This past weekend, Shawn and I built a picket fence in the backyard. Our driveway runs alongside the house, connecting the street to a recessed garage and opening out to our little backyard. We’ve planned to put a little white picket fence here since before we put an offer in on the house. Every summer we’ve said, “This year, let’s build that fence,” and still no fence had appeared.
Having a baby is essentially instigating an arms race, however, as baby-proofing is met and countered by baby intelligence, and containment becomes life’s ultimate quest. So on Saturday, in the space of one afternoon nap, Shawn and I constructed a cheerful version of the Berlin Wall. None shall pass.
At least none who haven’t figured out how to reach and operate the latch yet.
I was rather proud of us. We ran the kid around in circles at the farmers’ market in hopes of wearing him out and producing a reasonable nap – a bet that worked in our favor this time but could just have easily have backfired drastically – and once his head hit the pillow, we launched into construction. With mostly hand tools we had a functional fence in three hours. Luke woke up to supervise the last part of our work with dismay.
To be fair, the fence is not long – probably 4 meters including gate – and Shawn had already sunk the big fence posts last summer when he and a buddy build an arbor over the patio, which is the hardest part. Still, after 5 years of procrastinating, we had another little piece of home in three hours work. Not bad. The feeling is akin to finally unpacking the last box after a move. During Sunday’s afternoon nap, we did some finishing work, installing the latch and caulking around the cracks. A little caulking covers a multitude of sins. Now it just needs a few coats of paint and it’ll be done. I noticed that Shawn and I have been going around the back on our way in and out of the house in the last day or so, just to traverse the gate and hear the satisfying little clink as it latches shut behind us.
And speaking of walls, on Saturday night, we stayed up late and popped in a Netflix movie that had sat around in our queue for a few months and then on top of our TV for another week. Stardust is based on a Neil Gaiman fantasy novel about a small English village called Wall and the magical land that borders it. I wasn’t expecting too terrible much out of it but I must say I really liked this movie. The costume concept was great (that’s the way to my heart) and the story was engaging. It’s something like a Princess Bride only slightly twisted. Flying pirate ships, true love, high adventure, sword fights, funny dead guys... What’s not to like, really? It’s a well done fantasy and if you like that sort of thing, I recommend it. Robert De Niro surprised me by popping up half way through the film as Captain Shakespeare and easily took the vote as my favorite character.
I’ve had Neil Gaiman on my “I have to read one of that guy’s books someday” list ever since I read Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Prachett and is one of my all-time favorite books. If you haven’t read it yet, then we must not be very close because I chuck it at the heads of my friends on a regular basis. I reminded myself that I should read Neil Gaiman after I saw Mirror Mask, another cool movie based on one of his books. Now I’m moving him up to my “I have to read one of that guy’s books this week” list. I’m excepting recommendations.
That’s all from me today. I hope the walls and fences in your Monday have gaps where you need them and latches where you want them. Sunlight on your road, good friends.