Porch??...What Porch?

More about the Porch later, first I wanted to show you a picture of the Line Dancing class Ms. Pat has put together here in Custer at the YMCA. This picture is complements of Lee Ann. She has a nice size class going and I heard her talking to some ladies at Church Sunday that said they were coming. She loves to do it every Wednesday at 9:30....head on over if you're in the area.


Our Porch builders called and informed us that it would be Wednesday morning before they would get the staining done and begin installing at our place.  Well, one day wasn’t too bad, so we weren’t too disappointed.  But since we decided to go to Rapid City Monday for a little project, we stopped by on the way home so we could check on their progress. They were in the progress of staining the logs and confirmed that they would be here early Wednesday morning. So we are expecting them any minute. 


We were anxious to see what the stain we choose looked like when applied to the logs. Here is a close up of one of the logs after staining. Looks pretty good doesn’t it? Anyhow it passed the Bosses(Ms.Pat’s) approval.


I finally decided it was time for a "Garage Door Opener".   This big ole 10x12 garage door was heavy and a strain for us to open from the outside. It was long overdue and I admit I was procrastinating. But the time had come.  So that’s what we picked up Monday when we went to Rapid as there was one on sale that had our name on it !  I had a little trouble convincing Ms. Pat that I could install it. She insisted that we hire a professional to do it.  Our Son, Rollie, always tells her “I can do that” as he slaps himself on the chest. So I told her that “I can do it” and slapped myself on the chest…… We always get a good laugh out of that and it brings back some very fond memories……..

Well she didn’t believe me and began to search for a “professional”!  She was a little surprised that it was going to cost $175.00 to have it installed, which wasn’t bad. It was the $100.00 mileage charges to come out here and do it that was the corker.  She choked on that one!   I told her again, “Believe me I can do it” as I again slapped myself on the chest!!:-) Needsless to say, she kept on looking for a “professional”!

Meanwhile, yesterday I started putting the Chamberlain garage door opener together.  I had parts strung all over the garage. Since our garage door was 10’ tall and most are only 7’, we had to purchase a 10' extension kit, to the tune of $90.00..  I was reading the instructions when Ms. Pat came out and asked “What are you doing”?   I told her I was going to put this thing up and asked her if she would help.  She asked me if I had ever put one up before, as it looked rather complicated and the instructions were, of course, confusing.  I advised her I had never put one up before, but "I can do it"!!  Remembering the confidence our Son has, had brushed off on ole' Pops somewhat.   I was actually convinced I could do it or I was gonna die trying.  So I went to work..."Lets see....Step 1, install the header bracket.  Ms. Pat took the above picture of me doing that.  I don’t believe she thought this was going to happen. First of all, a couple of years ago, Rollie had forbid me to go on Ladders.  Ms Pat reminded me of that and told me “Well you better be careful”!!  

 
I finally got the door opener all put together, now it was time to build some brackets to mount it.   I must have left my hack saw in AZ, so I cut the brackets with my trusty grinder, that was easier anyhow.


Whew, let me tell you, it was a job and took a lot of ladder work. It made for a long day, as I must have went up and down those two ladders a couple hundred times.   But, for the benefit of my Son, I was careful. It would have really been embarrassing if I had fallen.  When Ms. Pat wasn’t taking pictures, she was holding the ladder for me. I admit, I may go up and down the ladders a little slower than I once did, but see there Son, "I am too good on ladders!!"   Really I am just a young guy in an old man’s body……..  LOL, ya right!!   


Well, there it is!!!!     I’m happy to tell you that along about Happy Hour it was all done.  Installed!!! Hip Hip Hurray!!  Push a button and down she goes!! Push it again and up it goes!!!   Oops, it only goes up HALF way??  What is the deal?  I followed the directions to a “T”.  It works fine, but it will only go up HALF WAY!!!    I was checking to see what it was hanging up on, couldn’t see a thing.  Dang!  I must have done something wrong.


About that time, our friends Niles and Deb arrived on their BIG RED Gold Wing motorcycle.  Niles and Deb are from a little place north of Indianapolis.  I asked Niles what he thought. He looked and looked, we tried it a few more times and same thing, it goes up half way and stops!  We were flabbergasted, I was tired and beat plus it was time for Happy Hour.  Boy, we need a Happy Hour!!   Ms. Pat says wait, I will call this 800 number. Ya, I thought GOOD LUCK……you can never get manufacturers help when you need it. First they will put you on hold for 30 minutes and transfer you to a voice mail box and ask you to leave a number and they will call you back……Right?
 
My comments didn’t slow Ms. Pat down one iota and in 5 minutes she had a tech on the phone explaining our situation.   As soon as she told him that we had put on the 10' extension kit on the door, he stated “OH, that’s your problem, that door is set for a 7’ door”    Hmmm, OK that sounds reasonable, but why don’t they tell you that in the directions?  The tech said they do, and directed her to a page in the instructions that with one tiny little sentence told about it.   So he told us how to make the necessary adjustments as I was up on the ladder turning the little screw a couple turns at a time, each time the door would go up a little farther until it was finally ALL THE WAY UP!!!!      Hip Hip Hurray!!!! 

It's finally HAPPY HOUR!!  Praise the Lord!   Deb brought some Happy Hour snacks and we sat down and visited with Niles and Deb for a "couple of Happy Hours".  :-) They are staying out at Custer Gulch Campground and we hope to get in a little motorcycle ride through the Hills with them before they leave.  By the way Deb, you left your Happy Hour fixins'.  We're holding them for you so if you get by our place, stop in and see how the porch is coming along and pick up them up.

I ran the door up and down every few minutes  while we were visiting just to make sure it really worked. To be honest, I can’t really believe Ms. Pat and I installed that thing by ourselves.  Unbelievable!  I told Ms. Pat   “I told you I could do it”, as I slapped myself on the chest!!!!    Your presence was really felt around here today Son! God Bless You!!


To make a perfect day even more PERFECT, the boys delivered a lot of the logs and rafters for our porch so they can get started first thing this morning..  They should be here any minute….Oops, here they are....gotta go!

It is a GREAT WEEK, as we continue to praise our Father in Heaven for his many, many blessings!!

Thanks for stopping by………..Come on back Sunday and hopefully (no promises) I can show you our new PORCH!!

Travel safe and God Bless…

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..