SCOOTER-PORT

ANOTHER PROJECT FOR THIS SUMMER WAS TO BUILD A SCOOTER-PORT. A PROTECTED PLACE TO PARK THE SCOOTER OUT OF THE WAY. WE DECIDED RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE TRAILER AND KINDA UNDER THE WINDOW AWNING.

 

BUT FIRST I HAD TO MOVE MARY’S FLOWER GARDEN, SO IT WENT OUT FRONT BY THE STREET.

 

WHEN I DO A PROJECT MY OLE FRIEND MURPHY ALWAYS SHOWS UP TO FRUSTRATE ME. WHERE I WAS LAYING THE BRICKS, THERE WAS BLACKTOP, SO I COULDN’T DIG DOWN TO PREPARE A FOUNDATION AND LAY THE BRICKS AT GROUND LEVEL. THAT MEANS I’LL NEED TO BUILD A RAMP. TO TURN THE SCOOTER 90 DEGREES GOING UP A RAMP MEANS IT NEEDS TO BE A WIDE RAMP. TO LAY PATIO BRICKS, FIRST YOU GET THE FOUNDATION READY, THEN YOU LAY THE BRICKS, AND LAST YOU PUT IN THE SIDE SUPPORTS. IT’S EASY, JUST CHECK IT OUT ON YOU TUBE! (BTW: YOU SHOULD CHECK YOU TUBE AT THE BEGINNING OF A PROJECT, NOT  THE END.)

SO HERE’S REX STARTING WITH THE SIDE SUPPORTS FIRST.

THESE ARE SOME HUGE NAILS THAT NEED TO BE POUNDED DOWN.

 

I MEAN .79 CENTS A PIECE HUGE, AND DON’T FORGET THE GOD DAM BLACKTOP I’M POUNDING INTO. THE TREATED 2X4’S I’M USING FOR SIDES NEED TO BE PRE-DRILLED.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS I’LL GET THE 2X4 FRAME EXACTLY RIGHT FOR THE LAYING OF THE BRICKS? I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I MOVED THE FRAME PIECES, AND MOVED THE PILE OF 146 BRICKS IN AND OUT OF THE FRAME.

SINCE I’M DOING THIS ASS BACKWARDS AFTER BUILDING THE FRAME I HAD TO BACKFILL WITH SAND TO GET THE BRICKS LEVEL WITH THE FRAMEWORK. THAT ASSUMES THE FRAMEWORK IS LEVEL TO BEGIN WITH. IT’S NOT, OF COURSE…..

WITH OBAMAS NEW MINIMUM WAGE OF $10.25/HR TIMES THE NUMBER OF HOURS I WORKED ON THIS PROJECT I COULD HAVE BOUGHT A NEW SHED TO PARK THE SCOOTER IN.

 

 

I’LL BE HONEST HERE AND CONFESS THAT WITH THE FRUSTRATION, I STARTED THE PROJECT ON JULY 1ST AND DIDN’T FINISH THE RAMP UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST.

  “ON THE MOUNTAIN”