Big Sigh of Relief

I started drinking more Chuck about 10 am yesterday to prepare for the mannequins and over sized stuffed animals. I made a batch of double chocolate spice cookies (serious chocolate and a bit of hot red pepper in the back ground to make them addictive) to bring along.

We drive to the little town where this philosopher lives - and find his home. He has written his house number on a piece of paper and taped it to his porch. He did this just for us.

His wife greeted us as we walked up the path. She doesn't actually live with him - in fact, she lives in a whole different state. He had taken off to purchase pizzas from a Hispanic owned pizza place. (and boy, do those Hispanic dudes know their way around a pizza - it is probably the best pizza available in this whole area) And, just as we walk into the large, victorian house, we see a 6 foot tall stuffed rabbit sitting in a chair. The home is full of odd bits he's picked up at auctions and other venues. He has plants, and art, and mannequins in a variety of poses and levels of dress, and books and glass and strange lamps, and all sorts of stuff all over the place. It had the feel of a junky antique shop or small town museum.

And, I learned that this philosopher is really an artist, although few know it. His wife says that he has over 200 of his paintings all over the house. All very abstract. Although, currently his projects are to rip doll heads off their bodies, mangle them, mount them on boards with other textured items - and paint it all silver.

His wife is really quite nice - and seems to totally know how to "control" him - in the sense of when he gets to worked up, knows how to draw him back. She is not originally from this country - she is Korean by way of Russia. She is very bright - and has an excellent grasp of English -- although the philosopher likes to make up nonsense words and try to insert them in her vocabulary. Fortunately, she understands this and only uses the words to amuse him.

When he jumped up to make smoothies (apparently one of the few things he "cooks" being that he doesn't actually own a stove) I did keep a good eye on what he put in . . . . you know, just in case the mannequins were not actually plastic - but rather former guests.

But, I don't believe we ever lost consciousness - and no embarrassing videos will be appearing on YouTube. I think.