Saturday, August 23, 2008

New Porch Swing

John, my youngest brother, and I decided that, at last we needed a front porch swing for our cabin. Earlier this year, Dad had helped me refurbish an old "A-Frame" style swing I have standing, at home, on my front deck. And, like I am commonly known to do, I, of course bought waaay too many materials for the task. In fact, I bought almost twice what I needed. So, since I only needed 1 or 2 other things to create a second swing, without the A-Frame, John and I worked together to build it modeled roughly after the first one. Then we bought about 20 feet of chain and some other hardware and made plans for a Duluth trip up north with Mom and her dog, Sheila.

We hung the swing, after learning we had made a bad cut and had to now use some of the chain from our front gate, and just as we were getting ready to finish it up, In comes my daughter Amanda and son Josh and Amanda's puppy Marley Moo. I use the term puppy very loosely.

Anyway, it was a big surprise they all had planned for my birthday, which they couldn't celebrate with me as I was on vacation over the week of my birth date. It was a great time of barbeque, hiking in the woods with the dogs. John, Amanda and Josh took turns shoting the 16-guage shotgun at targets, and of course, there was fishing.

After Amanda and Josh went home, that evening Mom, John and I (and Sheila) settled in for a cozy night over in the cabin. Then, the next day, it was off to Duluth and points north! What a fun weekend all around! It was one of my favorite times and I'll remember it always.

Take a look at some of the beautiful sights of the great Northwoods and the Superior basin.