The Day I Became An Honorary Construction Guy

 My sister and brother-in-law are re-siding their old farmhouse.  It is one of those houses that has been added on to and modified many different times which makes it a bit tricky to put new siding on.  It has nooks and crannies and funny angles and really high gables....all the fun stuff.  All the family has been chipping in to help, and I was happy to donate my husband to the cause for a few days and evenings.  My contribution was limited to making some bottles of ice.  Not very impressive, I know, but I have four kids and keeping those kids away from the job site was probably my most useful occupation.

All that changed, however, on Friday night.  The guys had been working all day, so my sister invited all the wives and mothers and kids and siblings to come over for a bonfire.  I loaded the kids up in my trusty minivan, braved the construction on the highway, and arrived to enjoy a little social time.  My kids were thrilled!

 I was starting to unload all the paraphernalia that we Moms transport wherever we go, when I heard a voice from the scaffolding call "Dana, can you have your mom watch the kids?  We need someone to run the saw."  Ummm.....okay.  It wasn't exactly what I had been planning on doing that evening, but how could I resist my husband's sweet-talking?

My brother-in-law gave me a three minute tutorial (he's a teacher, so those three minutes were VERY educational) and I was on my own.  Using a power tool.  I think it was called a Chop Saw.

Not only did I learn a how to use a power tool, I also started to learn a whole new language with phrases like "factory edge" and "F-channel".

 Somehow I managed to avoid any major disasters or embarrassing mishaps and I was dubbed "Honorary Construction Guy for the Day."  But only honorary, since I'm not a guy.  I might get to be an official construction "worker" soon, though, since I went back for more work experience on Monday.  What can I say...power tools are kinda cool.

Happy Siding, Everyone!

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