A WORKING VACATION

A series of essays.....

DAN AFTER A LONG, HARD, AND
HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE WEEK OF CONSTRUCTION

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Never doubting Dan's ability to create something out of sticks and stones, using hammer and nails, and topping it all off with waterproof membrane and shingles, we headed up north two weeks ago so that he could do just that.....

Riding in his Ford F-150 is comfortable and practical, too, because we had so much 'stuff' to haul up in the cab including tools, kitchen floor tiles, and bits and pieces from our house in Orlando that would lighten the experience of moving when that time comes. Let's not even discuss the amount of books that will be involved in this move. Downsizing from a twenty-four hundred square foot home after having lived here for over twenty years will be no small feat, I assure you!

FOUNDATION OF NEW FLOOR SPACE

BUILDING UP THE NEW FLOOR

COMBINING NEW WITH OLD FLOOR

NEW FLOOR DECK

The running gag that epitomizes his eventual retirement and our move up to Michigan is, "I need my kitchen. I'll move up when my kitchen is finished." Janis, my sweet friend from high school days, could tell you how often I've referenced that phrase over the past year. Well, we're diligently working on my kitchen now and that brings our immediate future into a proper perspective. Our 'little yellow cottage' is, finally, taking shape and we now have the bruises, swollen ankles and lingering fatigue to prove it! All done with love, of course.

Driving straight through for over nineteen hours isn't the most pleasant experience, however, it gets us there in good time with our own bed waiting for us at the cottage. The first evening was spent at our friends' home in nearby Richland where we feasted on exceptional cuisine, drank a crisp French white, and basked in the warmth of meaningful conversation and the comfort of good friendship. It was a delightful way to begin our week and we thank you, dearly, Michael and Marsha.

REMOVING 1941 KITCHEN

By Sunday morning we were raring to begin. After all, it was 'demo day!' The old kitchen had to go and that twenty yard dumpster taking up space in our small driveway needed to be filled up. Demolishing a kitchen from the 1941 era is no small task considering the multi-layers of flooring  and stuff in general contributed by multiple owners and time itself. By the time the dust settled and the tons of trash was hauled out by hand from the back of the house to the dumpster out front, we called it a day....well spent.

Leo, Dan's younger brother, was scheduled to arrive from the Traverse City area to help out and we welcomed him with open arms early Monday afternoon. Considering that Leo had, virtually, no experience in construction before, it was a joy to see him and Dan working so well together, side-by-side. He was Dan's 'left-handed' wonder because many of the spaces Dan couldn't reach as well, Leo was there to pound away using his left-handed prowess. 

That first day of measuring, sawing, and hammering away left the deck covered in inches of sawdust and various sizes of wood scraps and bent nails. But their progress was phenomenal! Dan and I had decided to expand the existing kitchen out and doubling its size by utilizing a summer porch at the back of the house. This new portion of the kitchen will have a nine foot ceiling and expand up, as well as out further enhancing the size of the room. I love it!

COTTAGE ON A HILL

GUYS HARD AT WORK

ALWAYS REMOVING
THE OLD LAYERS

Tuesday we met Dan and Leo's cousin, Gerry, whom we hadn't seen in years, for lunch. She is an amazing person and she and I, unabashedly, refer to one another as our CBM or, cousin-by-marriage and I thank Facebook for opening up the doors of communication for all of the long, lost CBM's and others who are roaming around out there in the world hoping to reconnect with family and friends.

RAISING WALL NUMBER ONE

WALL NUMBER TWO

CONSTRUCTING
WALL NUMBER THREE

We were blessed with exceptionally good Michigan weather each day until Friday rolled around, the day Leo was to leave, and it began to rain and the temperature dipped down into the fifties. I believe the turn in the weather proved to be Dan's nemesis as it instantly took a vengeful bite out of his stamina and spirit and accentuated the toll his week-long physical labor had taken on him. The dark circles beneath his eyes told me that the plans we had to meet friends for dinner in downtown Kalamazoo that night might have slid into the 'optional' category considering how exhausted he was. It was, literally, his call and he did call to, unfortunately, cancel our dinner plans. 

COMFORT ON A CHILLY
MICHIGAN NIGHT

We did what was necessary and got something light to eat, started a roaring fire in the stone clad fireplace, and cuddled beneath a pale green afghan on the living room couch. We talked about the week's activities as we luxuriated in the warmth given off by the dancing flames and listened to the crackle of our nurturing fire. Dan needed down time and this opportunity was perfect.

PLACING PLYWOOD OVER HIS
HANDMADE RAFTERS

GLAD THEY'RE NOT
AFRAID OF HEIGHTS

THIS NEW KITCHEN IS
GOING TO BE AMAZING!!!

No, work was not over yet! This new bump on the back of the house needed to be wrapped, sealed and protected head to toe from potential rain and bad weather and we spent hours nailing plastic sheathing around its belly and a thicker plastic membrane atop its head (pitched roof) before we could call it a day. I don't know where Dan found the strength to go roof climbing and yielding additional hammer swings, but he did. Necessity has its way of working things out.

By the time we cleaned up after our endeavors, showered, packed-up, and headed over to our daughter's house, all I could think about was having to drive back home to Orlando with the idea that Dan wanted to be back to work bright and early on Monday morning. Having left a bit later than originally planned Sunday, we pulled into our driveway around four o'clock on Monday morning. We slept soundly until around nine when we crawled out of bed to shower, make coffee and I was saying good-bye to Dan and watching him drive away for work by nine forty-five. 

BROTHERS ~ DAN AND LEO AFTER A JOB WELL DONE

I know for a fact that Dan could not have accomplished all that he did last week without the capable assistance of his brother. Leo was more than happy to learn what he could from his older brother about construction and Dan was grateful for his younger brother's determination, input, and stamina. What a team! Thank you for being there, Leo.

Although Dan's retirement from his current position with Roger B. Kennedy Construction remains to be determined and, while he is keeping all of his options open for the time being, he has proven once again how determined, flexible, and loyal he is as a team member for Kennedy. Dan's work ethic has always been based on his strong moral principles and I, for one, have been very proud of him for this.

Bottom line....that was our vacation. It was a bit different than last year's when we spent ten days experiencing the history, people, terrain, and exquisite beauty of the South of France. But, that's okay. As a team, we continue dreaming, hoping, planning, and balancing out our lives so that the future will hold many more adventures for us. One of the greatest adventures of all will be, eventually, becoming a pivotal part of the Kalamazoo community, meeting new friends, always appreciating current friends, enjoying our grandchildren, and thriving in our 'little yellow cottage.' 

EVEN AN ACORN FROM ONE OF THE OAK TREES IN
THE BACKYARD SEEMS PERFECT TO ME!

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

Photos Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes