How I spent RAP

[Mark_C]

Friday evening I decided to continue on with building my son's swingset.
I decided to work on Friday as I expected to be in Secaucus on Saturday.
The last I worked on the set was Wednesday.
So, Friday I decided to bolt a corner brace to a cross support, just under a 4x4 beam I installed on Wednesday.
When I say 'installed' I mean, of course, 'layed'.
I never bolted the 4x4 in.
I forgot this fact on Friday.
As I'm working under it the 4x4 decides the time is ripe for attack.
4x4's are very accurate when they jump.
I woke on the ground and, having not been drinking, was confused for a moment at why I would be there.
Then I recalled the 4x4.
It was lying, motionless, on the ground next to me.
It must have died during the attack, like a bee.
Unbloodied, I made my way into the house and proceeded to ice my head and neck and go to bed.
Saturday morning.
Arm is in excruciating pain.
Some of my right hand is in pain, some is numb.
I'm not happy with either condition.
So I go for some films.
No neck fracture, which is good.
May be a herniated disc, which is not good.
May be severe spasm, which is best.

Hope you guys are having fun. My apologies for not being able to make it.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Feel better soon!!!


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[kschweer]

Wow Marc sorry to hear about that. Hope you're feeling better soon!


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[Karenvas2]

Feel better soon, Mark.

 

[Mark...]

Scary stuff, glad you are ok. Missed you at RAP.

 

[horseplay]

Mark feel better soon.

 

[grink]

Feel better. Hope all turns out well.

 

[TanksNStuff]

Wow, that's an unfortunate string of events. I had my own story for why I couldn't go to RAP:

Friday - Take day off of work and proceed to remove decaying top boards on my deck out back. Remove a gazillion nails and then cut up the old boards into 3-4 feet sections to be disposed of (at a later date). Luckily, only one of the pressure treated joist boards was rotting, so ran to HD to get a replacement 2x6. Also grabbed a pressure treated 2x4 to add a few nailer boards where I thought we might need them. Also picked up some galvanized nails and some deck screws for the new fascia boards. Brought all that home, then decided that I should probably clean out all the wet leaves and junk between all the joists. After raking out the majority of it, my new wet/dry vac was used (as a blower) to clean out the smaller stuff. Bagged all that up and was satisfied I was ready to put on the new Trex boards. At this point, we got cleaned up and went out to dinner.

Saturday - Got out all the tools (saws, cordless drills and drivers, etc.) and started cutting and fitting in the starter boards against the house. Man, this took hours since there were many obstacles we had to cut around and fit in. There was the electric meter, gas meter and piping that snaked under the deck and back into the house for our gas fireplace, and then another patch of cable TV wiring and electrical conduits feeding to the A/C unit, etc. What a PITA cutting the boards to fit around all this stuff! But, once we got started the first half went down pretty easily. Those hidden fasteners work great because not only do they go in easy and hold everything in place... but they also provide perfect spacing between deck boards. Anyway, due to the slow start figuring out the starter boards and then some heavy rain, we had to stop working for the day. My in-laws were in town to help us build the deck and "Mom" helped by fixing us a nice lasagna dinner. Boy was that good!

Sunday - Got a nice early start and finished up the second half of the deck. Then spent an hour or two putting on the 12" wide fascia boards all around the outside and along the inside of a sunken area where our A/C unit is. We used to have a railing around the A/C unit section, but decided we didn't want it there for the new deck. We plan to just install some brick pavers in the sunken area at the same height as the pad for the A/C unit and be done with it. We got done, got cleaned up, and rested a few hours before going out to dinner with the in-laws and some other friends that helped us build the deck.

The best part of all of this was that it was our 5th wedding anniversary this weekend and the traditional gift is wood.. So, the in-laws paid for all the new Trex decking for us! So, we got free labor and free materials. Can't beat that.

That's why I couldn't make RAP. I really wanted to go, but really happy with how the deck turned out.

 

[redfishbluefish]

George, you need to provide me your inlaws phone number....they got ripped off. Since Trex is made of 50% recylced wood and 50% recycled plastic, they should have only paid for half the costs. And I'm not sure when the "plastic" anniversary is. Oh, and Happy Anniversary.

 

[TanksNStuff]

Haha, yea, I know that Paul. Thanks.

No, you may not have their phone number. No need to upset that apple cart!

I don't think plastic is on the gift list either, at least not on the traditional one anyway.

 

[Mark...]

Haha, yea, I know that Paul. Thanks.

No, you may not have their phone number. No need to upset that apple cart!

I don't think plastic is on the gift list either, at least not on the traditional one anyway.

It might be glass, buy her a fish tank...

 

[Mark_C]

George, very nice. In 11 months you should casually leave a 'modified' listing of anniversary gifts laying about. I'm sure they'll be quite surprised at 'SPS corals' being a 6th anniversary gift.

BTW all, thanks for the wishes. It wasn't a major event nor a bid for sympathy, just felt like s$@t for not being able to make it up to help out. As I work in the biz, had a peer give me a few steroid shots this morning in a few neck and shoulder muscles. Hand and arm improved, so looks like nothing too bad, though I do intend to milk it with my wife for as long as possible.

 

[TanksNStuff]

Haha, not a bad idea Mark. Unfortunately, they wouldn't know an SPS from a mushroom so I'd have to make my list more specific than that, LOL.

Oh, and glad you're feeling better. Dance

 

[mnat]

Also glad we are feeling better. Next time if you don't want to come just say so, you don't have to put yourself in the hospital.

 

[Mark_C]

Next time if you don't want to come just say so...

I'll just stick with excuses and try to be as creative as possible. Hopefully I wont repeat myself over next few years.


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