Playhouse!

Watching a hockey game is hard work. I would think this would be true even if I was very familiar with the game. The speed is faster than most games, and just following the puck is hard enough…but there’s more to it than what’s going on around the puck. Players have to move without the puck to get in position. What’s going on with two opposing players defending each other, that may progress into a fight. Penalty killing strategies. One of the easier things to watch is a team on offense, working the puck around, creating an open shot. Breakaways are infrequent, but thrilling. Some of these are good problems.

Basketball is easier because the court is smaller and players and ball bigger. Football has lots going on, but it’s not constant. Baseball is slow and relaxing, making the bursts of play all the more exciting. The soccer ball and pitch are big, the players spread out. With only two or four players, tennis is simpler, as is golf.

Friday night December traffic was gridlocked both downtown and in East Cobb, so we were late to the game. The kids had more fun with their friends there, so it was a good time to talk with Jim. The Thrashers won, we saw our first hat trick, and a guy from Marietta won a Volvo for a year. Stressed over the traffic (my excuse), I screwed up and took his $20.00 for parking. Then Saturday I picked Azoni’s pizza, when both Jim and Amy could’ve been on diets. We did have a good time.

Sunday was part one of ‘Make Believe Christmas’. Think about what’s dreadful about Christmas…being with certain people that one time a year, that for some reason somebody can’t get along with…there’s always that tension. Honestly, most of the time I am the one who creates the tension. Why? We’re imperfect…sinners. All this bad stuff takes us away from celebrating Christmas…the birth of God’s Son. God send Jesus to earth to deliver us from sin. If it wasn’t for all this we dread about this time of year, there wouldn’t be Christmas! So you (and I) are the reason for the season! To help remember, they gave out ’you’re the reason for the season’ stickers.

We got the playhouse put up in the backyard. Saturday Jim and I worked on it until 6:30, after Ceil had taken the kids to see Narnia. Sunday when we got back from church, they all went out there to play. At one point we looked out there and Anna was just sitting there. Yesterday we got the two heavy roof sections attached, so now it really looks like a playhouse.

Getting the two heavy roof sections on top of the playhouse was a task. Thankfully neighbors Larry and Jeffery were available to help out. The first section wasn’t that bad, but after we had it up for several minutes, as Jim was securing the front side, the back side decided to slip off. I was able to catch and hold it before any damage was done. The second section was tough, as the ground low lower and uneven. As the four of us hoisted the heavy section up onto the board, I was in the middle, underneath. My fingers were almost crushed as we set it down, but I got them out of the way at the last moment.

There are still a bunch of finishing touches to put on it…the shingles on the very top, the windows, screens, and doors, caulking and painting, some front steps, and a little more siding. But at least now it can be played in. I’ll try and take some pictures by next weekend…unless I can get Will to take them during the week.