Snorkeling while Avoiding Sharks

So glad that I early retired in 2015, in large part to stop adding my hard work and taxes to a country that puts its resources predominantly to the military industrial complex.

This beautiful piece of art by Ali comes from the very harbor where this page's profile creature was photographed in 2016.

For my birthday June 28, Jamie gave me a plain wooden box filled with wonderful jewelry tools and findings.

I have been working on this top ever since, doing just a bit at a time to spare my arthritic left wrist and thumb.

At first I was using a hammer and gently tapping a Phillips head screwdriver to make the pattern. Eventually I realized that the balsawood was so soft that I could be more accurate just pressing down with two hands.

Now I need to decide what’s next. My original plan involves dribbling acrylic paint into the holes, letting it dry throughly, then sanding so that colorful “stars” remain.

Thoughts?

Today was Snorkeling while Avoiding Tour and Fishing Boats.

Our diving float has gone missing, so I crafted a new one with a rubber ball tied into a red and white plastic bag, which I towed on a long piece of tuna cord tied to a hairband that I slipped over my wrist.

Worked like a charm!