirk, as they turned away. And upon arriving back home ... tables warped from a day in direct sunlight... forehead red and sore ... jumble of stuff on the truck seat .... but I could report ... I got five "smirk/winks" today! We will surely .... probably .... survive.

Oh .... I have an ambitious project under way. It doesn't cut, it goes bang.

Thanks for reading,
Gary