Amazing Accomplishments

I am an unabashed girly girl. I paint my toenails during sandal season, March to November. I feel naked if I leave the house without earrings. I love pink. I'm sure at some point in my life I've worn pink nail polish and worn pink earrings at the same time. And in seeming contradiction I also enjoy doing mechanical type things, particularly if a power tool is involved. I know this isn't on par with rebuilding an engine, but in the last two weeks I have assembled a garden bench, an Adirondack chair, and an entertainment center. Anna and I accomplished assembling the third item as a team. We even had to leave partway through to purchase a tool to finish the job. Ooohh, a mid-project break for a trip to Lowe's for a ridiculously large pair of pliers. The thing I'm most proud of is that I finally have a gas grill. I considered buying one already assembled. The guy in the grill department didn't seem to understand why I would want to buy one in a box. I replied because the assembled grill would not fit in my car. He said that if I live locally they would be more than happy to deliver an assembled grill for a mere $45.00. I laughed and instructed him to fetch me one in a box. It was a big box. A big, heavy box. The really funny part was in the instructions. The instructions themselves were clear and easy to understand with lots of little visual aid pictures for each step. The funny part was where it said from start to finish it would take approximately 35-45 minutes. Ha!! Over the course of two evenings it took me over four hours to get the damn thing together! It was correct, however, in stating that the only tool required was a Phillips screwdriver. It really should have specified that two Phillips screwdrivers of different sizes would be required, but I'll let that one slide. When the grill was at last completely assembled I wheeled it from the garage out onto the deck and positioned it in all its gleaming metallic beauty just outside the patio door. I summoned my sons from their basement dwelling place and forced them to admire it. They were sort of impressed. They were even more impressed when I fired it up and informed them that tonight was finally the night we would have Cajun grilled pork chops for dinner. The truly amazing thing is that three weeks ago I placed four tomato plants from the greenhouse in my little garden spot. They are still alive! Two of them are a little bent over from the wind but appear to still be thriving. Assembled not by me, merely cared for by me, the tomato plants are here via the magic of mother nature. I just need to remember to water them.