Category Archives: Dave stuff
DIY Raised Garden Beds from Repurposed Pallets
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| Finished Product |
I started with about 15 pallets.
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Step Two:
I used a power miter saw to cut the 2′ x 4′ material to the width of 2 long boards from the broken down pallet. These were used as support as well as a base to which the sides would attach. These were roughly 7-8″ in length. I spaced 3 evenly on the ground. The middle segment is what I attached the horizontal sides to.
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| Finished side rail |
Step Six:
Repeat steps 2-6 and create another side.
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| Two sides |
Step Seven:
Next attach the corner supports.
Step Eight:
Repeat step seven on opposite side of rail.
Step Nine:
Repeat steps seven and eight on the other side rail.
Step 10:
Install two planks on each end, enclosing your raised bed.
Step eleven:
Optional – center support. I took a piece of 2′ x 4′ and secured it in the center for added support.
Once full of soil I wanted to avoid these bulging out in the center.
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| Half sized square box option if space is an issue. |
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| I ended up building 4 full sized and 2 smaller ones for our boys to experiment/learn with. |
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| These are pretty sturdy as they withstood repeated climbing, standing and stomping on without an issue. |
Summary:
Start to finish time: 4-5 hours if you have a nail gun. If you are nailing by hand, slightly longer.
Total cost: “$” – Couple of dollars for nails. 2″ nails worked perfect for this.
Playing Catch-Up
This post could possibly be six to seven pages, printed out. Or it ought to be, but I’m not sure I’m up for typing quite that much tonight!
Things I’ve missed blogging about:
Rhys’ Birthday Party
The quick and dirty version: they came, we ate and then the birthday boy threw up. It’s almost an exact repeat of his first birthday party. You’d think we were having kegs at these events, what with all the barfing. I think he probably just overate, he was grazing on chips, then said his tummy hurt and refused to eat pizza or cake and then wham, barf galore. Otherwise, it was a nice time.
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
The cake from Nona’s Bakery
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
Shortly before he puked. The hat makes it even more pathetic. Poor baby. You can tell he doesn’t feel good, and you can tell I have been eating a lot of cake these past few years.
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
About to blow out the candles
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
The weather radio had gone off because there was a storm in our county, way up north. He kept his fingers in his ears for probably a half an hour afterwards. Also, in pink, the future wife of one of my kids. Probably Rhys, they play better together. Just a heads’ up, Jenn.
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
A couple of days after the party, Grandma and Grandpa H came up to visit. No one barfed this day.
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
Grandma made Rhys a birthday cookie, he loved it!
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
And he loves the weed wacker they got him
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
And apparently they also got him this tool kit (it was from me and Dave) because it arrived in the mail the same day, at the same time. So they can have credit. We’d already gotten him a whoopie cushion, heh. Ironically, the $1 whoopie cushion was a bigger hit than the $40 tool set. Go figure.
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| From Rhys Turns Three |
Dave’s Birthday
Then we had Dave’s birthday on the 23rd. I don’t have any pictures, and no one threw up. We got him some shirts and a pair of Sperry’s that squeaked, so they went back. Oh how I want a pair of Sperry’s for myself, but I will wait until next year when I don’t have potato roll feet. We went to Johnny Carrino’s for his birthday dinner and our food took a bit longer than normal. We didn’t complain. Out of the blue, the manager came over and said that since it took so long the meal was on them (I hope this was the manager, otherwise we may have committed a felony). Then he gave us two free dessert coupons! Happy birthday to Dave!
Horrible, grainy, low-lighted picture from my phone (which, in the right conditions, takes excellent pictures. But not in a dark restaurant).
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| From Drop Box |
Not only did Dave turn 48 on June 23rd, but he also got a promotion and raise! Good job Dada, we are proud of you!
I am impatiently waiting on my friend Jenn to have her baby. I keep texting her and everytime I see her name come up on caller ID I answer “IS IT TIME!?” I bet she will go before the week’s out. Yay!
Oh and I entered Dave into the contest to have dinner with Obama. HAHAHA!!!
32 DAYS UNTIL SHE’S HERE!!
Dave’s Long Weekend
Yesterday Dave and his mom drove down to Edenton to pick up some furniture that belonged to Dave’s mom. Both her parents recently passed (her mom most recently) and so they’re cleaning out the family home, which I am sure is bittersweet.
They brought back some really nice stuff. There was a church pew – apparently very old – that his mom gave us. It matches our dining room furniture perfectly. I’d really like to use it at a rectangular table as seating, but for now it’s decorative seating. And it’s beautiful! Lookit!
View from the side.
Does anyone happen to know if the crest on the side of the bench is symbolic or just decorative? This was from an early 20th century black church, I’m inclined to believe (stereotype?) that it was probably AME Zion. But that’s just speculation and but if correct, may have nothing to do with the symbol. It actually looks a lot like the ARP shield, but I know for a fact there aren’t any of those in Edenton or probably within 250 miles.
UPDATE: It was from an AME Zion church. That probably explains why the shield also looks like the Methodist shield.
Here’s a view from one side of the dining room:
From the front.
Dave’s also already started refinishing the dresser and chest of drawers they brought back for Annabelle’s room. Rhys is “helping.” The pieces looked like they’d been loved on and used, but they’re good, solid maple pieces and once Dave took the top coat of polyurethane and stain off, they’re looking REALLY good.
The chest of drawers before sanding - not in love with the stain but very sturdy furniture.
Dave sanding.
This is the dresser, sanded. It had been the same color as the chest.
Dresser sanded, from the front.
Rhys helping vacuum off the dust. He is a natural helper.
There’s also a matching headboard/footboard for a double bed. Soooo…buying that convertible crib might not have been necessary. But at least it will match the furniture, I guess we can always sell it when she’s done with it (*sniff* unless we need it again). Dave is going to paint everything white, I think with some sort of satin finish if possible. I don’t want it glossy, but I don’t want it flat, either. So we’ll have to shop around and see what we can find. I’ve also got to get some new hardware for the drawers and I’d like to find drawer liners, maybe a dark blue or purple velvet sort of thing. I have no idea if they make this or not, we may just end up using contact paper.
I’m actually feeling a little productive now so I might try and get some laundry done before the feeling fades. Whoops, it’s gone
68 DAYS UNTIL SHE’S HERE!
oh hai
I mentioned to Donna last night that I was pondering the idea of about starting a blog. I was semi-interested in attempting to capture a portion of the thoughts and ramblings that race through my mind on a daily basis. Most of the time its just the shiny coin syndrome. You know…So I was thinking about thermodynamics the other days and had this great idea about unifying everything, its simply really…HEY LOOK AT THAT THING…IT SHOOTS SPARKS!?!?!
I like to think I can ponder the depths of the mind with the best of them. Perhaps at times, but mostly I lose interest after a bit and feel like my time is better spent doing something more productive like watching TV.
Long story short; I then proceeded to solicit Donna for a cool name for my cool new blog. She said, “why don’t use just use the family blog.” I told her I didn’t want to sully it up with my non-sensical jibberish. So anywho, here I am.
PREPARE TO BE ASTOUNDED! Mostly at how ill prepared I am to write in a public forum that is actually read by more then myself. My spelling is horrid, my grammar obscene and I want no part of your Dangling Participles. If you can make it to the end of my entry, more then likely I let her edit it for me.
Challenge Accepted
-Dave
