Sunday, March 30, 2008

Our Garage Band

When the weather starts to soften in the springtime, there are many things I look forward to doing. I listed a few in the last post, but I forgot one important post-winter activity. Cleaning out the garage. The garage has been a catch-all for the last 5 months. Everything that didn't fit in the house got piled in the garage. Our collection of garage sale/goodwill boxes are stacked between our vehicles. Christmas lights are piled spaghetti-style in the corner, and a winter's worth of sand and gravel have crept onto the garage floor.
It is now warm enough to open the garage doors, turn on the 80's radio station, and start gutting.

The first item of business was to recruit some helpers. "Hey, Sweet Pea, would you like to help me in the garage?"

"Sorry Dad, I have a girl scout meeting today.", she sweetly replied.

"Well, how about you, Lady Di?", I inquired.

"Sorry, I have to take SP to girl scouts.", she quickly answered.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me Number One Son.", I pleaded. He cheerfully and willingly agreed to help as I dragged him away from the Boys Basketball State Tourney on TV.

In the garage, I opened the door to the attic while N1S grabbed a broom. After a few minutes of sweeping I saw him air guitaring to Bryan Adams' ,The Summer of '69. So I took a break to join him on bass snow shovel until the end of the song. Once our jam session was done we got down to serious work.

I asked N1S what he would like to do first, fill the bird feeder or set out deck chairs. He chose to play basketball. So, once again, I had to join him because you can't play basketball by yourself. Actually, you can play by yourself if you have a hoop to shoot at, but our street still has a snow pile right where our hoop goes. So we practiced our dribbling and passing until the chilly wind made our bare hands too numb to catch the ball.

By then it was time to take a break from working. N1S had a juice box. I had a Dr Pepper.

After our break, I decided that the Christmas lights were too big a job for today. We also couldn't do anything with the Goodwill boxes until we were ready to take them in. And the sand and gravel on the garage floor didn't look as bad as I had earlier thought.

So we went inside to watch some more of the State Basketball Tournament on television. We must have worked pretty hard because we both fell asleep on the couch until Lady Di and Sweet Pea returned from girl scouts.

With a bundle of energy, SP, danced into the room and asked, "Daddy, can I help you sweep the garage?"

"It's your lucky day, SP. I saved that job just for you."

7 comments:

OhCaptain said...

Almost did that this weekend, then opted for cleaning my office instead. Not quite warm enough. My Christmas light spaghetti pile was still pretty stiff. A great excuse for procrastination!

Still sounds like a fun day!

Anonymous said...

Glad someone else is feeling motivated! I wish I was. It is still pretty cold here.

Russell said...

Good luck as you clean up after the winter. Interesting how much stuff seems to get piled up in the garage to be dealt with "another day!"

Of course, as with any project, the hardest thing is getting started. Looks like you have crossed that threshold and are on your way to getting some things done.

One of these days.... yes, yes.... maybe when it stops raining or snowing or, wait, no, maybe when it IS raining or snowing since you hate to work in the garage on a nice day.....!

pixie said...

This is so hilarious because Hubby just spent the whole weekend cleaning the garage. He is SO proud of himself. And now I'm not allowed in there.

Anonymous said...

I cleaned out the garage this weekend too. Ok, I didnt really clean it. Ok, I just opened the garage to get the pitchback out for The Champ & I to play ball with.

And I closed it really quick so nothing would come tumbling out.

DJ Kirkby said...

Ah sweet! Our sweet pea plants are sprouting over here. Spring is a wonderful season.

ALF said...

you guys are so cute!

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I'm a 40 year old dad of two. My wonderful wife, Lady Di, and I try to keep the kids from blowing things up here in central Minnesota.