Memories

Today I went and made a memory. A friend of mine is beginning some remodel on his house. Pursuant to that, he is ripping out the interior walls of his bedroom. I remember how fun it was helping my Grandfather tear the old shingles off his house. So I arranged for my son and I to go help my friend today. Today’s task was to remove the interior drywall from the bedroom walls. To my son, that basically meant bashing huge holes in the wall and not getting yelled at for it. He thought that was cool.

Throughout the day I remembered times in my life helping with various projects. Helping my grandfather pull the shingles off his house. Helping my dad clean the garage. That was a fairly perpetual task. I think it still is at his house though I’m not there to help very much anymore. Seems like I spent a lot of my childhood helping my grandfather with something. Twice my grandfather took me to Minnesota on vacation. Both times we spent quite a bit of that time working on various projects for the many great uncles and great aunts that lived out there. In the course of my childhood, working with the various adults in my life, I learned a lot of valuable skills.

In the course of conversation today my friend and I were talking about our dream houses. He was advocating the new cement siding. Very low maintenance, no painting, etc. Someday I’d like to design and build my own house. And I want to use traditional materials. Hardwood floors, real wood lap siding, I’d even like to have lath and plaster interior walls if I can find a craftsman who still knows how to do it. Yes, this home will require maintenance. The exterior walls will need painting, the hardwood floors will need the occasional sanding and refinishing. My hope is that I will be able to use these task to spend time with friends and family. I’d like to teach a grandchild how to paint. I’d like to have my daughter help us make curtains and drapes. I hope my son and I can build a deck. Working with each other in the course of helping each other deepens the relationship and the commitment to one another. Over the course of time the house, the structure, becomes a home. There are memories in the walls, the floors and the decks of the house itself.

I’d like to build a house like that some day.

Aloha

1 thought on “Memories”

  1. Hi cuz
    Yes it is me here in phx, az your dad told me about your site, it looks good.
    Good pic, your son is gotten so big the last time we saw you he was just a baby.Hope some day we can visit, maybe in Kauai someday

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