The yard needed mowing, broken limbs all about and the lawnmower would not start. That was how things were when I first moved out here. While I was dealing with that, I told my mother that it sure would be nice to have a picnic table. Before I could ask where she thought there might be some scrap wood, she told me that there was a metal picnic table supports at the edge of the woods.

So once I got the yard mowed as best I could, I went searching for those supports. They were under limbs that my mother and neighbor had piled up. Three years worth of limbs. I pulled out the limbs and burned them. Then I had to cut through the underbrush to find them. I was happy to find them just lightly rusty.

I brought them up to the trailer and then promptly mowed that spot. That was three months ago. Now I needed nuts, bolts, washers and wood to put it together.

The wood I knew I could find by checking around old condemned buildings. Since I’m way out in the country, I figured that would be the easy part. The nuts, bolts and washers would have to be brand new. Problem with that is the nearest hardware store is 13 miles away and he don’t have everything, but he can order it. That takes a long time. Easier to go the other way which is 25 miles from home to a really big hardware store.

Due to the high price of gas, we only go to town for the big things like groceries and doctor appointments. That is why it was over two weeks before I got the nuts, bolts and washers.

Now the hunt for wood. It was last month that my youngest son and I found wood worth grabbing. There is a condemned school building about 12 miles from here. It is one of those schools that was closed when they consolidated it into a bigger school. It looks sad sitting out there all alone with the bushes and grass all grown up around it. We could not go into every room because the roof is falling in. We found us some 2 X 8’s. They were 15 feet long. We tied them to the roof of my van along with some 2X 4’s. Since I like finding stuff, I make sure I always carry rope with me and I love the luggage tie down rails on top of the van for that same reason.

I finally cut the wood two weeks ago and because of the rain, I didn’t get started on the picnic table until yesterday afternoon. I quickly discovered that my 2 X 8’s were only good for the top of the table. I have to get me some 2 X 10’s for the seats. That didn’t stop me. I worked on the top until the mosquitoes came out. So when I went in for the evening, I had one support done.

Today I came out and finished it. I still don’t have seats, but I can still use the top. I got some chairs that I can bring up to the table. They work just fine. I now have it set up under our pecan trees in the front yard. Once I had that done, I took the picture above and then sat down and wrote this bit while enjoying the cool breeze.

More of my Writing:

*  Don’t Burn Poison Ivy

*  I Want a Good Burger

*  Attic Floor