: Every time I work on my boat my neighbor comes over with a problem he needs
: help with. He's a hell of a nice guy and I would be glad to help him, it
: is just that he always gets me when I am just getting a roll going. So far
: I have lost two pots of epoxy and glued my shear clamps to the ugly side
: of the panels when I was interrupted and distracted. I've tried to keep
: working and ignore him, but he'll just stand there waiting for me to take
: a break. The boat has taken about twice as long because of the
: interruptions. Working on my boat is therapy for me and I enjoy getting
: lost in my work and shutting out the world (My day job is high stress,
: resolving other people's problems). This evening, I was happily sanding
: away at the epoxy with my ROS and mask on when I felt a presence behind
: me. I look behind and there he was standing in a cloud of epoxy dust with
: his three year-old daughter! I have explained to him previously about the
: toxicity of epoxy (after I grabbed an epoxy stirrer out of the kid's hands
: just as she was about to lick it). How would you all handle this? I am
: just about ready to put a lock and a big "Do Not Disturb" sign
: on the gate, but don't want to be un-neighborly. Thanks for the rant time.
: I now return you to your previously scheduled discussions.

Oh man does that ever sound familiar. Some people just like to stop by and chat. The conversation usually goes something like this:

Neighbor: So, you almost done?
Me: (removing respirator)We're gettin' there.
Neighbor: Boy, I'd be afraid to put that in the water.
Me: Ha-ha, well maybe I'll just hang it on the wall.
Neighbor: Ha-ha.

(putting respirator back on, resume sanding)

Neighbor: When do you think you'll be done?
(removing respirator, picking up Harbor Freight scraper, moving menacingly toward neighbor)

Okay, the last part is wishful thinking.

One of the more astute neighbors who actually understands what it means to be involved in a project told me to leave the outside light on the garage when it was cool for him to stop by with a beer. Wish there were more like him.

Jim