My Birthday Renovation Gifts

My birthday actually started the weekend before my birthday with an early gift from a friend–a box of Crystal jelly jars, bands, and lids which I badly needed for my fig preserves. That was really a thoughtful gift.

On the actual day of my birthday, I got to go out to eat with BigSis, LilSis and RenRed, who spent four days working in the cypress house and enjoying bayou life, including a fishing trip.

And then the Saturday after my birthday, I was kidnapped by my daughter and taken on a birthday heist!

Neither my two adult sons nor my husband were home during the week of my birthday, but my sons called me while working on their respective boats and asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I’m not sure they were ready for my answer.

“All I want is for you to come work for me one day at the Cypress Cottage. There is a job I really need your help with–I can’t do it by myself.”

And their response?

“Sure, Mom, no problem. We’ll have to pick a day when we can both come down.”

So, that day has now come and gone, stringing my birthday out three whole weeks!!! And I just love it!

Would you like to see what they gave me for my birthday?

They got to show me how well they could use tools like . . .

a reciprocating saw–sometimes called a “sawsall”. All together now, say that three times fast!

And sledge hammers–that’s Danno, who turned 21 on the 15th. Don’t worry. I cooked him a birthday meal last weekend, complete with a German chocolate cake, and the whole family was at the table at once — amazing!

And the first-born son, Daboo, showing them how it’s done. He might be wiry, but he turned out to be a “beast” with that thing. (See The Captain supervising?)

And the little brothers had to have their turn, after instruction from big brothers.

The old roof is leaking, so all the plywood had to come down so we could see where it was leaking and the extent of the damage. Daboo made short work of the task with a crowbar.

Danno displays his prowess with the crowbar while pulling up the old tar roof while Daboo works below . . .

. . . demonstrating his skill with the recip saw. Those things are beastly, in case you’ve never had the thrill of using one. (We’ll learn to use one in our next WATS workshop!!!)

Eww, that nasty pile is growing . . .

The big brothers step back and assess the situation, determining the best course to complete the task of cutting off the rest of the rotten section . . .

which, by the way, looked like this before they got started!

All the men are helping, including one of the younger boys’ friend.

We have no flatbed trailer, so we hope we will be able to burn all this rubbish.

Where once there were walls and creepy, dark rooms (see that opening to the left . . . can’t tell you how many mice/rats were living in there!)

there’s now a big, open patio.

As we sat and watched the fire burn, the breezes blowing through the open space were amazing and refreshing.

And look at my two baldies. I just had to include this photo. With my oldest sons working weeks at a time on tugboats, these moments are rare, so I soak them up when I can.

I am not ashamed to say that I am very proud of the men in my life. They really came through on this promise, and I am so thankful that they did.

Thanks, guys, I love you all to pieces!

Bayou Mommer