March 29 – “But DadDad can’t cook …”

We shifted gears to the old part of the house yesterday.  That meant replacing a dryer vent and caulking everywhere I could find that needed it.  And once that was done I headed over to Nathan’s to pick up a power washer that he borrowed from a fire fighter buddy (Thank you so much, John).  Now I have used a power washer once or twice in the past.  It was a small machine donated to us after Hurricane Ike.  It didn’t last that long.  But this one was not like that.  It was big.  Gas operated.  Longest water hose I have ever seen.  And really powerful.  I’m not completely sure how much good it did at washing the house, but it was sure fun.  I was drenched and filthy when I stopped.  Not sure if I am done or not, though.  I’ll have to look at it in the daylight.  I might just have to do it again, or at least just scrape some more, before we kilz and begin the actual paint job.  Oh, and I discovered a few new places on my body that have never been sore before.

As I was finishing up Cailyn, who was spending the night with us, realized that it was almost supper time and Nana was getting ready to go to her ladies Bible study at church.  “But DadDad can’t cook,” she worried.  So the two of them made some chicken strips and gravy.  That’s my girl.  Thinking about me.  After Chris left we decided to have a modified picnic.  We ate on the coffee table instead of the dining room table.  Don’t tell Nana.

We spent a few minutes outside swinging and inspecting all the paraphernalia that was in the shed.  We had to empty it to move it so we could paint behind it.  Once the inspection was complete we moved the party indoors for a game of Connect 4 and then checkers.  She said she had never played checkers before.  And when the time came for setup … I forgot how.  So we played a hybrid of chess and checkers while I read through the directions.  We did switch to the correct rules, but by then we were just goofing around anyway.  Our version was way more fun than following the rules.  Bedtime followed our usual procedure.  Texting Mom and Dad, then FaceTiming with Dad.  Finally we did family worship and read a chapter of her new library book.  She was fast asleep by 8:30.  That left me just enough time to clean the kitchen up before Chris got home, thus once again proving my prowess around the house.  But, umm, truth be told …I was exhausted. 

2 Timothy 2:20-21 says, “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.  If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

Father, thank you for sweet and soft granddaughter hugs and for big and powerful power washers.  They both sure made my day.  Amen.