Yesterday was a beautiful, cool, blue sky sunny day. However, when I walked at 7:15 AM, the sky wasn’t as high as some of the trees I saw. The sun was earning its celestial pay burning off an overnight layer of soup.
Later, I did some work on the small fence I am building around our new air conditioner compressor. This is the second such fence I’ve built, and like most projects, the second time is easier to get right – I know what not to do. One of the problems with the first fence was trying to trim the grass around it. There were actually two problems: 1) the trimmer line would get tangled in the fence. 2) If the line slid under the fence, it might fling marble chips into the side of the compressor. To avoid these problems, I decided to put a paver border under the fence.
Despite the small size of the fence, this project was dirty work in the hot sun. The border looks good. I’m sure the fence will look good. No one will know (unless they read this) how much work was required, or how much I enjoy this kind of work.
“Whether it’s a beautiful day or a completed project, we look at the result, not what went into it.”
This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner, or if you would like to join in on the fun, you can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.
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No Facilities 
HI Dan, is that an angle grinder you are using. My dad was badly injured using one when the cracked blade broke while he was using it. I know this sort of thing is very hard work as I’ve watched it being done.
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That is an angle grinder, Robbie. I have had the wheels break. Fortunately, the guard has kept me from being injured. For the record, the photos are taken in one brief touch, and then the camera is put away.
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That sounds wise.
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Well done, looks good! :-)
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Thanks Ruth. I hope to get the fence fabric hung today.
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Knowing to put the pavers down — nothing teaches like experience (or a dad)! Impressive! As for your walk, you were sure right about the soup, but it made for some great photos.
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Doing something wrong the first time is always a good teacher. I left early for my walk so I’d be out there in the soup. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
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You did good work on the pavers. Impressive cuts. I LOVE the photo of the cedar branch, water drops, and fog – perfect!
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Thanks Judy. We’ve been adding these simple pavers around the house and around things I don’t want to hit with a string trimmer. My goal would be to have a yard I could mow without having to trim around anything. I love water drops and fog.
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Bordering the compressor with pavers is a good idea and it gives the entire unit a professionally finished look. Can’t wait to see it with the fence in place.
Soup is right! That’s a fog and a half! But it makes for great pictures.
The cat that didn’t get along with Maddie is looking a bit sad to me.
The birds on the lines would make Alfred Hitchcock proud!
The rain drops on the spider web look like seed pearls! Love it…the web, not the spider!
Old Glory, even in that sun glare, is still an impressive sight.
Happy Wednesday Dan, and happy work projects.
Ginger
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I was wondering if that cat misses Maddie, Ginger. Maybe in some way, she liked it when we walked by. I left early so I could get out before the sun cleared the fog and dried up those drops. I was surprised by the number of spider webs, but like the flag, the sun was too bright to see most of them.
I’m hoping to hang the fence fabric today. Once that’s done, I have to build the little roof we use in the winter. That will be harder, but also fun.
I hope you’re having a great week.
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I love reading your project posts and seeing how professionally things can be done around a house. That never happens here…
😉
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Thanks. Keep in mind, pictures hide a lot. I forced myself to finish those corners. Otherwise, they would never have gotten done.
Hubs did a great job on that table. I was waiting to see it move into the barn.
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Yeah, that wasn’t happening.
😉
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You know, Dan, it’s remarkable how much you’ve done since you retired. You’re an inspiration.
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Thanks. I love doing real work. I think it helps to keep moving as long as I can.
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Nice job with the pavers, Dan. The raindrop photos are so pretty, and the cat with the sweetest face…but I can picture him having a little fit when Maddie came down the street. Oh, cats…
I’m guessing Jinx and the boys didn’t get much play time in this year. Still good to see them up there in the fog.
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I have one more bird-ball post coming, Lois. The crows put on a big show early this week. That cat always reminded me of Theo, so I can still feel good about seeing him/her.
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The project looks very neat and reminds of the old song, “Nice wirk if you can get it”☺️Also love drops on greenery
Sent from my iPhone
>
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I wish I could have reinstalled the old fence, but this compressor is bigger. Still, this fence will be nicer, and the last compressor was here for 25 years. If we get anywhere close to that, I’ll be thrilled.
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Your one liner holds true for so many different projects. My friend and I were talking about the hours we put into making one of a kind jewelry pieces. No one understands why the pieces are expensive compared to mass produced pieces. It all starts with a plain old piece of metal. Your work is always high quality and precise. Good thinking on the paver solution.
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Back in the late 70s, I had two pieces of jewelry made at a custom shop. Once the woman explained the process, I got over the sticker shock. People always complained about the price of custom furniture when I had my shop. They would ask, “What if we go with a cheaper wood?” I always had to explain that the material was a small portion of the cost. Custom craftsmanship takes time and tools and knowledge and skills and…
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Custom furniture is another great example! It is always worth the cost but so many people do not understand what it requires. Do you miss having your shop?
My grandfather made furniture from ebony he brought back from the Phillipines. It is priceless for so many reasons. Carpentry was his craft, his love, his way of expressing himself.
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I miss having my shop, but I don’t miss working for people. We had lots of repeat business, and many delightful customers, but we had a few people who made me sad to work with. They liked the work, but wanted it at a lower price. Ironically, the people who had the most, wanted to pay the least. I had people who had to save for months to be able to pay, and they were wonderful.
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Working with customers who are almost impossible to please does make it less pleasurable to do the work.
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So true Dan… Great thoughts great photos 💜
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Thanks Willow.
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I like those raindrops dripping from the crabapples and the view of the spider’s web.
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I was happy to find those, Frank. Thanks.
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Your dew shots were fabulous. I like what you did around the fence line. I’m amazed yu used a Dremel saw. I have a cement blade for mine but never used it. Gotta hope for a project that requires block or paver cuts.
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Haha – I love that angle grinder and those cut off wheels.
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you
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Applesauce, Dan! When you said you were building a fence around the compressor, I didn’t think about it being such heavy work (the stones). That’s one deluxe fence. Awesome work, my friend. Since I have everything to either do myself or not get done at all, I’m very well aware of this. All the things you do, build, and create just amaze me. I’d be envious if I weren’t so awed. Hugs on the wing.
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Thanks Teagan. The fence has to protect the compressor from potentially hundreds of pounds of snow and ice that slide off that roof. It fell one time when I was snow blowing and it knocked the snow blower over. Hugs.
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Yikes! Yes, the sheets that used to slide off the top of my row house could cause a person serious injury. Stay safe.
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Yeah, lots of buildings around here put up warning signs in the winter warning of falling ice.
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Hi Dan – good job done by the look of it … I appreciate work well done, and get so frustrated by the ham jobs. That leaf is missing Maddie, much as we all are … sad, but that’s the way of the world. Cheers Hilary
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It true, Hilary, I do miss having Maddie stick her nose in my photos. It was annoying, but it made her happy. I’m hoping this is the last fence I have to build. I want to get it right.
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What we rarely see is the incredible pride and self satisfaction that goes into a job well done. And I must ask… Are those squirrels posing for you! I know you feed them peanuts but it seems to be enough.
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Thanks Pam. I think some of the squirrels like to pose. You know, “Show the world how darn cute I am.” I can’t say no. This fence has to be strong to protect the compressor in the winter. It’s hard work, but I might as well get it right.
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Did I miss the photos of the finished fence ? Be sure to post those . More work is involved than you show , eg. setting the metal posts . Great job !
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Thanks Dan. I’ll have the completed fence photos on Saturday. Later on, I’ll have pics of the protective roof that sits on top during the winter to protect the compressor from snow and ice falling off the roof.
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Quite the project! If flights were delayed by fog out here, SFO would go out of business!
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Nice work Dan! And as always, beautiful photos. The spiderweb. 😍
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I love seeing spider webs, Cheryl. I don’t usually get good photos of them.
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It’s tricky, sunshine is everything. Dewdrops always help!
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“Whether it’s a beautiful day or a completed project, we look at the result, not what went into it.” I think that’s true to an extent but if you’re familiar with the sort of work that went into what you’re viewing, I think you appreciate that as well.
Lovely photos!
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I think that’s why I appreciate historic buildings. I understand (a bit) what it would be like to build them today. I can’t imagine how hard it was to build them in the era.
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Makes sense to me. :-)
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Those water droplets are refreshing after all that work.
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I always enjoy seeing them.
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I love all your photos, but those crabapple shots are outstanding!
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I was very happy to be there before the drops evaporated.
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The border looks good. That spider has a lot of repair work to do! The foggy morning looks neat and the droplets are lovely on the Juniper, and crabapples.
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Thanks. I think the border will work well. It should keep me from doing any damage with the string trimmer. I walked early that day to see the drops and fog before the sun burned through.
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I can imagine how much work went into this project! You know how much I enjoy your projects. I hope you show more next week, like what you will put between the pavers and wood. Love the drops photo and the foggy flag in the sun photo!
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I put more landscape fabric and marble chips. We’re trying not to have to get in there and pull weeds. I had more pics on Saturday and I’ll have a few more tomorrow and Wednesday. I’m spreading these out because they fit the prompts.
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I’m looking forward to the pics, Dan. Fabric and chips sound perfect. When you can fit the photos with a prompt, that’s great. Some weeks are so busy at school that I can’t always be a timely reader.
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I am very often playing catch-up with reading. I never knew retirement would be so busy.
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Busy is good!
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