Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Table Setting

Not to be outdone by Jacquie’s Wild Hair Bathroom Gutting, we’ve got a home improvement project of our own going on around here . . .

The Table.

Mom and Dad came over on Sunday morning, on their way back from Rhode Island. I know! It’s so great to get to see them so often lately. We’ve got to think of many, many more project for Dad to do for us.
.
They arrived with the beautifully stained and finished Dad-built leaves for our table.
.
We got them positioned . . .
.
. . . they only fit one certain way . . .
.
. . . then we locked them to eachother.
.
And then, we screwed the legs in. Oh dear. A problem. The screws on the legs are ¾"; the holes are 5/16".
.
Dad has to take them home and replace the bolts. The table looks awesome, though, doesn't it?
.
A Sunday morning bloody mary with Mom is a good, good thing. We like to pretend our Caribbean triptych is really 3 windows looking out onto St. John.
.
Mistah Schleckah was there for the fun . . .
.
. . . although his beverage choice was the juice-only variety.
.
It was just a lovely visit . . .
.
. . . I made chicken quesadillas . . .
.
. . . and we got Dad immediately started on another project -- gluing the dowels of our wine rack, which had been separating. Nice workbench, Dad. And look, on that table in the background . . .
.
Mom and Dad, June 20, 1959. And nearly 50 years later, delivering handbuilt leaves to their (ahem, favorite) daughter and son-in-law in New London, Connecticut.
.
Just perfect.
.
Oh, and the obvious question? Dad's a perfectionist; how could he possibly have gotten the size of the bolts wrong?
.
The answer is obvious. I measured them.

13 comments:

  1. Your parents wedding photo is beautiful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know! Jacquie and I both wore that wedding dress, too.

    Ellie

    ReplyDelete
  3. We should remember your story by building handmade things for our kids when they grow up!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awww, I love seeing so many mom and dad photos! That is the best picture of mom, a keepah. Good luck with rest of the project

    j

    ReplyDelete
  5. That photo of the chicken quesadillas and bloody marys is making me crazy right now- yum.

    And, Ellie, everybody knows that you mis-measured the bolts so that you'd have another visit from your folks...

    Beth

    ReplyDelete
  6. Don't feel bad about the measuring mistake. I would have had him come out to measure, because I'm so lame that way. I have to ask my husband, "What's two lines over the half mark?"

    Looks like you guys had a great day!

    And no, John Corbett didn't do a thing for me even back then! I did love that show, though.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You and Jacquie both wore that dress, too? How cool. Do you have pictures?

    (and yay! for handydads!)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yeah, I definitely think there's a good post or two in that wedding dress.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hhhmmmmmm. Jacquie, you and me and Mom -- and Aunt Monie -- may have to combine forces on this one some day....

    Ellie

    ReplyDelete
  10. I wish I could have been there for brunch.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is such a great photo.

    Chicken quesadillas...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice job keeping your dad on his toes like that. No more measuring for you ;)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the wedding picture, I have my grandparents on a table at my house.

    Nice work on the table and wine rack dad!

    ReplyDelete