Latest project ~ not planned

This is how it has been a lot of the time here. Go outside to do one thing and end up doing something else. Does that sound familiar? Our ‘modus operandi’ for years. I think that’s why we’ve always had so many projects going on at once.

This project came about because Miss Tork hangs out in our screened room which we named ‘the catrium’ off the back of our cottage.  Tuesday morning I heard cats yeowling, jumped out of my chair and ran out back to see what was going on and there was a strange cat I’ve been seeing lately.  For Pete’s sake. There weren’t any stray cats around when that mean pit bull was behind us, so maybe he was good for something after all, not that I want him back, because I don’t.  Life is more peaceful without him snarling and slamming into the fence whenever we were back there. Anyway, I digress.

So, I wanted to protect the screening which is plastic screen in the one area, and to keep either Miss Tork from busting out or the other cat from busting in. I had some white plastic lattice that I had brought from out back a week or so ago, and decided to see what I could do with it. I had two pieces that would work, I just needed to cut some off. My husband would use the jig saw to do this, so I went into the workshop in search of the jig-saw, saying a prayer as I went, because I didn’t know where this was.  If he was here he could have told me and I would know where to look, but alas.

I saw his saws-all saws up on a shelf, but didn’t see the jig-saw, then I looked downward a few feet and there it was. Hurray and a thank you to God was said. I was happy to have found it. I had not used the jig-saw before, but had seen my husband use it plenty.

Below are the tools I used that day. Pretty exciting for this girl, who always was ‘helper’ not ‘doer’. I loved helping my husband with all of our projects, and working on this project, while lonely, was still fun and I laughed thinking about what he would be saying, and I felt great accomplishment when I was finally done. I still may put a strip of pecky cypress wood ‘if’ we still have enough left from trimwork in the catrium, to use to cover the seam. (He found a load of pecky cypress wood curbside out west of town a few years back, but we used most of it up.)

I didn’t want to attach the lattice to the aluminum framework, so I started looking for 2 inch by 2 inch sticks. I found one, and cut it to fit with a hand saw.  Then I had to look for another one, and finally did. Cut it to fit, had to use shims with both.   They are the side pieces. Then I had to find something for the center, then I needed a cross piece and found a nice thin one, maybe 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch thick, just had to cut it to the length that I needed.

I don’t have an unblocked view anymore, but that’s ok.  This feels more comforting and cozy now.  I will put some plants in the planter and a pot or two of something or other on either side.

Here it is from the inside. I noticed that the center upright, is slightly bowed, but it was all I could find, and I didn’t notice it until I was done. So be it. We always go with what we have, and it if has a slight imperfection then that’s the way it goes.

I am quite pleased with the results even if they aren’t perfect.

I may put lattice up to the left in the picture but then again, maybe not.  It is heavier plastic screen. I don’t want to be totally blocked in by lattice.

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Thank you for bday wishes. I turned 64 years young yesterday, the first day of spring. I went to a local botanical garden yesterday morning. Had emptied my camera card and charged up my batteries, and the weather turned out to be perfect, predicted rain did not happen.  I couldn’t believe when I got home and stuck the card in my computer and it said I had taken 322 pictures. I did a quick glance at them, and not all of them came out but I’ve got enough to give a good presentation of this wonderful and peaceful acreage.  I’ll be posting that later as I’ve got to pick and choose, edit etc.

Last night my friend Nanci and her husband John took me out for dinner to a lovely Thai restaurant that my husband and I had enjoyed.  They had asked me where I wanted to go, they had never been and they loved it. We had a ‘great’ time and I felt love instead of feeling lonely for the evening. I did shed tears yesterday, but that’s to be expected when one loses someone they love dearly. Forty-three years is a long time and not having your best friend anymore is a new experience that you must learn to live with, hopefully gracefully and move forward, being thankful for each new day.

Some may get tired of my writing about my loss, but it is how I am dealing with my deep grief. The missing him will never go away, it will just not be so raw as time goes by. Each day almost brings some new experiences and I was thrilled with my latest project and can hear him saying ‘at-a-girl’.

That’s it for now. It is chilly this morning, but feels wonderful.  We will take days like this for as long as we are given them.  Summer’s heat and humidity will be here all too soon.

FlowerLady