MAT lost a second tooth, not even a week after he lost his first and his adult chompers are already several millimeters through his gum's. Apparently his teeth were more than ready to fall out on their own.
Mr. T had a week off after the Holiday so we got many outdoor type chores done. Cleaned up the yard and brush piles, half-assed cleaned the barn ( I say half-assed because really it is just going to be a disaster again in a month so no need overexert ones self cleaning), and we FINALLY got to the large pile of used decking that we are going to recycle into a duck house structure, patio furniture, and possibly raised garden beds.
Some boards were split or cracked, most had at least one broken end and very nearly ALL had rusted sharp jagged screws all up and down them. We, Mr. T, myself, and RAT, spend several days sorting, removing screws, and ripping down boards to usable undamaged lengths. By the way, I have a renewed LOVE of power tools, the chopsaw in particular, it is just plain fun. I did a bit of power sanding too, but I am not as comfortable with that, I am worried about breaking it so it is not as much fun.
We no longer have an unsightly, jumbled pile of dangerous garbage behind the barn but neatly stacked, useful, and eco-friendly piles of usable lumber for projects big and small stored away inside the barn. Most of the screw removal and board ripping was my job, as crawling around on the concrete floor on all 4's is not really a good idea for a lady as pregnant as I, though I would have had Mr.T not frowned upon it.
( I see two reclaimed wood benches one on either end of this monster, maybe even two little bottoms will fit on each bench, and then eventually some wood or old iron chairs instead of the plastic ones, but we make due with what we've got!)
He kept trying to put braces on the ends which would make it mildly sturdier and a table for 4 and I had to keep reminding him that in a few short months we will be a family of 5, so the table needed to fit at least 5. His rational was that Little T #3 wouldn't need to sit at the table in his own place for at least a year or two and we would have a new table by then. Little does he know, I plan on using this table FOREVER. It is huge, and heavy, and beautiful, and we made it, together. This table is not going anywhere, ever. I want to serve 4th of July dinner on it to my Grandchildren. I love it so... though it could be longer, but we can make another some day I suppose...
The coffee table/bench was supposed to just be a coffee table but someone overbuilt it, IMAGINE THAT, and made it a bit too high. It is perfect sitting height and super sturdy so it might change jobs and be a bench for sitting. I already have a request in for at least 4 more just like it. Boards are ripped and ready to be connected, but that will be another job for another day.
We have the boards for the raised beds sequestered away and I am hoping to at least get the strawberry and asparagus beds built, installed, filled, and planted this fall. This will mean much less work for me next year babe in tow, so I am pushing hard for those this fall. The strawberry bed at the very least. Raised beds mean more easily protected against deer and rabbits, and you KNOW how I loath deer in my strawberries and we are not having another repeat of the deer buffet we had this spring, no Sir. But they have yet to materialize, maybe later this month.
That's all I got, aside from a good midwife appointment last week, not much is new. Just trucking along, building things when we can, decorating for fall and Halloween, doing yearly cleanup, and making a person. Pretty standard stuff. Maybe my next post will be more exciting...
