On my own

So yesterday, I drove Kevin to the airport. He's gone on a little vacation for a few days. Lucky him!

It was my first time driving in San Jose... it's about time  With the GPS, everything went smoothly. Although, drivers are kind of crazy in the city, it's not as overwhelming as it was when we first arrived. We're acclimatizing and even though I've not driven in the city myself, I think I was suitably exposed to the rules of the roads that I felt prepared.

For the last week, Kevin has been training me on all the chores he does every day since I'll have to do them while he's away. Most things are pretty simple and I can manage, but there are a few things I've needed to practice. Every morning, Kevin uses his power drill to screw in the decoy owl. We have to put it up every night to deter the heron, but we also have to take it down every morning so not to scare all the other wonderful birds. So, Kevin showed me how to use his power drill. It's not rocket science, but there is a technique to it. I learned that I have to add pressure while still being gentle otherwise the screw head will get stripped. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I've now mastered it (but not before destroying one of the screws... in only two days).

Then there is the aqueduct gate that needs to be opened and closed depending on the circumstance, the weather, the amount of leaves gathering on the grate, etc. Kevin devised a gate that goes up and down, which works really well, but the mechanism is made of wood and it gets wet, which makes it sometimes hard to glide up and down. So, that too requires a sense of finesse. It's a matter of 'feel' more than strength. So, I've been closing my eyes and concentrating on the 'feel' of it. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it's working. So when Kevin asked me how I did, I told him I can now do it with my eyes closed.... literally. It's the only way I seem to be able to do it. As long as it gets done, I guess the 'how' doesn't really matter.

It's good for me to know how to do these things. It's good for Kevin to know I can manage, too. By the time he comes back, I'll be a pro.

Poor Frankie is out of sorts, though. It's only been a day, but she misses her daddy. She's a very sensitive creature.