Labor Day weekend 3: measure twice, cut once

Thanks, David, for all of your help on the "treehouse". I thought it was a fun thing to do that day. The boys enjoyed it. David often guided the boys when they were nailing or Jackson was tightening the bolts. Jack and Ry were much more interested in the project than they usually are. They hung around almost all the time. David joked about the time it takes to plan these projects (usually over coffee refills) before any real work is started and the extra time for runs to get more materials (or exchange materials), and somehow we really did finish by our mid-afternoon target, when David wanted to make some calls to Sandra and Mom & Dad before relaxing for the evening. David came up with the trick that made it easy to add the deck, and he really was instrumental in the final details, whipping out the ladder and the railing, while the boys and I finished the deck, dumped more sand in the sandbox (an old shower pan) and picked up. I was exhausted in the end. Jackson said David and I were a lot alike, except I moaned more when I got in and out of a chair.

The boys climbed onto the "treehouse" as soon as there was some decking. Rylee got some kids chairs to put on the deck and made a little table out of scrap wood. He also started making a sculpture out of the scraps and rigged a balancing board. Jackson was much more involved in the actual construction and made plans for more: a flag, for one, and eventually a little room with walls and a roof and even electricity so he can use his computer out there. Maybe we'll just put a tent up there for the time being. Rylee wanted a pole to slide down.

Beth reminded me about a story that David relayed to her on the phone. Ry was trying to get down from the deck before the ladder was in place. He was trying to use some plastic chairs on the ground to step down. As David said, Ry fell and Cyndi did recover from the fall.

When it was done, it really was a nice spot. The view is surprisingly good. Jack and I sat up there the next morning, while Cyndi and Ry were at the gym, and just talked.

I talked to Beth on Tuesday. She just got home that day. She was in good spirits and everything sounded optimistic. Her friend Eileen was there. Still some recovery to deal with. I also talked to Ariel that evening. She and Chris had returned from another trip to the Gunks, another academic season was beginning, and things were good.

Looks like a busy time: school, cub scouts, soccer, catechism, state fair, Dixon apple harvest, and, soon enough, the balloons.