I won't use the word excited, but I was kind of pleased when a common Squirrel took up residence under my deck that's around the Jacuzzi. If you don't live in the valley of the sun, you're probably thinking, what's the big deal? Squirrels are at best a nuisance. I've been here in The greater Phoenix area going on 36 years and we just don't get squirrels here. You can go as close as flagstaff and see squirrel to your heart's content, but not here in the desert.
Everyday Squeaky comes out, suns himself on the deck and is oblivious to my presence. Frankly, I don't think he sees so good. He's been my housemate for about a week now.
On a second topic, I took everyone's advice and started farming my tomatoes. what a difference, when they're actually planted in the ground. I had about 12 tomatoes growing on the stem and almost ready to mature and start changing to red. Tonight, and I haven't really checked them in a couple of days, besides watering the plants. I went out to see if perhaps one had matured and almost ready to eat as I had a burger on the grill about 8 PM, right after the people that bought my Expedition today left, but I'll get to that. So I mosey over to the tomato plant and there right before my eyes, is a tomato plant that does not have a single tomato on it and even the flowers that become tomatoes were gone. My suspicion immediately went to Squeaky Squirrel, the squirrely THIEF and eater of tomatoes! Who knew that my new friend was not to be trusted. When he'd leave in the mornings, I'd ask him where he was going and he always told me, the mall! I believed the little sociopath, too. I guess farming is out of the realm of possiblities for now, plus the season is over for us...........and Squeaky.
So I'm sitting wondering what I'm going to do today, since both of my sons have made other choices. One son ran off and joined the foreign legion about 15 years ago and the other was kidnapped 7 years ago, never to be heard from again. Suddenly, just as my breakfast eggs were about to be flipped, the phone rings. I don't recognize the number and I wanted the eggs more than the stranger, so I let it go to voicemail. This perfectly charming gentleman with a friendly tone and voice left a message that he is looking for an older Expedition for his wife and is going to get one today and he's got cash. CA$H is a 4 letter word that you don't hear too much anymore. As I was about to call him back, my phone rang again and it was Gene, calling a second time in case I didn't get the message.He said he'd call back later for the address, when he got off of work.
About 5 PM the phone rang again and it was Gene. I gave him the address and he drove out from Tempe, with his wife and 20 something daughter. Truly nice people, all of them. We all went for a ride and when we returned, he said he wanted it and we began the negotiations. Gene worked part time at Spencer's Appliances, so I knew he wouldn't just lay down and pay the asking price. We played the game for awhile and I let him have some money off the asking price. He looked like a hero to the wife and daughter and I sold my truck. Here's the problem. I paid about $17,000 for the old Expedition and he bought it for less than $6000. I lost over $11,000, so a couple of hundred bucks really wasn't going to make me whole and he was happy and everybody won. I've had the old car for longer than any other car in my memory. Eight years and frankly, I know I'm going to miss it!
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