The Word For Today Is Green...

Think of something green.  What was it?  Money?  Envy?  The science experiment in the back of the refrigerator?  Nah.  You are off in the wrong direction.  Here's my green for the day.

Yes, that's a cucumber growing right outside the back door.  It's not the first, but we've already eaten the others.  And what else is green?

 

I'm sure you recognize what is commonly called a praying mantis, although some like to say preying mantis, but I believe that was just the husband talking.  Let's see, are there any other green things with which to dot this blog?  Ah, yes.

When the aforementioned cucumber heard that it was headed for the salad, the vegetable union stewards paid me a visit.  All three of them said that I should address them as MR. PEPPER.

Do you think I should do it?

  The first Mr. Pepper.

The second Mr. Pepper.

And the third Mr. Pepper who said that I would be watched.

Nebraska--Less People, Less Stress



I'm Back in the Blogging Business

Okay, it's not really a business at this point.  Besides, I'm retired...but not dead yet.  I've been busy for the last week or so building a platform bed with storage underneath.  My youngest daughter (a junior in high school) often has 1, 2, or 3 other teenage girls staying over.  Picture 2 or 3 of them on the bed at the same time, lying there watching television or playing video games.  Or engaging in too much horse play.  Now think of collapsible bed--not manufactured that way.  I'll build a better one.

Two reasons exist for building it myself.  (1)  They are way too expensive!  (2)  I wanted something STRONG, really strong.  No unintentional collapsing here.  (3)  They are way too expensive!  I know, I know, I said 2 reasons and gave you 3, but 1 and 3 are so similar that I counted them as 1.

Yes, those are 2 X 4 cross-members, joist brackets, and 2" screws.  You can't see the screws, but they are in there.  I made each panel, head, foot, left side, right side, in the garage and painted it there (4 coats).  I also made the 2 cross members in the garage.  I did this so I only had to bring the pieces into the house and add the final screws.

The sides are 1/2" plywood and the top piece (actually 2 pieces) is/are 3/4" plywood.  It has 3 doors with brass hardware that open for storage (much needed in our small house).  When we left California, we left behind a 5 bedroom, 2 bath, 2,200 sq. ft. house.  Here in Nebraska, we bought a 3 bedroom, 1 bath, 1,300 sq. ft. house.  The really big difference was that we left the house payment in California and paid cash for our Nebraska house.

 

The above pictures give you a little idea of the glossy black finish.  And, the picture below shows you what the new full-size (replacing a twin size) platform bed looks like with mattress, sheets, pillows and such--ignore the labels on the comforter.

Total cost=about $150.00 since I had some of the materials.  I counted that in the cost but had to estimate.  The mattress was an additional amount yet to be determined.  My daughter loves it and that is the best part of this DIY project.  Her old twin bed is for sale on craigslist.com.

P. S.  The green cube at the foot of the bed is so that her dog, Baxter, can get up on the bed.

Nebraska--Less People, Less Stress