• Madison Will Love This!
Madison, our two-year-old grand daughter is expecting a sister this week. So Sharon and I have been thinking how we could do something for her that would help her adjust to all the attention that comes with bringing a baby sister home. After some serious discussion and many investigative shopping trips to consider our options, we found a really great deal on this playground set. We agreed that “Madison will love this.”
However, like many great gifts, some assembly is required. It took five of us over a period of three days to build it. But that is not all…
Three of us, first went out to breakfast, then went to Kevin’s house to begin the assembly ordeal. Then John, a childhood friend of Kevin’s, join us for the work. It took most of morning to get this far. Here is John, who was left to master the instructions. It was a challenge at times. When you add up all the man hours, it came to 58 hours this last weekend and Monday afternoon to finish. Of course, it always takes longer to do it twice, when you find that the instructions somehow got clearer, after you assembled it wrong. The instructions really said 8-10 hours for two. NOT! No Way!
As the Saturday was warming up and the morning became noon, Kevin, my son, decided to move the structure, so we could work in the shade. Here, he is directing us on how to space the floor boards before they were individually screwed into place.
Bryan, the boy friend of my youngest daughter Kristen, figured out how to save time by pre-fitting all the screws in a row before drilling the boards onto the structure.
The Three Muscateers of Playground Set Construction, pose before their partially finished creation, not to brag, but to once again to “seal our vows” to continue to the end. Somehow, we got pumped up by chanting to ourselves, “Madison is going to love this!”
I assembled this cool bench and table that will “just fit” Madison and her friends. I just knew Madison would love this. It is located at the bottom of the structure and ends up under the slide. It will be a nice spot for “afternoon tea,” or a lemonade.
Then there is this cool climbing wall that is attached to the front of the main structure. “Madison will love this,” we all said. Then there was the Tic-Tac-Toe set that I actually assembled. We know Madison will love playing with this! In fact, when Madison’s cousin Benjamin comes from Baltimore in August, he will love it too.
Well, the dangerous boys worked all morning and all afternoon. Finally, finishing the roof and the support systems. We did this with literally bags of screws, bolts and nuts or all sizes and descriptions. That DeWalt drill sure got a workout, we could not imagine doing all that hardware by hand tools, without electricity. It was sure nice of John to join in the sport of “helping your friend,” not Kevin, it was Madison.
By the end of the day, the main structure was complete. Now, all we needed to add was the slide to the right and the swing sets to the left. We stood back admiring our work and we all said in unison…Madison will love this! We could hardly wait for her to be able to enjoy it all.
Well, Sunday afternoon, another family friend Barry Peek came over. Also Bryan came back to help Kevin. They together installed the swing sets as you see here. Barry, was heard to say, “Madison will love this!”
Then on Monday afternoon, I went over to help Kevin install the slide. Wow! It was done!
Then Madison got on the playground. Guess what? Madison Loved It!
You can see it. And the next day, and the next!
One Response to “• Madison Will Love This!”
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
What a Nice Playground!
It is Good for Madison!
Dear Barney
You have done a Good Job for Madison!
Really you are a Good Grandfather!
I appreciate Kevin, Bryan and John!
May God Bless the Playground!
May God Bless Madison!
May God Bless new born child!
With Love and prayers
Noah
India
noahjebaraj@eth.net
http://www.sscministries.com
Leave a Comment