Going up

Going up.

In typical Planet Bowling style, we spent another holiday neck deep in a construction project. There was the Christmas we decided to paint the kitchen cabinets. Then the New Year's we tore out the front door (and I mean the whole front door surround/assembly). This Memorial Day 2010 found us building Alastair a jungle gym/clubhouse in between downpours. Improving on our previous efforts, Kim managed to recruit outside help this time.

Mr. Dennis and Kim hard at work. Payback is going to be hell.

Our backyard is tricky. For those who haven't been to our house, it is about the size of a postage stamp if you cut off all the corners and threw a garage on top. We have a huge front yard, of course, but that isn't as useful now that we have kiddos that we would prefer to remain lovely and three dimensional. This backyard would be totally happy in California, but in Houston, it is on the diminutive size. To complicate things further, we have an eight foot easement against the fence that the cable company and phone company can tear up whenever the need arises. Add to that complication the greater difficulty of being married to a mechanical engineer with a desire, neigh, a need to overbuild everything ensure structural integrity and we have to get creative. Kim wanted to make sure that the set was built to withstand all kids and adults without wobbling an inch. With four cement anchors and heavy duty construction, this thing is ready for a herd of elephants. If they can fit through the gate.

Alastair could not have been happier to help with another project.

He got to go to Lowe's with the guys all weekend long and ran around with a huge grin on his face all weekend. Covered in mud, of course, but grinning from ear to ear.

An advertisement for fatherhood. And Shiner Bock.

By Sunday night, the main platform, Alastair's "tower of power" was complete. We all climbed up to check out the view from the backyard and dream of the possibilities.

Monday morning we were on our own. Alastair enjoyed a double header of Maisy and Horton Hears a Who while Kim and I chopped and drilled in the backyard. By Monday night, we were ready to enjoy a few hours of Memorial Day holiday fun.

Multitasking at its finest. A properly smoked brisket takes a long time to cook.


Ta-Da! Stage one complete.

This week we've (I'm using that term loosely) been working on the swing set frame and the roof. At post time, Alastair has a swing to twirl on and by this evening, Emery's baby swing will be up as well. The project for this weekend: raising the roof. ("Raise the Roof--Put 'em up there!" OK, even I know how ridiculous I sound.)

While Kim was laying out the roof frame on the driveway a few nights ago, one of our neighbors commented as she walked past, "Wow, you guys are always working on little projects." Little? Little is putting up a ceiling fan, something we normally do after painting, installing cabinetry, rewiring for cable, and refinishing all the furniture that goes in that room. Little would be nice sometime. But then again, little is so uninspired.