My mailbox is full of catalogs every day. Often I get those "gift" catalogs that have expensive everyday items or curiosity collectibles.
When I see something I like or something cute or clever, I fold the page up and out. This drives my husband crazy when he follows behind me.
But, when we lived at our first house in the county and the company switched him to 'swing' shift he had extra time on his hands while I remained a 8 to 5 Monday through Friday worker.
We had a basement where he had built a sturdy work bench so that he could easily outfit his golf clubs with new grips any time he wanted and he started to "putter" around with little projects.
My folding down the page in one of those overpriced curiosity catalogs ended up with a delightful gift.
I'd folded down a page that had a picture of a watermelon wedge shaped birdhouse. Sharp roof came down over a triangular front with a rounded bottom. Painted watermelon red of course with the black seeds on the front panel, and the bottom round green for the rind. I thought it was absolutely darling.
My husband picked up the catalog and just opening up the folded page he knew that I would love it. He looked at the price tag and laughed. He knew he could do it for much less.
During his next swing shift off time he started on his project in secret.
Eventually he delivered it with great pride with one caveat.
"You will have to do the painting," he said when he put it on the kitchen table.
It had all the right angles and shapes, it just lacked the paint job. He even had gotten the paint for me.
It was perfection. One of the sweetest things he ever did for me and it was impressive workmanship.
"I love it!"
"You better, it cost me a small fortune . . . I made some bad cuts and had to get more wood. And then I had to go back and buy the dowel and special nails."
"You spent all day on this?"
"No, most of the last three days I've been off . . . I screwed up so many times and had to even buy some tools to make it."
"Did it cost you more than the catalog?"
He laughed and shook his head admitting,
"By the time you add up my labor rate and the tools and the wood and stuff . . . that there is a $1,000 birdhouse."
"I simply adore it."
KISS, KISS . . . .
After painting, I hung it down in the thicket so that I could see it from the kitchen window. Then we moved and I took it with us.
I hung it along the back property line and eventually it fell apart after about 15 years.
Not one bird ever nested in that house, but it always gave me a great delight when I would walk the back property line and admire the Watermelon birdhouse because of the love and effort that went into it.
Disclaimer: This is a snap shot off the internet - much like the one my husband made. Cute, clever and darling.
Maybe I need to ask him to make another one for me now that he is retired . . . or maybe not.
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