We're back from the cottage! We had a great time. B has started his classes, and although they seem really challenging (what's up, grad school?) he is enjoying himself.
I've mentioned before that in previous years, the cottage has been a place where my dad just goes crazy with construction projects and creative hardware work. This weekend was no different. A few days ago, while on the phone with him, I mentioned in passing that my bed here was too low to the floor for my storage containers to fit underneath, but that because it is on a rolling metal frame (six posts instead of four, and wide wheels), I was a little uneasy to put it on the traditional risers you find in college dorm rooms. My dad said what he has said a million times in his life, "Take some measurements." I did, and this weekend he surprised me when he brought two lengths of four by fours into the cottage. He took my measurements and brought the wood back outside...then set to work with his chain saw. About 30 minutes later, he brought in six blocks with indents the right size for the wheels of the bed frame. He handed me a piece of sandpaper and I sanded them smooth. He even went so far as to glue carpeting to the bottom so that the risers wouldn't scratch the wood floors. What a guy! Here's my bed riser set in action, with my storage containers underneath the bed where they belong.
My dad completed another project this weekend, this one for my cats. My parents are so funny about the cats - because we take them everywhere with us, like some people do with their dogs, my parents (and B's) have taken to calling them the "grandkitties," as in, their furry little grandchildren. And oh, are they doting grandparents. My dad saw the cat's old scratching post and realized that not only was it in terrible condition (two years of scratching will do that!) but it was poorly made to begin with! He decided to rectify that with the creation of a new post. He took an anchor rope and secured it with nails, rather than glue, to one of the extra pieces of four by four from my bed risers, and screwed it to a piece of plywood and covered the whole thing with carpeting, to give it a classy (and non floor scratching) finishing touch. I didn't realize just how bad the old post was until we put it next to the new one.
I tied a feather toy around the top and the cats have gone crazy for it. They especially love the carpeted base - sometimes we just walk in the room and find them laying on their backs on it, scratching the post above. I think it looks really pretty refined, as far as scratching posts go, and I told my dad that if he ever retires I'll help him open up an Etsy shop for homemade cat structures. He just chuckled and said "Well now that would be interesting." This from the man who until recently, drove a truck whose license plate was "NO CATS." (I kid you not. Long story short, we always wanted a cat but were a strictly dog household. My brother finally got a cat when he went off to college, but then moved into a new apartment where he couldn't have the cat - so the cat came home with us. My dad lived with the cat [who of course loves my dad, and my dad pretends to dislike him back] and the license plate until just last year, when he bought a new truck and thought he should end his streak of hypocrisy.)
Here's the best picture I have of the brand new scratcher. It's a beaut!
It had been a while since my dad and I collaborated on a project like this - the last one was the lamp I made for my mom from a cheese grater and a colander where my dad taught me how to strip wires and make a working bulb circuit using raw materials. Needless to say, it felt great to put our hands together and build something fun, if frivolous.
Hope everyone had as much fun over labour day as we did!
I've mentioned before that in previous years, the cottage has been a place where my dad just goes crazy with construction projects and creative hardware work. This weekend was no different. A few days ago, while on the phone with him, I mentioned in passing that my bed here was too low to the floor for my storage containers to fit underneath, but that because it is on a rolling metal frame (six posts instead of four, and wide wheels), I was a little uneasy to put it on the traditional risers you find in college dorm rooms. My dad said what he has said a million times in his life, "Take some measurements." I did, and this weekend he surprised me when he brought two lengths of four by fours into the cottage. He took my measurements and brought the wood back outside...then set to work with his chain saw. About 30 minutes later, he brought in six blocks with indents the right size for the wheels of the bed frame. He handed me a piece of sandpaper and I sanded them smooth. He even went so far as to glue carpeting to the bottom so that the risers wouldn't scratch the wood floors. What a guy! Here's my bed riser set in action, with my storage containers underneath the bed where they belong.
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| Don't mind the shiny cat toy next to the bed... |
My dad completed another project this weekend, this one for my cats. My parents are so funny about the cats - because we take them everywhere with us, like some people do with their dogs, my parents (and B's) have taken to calling them the "grandkitties," as in, their furry little grandchildren. And oh, are they doting grandparents. My dad saw the cat's old scratching post and realized that not only was it in terrible condition (two years of scratching will do that!) but it was poorly made to begin with! He decided to rectify that with the creation of a new post. He took an anchor rope and secured it with nails, rather than glue, to one of the extra pieces of four by four from my bed risers, and screwed it to a piece of plywood and covered the whole thing with carpeting, to give it a classy (and non floor scratching) finishing touch. I didn't realize just how bad the old post was until we put it next to the new one.
I tied a feather toy around the top and the cats have gone crazy for it. They especially love the carpeted base - sometimes we just walk in the room and find them laying on their backs on it, scratching the post above. I think it looks really pretty refined, as far as scratching posts go, and I told my dad that if he ever retires I'll help him open up an Etsy shop for homemade cat structures. He just chuckled and said "Well now that would be interesting." This from the man who until recently, drove a truck whose license plate was "NO CATS." (I kid you not. Long story short, we always wanted a cat but were a strictly dog household. My brother finally got a cat when he went off to college, but then moved into a new apartment where he couldn't have the cat - so the cat came home with us. My dad lived with the cat [who of course loves my dad, and my dad pretends to dislike him back] and the license plate until just last year, when he bought a new truck and thought he should end his streak of hypocrisy.)
Here's the best picture I have of the brand new scratcher. It's a beaut!
It had been a while since my dad and I collaborated on a project like this - the last one was the lamp I made for my mom from a cheese grater and a colander where my dad taught me how to strip wires and make a working bulb circuit using raw materials. Needless to say, it felt great to put our hands together and build something fun, if frivolous.
Hope everyone had as much fun over labour day as we did!
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