daily life as life goes on . . .

Many years ago, my brother and I built a deck. 

Now, almost 40 years later, we are at it again!

The first deck was at the end of a summer of fine furniture construction.  We had decided to create wood (oak mostly) art pieces for others.  Even our side tables were unique.

Then my wife asked for a deck at the back of the house.  Made out of spruce.  About two or three feet high.  Nothing fancy.

We decided to use only dowels, with unique decking boards, and to size.

Which size ended up looking more like a dock than a deck.  Quite literally you stepped out the back door and, in winter, slide to the end of the deck and down the stairs.  A masterpiece that is no longer on the house (yes, I have driven by the old house in Regina – they got rid of the deck/dock).

NOW, things are different.  We are using special lag screws, the decks (we are building two decks, one in front and one at the back) are made of treated wood beams, joists and decking planks, and the sizes . . .

The front deck is around four feet off the ground and is eight feet by thirteen feet.  The back deck is 12 feet by 20 feet.

No docks here!

I love to research historic events.

Often for assignments or on commission.  Sometimes for my own curiosity.

As I enter the life of the historic actors, the play becomes complex.  There are no small characteristics in a person’s life.  As in Jenga, all the pieces hold the whole together.

For many, reading a fiction book is a pleasure.  The reader begins to see the character as shaped by the author.  They enter their lives and guess what comes next.  A good author keeps them guessing while holding true to the essential person they have created.

Historic research is the opposite in many ways.  The character’s final actions have been mapped out previously.  Now the researcher is given the task of finding out the character of the subject.  When, in their own minds, they guess wrong, they go back to the archives.  Searching once again (re-search), they find a new narrative line.  Tested against previous action, the description of the subject is altered to remain true to history.

And I suppose that is why I love to read the last chapter of a book first.  Here is the archive of the characters.  Here is the final result of the actions taken.  Now, in mystery type fashion, I construct the story line.  If a cursory examination of the book (called skimming) shows the results are what was expected – I leave the book.  If there are anomalies, I’m driven to searching the book to find answers.

I like to create the life from the final results, and not necessarily journey through the life to final end.

I’m standing at my desk on the second floor of my house.

I’m probably up around 27 feet in the air (sorry to my metric fans – construction still tends to work in feet and inches!). 

When I look out I can’t quite see the edge of the 12 foot deck we are constructing at the back of the house.

What angle is my vision accessing? 

I can look out my window and see green grass, brown dirt and beautiful sky.

That’s beautiful.

Meanwhile the farmers want the rain to stop so they can harvest.  Oil workers trucks are coated with mud.  Mosquitos continue to appear.

Some would say that is an interruption of beauty.

Depends on your perspective.  Farmers are still farming, oil workers have a job and the mosquitos are doing their job.

All on this beautiful earth.