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had bait-and-switch qualities, with one set of requirements being spelled out during the interview, and the actual job quickly evolving into something far different. It took me several years to fully realize that there were two things going on. First, there were definitely real problems with each job but, secondly, I was not designed for conventional employment. Instead, I%u2019m much more productive working at home, and I find it far more enjoyable. While John can last at a regular job longer than me (although most of his jobs have lasted less than 2 years), he%u2019s also more productive and happier working out of our home. We are fortunate, because we%u2019re both extremely frugal and resourceful, have simple needs, and are able to do most of life%u2019s tasks ourselves, so we require far less income to live comfortably than most other people. After a few weeks of wondering what kind of job to take next, I decided not to enter the job market again, at least not right now, but to instead refinish our furniture%u2014all of which was second-hand and in serious need of sprucing up. I also worked on some small oil paintings, as well as drawings of birds using pastel pencils on colored paper%u2014some were realistic, others fanciful. And I purchased a small floor loom that was featured in the Last Whole Earth Catalog, and made a number of woven purses and wall hangings. I also created some large hooked rugs also meant for walls, not floors, and I continued to expand my sewing and cooking skills.After almost two years in Ft. Wayne, we moved to John%u2019s hometown of Lafayette, where we bought our first home, just outside the city limits%u2014a run down, abysmally remodeled, 1850s Federal-style house. Built by a Quaker, it had simple lines, but the exterior had been covered with institutional-green asbestos-cement siding, and a picture window had been installed where there had once been a narrow window and an entry door. This large deteriorating window was partially covered with flapping discolored plastic sheeting. To further detract from the structure%u2019s long-ago attractiveness, the additions of a concrete front porch, a concrete-covered side yard, and a rusting chain-link fence, further added to the unsightliness. The interior was just as bad, with gloppy, white-painted plywood kitchen cabinets being a serious eyesore%u2014among many. Restoring this house would be a major project. Patience. Pastel pencil on paper. 1974Pretty Bird. Pastel pencil on paper. 1974Crow with Red Eye. Ink and paint on paper. 1974