Sweat Equity

It was 100 degrees when I left the house at 9 am, and by the time I drove back into the garage at 2 pm, it was 112, too darned hot to do much of anything.

However, in the between, I was shopping, preparing for my official retirement trip, which begins Monday at 5 am when I report to the airport -- I hope. Still don't know if the flight has been cancelled or changed. I have now 6 pairs of new white 1/2 socks, a package of plastic ties to replace all those that have popped off the lattice hiding the dog run, some cheap towels to make quick covers for the chairs I bought for the paver patio, and, last but not least, 3 new patio chairs.

My life is a story, always a story, so here's the story of the new black chairs. I've been to K-Mart, Target, Wal-Mart (2 different stores), Lowe's, Big Lots, and Home Depot looking for wooden stools for the repurposed bed frame table. Nary a wooden stool in evidence, just the incredible teak chairs at both Lowe's and Home Depot, but much too expensive for my pitiful patio. Those of us of Scandinavian heritage are a determined lot (some people say "stubborn," but I think that's too harsh), and we don't give up once we make a decision or set a goal. The more challenging the decision or goal, the more determination seeps out of our pores.

On the way to meet a friend for lunch, I stopped by Linens 'n Things and, right outside the entry, were 3 wooden chairs marked "clearance." Ah ha, says I, and go into the store to ask if there are 4 chairs, my goal, whether they are natural wood or painted, and the sales price.

Answers: there are 3 chairs, they are black laquer finish, and they are dirt cheap: the big bar stool is under $30 and the smallest chair $20. "I'll take 'em," I told the cashier, who rang them up to a total purchase of $55 for all 3 chairs. He remarked that was certainly a good buy (the tallest bar stool was priced originally at $109.99, and the other 2 chairs at $79.99 each), so I guess it was the correct price (he scanned the bar code). I was thrilled.

Sure, they are 3 different sizes, from really tall to comfortably small, and I hadn't thought about black laquer for the table, but it's doable. I assembled all 3 chairs in about an hour, dripping sweat from every pore as I bolted the pieces together. The tallest bar stool is missing the 3 cross pieces that provide stability between the legs, which may be why it was so cheap, but I'll deal with that when I return from the trip.

I'll secure the dog run lattice with more plastic ties after the sun heads out west and then I may be finished for now. The little computer is up and running wirelessly, so that's ready to write the story of our trip. My bag is about half-way to packed, and it's not going to be really full, but my smaller bag is too small for 21 days' worth of whatever for the trip.

Okay, now what to do W-Th-F-S-S?????

UPDATE: the tall stool is way too tall, but since it was basically free, I'll see about cutting it down to size after I get back!