Wednesday, October 12, 2005

The Gazebo

It’s been too long since I came here to post and I regret my absence. I want to thank those who have emailed me and left comments checking in to see if I was okay. Yes, I’ve been fine, it’s just that I’ve been so busy I have not been able to get into this room long enough to write anything worth putting down here.

We’ve had a brush with a tropical storm since I last wrote in this journal. While it was nothing compared to the aftermath of a hurricane, there was plenty of debris to pick up as there always is after a wind and heavy rain event. While parts of our area experienced some flooding, most of that was to the south of us and only in some isolated communities.

The only casualty at our household was the tent I wrote about in one of my first journal entries. The tent actually had come down once before during a thunderstorm about two weeks after I wrote about it and I had fashioned a PVC frame around it and stretched a tarp over it to protect it from heavy rain. It worked beautifully all summer and the bonus was that the tarp kept some of the intense heat out of the tent as well.

Tropical Storm Tammy thought my earlier efforts were a joke and promptly collapsed the entire structure. I was at work when this occurred. There was probably nothing I could have done to save it anyway except to have taken it down before the storm’s arrival. It had survived some very heavy winds a few times this summer; it was the heavy rains that proved its downfall.

As you may recall from the early post on the tent, it was mainly built to accommodate my sister in law’s cat, Blanca. Blanca had taken to the tent in a big way and very rarely a day passed that he did not go outside in the tent at least two or three times.

Blanca has been begging at the door to go out into his tent every day since the storm passed. I knew I’d have to rebuild, so Monday I put pencil to paper to devise a structure that would stand the kind of wind and rain we had just experienced. Here’s a look at that sketch.

Well, Sketch in hand, I headed off to Home Depot to price out my intended project. After realizing how much it would cost, I went back once more to the store and looked in the Garden department at some of the pre-manufactured structures. I found one that would fit our needs quite nicely and was only a little more money than the one I would have to fashion on my own. I bought it and lugged it home. Now all I had to do was put it together.

Yesterday, the project began after a quick trip to the barbershop. Here’s the cleaned off patio slab and the box with my new Gazebo.

It was hard to imagine that before the day was out this challenge would come to fruition. The best picture I had to work off was a drawing on the side of the box. The pictures in the instructions were nowhere near as good. I was going to be racing the setting sun on this one, I thought, and I turned out to be right.

I got this far before I had to go pick up my Grandson Trenton from school. Today he was coming home with Grandpa because he was going to have dinner with us before we dropped him off at his house. I knew he would want to help and I worried about how much extra time that would add to the construction process.

Well, as it turned out, Trenton was a big help carrying screws and screwdrivers and anything else Grandpa needed him to hold for him. We got this far before sunset.

The light was going to fade fast now so I had to hurry to finish. Here’s a shot with Paulette standing inside the new Gazebo. It was pretty dark by this time and I was lucky to be able to get any image at all, sorry this one is so dark. This will be a nicer area for the cat and the humans, LOL! It’s also a little more pleasing to the eye for the neighbors and should take the wind and rain better. I screwed the legs down into the concrete pad for some extra insurance.

I have some good news to report before I end this entry. I am taking next week off to go visit my friend Kenny in Vero Beach, Florida. Some of you may remember that I had to postpone this trip in the late spring. I’ll be down there for six wonderful days of swimming, fishing, boating and just having a good OLE time with my friend.

Paulette won’t be able to make the trip this time and she will be sorely missed. Kenny and his wife, Joyce are excellent hosts and I’ll fill you all in on my return. Take care, everyone. I may try to post from Kenny’s house, but I don’t want to promise anything. Hey, a vacation is a vacation, right?

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sam, I am impressed with the Gazebo...thanks for sharing the picture of the impending storm...clouds are so lovely...Have a safe trip to Fla. Take care...Courtenay

Anonymous said...

Welcome back!!  You'll love the gazebo, my brother has one very similar (if not the same) and he loves it.  He takes it down for the winter months but the weight of Buffalo snow would surely do it in, I'm sure yours will work great!
Vacation?  I am so jealous!  I need/want a vacation!!  Enjoy.  Have fun, relax, and soak of the suns rays.
d

Anonymous said...

Oh Sam!  So glad you are safe.  Enjoy your respite. ;)  C.  http://journals.aol.com/gdireneoe/thedailies

Anonymous said...

A tent for a cat -- I love it!  Have as great time in Vero, one of my old hometowns!

Anonymous said...

Storm cloud picture is really great.....Tammy certainly thought your structure a joke - and really did demolish it...Felt real sorry for Blanca - having his home taken away from him - Hope he is pleased with the new structure...it looks really good. but it looked a daunting project to take on - it's a good thing you had Trenton your grandson there to help you.....Good idea to screw it down to the concrete pad....Quite envy you off swimming, fishing,and boating..What kind of fish do you catch ? (assuming you do catch some lol.).....Have a wonderful vacation - and make notes so you can tell us all about it.....Ally

Anonymous said...

hi Paulette and you have a blast in Vero. Love your new outbuilding... it's beautiful.
judi

Anonymous said...

I love it! You are so handy!  BTW...is that bird poo on the box???  LOL  Robin

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed your tale of the tent.   Made me want one!

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is a really nice looking tent. I have one of those patio tables with the umbrella in the middle of it. We had to put sand on the bottom of the umbrella stand to weight it down because the wind kept knocking it all over. I hate it when the weather doesn't agree with us!

Ari

Anonymous said...

Love the Gazebo.  I need to do the same thing to mine - anchor it in concrete that is.  Seems hurricanes zero in on gazebos like tornados take aim at trailer parks... lol.  My gazebo has been hit 4 times (Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis).  Glad to see the old tent was the only thing that got damaged.  Enjoy the vacation and as always, share some pics!   love em.  ~Sie

Anonymous said...

nice to see a post from you again!  Have a great trip!

Anonymous said...

Sam, YOU have a wonderful well deserved vacation. I am impressed at your ability to fix things and put things together. Can you repair my refrigerator?  Anne

Anonymous said...

I love that gazebo.  It's exactly like what I've been wanting for my backyard, and I'm so impressed with how quickly you got it assembled.  I hope your vacation is simply wonderful, and that you and Kenny have a blast.

Anonymous said...

Have a safe, fun and restful vacation. (Unless the restful interferes with the fun of course).
Candace

Anonymous said...

That's right, a vacation IS a vacation!  Glad you are back...and how true it is that life doesn't always provide us with time to write.  At least we have our photos.  Love the first one; the instensity of those clouds and the calming stroke of light in the background.  Beautiful!  As for the tent, Sam and I had a similar experience while camping.  It's a strange feeling to be standing next to a travel trailer, holding on to the trailer canopy in 30 mph winds while watching your free standing canopy dance and hover across the campsite.   And there is nothing you can do about it because you have to close the trailer canopy first to prevent damage.  I felt like I was watching a UFO hover through the campsite!

Dona

Anonymous said...

O K Sam ,you have more than justified your absence from your journal,these few days.Im sure everyone will benefit from your constuction project    Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Have a great time! You will henceforth be known as "Lord of the Gazebo" among me, myself and I! Good job, Sam. rich

Anonymous said...

Home Depot sells cool stuff like this?? Hmm! I wonder if I could find a screened dealie like this to enclose our deck...one that fits within the rails. I'll have to take a look! Have a nice trip!

Anonymous said...

I like the new gazebo Sam, shame though about the tent.  I hope you enjoy evety minute of your holiday! :-)

Sandra x

Anonymous said...

The new gazebo looks great. Sorry that  we can't really see what Paulette looks like. Hope you enjoy your vacation and can show us lots of picture when you get back. Helen

Anonymous said...

Dear Sam,
have a great time!
Sounds wonderful!
Paulette looks happy in the gazebo and you adn your grandson did a geat job!
See you soon in Jland
nat

Anonymous said...

The gazebo is beautiful, and I know you'll have many happy evenings out there.  I imagine Blanca will like it too.  Your vacation sounds heavenly and we'll think of you having all that fun!

Anonymous said...

Glad you are back, missed you. It looks great!

Anonymous said...

The porch/tent/um, structure!  looks great!  you got a lot done quickly!  Enjoy Vero Beach :-)

Anonymous said...

I was wondering where you were and was hoping you were well.  Looks like you're keeping yourself busy in the grand Sam fashion!  Enjoy your trip to Vero Beach.
Judith
http://journals.aol.com/jtuwliens/MirrorMirrorontheWall

Anonymous said...

I love this!  Good job replacing the tent with something better, and getting it preoperly set up so quickly!  I'm impressed.  Have a great vacation.  Write when you can. ;) - Karen

Anonymous said...

Could you build a garage next and do the same kind of helpful step by step pictures so I could build mine too?  Thanks ahead of time.  Oh, and have a great vacation. Remember, just six days, okay?  Mrs. L

Anonymous said...

That was very fast progress on the new 'cat house'!  (Sorry, I couldn't resist ;)

I certainly remember the tent entry and about Blanca :)

Glad Trenton was a great help!  He's at that 'loves to emulate and assist' age, it seems...

Do enjoy your vacation!  I know your wife will be missed, for sure, but you definitely deserve to get away.  Make it one to remember :)

Don't worry about posting while away!  We'll still be here when you return....

Have fun, Sam~

Cat

Anonymous said...

    Good for you, Sam !!  Relax, enjoy yourself, and come back refreshed.  We will be anxious to hear about it all when you return .... Tina

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam :)

These are wonderful photos you have posted, especially the first one. I love the little ray of sun on the horizon. It is a picture of ope. I hope you have a fantastic time on your vacation. Take lots of photos for all of us!

Always, Carly :)

Anonymous said...

I smiled thinking of that little boy all excited and proud to be helping his grandpa build something! The finished project looks great.

Anonymous said...

Hey friend, I am way behind on my reading. A friend and I have created a new journal for the ill and disabled. I am sorry I tore up your tent. They always told me I was full of hot air but now I'm all wet! Have a great vacation! Tammy  

Anonymous said...

Omar once again builds a beautiful tent!  So glad to see you back, and I'm equally glad that you're going to be able to visit with your friend.  Have a great time!  Pennie

Anonymous said...

The gazebo looks great....have a great vacation!!

Tracie

Anonymous said...

You've certainly been missed, Sam, and what a wonderful post!
I love gazebos and can't wait to see the finished product in the daylight.
Blanca's a lucky cat and it seems that a certain little boy has a wonderful granddad!
Have a wonderful vacation!
Maryanne
http://www.scaredmonkeys.com/

Anonymous said...

I for one thought the Great White had enjoyed one hell of an entree.
Tillyx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/tillysweetchops/Adventuresofadesperatelyfathouse/

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to thank you for visiting my journal and for the nice things you said. I appreciate you wanting to read my ramblings that I originally thought no one would be interested in. I've only had time to read a little of your journal so far. But, I'm liking what I'm seeing, and I'll be back for more.
                              Jen

P.S.  Are you sure you don't want the brownie recipe?  LOL

Anonymous said...

what's "a wind and heavy rain EVENT"?    is that like wind and heavy rain?

tents ... with PVC frames or not ... are probaby not geared for the atlantic coastline during hurricane season.

yours is one of my favorite journals.

Anonymous said...

Hey that's a great looking gazebo!  I bet Home Depot is loving all the business and endorsements you are giving them!  ;)  I have been pretty busy myself, so I know exactly how hard it is to fit in journaling sometimes.  Heck, sometimes it's even hard to find time to browse at journals I like to read (like this one) as well.  ~Nikki

Anonymous said...

Sam, if someone had told you 10 years ago that you would be breaking your back for a relative's cat--would you have believed it?

Anonymous said...

I like it! Now come put one up for me! LOL

Anonymous said...

missing you!

Anonymous said...

I've been wondering where you were & missing you. Glad to hear all is well and that the cat is enjoying her new tent!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely tent-building-with-Grandpa memory for little Trenton.

Tilly
http://journals.aol.co.uk/tillysweetchops/Adventuresofadesperatelyfathouse/