Where’s the snake?
Category: Daily Life
Ramblings, often stream of conscious, journaling the events of my life.
Creating experiences for your child is parenting
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
My roof will outlive me
I spoke to one of my neighbors this morning. Or rather, I said a bunch of words and I think he managed to understand a couple of them.
Me: "I like your new metal roof."
Him: "It’s a poor man’s roof.”
Me: "I bet it sounds nice in the rain."
Him: "It’s got a 35 year warranty. I’m 98 years old."
Me: "And an optimist!"
Things you have to learn on your own – lube
When I was 20, had you told me the quantity of Liquid Wrench and Astroglide I would use in my life, I would have never believed you.
A sign of growing up
Recognizing that you should own a nice pen.
Dad Fail
Came home early to cook dinner and spend time with my kids. Now everyone is tense and in tears. Should have stayed at the client’s office.
Protected: That hollow feeling in the chest
Clear!
Today’s lunch: salt with an extra serving of salt, mustard (salt), ketchup (salt), random processed meat parts, fried dough, fried starch, and sugar.
Special thanks to Denton’s (inspired by the TN Valley Fair)
Negative Karmic Debt
I’ve been building up bad karma and things are about to go critical. Must seek good karma!
I miss my AA
Most days, and particularly today, I really miss having an administrative assistant. Karla! Where are you?
There are no girl Jedi!
While having coffee one morning at Mojoe’s Trailside Coffeehouse, one of the customers mentions her girl will be attending Jedi camp. Oh! I have to get Evan into this and sure enough, he finds a slot just before the camp fills up. Camp is the last week of June 2011 and Evan had a blast!
Fast forward to today, September 8, 2011, and I’m having coffee in Mojoe’s and talking to the wonderful mother who turned me onto Jedi camp. In the grand scheme of Evan’s life, an enormous amount of time has passed between Jedi Camp and today. The mother says, "Your son is Evan right?" The gears start turning in my head as she continues, "Evan and my daughter had a fight." My heart sinks. The mother smiles, "Evan told my daughter that girls cannot be Jedi. And my daughter argued with him and told him about the women in the Clone Wars." After a chuckle, we talk about little minds, the funny things they produce, and amazement at the fact that the two are still talking about and remembering Jedi Camp. Good times!
Thought I’d have a good day but changed my mind
I woke sore from yesterday’s fighting with the broken screw, but I was happy. Thought today could be fun, but I was wrong. I’m an empath, and that is my downfall.
Weekend Project – Little Miss Playhouse update
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.
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.
From the mouths of babes
Evan, 6 years old: "Can I go next door and go swimming?"
Mom: "Were you invited?"
Evan: "No, I’m going to ask."
Mom: "That would be inviting yourself and is wrong."
Evan: "So can I go see if they will invite me?"
Mom: "No. That would still be inviting yourself."
Evan, stomps off exasperated: "I’ll just go stick my head in the toilet!"
Evan, from the back of the house: "Quit laughing!"
Happy Anniversary Cathy!
Ten years ago today and after nearly two years of dating, Cathy and I were married at Gatlinburg’s Ye Ol’ Tyme Photo Boothe and its been one grand adventure since then!
This has the best decade of my life beyond any shadow of a doubt!
