Category Archives: Uncategorized

Despite the physical separation from family, we still spent time together while distancing outside. It was August and the garden was producing. Lydeana grew a 2.6 pound beefsteak tomato, one of many giants we had. We celebrated Shayley’s birthday out on the porch, where we had meals on tables about 8 feet apart. At oneContinue reading “The Life Outdoors”

In our house there always seem to be three places where the most waking time is spent: the couch, the kitchen and the table. The shack doesn’t and most likely will never have a couch because of its space limitations. Two steps in the door and take an about-face to the right and you’re inContinue reading “A Table Makes a Home”

The hardest part of being a hoarder is knowing you have something you need and never finding it until after you’ve replaced it. This situation just magnifies the buildup of already unreasonable piles of junk. My dad would lay something down and that is where its home would be until laid elsewhere. My stepmom wasContinue reading “The Rack of Pain”

With a week of vacation time this past summer came a rare opportunity. We always traveled in the past, never missing the chance to go see another place or revisit a favorite area. Along with most of the world that idea had to take a back seat. I hoped to get tested and be ableContinue reading “STAYCATION”

Vacation started the second weekend of July. The next project to finish with the OSB was a gun cabinet. I spent one day constructing the gun cabinet and the next painting it and the tool cabinet. A couple coats of Kilz helped to seal the fumes that would otherwise become exponentially worse. A little bitContinue reading “The Gun Cabinet”

July 4th came on a Saturday and I was on call with a couple buddies from work. We had decided to find a fishing spot close enough to be back in time for whatever came in. Fortunately our services were not required and we successfully wiled the day away teasing the fish. We did aContinue reading “HEARTH AND HOME”

The weather was warm and the rains had gone away after finishing the garden prep and raised beds. I could now use my shop (a.k.a. the driveway) to start putting together some cabinets for the shack. With the leftover scraps of OSB from covering the walls and ceiling, plus two more 4 x 8″ sheets,Continue reading “New Furnishings and Mr. Murphy”

We’ve always had a garden. In the natural world, timing is everything, so I needed to shift my focus from the roof over my head to the ground under my feet. We have four garden spots since they have to be somewhat terraced on our hillside. Our little Mantis tiller can be slow, hard workContinue reading “DIRT AND LIFE”

The more pleasant version of spring began to show itself, so one day I decided to build a table for outside to cook, clean and work on. I’m not a fan of propane indoors. Many people have unvented gas logs in their houses. Having appraised so many houses through the years, you start noticing things.Continue reading “AN INSIDE JOB”

With my new home in place, I quickly hauled my stuff inside and somewhat organized the piles where I roughly imagined things would go. There were 4′ deep lofts at each end to store things out of the way, so I quickly cobbled together a ladder to reach them more easily. I made it longContinue reading “MOVIN’ IN…AGAIN”