#259 - Lattice and Primer

Robyn woke me at 7:45 AM asking if I could help figure things out for some project or another around the cottage. I grunted. I shook my head. I stamped my feet on the imaginary ground.

There was no way I was getting out of bed that early after working all day around the cottage. I’d spent the previous day power sanding the wooden siding on the garage. Starting the frames to attach the cedar lattice underneath the deck. Painting the pantry and all the shelves as well as making everyone an amazing dinner of Chicken Ruby with chana masala, naan bread and basmati rice.

Letting my sleep until nine was the least anyone could have done.

So, I stayed in bed until nine. Then came downstairs where we decided it was best to go on a Home Depot run to get more supplies for the day and while my car with it’s roof rack was available.

We purchased some exterior primer, about ten two-by-fours and some paintbrushes. Back at the cottage Bill and I started on the rest of the framing for the lattice. The deck wasn’t really built to accommodate lattice, so the frame was a necessity. It was a fiddly bit of business.

Eventually, we got to the point where we could start attaching the lattice to the frame and that felt like real progress. There is still one far corner that needs some framing to complete the latticework, but there wasn’t enough time to get that completed today.

The work we got done looked good and Barb and Bill were happy to had the help. I think I wore Bill out a bit. He’s in his mid 80’s and I thought he did great. I am sure he’ll be sleeping well tonight.

I know I will.

Barb made blueberry pancakes with maple syrup for a late breakfast, and after all the exertion, I was ready for it.

Then it was right back to the lattice work until lunch.

Barb made us delicious sandwiches, which I washed down with a Dr. Pepper.

I enjoyed the short rest from all the work and just closed my eyes for a moment.

And again, it was back to cutting and attaching the lattice to the deck frames.

We got as far as we could with the decking, so I went down to the double garage and helped Robyn and the kiddos apply primer to the exposed wood from yesterday’s sanding.

The primer dries in twenty minutes, and I wanted to leave knowing the wood was protected from the environment. And with all of us slapping paint on the sides it got covered in no time. I would have liked to start and finish a project, but we did what we could with the time we had. Hopefully it helped in some way.

I grabbed a Pepsi Lime from the fridge and for the first time sat in one of the many Adirondack chairs on a deck overlooking the front of the house. I made the mistake of sitting for more than thirty seconds. Robyn found me and asked me to help her move some heavy cabinets from one end of the cottage to the other.

With that done, I was officially out of gas. I think we all were.

It was time to get cleaned up and then pack everything back into the car.

We left kiddo #1 and one of the cars at the cottage. She is staying longer to help her grandmother and to enjoy the cottage and will drive herself home later in the week.

We gathered around the cars and said or goodbyes.

Robyn offered to drive, so I could rest for a bit and do some writing.

The traffic from the Parry Sound side isn’t too bad. It looked like we were going to make good time.

It felt great to get home and all the physical labour we did meant I was in for a good sleep. My tomato plant seemed to have doubled in size in the few days we were gone.

But it was a long day ended by a three-hour drive.

Time to call it a night.

Until tomorrow.