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More building

It occurred to me this morning that I left off a couple of projects. I’m going to put in a slanted roof the height of the fence on one side of the house where the kids can park their bikes and we no longer have to hang them in the garage. It makes it hard to navigate the garage with nine bikes either hanging or down so they can be ridden.

And then I need to build another work bench or two for the garage. As you might recall, a month or so ago we rearranged in their to get more space. Well, that’s had a nominal affect, and now I need a work bench, or two.

And I have a few more picket fences to build, these will be short ones.

I’ve also toyed with the idea of getting some bricks and mortar and building a C shaped wall to surround the grill to keep it from being blown into the pool or blown over during thunderstorms.

And then there is work inside. Eventually, I’m going to tackle adding laminate floors to the upstairs. And I want to do some chair railing in the nook, and then the ultimate: crown molding.

Pool Season Prep Continues

Got a lot of work done after dinner tonight. Kari has been helping me cap off the last touches before we get ready to paint and stain the backyard configuration I’ve been building during the past month. This all is really shaping up to be a wonderful project and I’m getting excited about seeing it to completion. I know there are several more things I want to do to the pergola and remaining fencing before I will be settled. I also want to build a couple more planters for the back.

The morning glories and other plants we started in the garage are coming along splendidly. It’s almost time for planting.

Right now I’m on the back porch with my best of the best dogs, Molly. It’s 9 p.m. and the water pump on the well is running and filling the backyard with a wonderful sound. The wind is calm tonight so no chimes. Molly is so good about sitting/laying here at my side and guarding me. She stays between me and the gate. Isn’t that a hoot? I’d hate to be the poor fool who ever might decide to come through our gate unannounced.

I figure I need about six additional boards for the top of the pergola and about 21 more of the slate boards I’ve been using for the picket fencing. I also still need to fix the doggie door arches, and add a board there, too.

After we get that done, it’s on to getting the wood work creation painted, and then I need to begin some work inside. I want to do some accent painting and make some other positive improvements inside.

It looks like my dad will be here in a week or so, so I’m trying to get as much done before he gets here, too. Not that it will largely impress him, but I will know what I’ve done. He didn’t say much when I told him Kari and I had built this wonderful patio cover I’m sitting under. So I’m not expecting much of a reaction to the bench work and pergola. It’s funny, when he was here in October of 2006, he insisted on hiring someone from Home Depot to put up our $99 storm door at the front of the house. I’ve since put one on the back door, added a patio cover, fencing, etc….

I just wish my Mom’s dad was still around to be able to see all this. He would be pleased. And he would take a seat each morning out on the bench work and watch the sun come up in the east and think of something profound to write on the wood.

Here’s a Fun Site: Freaked Out Dads

The addition of kids to one’s home can be an exciting experience. Here is some good advice from Dads making decisions about how to make a difference with their kids. Freaked Out Dads. Aren’t we all at times?

Two Biblical Wrongs to Make One Right? –NY Cardinal critical of Rudy

Jesus died for my salvation. And Rudy’s. And everyone who will accept him. I’m not excusing Rudy’s position. I guess the cardinal is thinking two Biblical doctrine wrongs will make a right here.

NY cardinal criticizes Giuliani for taking Communion

4/28/2008, 11:34 a.m. CDT The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Cardinal Edward Egan says Rudy Giuliani should not have received Holy Communion during the pope’s visit because he supports abortion rights.

Egan says he had “an understanding” with the former presidential candidate and New York mayor that he is not to receive the Eucharist. The Catholic church opposes abortion.

The cardinal said Monday that Giuliani broke that understanding when he received the Eucharist during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit.

Egan says he will be seeking a meeting with Giuliani “to insist that he abide by our understanding.”

Giuliani’s spokesman says she is preparing a response.

I’ve got a response they could use. Not very nice one, but it’d be a typical New Yorker response that I’m sure Rudy’s thinking.

Great Stats and Commentary on Being a Dad

The Dads Center is designed to keep up with facts and figures about the importance of being a dad. Here is a great blog from today entitled, On Being A Dad.

Teenage daughters? Only 18.5 more months…

I saw this blog today about a guy’s daughter turning 12. And while I have 6.5 more months before that happens at my house, well, it’s an interesting perspective.

At different times I’ve asked each of the girls at home if they’d just opt to stay small for me and promise not to grow. They’ve all declined the offer.

Being a new dad, there is no better joy, Randy Orton, too, joining the club

Randy Orton excited to be having a little girl

http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/04/randy-orton-1.html

There is nothing like that moment at birth when you get to hold your own flesh and blood for the first time. I remember those three moments as vividly in my head as I see the screen in front of me. One daughter, hit by the change in temp had to go, and the doctor pointed her at one of the nurses, the twins, well, one came out and I talked to her a few moments, then came the other, and I headed over there to say hi and count fingers and toes. Heaven.

Fox, Bad Dads? How about ‘Fox: Bad Programming’

My wife is a fan of Fox reality shows. For one, I won’t stay in the room while she has them on. Whether it’s the world’s most annoying, rude and Medusa-looking Judge Judy or that idiot, mad-mouth cussing clown on Hell’s Kitchen, I can’t stand to have the TV on or be around such foolishness. (For God’s sake, the big deal the other night as I passed thru was how many pounds of pasta someone had mad while that idiot yelled at them a string of obscenities.)
Now from this blog, Fox is considering a show on mothers who would use Fox producers to hunt down deadbeat dads. While I don’t support not paying support, this is such a bad concept. I mean, this would be as bad as say, having had a Fox crew follow around my ex in 1997-98 when she was off doing activities not supportive of our marriage and putting them on TV for all the world to see, including the children of the parents involved. I can’t imagine a family counselor out there who would think this would be something positive for the kids to see. And they eventually would, whether it be in the first season of such utter bad programming, or in syndication, or worse, when it gets to YouTube.

But why would Fox care about the further harm they’d be doing to children across America? After all, they’d be making money on the deal and so would their advertisers.

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Cleaning Sunday

We began the day off with a simple exercise of Kari going to get groceries. She said later that as we paused at the top of the stairs in the game room, she could see the wheels turning. Well, the boys and I initiated a revision to the game room. It’s more quaint now. And we moved the computer that was in the den up to the game room. Now, maybe I can actually watch the HDTV flat screen over the fireplace again without having to change it from Sponge Bob. The worst show ever developed, and most watched ever by kids.

The Cubs are on WGN, losing to the Nationals by two in the fourth. They were in Colorado while I was in Chicago. Apparently, I was not the only one at EWA who had checked.

Okay, got to get back to work. More cleaning to do. Feels like Saturday. Wish it was.