It took needle-nosed pliers, level and measuring tape…

[COULDN'T GET A PICTURE. THE BROWSE BUTTON USUALLY FOUND WHEN I CLICK "PICTURE" HAS DISAPPEARED. I CAN GET THE PICTURE, BUT CAN'T TRANSFER IT TO THIS BLOG. ANY HELP APPRECIATED. ]

by Pat Laster

 

                On the last day of 2011, I made a list. (What? Another list?) No, these were not personal resolutions like eating healthier, though I’ve done that.  Well, yes, I suppose they could be called resolutions. The document was titled: COUCHWOOD UPGRADES IN 2012.

* Add 2 overhead lights on front porch—1 over the swing; 1 off the south fascia to light the steps/driveway. NOT DONE. CARRY OVER TO 2013.

          * Repair/ replace dining room fan & Kid Billy’s bedroom fan & light. He had jury-rigged the light so it wouldn’t come on. NOT DONE.

            *Clean bedroom/hall carpets. NOT DONE.

            * Re-sand, etc. hardwood floors. NOT DONE.

           * Paint dining room/hallway door to blend with paneling when open. NOT DONE.

           *Neaten the shed to store more things. BEGUN.

           *Tear out metal shelves in the shed, replace with wood. CHANGED MY MIND.

           * Neaten the attic for a writer’s station. DONE.

           * Fill chinks in mortar on outside walls. NOT DONE though I have the filler.

           *Brick veneer the outside of the back porch. NOT DONE.

           * Paint the kitchen and all things brown in it. DONE! DONE! ALMOST DONE! Though it took all year.

 Before Christmas, though two doors still needed two coats on the backside, I decided to reposition the shelves in the cabinet over the washer. The inside was finished and the shelves required only one coat, being unpainted 1-x-8s.

            Problem: During painting, I’d knocked off two thing-a-ma-jiggies –clips, I decided were what they were called-- that held the shelf in place, one on either side of the strips. I was never very good at spatial distances, but I eye-balled the matching clip and proceeded to affix it. From a step stool, I didn’t have enough hand/arm strength to mash the metal into the strip.

           What to do? What to do? No one here to help me. Aha! Something in the tool drawer should work. Hence the needle-nosed pliers. With brute strength and fortitude--and the pliers--I pushed upward on the clip until it clicked. Ditto, the other clip on the other side.

            OK, ready to lay the shelf on them. Oops! One side’s lower than the other. Redid the above steps. Still not right. Aha! Dad’s old level hanging on the back porch. Couldn’t find the bubble anywhere, so out comes the tape measure. 15 inches on one side, 14 on the other. But it LOOKS level. I left that job for some other.

            Christmas and the ice/snow storm blew in, blowing out the power for several days. So, on to 2013. I'm waiting for the temperature to rise to 50 or above to finish painting the doors. Then, I'll deal with the crooked shelf. 

             Happy two-thousand-thirteen to everyone!