Odd Jobs

A weekend is all about odd jobs around here this time of year. After a full work week, I enjoy just puttering around the house. I get stuff done but at my pace, not someone else's. Elenka's Dad was the master of the odd job and the big job for that matter. If there was the small but important job to do around the house, he was on it, 'like ants on a popsicle stick' cast aside. And he was pretty good at the big jobs too. The 4-5 summers after we moved in to our house, he and the Mrs. loaded the station wagon with tools and headed North. The first project we tackled was the livingroom. He built beautiful window seats on either side of the fireplace and completely reconstructed the mantle and surrounding trim. He also laid a carpet and help paint the room. All this in just one week! In following summers we repaired the kitchen floor, sanded and refinished it and ripped the porch down to a skeleton frame and rebuilt it completely. Amazing how that man could work. I was his able assistant, and I think I handled that role quite nicely. All he asked in return was the enjoyment of spending a week with his daughter and his zany son-in-law. Oh yeah, that and locating a fine establishment where they could pour a cold draft beer or two. That was the easiest mission to accomplish back on those warm summer days. Thanks Steve!