Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Thank You, Mari! or I've Got Your Back!

Last night I ended my post with life is good, but this evening life ain't so great, because Tony's and my backs are nearly out. It happened to Tony first. I could blame this on F.M.T. (Full Moon Time), but I can't, because I am totally convinced that back trouble is contagious—because mine nearly went out about two hours later. So, as I write this, please know that I am sitting on my pretty pink sheepskin, that my good friend Mari gave to me a few years ago. "Thank you, Mari. Tony is jealous."

Actually, it is sort of my fault for causing all of the backaches, because after lunch, I asked Tony to please help me work, on the floor, of on my new Space Ship. I love my fabulous, 1994 Shasta travel trailer and it was in great shape when I bought it, in January, but I knew that the floor needed to be replaced, so today, because it was such a beautiful day outside, I decided to get after it.

After spending over an hour chopping 2" X 4"s and then carefully duct taping them down to the trailer's metal floor, Tony came outside to inspect my work. When he saw my pink duct tape holding all of the boards in place, he laughed and then said, "Nancy, what in the world are you doing? Your brother Ronnie would laugh his head off if he knew what you were doing. You've got to screw the boards down—not tape them."

"We don't have any screws to use that are made for metal, Tony. And look, the duct tape is working just fine and it really doesn't matter, because when I put down the 3/4" sheet of plywood sub floor on top of the 2" X 4"s—I'll just screw the plywood to them. Then they will stay permanently in place. And I think Ronnie would be okay with this, but don't you dare call him." Then I went back to work and Tony went to fetch our mail.

About an hour later I had to recruit Tony's help, because I could not lift up or carry a sheet of 3/4" plywood, because everything was securely taped down and I was ready to start installing the sub floor. And that's approximately when Tony's back went out on him, but thankfully he continued helping me by measuring the floor, then cutting the plywood to size and then carefully laying it down, on top of my  strategically placed, pink duct taped covered 2" X 4"s.

When a third of the sub floor was down, but not yet screwed to the 2" X 4"s by me, I suggested that he go inside to rest his back and then I said, "I'm going to go ahead and cut and screw down the 1" X 4"s to cover the sub floor. Thanks for helping me." And thirty minutes later, I was grumbling and hobbled inside The Cabin, wearing an upside down smile on my face and told Tony, "I've got your back..."

As I finish writing this, my back is still throbbing, but I am thrilled with my Space Ship's partial new floor, because it is strong, feels sturdy and it doesn't give in to weight. So, today has been great. Life is good once again and I love duct tape, but I swear that I'm never going to tell Ronnie about my creative carpentry that thankfully worked. And I know that Tony won't tell him either, because earlier he made me promise that I will never tell anyone that he had anything to do with the floor.

Y'all have a great evening!

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