Reality Me » Amy

Evening goal – relax

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 27 May 2012 01:38:48 +0000

I really wanted to have a nice relaxing Saturday night to clear my head and find some extra happiness. Oh, of mice and men! Slow FTP. What could I do? Naturally, run to the steamed broccoli drive-thru. While at the local Chinese buffet, struggling to understand what the staff was trying to say, my phone buzzed with a panicked child, "The bathroom is flooding! Come right away!" I reply, "but I’m not at home." The ten year old quandaries, "where are you?" My head explodes, picturing a naive child talking on the phone, a wife unknowingly cleaning in the basement, while rivers flow through my home. All was well. The flood was bad. But our saving grace, were the tampons for they absorbed it well.

Wednesday

Doug McCaughan — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:49:45 +0000

I cannot improve upon Cathy’s Pulitzer Prize worthy post. Do read!

Of Being Dad

Doug McCaughan — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:32:32 +0000

I’m getting to spend time with my daughter working on her homework. This is extremely rewarding! My work has recently taken me away from my family and I miss the quality time with my children and wife.

Creating experiences for your child is parenting

Doug McCaughan — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:51:04 +0000

cathymccaughan Oct 16, 3:51pm via TweetDeck

Cat Stevens on the XM and 9-y-o chirps: "I remember this song from the big rally in DC. Let’s do that again." #colbert

Weekend Project – Little Miss Playhouse update

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:25:06 +0000

My daughter received a pile of building materials for her 8th birthday with my words, "I can build this in a weekend." A year and 3 months later, we are nearing completion. The plans came from Woodmanor.net.

The project has been captured in timelapse videos posted on Qik and Flickr (front only).

What is left to do? This weekend is all about installing the flooring. Right now the western red cedar is drying from a sanding sealer. The quantity of debate which went into deciding on the flooring material was insane. We finally settled on 240 linear feet of western red cedar.

Cedar-Western Red Cedar: Another wood porch flooring material is cedar. It is noted for it’s beauty and durability. Colors range from mellow ambers, to reddish and sienna browns. Red cedar is naturally resistant to decay and insects due to inherent oils.

You need not treat red cedar unless it is in contact with the ground. It has less than half the swelling characteristics of other softwoods and tends to lie flat and stay straight. If maintained properly red cedar can last for many years and is ideal for porches in all exposures.

Cedar comes in four different varieties for flooring: Architect Clear for the discriminating porch floor enthusiast to Custom Knotty which is less expensive.

[Source, Front Porch Ideas and More, Wood Porch Flooring]

Next we will size and tongue and groove the planks. Then a vapor barrier will be installed followed by nailing the wood to the sub-floor. Some quarter inch molding will be installed to cover the expansion gap. The front door will be resized to accommodate the height of the flooring. The front door will be installed. The three vent windows will be built and installed. And finally the trim work will be touched up.

Saturday Building Projects for Children

Doug McCaughan — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 17:16:28 +0000

We participate in Home Depot’s Kid’s Workshops on the first Saturday of each month.

Kids Workshop is an award-winning program that has been offered at The Home Depot stores since 1997. The workshops are free, how-to clinics designed for children ages 5-12, available on the first Saturday of each month between 9 a.m. and noon at all The Home Depot stores. Children, accompanied by an adult, use their skills to create objects that can be used in and around their homes or communities. …

Since 1997, 17.5 million projects have been built at Kids Workshops

More than 1 million children built their first toolbox at The Home Depot.

More than 845,000 birdhouses have been constructed at Kids Workshops.

75 children per store attend a Kids Workshop on average while many stores have 200 kids attend regularly.

[Source, Home Depot Corporate, Kids Workshop]

Too tired? Too busy? Muster the energy and time. Read a book to your child.

Doug McCaughan — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:26:09 +0000

Take a moment and read this story in The New York Times. In short, a doctor tells of a 74 year old patient who couldn’t get his medicines correct.

Mr. M was a typical new patient: 74, with diabetes, hypertension and elevated cholesterol. He had some prostate enlargement and back pain. His bag of pill bottles was depressingly bulky. I spilled the bottles out at our first visit, sorting them by disease. … Mr. M didn’t remember the names of all the medicines … Mr. M was clearly still confused about his medicines…

[Source, NYT, A Problem in Following Doctor’s Orders by DANIELLE OFRI, M.D.]

In the end, we learn that Mr. M is illiterate, unable to read either Spanish or English. The story would be similar to many other stories of illiteracy leaving us emphatic, but emotionally disconnected, had it not been for the last paragraph.

My kindergarten-age daughter is just beginning to read, and she is taken aback with delirious joy each time a few random letters suddenly form a word that matches real life. It’s a painstaking process for her, but as I watch her I think about how this skill has powerful ramifications for her health and longevity. It’s a gift, really, one that I’d long to transfer to Mr. M if I could.

[Source, NYT, A Problem in Following Doctor’s Orders by DANIELLE OFRI, M.D.]

I know that joy! My son has become quite the avid reader. He no longer wants to be the listener; he wants to be the one who reads aloud. And I too wish I could give that gift to Mr. M.

Remember, they are never too old to participate in reading with you; whether you are the listener or the reader, make time to sit with your child and a book.

My war with Mother Nature

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 01 May 2011 14:13:01 +0000

We are nearing the end of the weekend project (ie. Amy’s birthday present from June 10th of last year). As we put on the finishing touches, carpenter bees have moved in to try to dismantle the club house. I’ve skipped earth friendly methods and gone straight to chemicals. I shall be victorious!

From the mouths of babes

Doug McCaughan — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:01:23 +0000

iPhone: *barrrring bringg*
Amy, 8 years old: "What’s our family’s email address?"
Me: "Um. What do you need it for?"
Amy: "I want to comment on videos on Youtube."
Me: "Uh. We need to talk…"

From the mouths of babes

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 19:56:34 +0000

Me: "Whoa!"
Amy: "What was that?"
Me: "I almost fell off the roof."
Amy, calmly: "Well, that wouldn’t be good. We don’t want a broken finger AND a broken leg."

Weekend Project – Day 26

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 02:46:49 +0000

Drip rail done. Step 17 of 27 complete. Next roof then windows and doors, fireplace and flooring.

For the 2nd movie, wait through the dull beginning to see children painting.

Weekend Project – Day 25

Doug McCaughan — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:18:03 +0000

I had hoped to have the clubhouse finished by Christmas. We are so close! I have a new obstacle; One of the dogs has taken to chewing the extension cords. I lost a 100′ extension cord that had served me well for 20 years. And yesterday, I lost a 50′ extension cord that I had used once. Looks like I’m going to a totally 18v rechargeable workshop.

We are now officially done with step 16 of 27. Count Amy’s wardrobe changes.

And a brief night time attempt that failed to accomplish anything.

Weekend Project – Day 24

Doug McCaughan — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:02:55 +0000

Weekend Project – Day 23

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:07:15 +0000

Gingerbreading-

And now for 9 minutes of my posterior…with some guest appearances by Amy, Evan, Tommy, our neighbor friend and the dogs.

Weekend Project – Day 22

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:04:20 +0000

The next step toward getting the roof shingled on Amy’s club house is finishing the gingerbreading and drip rails. Gingerbreading has begun!