Dan Antion

Step by Step – #SoCS

You have to look closely , but the bottle of Willet Reserve is to the right of the neck of the bottle.

It’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday, and we are gathered at No Facilities Bar and Grill for some adult beverages, a little health food and some conversation crafted around Linda G. Hill’s fun prompt:

“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘preposition’ Start your post with any preposition. Bonus points if you end with one too. Enjoy!”

In order to get those bonus points, we need to jump right in. Oh, wait, no we don’t.

“Before you boys start arguing over whose turn it is to pay, can you order? I have to check the patio.”

“But Cheryl, I can’t order until I know who’s paying.”

“Why not, David?”

“Because he’s going to order from the top shelf if I’m paying. I’m having a Corona, either way.”

“I’m on it, Dan.”

“And, I’m paying, so bring him the John Howell ensemble.”

“Sweet.”

“Thanks Dan. When did you get back from Pittsburgh?”

“Tuesday night, around eight o’clock.”

“Did you go to work Wednesday?”

“I worked from home.”

“You should have come over for lunch, Dan. I work days on Wednesdays.”

“I don’t think that would help my productivity, Cheryl.”

“Probably not. Here’s your Corona and, David, here’s your bourbon. I’ll be back.”

“Thanks Cheryl. Dan, cheers. So, just two days in the office?”

“One. I took yesterday off.”

“Are you even going to notice the difference when you retire?”

“Ha! I think I will. I have to use my vacation days, or they’ll just advance my retirement date.”

“I get it. Did you work on Maddie’s deck?”

“I worked on my workshop.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that. What were you working on?”

“Electrical. I installed the light fixture.”

“Light fixture? Are you planning to sit out there at night?”

“No! It’s just to give some ambient light when were out with Maddie, for other things.”

“David, I’m sorry to be late with the seltzer and ice. I got hung up on the patio.”

“That’s OK, Cheryl. The cherries more than made up for the delay.”

“Are you boys eating today?”

“I think Dan mentioned springing for an order of wings.”

“I said no such thing, David, but I could go for some wings. Let’s do an order of ten, Cheryl.”

“I’ll get them right in.”

“Ok, Dan. Now that you have the light installed, are you ready to put a real floor on Maddie’s deck?”

“No. I have to build the other things that will use the same decking.”

“Other structures? How many?”

“I have to replace the stairs to the porch, and the steps at the side door of the garage.”

“So, two sets of stairs?”

“Three.”

“Porch, garage, I count two.”

“There are two sets of stairs to the porch, one in the yard, one by the driveway.”

“That sounds like a lot of work. Can’t you just replace the decking?”

“No, the stairs to the yard are decaying, and we want to change the design.”

“That’s a lot to think about. I need more bourbon.”

“I can help you with that, David. Dan, another Corona?”

“Yes please, Cheryl.”

“I’d like to know why you need to change the design, Dan, but I think I’ll wait for the progress pictures when they are available.”

“One Corona, one bourbon, and the wings will be right up.”

The gallery contains a few progress pictures and the usual suspects.

It rained last night.
The Rose of Sharons got some much needed rain last night.
Heading into Hartford for an early haircut.
Early morning in Hartford. Not many people working at 6:15am.
That’s my fresh-from-the-dryer shirt on the ironing board – under MiMi. I sense a hint of revenge. Credit to Janis for noticing the missing ‘R’ in shirt and for Suzanne for noticing the wrong form of dryer. Sigh, I think MiMi is laughing at me.
“He’s been working out here again. It doesn’t look like he put much trash in the bin. I wonder if he knows what this thing is for?”
“What on earth is all this plastic stuff?”
The lamp is installed.
“Did you bring the peanuts? This little guy looks hungry.”
“Hi. Did you bring the peanuts?”
“Thanks. I’m gonna eat this here. Then I’ll take one to go, if you don’t mind.”
Refreshed by a good long drink.
MiMi is back in her cradle. I think she’s getting ready for winter.
The girls like this basement window. That’s MuMu’s tail.
Maddie doesn’t waste any time getting into her cot when we go out to sit in the afternoon.

70 comments

    • The ironing has been corrected. I saw your comment pop up on my phone and thought, “I wonder what she thought was funny” – ugh. I always worry that one of those will slip through. Under that lamp will be an outlet. We’re telling Maddie that it’s NOT for a space heater. At least I’ll be able to charge my iPad.

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      • The reason it was funny was that your writing is always ‘G’ rated and every single one of us who comments or posts knows ‘there but for the grace of God go I.’ :-) A heater you say? Huh. I bet Maddie starts pointing to one somewhere in that building. Her sits could be extended for weeks with a heater. :-)

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  5. It’s too bad I missed all the fun about your shirt…it must have been the sh*t! Obviously, MiMi didn’t care one way or the other as long as she could feel the soft of dad and share some of herself.

    Then there’s Maddie, the porch and three stairs. I hope you get this figured out and done by retirement or before the first snow, whichever comes first.

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    • Thanks Mary. Yeah, I was short one ‘R’. The shirt is back in the laundry. MiMi slept on it all day. I think it was payback for waking her so many times. Measurement and planning starts for those three sets of stairs today. I have a bunch of projects to finish before retirement, or snow, or next July. The stairs from the porch are critical. We need those to be easier to navigate, especially in the winter when tethered to the redhead.

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  6. OMG!! I’m laughing so hard tears are rolling down my cheeks….shiRt Dan, shiRt!!! Actually your word describes it better!

    Love MuMu’s tail and good to see MiMi back in her cradle. Glad Maddie’s on the job checking for bombs and such. Can’t be too careful.

    You have more work to do to finish Maddie’s Deck than I realized. Hopefully these cooler and less humid days will work in your favor to get this project completed.

    Seems the squirrel is already preparing for winter since he’s requesting peanuts “to go”!!!
    🐾Ginger 🐾

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    • Thanks Ginger. I always try to add a little humor to the Saturday posts. Little did I know, all I had to do was drop an ‘R.’

      Maddie is so funny when I take her out while work is in progress. She drags me over to the “deck” and inspects everything. She looks at me as if to say, “who told you you could work here?” Then, when we take her out later, she goes straight for the deck to inspect. The customers I had when I had my cabinet shop weren’t this picky.

      MiMi is sleeping on her blanket, she seems satisfied.

      Believe it or not, the deck by my workshop is (was) the least important surface that will end up covered in the composite decking. The stairs are much more important, since we humans are worried about falling on those. We need wider surfaces and we need a railing. Maddie figures into those plans as well, but I’ll reveal that with the plans.

      I hope you’re enjoying some cooler weather this weekend.

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  7. Oh nuts, I missed the typo with the warm shirt on the ironing board! 😂 I often wrap myself in things coming out of the drier for their warmth and softness! Ummm. It feels so good! I don’t blame her for picking that spot!

    I see where one set of steps will be. The steps to our deck at the old house were decaying, and we found out the hard way when one morning I stepped off the deck onto the step and it gave way under me, and I broke my ankle. I wish we found out or noticed that well before that happened!

    The light looks good, and so do the plants with all the raindrops, and Maddie looks quite content on her cot keeping an eye out for the squirrels.

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  8. I too missed all the fun with the typo about the shirt but I still burst out laughing when I saw the photo. I guess those of us with cats in our home get the problem 🤣

    Theo is ‘my’ cat, but if Gilles leaves anything laying around, Theo will plunk himself down on it. It cracks me up every time 🤣

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    • Thanks Joanne, MiMi has claimed several items as her own. Years ago, my wife left a fleece hoodie on the ironing board. It’s still there, MiMi lays in it often and we move it on the odd occasion when we iron something, Cats always seem to get their way.

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    • Thanks Suzanne. I fixed that typo, too, but it took two tries. I gave you and Janis credit, but the first time, I put two ‘z’s and one ‘n’ in your name. I should have paid closer attention in English class.

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  10. Looks good Dan. I have been helping my son with his project. We have to keep moving his dog out of the way. She tends to lay down right where we are working. Its not easy being an inspector dog.

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  11. Damn. I slept in so missed the shirt sh*t. Oh, well. MuMu’s tail made up for it. Your girls crack me up. People that know they are going to retire at my job tend to stockpile their PTO….they get paid an any unused time up to the 240 hours we can carry over. Like that makes work more enjoyable…. insert eye roll here

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  13. You had typos in your post? Sorry I missed that. But then I also missed the chance to get up extremely early and go out to take near-dawn empty street photos. I love those, they’re always a little sad-looking. But without the extra sleep, I’d be sad-looking too, and we don’t want that. Life is tough enough these days.

    PS – I also love the photos of Maddie sniffing around. Cody does that, too – she notices every little thing that’s been added, removed, or changed.

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  17. LOL, I’m glad this post ended on an “up” note. ;o) Don’t listen to him, Dan. Ambient lights are wonderful.
    Good to see the furry kids looking lovely, and that MuMu made an appearance… well part of her anyhow. Is she going to audition for the Cheshire Cat — but it’s her tail rather than a grin? I hope it’s been a satisfying Saturday for you and yours. Cheers!

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  19. Way to wean yourself off of working mode – and make progress on YOUR workshop too. It’s looking grand! I love your rain photos and how the flower opened up after the shower. Your pets are clever and know how to claim their spots well, my pets are inspired by their efforts/successes!!

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  20. Oh how I’m laughing about the caption under MiMi, not edited. Too funny. You couldn’t have done that if you had tried, Dan. LOL Loved especially your Rose of Sharon (first one) picture. Your project is looking good! I bet Maddie is thrilled!!

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  25. When I started reading you, I was already jealous that you’d built a ramp. Here I am years later, and you’re about 30 projects down! Your work level is INSPIRING. Seriously. Sometimes I be like, “If Dan can build a freakin porch in a few weeks’ time, surely I can get these shelves put up this week!”
    About that ramp, the wood outside our house is NOT looking better these days, hah!

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