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My Week & Will's Fort

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tony barnhill

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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WHEW! I'm glad its over.

As some of you know, my 84-year old mother died early last Sunday morning in her sleep. I was out of pocket all day (cell phones off) celebrating my daughter's birthday & didn't learn about it until I returned home Sunday night. So, Monday morning I had to make a hasty trip to Mississippi. And thanks for your many kind words of sympathy and condolences.

However, as some of you also know, I've been cutting & drilling holes in lumber for about a week in preparation for constructing a backyard fort for my grandson's 2nd birthday. His birthday was Friday & I'd set a goal of having it finished then before his party on Sunday. So, from the funeral, I rushed home to my truck that was loaded with lumber & made a trip to Mountain Brook, AL where Will lives to erect the fort - 2 long 8-to-10 hour days...my old body is worn out!

He was a great little helper - he 'helped' me measure things, brought me screws, etc. and was generally a joy to be around without getting in my way. He was genuinely enthralled with my <span style="font-style: italic">'big hammer'</span> and wasn't at all afraid of power tools; he even learned to discern the differences in the sound an air nailer made when it didn't spit out a nail (<span style="font-style: italic">'funny noise'</span>). My son-in-law as out of town on business so a friend of his helped me with the construction. Then, on Friday afternoon, just as his dad pulled up from his trip (he also had to rush to Mississippi & then back to Alabama to catch the company plane to Connecticutt), Will was able to say <span style="font-style: italic">"My new blue slide."</span> and enjoy his fort.

The first photo is the front of the fort with Will & his dad, the 2nd is the rear of the fort, and the 3rd is Will mugging for my camera.

Today, I'am relaxing at home & trying to clean up the GarageMahal. Tommorrow we drive back down for his big party!

Actually, I'm proud of how Will's fort turned out (but, I think the sandbox I built underneath it is his favorite part!).
 

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Sorry about your mother , Tony. I wasn't aware, don't know how I missed the information. Sad news.

The fort looks like it was a fun project, and a welcome distraction. Nice job, and that little guy will always remember helping you to build it.
 
Condolences from my family to yours Tony. I was away for two weeks and didn't know. Sorry.
 
Gee Tony - sorry about your mom, I was kind of busy myself the last few weeks.

I'm sure your grandson'll love the Fort....
 
Our sympathies, Tony. Didn't know.
 
Wow! Sorry to hear about your mom Tony. Too young.. too young. My condolences to you and your family.

I cannot believe it'll be two years already since your grandson was born. Seems like only yesterday. Nice work on that fort. I'm envious and so are my kids. They are getting older and I had to take the one I built down just a few weeks ago for lack of use. Years of fun that kid will have on it, years of fun.
 
Nicely done Tony!!! Will can enjoy that fort for years. It sounds like you had a great time having the lad "help" you with the construction (I'm sure it was a help in dealing with your grief!) and he learned a ton from you I'm sure!! Way to go Grandpa!!! :thumbsup:
 
Our sympathies.

Good looking Fort.
 
I apologize about not making a post about my mom here in The Pub...I was doing some things on the Spridget Forum & told them I was off to the funeral - I just forgot to come here also...sorry.

As for your condolences, I thank you...I saw her back a few weeks when my sister-in-law also died suddenly so it wasn't as if I'd not seen her recently....&, you know, at that event I told my wife that my mother had lost lost alot of weight (she was never heavy - but actually looked almost anorexic) & that she probably wouldn't be with us by year's end....I asked my brother who lives in the same town & he said the weight loss was due to having all her teeth pulled for dentures (she also told me the same thing & said she'd just been eating soup) so I thought nothing else about it.

Guess I was in shock when I headed out Monday.
---------
Will was 'fun' to have around....at one point he actually brought me a bottle of water and said <span style="font-style: italic">"Here T, drink some water"</span> (He's up to 5 or 6 word sentences now & calles me "T") & when his mother sliced an apple for his snack, he kept bringing me slices....however, when we put 10 50-pound bags of sand in the sandbox, he was captivated for hours!
 
My condolences.

My mom *would have been* 84 this year, but I lost her in 1999. (Lost dad in 1993).

Hope (and know that)you have a ton of good memories!
 
Tony - very sorry to hear of your loss. Lost my Dad in 84 and Mom in 90. Both would have been in their 80's now. You have my sincere condolences.

Basil
 
Tony,
You surely have my sympathy as well. Last night we took my mom out for her 89th birthday, but we were not sure she would make it through this past winter. Remember the good times, and enjoy the little one and his fantastic fort...if I had something like that for my granddaughter, I don't know if I could keep my wife off of it...she keeps asking for a tree house.
 
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