We're putting the roof on the Groanhouse. Now to lift it waaay up over my head like baby Superman lifts a car off his dad. One of Liam's friends helps, sort of. Bill's on the far side doing his best.
And it's on! This is about the only phase of the construction that went smoothly. And thank God. Because I had visions of having to take the roof off and put it back on oh, four or five times to get it to work. But it popped right into place. Amazing. What a sweet sound.
Truing up the fittings.
Bill still had to mount the doors.
But it was looking mighty sweet to me. Big. Roomy. Like a greenhouse. Even sort of... beautiful.
What is beautiful, Mether, is that chickeny stir-fry you and Daddeh are eating. Please give me a couple more chunks. I have been helping and helping and helping.
Yes, Chet Baker, nobody has helped more than the doggeh. Because building a greenhouse from a kit takes a lot of kisses and hugs to make the cussing go away. Or subside a little.
Bill even managed to hook up the little gas heater before darkness fell, and we fired it up and sat inside the STRUCTURE and had a few libations.
And I allowed myself to begin to dream about filling my GREENhouse with plants. Which, as I write on December 15, I just have.
I kept telling myself that I'd do all the weatherstripping before I put plants in it. Fat flippin' chance. It takes me about 20 minutes per window to squidge the huge thick black rubber weatherstrip into a nanometer-wide edge around the perimeter of each damn window. I don't have that kind of time. They'll get weatherstripped when they get weatherstripped and not a minute sooner.
I can tell you that when it got to about 30 degrees with a wailing gale and snow, I wished I had had time to weatherstrip it. Hoping to find some victims to help me after Christmas. When Winter Storm Draco Malfoy blew in, the roof vent unlatched and blew wide open. Brrr. Glad I neurotically checked it before I went to bed. And there's no way to lock it from inside. Design Flaw Number oh who's counting. And I managed to get that fastened down and then somehow the door blew open. Bill caught that one and blocked it with a chair. So the plants have had adventures in chilling. They're going to have to lump it. Still learning my way around this thing.
Right now, I have to have a glass of wine and a warm puppeh on my lap. And the evening sun slanting in the deli trays. Thank you, Dave, Marcy, and especially sweet Bill for working so hard to make my dream become a structure.
Ahhhhhhh.
10 comments:
Awesome!
If it had been easy, would that glass of wine moment have been as sweet?
Would the friend and family bonding been as bondnificent?
Congrats to you and your crew!
"Design Flaw Number oh who's counting"
Julie, your writing always brings an out-loud chuckle. I'm going to have to steal that one.
It does look really nice. Except for that little weather stripping detail.
Oh thank heavens! I love it when something is finally checked off the to-do list...even on someone else's list!
It looks great. Enjoy!!!
Sure looks good.
I can definitely sympathize with you. About 5 yrs. ago my kids gave me a kit greenhouse for my b-day. Wow, what an amazing b-day present. They spent an entire weekend working from dawn to dusk putting it together. It was every bit as confusing and directon-less as yours was. One wk. later a hurricane-force wind hit and the greenhouse was destroyed. I was sick. However I took the insurance money I received and went to local Amish builders, along with drawings, ideas. They built me a small storage barn framework and then fastened the clear plastic panels to the wood framework. Automatic roof vent, a "real" door made it complete. Final step was to drive large metal rods down thru ea. corner of framework into ground approx. 20 inches. We've had horrific winds since then and little Amish greenhouse has stood fast. Your kit greenhouse should be fine as you have it next to house where it will be protected from high winds. The makers of these kit greenhouses need experience with working with their actual product, both in assembling/reading directions as well as durability in bad weather. However, that being said, ENJOY your little greenhouse. I certainly enjoy mine and I also drink a glass of wine out there on sunny days in middle of winter!
Hi Julie,
Cary and Leon here, from western Colorado. Mixed up some of your new Zick-Dough for the birds in subfreezing temps we are having...... and the birds are lovin it.... here's a photo of one of our regulars
s1297.beta.photobucket.com/user/lmthurmon/media/DSC00350_zpsa6de605d.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
Cheers to You, Bill, and the family,
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year
Oh Joyce. What a terrible, terrible story. You may not know that the derecho of June 29 2012 is what took my beloved Garden Pod down--in that very spot. So that's certainly a possibility again, but we pray that if it happens it won't happen for a long time. Amish builders rock! I'm so glad you have a wonderful greenhouse. I do, too, at last, and it's almost all weatherstripped now and actually feeling rather snug. Yahoo!
Cary and Leon, I won't spoil the surprise for everyone else, but that is definitely the coolest ZickDough diner I've ever seen. SO beautiful and unexpected! I have a feeling they're going to clean you out but good.
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