We arrived at the store with a light rain following us out of Paris on Thursday afternoon. This trip is the "build a wall" trip. We have been drawing this wall on the concrete floor for months. It has zigged and zagged all over the place a foot here and two feet there like a dancer who hasn't had near enough lessons. Once unloaded and rechecking everything like it might change back into a pumpkin since last month we counted and recounted the 2x4's needed for this job and headed out for the Home Depot.
Forty 2x4's later we were back in Kanawha with several hours and a half box of chalk to redraw that wall several times before bed. Outside the rain stopped and billions of stars dotted the country sky. Bill called me outside to listen to the multitude of frogs who already knew it was Spring.
Up fairly early we drove to Detroit to open a business account in the store name. Seems like we are official now with a bank account and a tax ID number. Leasa at the bank was very kind and helpful. She is the daughter of the Blossom Superette owner.
Mike is with us and between him and Bill's new Driver Drill they made fast work of the wall framing. I think it astounded them too that it went up so fast even with Bill measuring everything 10 times. The next day everyone is stiff and no one slept well. Mike had a throbbing purple finger from a good hammer whack he gave his self. Bill just had strange dreams, but no one is happy except the wall itself which is still standing and looking good. Day two is install the screen door.
I wanted a screen door with a spring that would slam shut, but in today's world screen doors are controlled closing with spring loaded hinges. I went outside to start a fire that would get rid of the tree stumps and after a good bit of smoke inhalation I returned to find Bill and Mike just as I left them. Trying to hang a door on a bent post with a crooked wall on a wavy cracked floor and against a slanted cabinet is damn near impossible so crooked is good in an old country store. But after my leaving again to check on the fire they managed to hang it straight anyway. Lucky for me one of the hinges was slightly slanted and guess what? It creaks!!! It has the most beautiful old creaky squeaky sound just before it thuds closed.
Outside we see cousin Gerald has lite a bonfire that makes our little stumps seem puny. Our eyes catch sight of Clay at the Blake Boulware property, he is burning the tall grass. Mike helps him stomp a few errant blazes out. He is our latest new neighbor and we welcome him and his wife to Kanawha.
The last work day we get a few sheets of plywood on the framing. It gives us a glimpse of what it will look like. Bill cuts a board we will paint with chalk board paint so we have a menu spot. We brought it home to work on during the week. (this was Mikes idea...being a teacher)
We saw my parents who were looking much peppier now that spring is here. I told them about talking to my cousins. Butch and I are about the same age. He lives on a mountain top in Arizona and he has been researching the Boulwares. It was wonderful to hear from him. His brother Ronnie lives in California on a warm beach. Son Stephen and Granddaughter Danielle came by and said hello. Danielle has returned from her trip to Chicago, where she said they dyed the water green for St Patricks Day.
Bill and I walked to the Kanawha Cemetery and we were surprised to see the T.J. and Julia P. Hart stone had been repaired. It has a beautiful arch across the top that says Father and Mother. I think we can thank Mary Montgomery for this restoration. What a blessing. Julia P. Hart is my Great Great Grandmother. I did not expect this turn of events so had no camera, but will try to get a shot of the stone later.
I have included a picture of the lighted cabinet we installed last time. Other than threatening to remove both Bill's level and square this trip went pretty well. Obsessing with whether something is square or level in an old store is a life sentence to dissatisfaction and unhappiness but God bless him for trying.
Mike and Bill plan another weekend trip to further clean up the outside. We have no trash pick up at the store, but our town will take anything in a trash bag so we are hauling it home a piece at a time.
Forty 2x4's later we were back in Kanawha with several hours and a half box of chalk to redraw that wall several times before bed. Outside the rain stopped and billions of stars dotted the country sky. Bill called me outside to listen to the multitude of frogs who already knew it was Spring.
Up fairly early we drove to Detroit to open a business account in the store name. Seems like we are official now with a bank account and a tax ID number. Leasa at the bank was very kind and helpful. She is the daughter of the Blossom Superette owner.
Mike is with us and between him and Bill's new Driver Drill they made fast work of the wall framing. I think it astounded them too that it went up so fast even with Bill measuring everything 10 times. The next day everyone is stiff and no one slept well. Mike had a throbbing purple finger from a good hammer whack he gave his self. Bill just had strange dreams, but no one is happy except the wall itself which is still standing and looking good. Day two is install the screen door.
I wanted a screen door with a spring that would slam shut, but in today's world screen doors are controlled closing with spring loaded hinges. I went outside to start a fire that would get rid of the tree stumps and after a good bit of smoke inhalation I returned to find Bill and Mike just as I left them. Trying to hang a door on a bent post with a crooked wall on a wavy cracked floor and against a slanted cabinet is damn near impossible so crooked is good in an old country store. But after my leaving again to check on the fire they managed to hang it straight anyway. Lucky for me one of the hinges was slightly slanted and guess what? It creaks!!! It has the most beautiful old creaky squeaky sound just before it thuds closed.
Outside we see cousin Gerald has lite a bonfire that makes our little stumps seem puny. Our eyes catch sight of Clay at the Blake Boulware property, he is burning the tall grass. Mike helps him stomp a few errant blazes out. He is our latest new neighbor and we welcome him and his wife to Kanawha.
The last work day we get a few sheets of plywood on the framing. It gives us a glimpse of what it will look like. Bill cuts a board we will paint with chalk board paint so we have a menu spot. We brought it home to work on during the week. (this was Mikes idea...being a teacher)
We saw my parents who were looking much peppier now that spring is here. I told them about talking to my cousins. Butch and I are about the same age. He lives on a mountain top in Arizona and he has been researching the Boulwares. It was wonderful to hear from him. His brother Ronnie lives in California on a warm beach. Son Stephen and Granddaughter Danielle came by and said hello. Danielle has returned from her trip to Chicago, where she said they dyed the water green for St Patricks Day.
Bill and I walked to the Kanawha Cemetery and we were surprised to see the T.J. and Julia P. Hart stone had been repaired. It has a beautiful arch across the top that says Father and Mother. I think we can thank Mary Montgomery for this restoration. What a blessing. Julia P. Hart is my Great Great Grandmother. I did not expect this turn of events so had no camera, but will try to get a shot of the stone later.
I have included a picture of the lighted cabinet we installed last time. Other than threatening to remove both Bill's level and square this trip went pretty well. Obsessing with whether something is square or level in an old store is a life sentence to dissatisfaction and unhappiness but God bless him for trying.
Mike and Bill plan another weekend trip to further clean up the outside. We have no trash pick up at the store, but our town will take anything in a trash bag so we are hauling it home a piece at a time.
