Wall Shift

My arms a little sore and not from the usual lugging of dirt and bricks up my back hill. I know I spend too much time talking here on Frail Deeds about the building of those garden terrace walls but, in semi-retirement, that qualifies as a big event. My arms are sore for a different and completely satisfying reason that is related to wall building. I spent the past two days up in New Hampshire assisting my Favorite Son as he begins to realize his dream of a home theater and a Man Cave. That meant framing up walls in the basement.

Son and I in front of Our Work 

We bring very different talents to the effort. I was very clear that I represented the brute force and ignorance aspects while he would be responsible for the technical and fine cutting part. He had a load of lumber delivered Tuesday morning and we showed up shortly thereafter to begin work. My Favorite Panamanian came along to provide cooking and morale support. The first task was moving all the lumber into the garage out of the rain, which was not as much fun as it sounds.

The First Steps

Not Fun

Measuring for the First Wall Section

Completed

End of First Day Efforts

Predictably, my son had gone about planning this project in much greater and smarter detail than I would have. He bought the right tools needed, including a nail gun which speeded up the work especially. Of course, we both had to learn how to operate the thing. Luckily, since he spends most of his time supervising construction projects, he was a quick learner. Our job was to frame up the walls in the basement where the theater and Man Cave would eventually occupy. We stated on what we thought was a simple section. That was smart because there was some serious learning going on during that work.

Son Doing the Smart Part of the Work

We Even Did Corners

We eventually got the hang of it and completed more on that first day than we thought. The BRS and BR3 returned from day care and were consumed with attentions from their abuela. My son and I continued work into the evening and learned the house leaned a little (1/4 inch) which meant the support structures had to be measured individually versus a standard size (I did say a lot of learning was going on, didn’t I). One of the other tools my son had wisely purchased used a .22 caliber charge to fire a nail through the bottom plate into the concrete. Unfortunately, the noise from firing that tool turned out to seriously spook BR3 even though she was two floor above us. Work ceased while she was in residence.

Obligatory Granddaughter Pictures
BR3 on her Favorite Playground the Couch

BRS very Excited for Abuela's Presence

On the Way to Day Care

Waving Goodbye at Day Care

Dad doing the Drop Off with Abuela

BRS, Still Waving

We only had a half day to work yesterday because the FBR was inbound from New Jersey to stay with us. After day care drop off, we were back at it and completed all the walls for the future home theater. It was probably a good place to stop because both my son and I were pretty gassed from the effort. Total respect for the construction workers who do this type work day in and out. The best part of the day and a half of work was hanging out with my son. Especially since the arrival of granddaughters, I find time alone with him at a real premium. I was once again struck by what a great young man he has grown into being. I count that time spent together as a treasure.

FBR Rabbit Hunting in NJ

FBR is Inbound!!

We were just finishing up the last studs when I received a text from Wingman reporting he was approaching Massachusetts. He’d left earlier and made much better time that I expected. This entailed a mad dash back across Massachusetts. Wingman delayed a bit through the old Micky D Happy Meal trick but they still beat us home by a significant margin. Wingman reported the FBR didn’t want to get out of the car until we were home but he eventually coaxed her into the house.

She Also Befriended a Cat

And Hung with her Posse

My wife found that the FBR had spent some of the time awaiting out arrival by trying on a bunch of my wife’s shoes. They both looked at me deadpan and declared they had come to an agreement that abuela’s shoes also belonged to the FBR. The FBR also opined that applied to her abuela’s jewelry which my wife wasn’t as fast to confirm. Usually, after spending time with my Favorite Son, I’m left in a bit of an emotional funk, missing him, but the FBR insured that was not to be.

FBR and Her Mom Prior to 4th July Party

She’ll be staying with us for over a week while her parents attend a wedding this weekend and don’t come to retrieve her until the following weekend. We’re hoping the BRS will join us tomorrow for her first overnight away from her parents and we’ll have both granddaughters until at least next Tuesday. I consider myself extremely excited at that prospect. You can expect much quicker blog posts in the interim, you are welcome.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn