Last weekend, Labor Day weekend, we spent replacing our shed. This is the shed that was crushed in the October snow fall last year. We looked into various options for replacing it--purchasing a pre-made one, paying someone to build one for us, or buying/installing another metal shed. Well, we settled on buying another metal shed since this was one of the least expensive options (by a couple thousand dollars) assuming we installed it ourselves. Our last shed Ed and I installed about 20 years ago (so it lasted a while until a tree fell on it!), so we figured with Dan helping us, we could give this a try.
So we started Labor Day weekend. Saturday was spent tearing down the old shed and then lifting the old framing/platform to raise it further off the ground (to maybe prevent groundhogs from hiding under it?). Sunday was reinforcing the platform and laying a new plywood floor and then we began the actual shed construction. Monday we continued with the shed construction but we didn't finish so we covered everything up with tarps for the week. And yesterday we finished it up!
Somehow we didn't kill each other. Although it's a kit, anyone who has ever worked with putting together metal buildings knows that things don't align or fit the way they are "supposed" to. And it was HOT last weekend, so there were a few times that it tested our patience. But thankfully with three of us, at least one of us remained calm/cool at all times (usually me!)! I was very thankful Dan was home too since he was a big help!
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| Nov 2011: The old shed after we removed the tree from on top of it. |
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| Sept 2012: The old shed gone and just the floor frame remaining. |
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| All done! |
It was good that Ed did not have treatment before Labor Day because then he would have had no energy to help with this project. But it's now done and we feel good about what we accomplished. Now here's hoping it lasts us another 20 years cuz I'm not doing this again!
Ed did have his treatment on past Thursday (9/6) and he felt pretty good afterwards. He said he rested a little after he got home, but he seemed like he had a lot more energy and was in better spirits Thursday night and Friday. Today (Sunday) his back is bothering him, but that probably has more to do with working on the shed than the cancer and his treatment. So hopefully this regimen will shrink the tumors (or at least keep them from growing) without totally wiping him out.
Dan continues to look for work. He has an interview in Boston tomorrow (Monday). As much as I would have preferred him to work in Northampton, he never heard back from that firm which is disappointing. But Boston is not that far away and so I'm (once again) keeping my fingers crossed for him.
In sad news we heard that a dear old friend, Pete Cavanaugh, fell and died back in August. Ed and Pete became friends when they worked together at Amherst Tire and we played softball together (some 30 years ago!), and Pete was in our wedding party. Pete had moved to Portland, ME, many years ago and over the past couple years we have lost touch with him. Just another reminder of how quickly life can change. We'll miss you Pete! May you rest in peace! And may the rest of us be reminded how each day is a gift.
AUGUST BEACH PICTURES
(which I promised to share in my previous post)
(which I promised to share in my previous post)
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| Ed and DeeDee |
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| Me and Mom |
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| My sister Cathy, me, and Ed |
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| Family Photo! |
Enjoy the fall; enjoy September!
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