New Tools / Taking Action

 Tools for working on household projects are analogous to tools to work on our lives.  Buying the tools is the easy part.  (We each have been given unique tools/talents).  However, it is one thing to own the tools, it’s another thing to know how to use them.  Today Doc and I continued working on the repair of our wood fence which was damaged in the recent windstorm.  I used a regular bit instead of an impact bit to put in the first screw.  I did not know the difference.  Ruined that bit on the very first usage!

I would contend that over the centuries numerous books have been written to serve as “instruction manuals” for us to study and employ in our daily lives.  Reading those helpful manuals hopefully will help us avoid too many “screw ups” and make our jobs easier.  But even after reading the instruction books, we need to Take Action! 

 

Getting motivated to actually do something with our tools (talents) takes effort.   Very much like a piece of exercise equipment.  It’s one thing to have it inside your house, another thing to know how to use it (for more than hanging laundry on it) and then there is the difficult part – getting motivated to actually use it on a regular basis.

 

How gratifying to see such progress when we use the tools (skills/talents) which each of us have been given to make things better for people around us.

 

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This month Home Depot has been having a tool sale.  Doc was like a kid in a candy shop when he saw all the displays.  He wanted the circular saw, the drill, the impact driver, the chain saw ….  Doc said since it was my birthday, I REALLY NEEDED some tools.   LOL.  See the scrapbook page I made to tell the story.

 

I know of women who would prefer the $$ be spent on jewelry, shoes, clothing, etc.  As for me, I’ll take the tools!  No-Brainer!

 

Branching Out

Most of you know that the Penny Palace has lots of “items of interest”.  (Weird stuff).  In the past three months I have been working on the idea of creating a 9 ft. tall  Eucalyptus tree in the Australian-themed Guest Area.

A while back I did a favor for a friend and in a phone call she said “Thanks. Is there anything I can do for you?”  I sarcastically said, sure!  Find me a section of Eucalyptus cutting to make my tree”. She did!  It was gorgeous, but only 6 ft. long.

Then when another friend and I were walking she asked if there was anything I needed.  I jokingly replied, “Sure - a TEN ft. section of Eucalyptus tree”.  Within a day she had one for me!  WOW!

Doc, a neighbor and I spent a few hours yesterday creating the trunk.  Looks good.  We needed branches.  So I posted a WANTED ITEM this morning on www.freecycle.org.  Within an hour Linda emailed and said I could cut branches off the tree behind her house!

Doc and I gathered an 8 ft. ladder, cutters, bow saw, bags, gloves and other gear.  As we were driving to Linda’s we noticed dozens and dozens of Eucalyptus trees along the streets and freeway. Most of the lower branches were at least 15 ft. above the ground.  Yikes!

We arrived at Linda’s and found several Eucalyptus trees with branches at heights we could reach. Whew!  Then I spotted a huge, very old and grand looking tree.  It had so much character.  It almost seemed to welcome me.  Lying at the base of this magnificent tree was a branch such as I was seeking!  The only tools needed to retrieve it were my fingers to pick it up!

ASK, then have FAITH!

Dinner on the Patio

Note:  This evening Doc and I ate dinner on the patio accompanied by the music of the running waterfall.  First time the two of us had a sit-down meal together out there. Wonderful!