Mother May I

I don't know whether this happens to anyone else, but certainly around here, working on projects is like a gigantic game of "Mother May I?"  Did anyone else play that game as a child?  Was there even a POINT to that game, except to provide us a glimpse into the reality of life?  As I recall, someone was "Mother" and the rest of the "players" occupied themselves with repeatedly asking the "Mother" whether they could take one step forward., or one GIANT step forward, or whatever, but if they forgot to say the magic words, "Mother May I," they were required to take two steps BACKWARD and further delay their successfully reaching "Mother," and taking over the role.  So too, apparently, if we don't step JUST correctly around here, we end up moving two steps backward for every step of progress forward.

Today's special chore was one of those two-step backwards chores.  The semi trailer we'd purchased at the end of the summer, and which we are using for storage, has a couple of issues.  The huge, heavy back door is the older style, relying on hinges and cables to role it up and pull it down.  The day the trailer was delivered, the guy selling it to us opened the door and one of the cables broke.  He apologized profusely, and assured Joe that if he lubricated the track, he'd be able to still raise and lower the door.  It was heavy, but it worked that way until Tuesday. While I was working in Maryland this week, Joe was working around the old farmhouse, getting the million and one project whittled down, one by one. He went to close that semi trailer door and several hinges gave way, rendering the door essentially useless, stuck in the more-closed-than-open position.

Stuck Open

For the next few days, because there were other, more important chores to complete, the open door was simply tarped against rain and such.  Today, a beautiful Autumn day, was the day we tackled the "fix."  Joe's fix involved using lots of drill bits, nuts, bolts, washers and wood, and a notched trowel. Standing on ladders on either side of the infirm door, we worked to reengage the old hinges, and to create a new "handle" with which to open the door from the inside.

Old Farmhouse in Autumn

Tools for the Job

While we worked, the tape player in the trailer was playing the recordings one of our first "jam" sessions.  It was amusing to listen to us learning to actually make music together--Joe playing the accordion and I playing the guitar, and both of us singing, old songs, songs we both knew, some better than others. And so, this afternoon as we worked, I sang along with our tape, the old fashioned kind, played an an old fashioned tape player, and thoroughly enjoyed again those songs, "Green Green Grass of Home," "Unchained Melody," and more.  These songs we still play today, though we have mostly figured out the chords by now!

It was a truly pleasant afternoon and when we finished, the door which previously had to remain open when we were inside, because there was no handle with which to close it, now sported a notched edged trowel for a handle! (Did I mention Joe is a recycler of EVERYTHING?) And the door does, once again, open and close.  We still have to reinstall the cable, but we are waiting for help from a guy who apparently actually knows what he is doing in that department... he should be here to help on Tuesday.

New Bolts, New Handle

Clever Handle, Huh?

Interior of Semi Trailer / Storage Shed

Success-- Door Goes Up!

Success -- Door Closes!

I spent a little more time getting my eBay merchandise onto the shelves in the eBay trailer, as afternoon was giving way to night.  On the radio in the eBay trailer I was treated to what must be a nightly offering of "Play that Funky Music, White Boy."  I laughed as I resolved (again) to NEVER try to play that one on the guitar! I still remember when that song was popular, the beginning of my senior year in high school.  I wondered why then, and I wonder why today!

Inventory Filling Shelves

Tomorrow, if all goes as planned, our carpenter helper will be installing a side door on the semi trailer. I wonder if it will be another Mother May I moment, or whether this one will just be a single, successful, GIANT STEP FORWARD.... for if it is a success tomorrow, we should be able to really move quickly on completing the move of boxes from the garage into their new home, thereby freeing up the garage for ITS next project!  For tonight, it was nice to just come inside, relax and eat a nice bowl of soup that had been cooking in the crock pot all day... another lovely autumn day in these parts of Virginia.

Autumn Moon