One Reply to “Let the Bench Take Shape on Sunday”

  1. It was a glorious day on Sunday and I was able to work on wood cutting for the bench outside in the garden under the watchful eye of my husband (a carpenter in his first trade!). Once everything was cut ready for assembly and we were just sitting relaxing and the following conversation happened
    Chris: ‘ You know, I’ve really enjoyed watching how you went
    about doing that.’

    Me: ‘Why?’

    Chris: ‘…well, just seeing your thinking and watching how you
    worked out those joints’

    Me: ‘Yes, but I didn’t just think about it now. I drew plans for
    how I was going to do it’

    Chris: ‘Yes I know I saw them but I’m just saying how nice it’s
    been watching you cutting them with the chisel, just
    sort of not the way I’d have gone about it at all.’

    Me: ‘So have I done it wrong? How would you have done
    it?…. I mean it will work and I think it’ll be strong
    enough.

    Chris: ‘I’d have just routed them whizz, whizz, here, there (pointing)– job
    done! A different joint mind you.’

    Me: ‘So I did do it wrong? Why didn’t you say something?’

    Chris: ‘No, not going to interfere – it’s your project and as I
    say I’ve really enjoyed watching you doing it – it’s got
    to be your work hasn’t it?’

    Me: ‘Yes, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t point
    out a better way for me to do it. I am allowed to take
    opportunities to develop new skills. But as it happens,
    I wouldn’t have wanted the sort of corner joint you’re
    talking about. It would have looked sort of too
    professional and I am very deliberately NOT trying to
    achieve a cabinet making sort of ‘finish’ for the bench –
    it’s meant to be a bit ‘raw’ to match with the frames
    on the tiles – you’ve seen them. And anyway, you have
    helped me’

    Chris: ‘Yes, just holding the ends of the wood in the mitre
    block while you’ve been sawing.’ (laughing)

    Me: ‘And you sharpened the chisel’ (laughing)

    Chris: ‘So, if I had interfered, you wouldn’t have learned
    anything new anyway though …… given you didn’t
    want that joint’

    Me: ‘Yes I would. Whizz, whizz, with a router, I could have
    made MY joint in half the time.’

    Chris: ‘Learning what?’

    Me: ‘I DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE A ROUTER’

    A super punchline ….. we laughed. A lovely little spell of marital banter! And I’m thinking about it fondly now, as Chris has just been taken off to hospital in an ambulance (AGAIN!). VERY, VERY SCARY. I’m just left here by myself with the dogs, isolated, afraid; blogging to try and take my mind off how worried I am about him – and it’s not working as a plan 🙁

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