New Career? by Susan L.

  My neighbour stopped by yesterday to check out the deck in progress. Rather impressed, she said I just might be able to do this kind of thing for a living. I replied as long as there is no deadline because on my own, speed is impossible.
  Everything takes time. The measuring twice, the board cutting, the checking if everything is level, drilling, fastening, all seem to take forever. There's a lot of back and forth between the wheelbarrow tool box, the build, the "where did I put it" hunts, and the table with my saw on it.
  Then there's the breaks. Sometimes it's to simply stand back and analyze how everything looks. I am pleased how it is coming together, pleased with the stain colour, pleased with how the railing looks. I am ever grateful for everything, the good and bad, that has enabled me to do this project.
  To keep me from getting above myself, one pause yesterday was to let my thumb stop screaming (or maybe it was me) after getting in the way of the hammer. Not impressed.
  There's time taken to pick up the wayward screw, or nail, or board, or hammer, that for some reason refuses to do what it is supposed to do and dive bombs the ground for the umpteenth time.
  Then there's the one screw that the head ends up stripped so the bit simply spins. It's always an important one. Thankfully a pair of pliers was able to mangle the head so enough grip could let it be unscrewed a fraction of an inch at a time. This one happened to be one that fastens a railing bracket to the post so it needed to come out.
  While installing some of the railings yesterday after staining the posts I noticed I was short some brackets so a trip to the hardware store is the first order of business today.
  Hmmm, maybe this isn't taking as long as it feels...besides, what's the hurry?
  "By humility and fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life." Prov 22:4