a painful setback, and a big dilemma

The setback and the dilemma are totally unrelated, fyi.

First off, fence update:
Today I attached the charger and put up hooks and ran the extension cord over from the other side of the shed. Drilled a hole to run the wires out. Finished the grounding rods to the extent that my brute strength (or lack thereof) will allow, and finished wiring the grounding stuff. Got most of the way done with running the insulated hot wire along the corral fence, but ran out of insulated wire because I'd made a measuring error. Oops, need to go get another roll. I was going to do the first "up and over" for the gate, but realized the caps I'd bought for the pipes were too large (did my brain fall out?) Will need to return those and get another size. Sigh. So I started putting up the insulators on the wood posts in the corral. Got about half of those up, and I had a moment of stupidity, or something, and...

I whacked my left thumb with the hammer. Not the end of my thumb, but the the side of the last joint (the one I broke in 5th grade). I was so stunned I couldn't even think of any bad words to say, so I finished hammering in the nail, took my glove off, and when I saw it I kind of dropped everything and sat down. Um, it looked gross. Instead of being straight, like a normal thumb, it took a funny turn at the joint. Oh my. My immediate reaction was to try bending it, so I did, and it made a lovely crunching sound but at least when I finished with that it was straight again. Aaaaaaack! That's when I started crying, I admit. OMG that hurt. Obviously dislocated.


I iced it, it's wrapped up on a splint now. I've been deeply concerned that I broke it, but at this point I don't think I did. I think I just really did a bad thing to it. If it's worse tomorrow I'll get an x-ray, but I'm really REALLY not wanting to seek medical attention (hey, the vet's coming over tomorrow for the horses, lol!)

This is going to make fence work difficult, and I don't really feel that I can stop. Wires hanging out all over, insulators up but not hot. Sigh. This is not good.

This is also not good because it makes it very hard to hold anything, and that's is my left hand's job for scrimshaw. I can't risk stuff slipping. This is not good!!!! CRAP!!!!! STUPID ME!!!! ARG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So that's that.

In other news, I have a big decision ahead of me. I've been specially invited to take part in an engraving weekend, a meet and greet with some serious high and mighty people. It's not a show, no money to be made, but connections with the best in the world. It's the same weekend as Draft Horse Classic. I LOVE Draft Horse Classic, this would be my 8th year I think. Love that show. But... art sales are not good, it would cost me several hundred to do the show, and there's a fair chance of not making much of that back. Were it not for one big sale last year, that's what would have happened last year, and I think sales are likely to be worse now.

Of course, getting to Kansas would not be free. Air fare, rental car, hotel, meals, etc. But it might be more valuable in the long run. Then again, I'm saving up to do Blade Show next summer.

So I need to decide if I'm going to show at DHC (I still have not heard from them, but was assured of notification soon, and I think it's safe to assume I'd get in) and maybe turn a small profit, or spend a weekend in Kansas and meet some of the most amazing people in the world.

Hmmmmmm.

I think I'll go eat a chocolate cupcake, maybe that will help.