Saturday, August 12, 2017

Where It All Began (Almost)

I'm thinking of roping off a special section of Hick's Shackytown Theme Park to display his very first shack. Almost. The actual very first shack was a tool shed, built on our land out here when we lived in town. But that's more of a work shack, and not for pleasure. So we'll put it on the back burner until I can get a picture of it. For today, we're only showcasing The A-Frame.


Before there was a homestead, before there was a BARn, before there was even a Genius or a Pony, there was The A-Frame. Hick and I bought our original 10 acres before there was even a marriage. Oh, it was in the works. But we wanted to snag the land while it was available, with the intention of building our house, which didn't happen until the summer Genius was three, and The Pony was waiting to make his grand entrance.

We got the land, and Hick liked nothing better (well, few things better) than to drive out and putter around. The first thing he built was an outhouse. Then he started thinking about a barn, probably always having the plan to finish out the upstairs to make it his BARn.

That summer, Hick was living in his one-bedroom apartment in the complex where we met at the pool, and I had moved from my townhouse into my $17,000 house a couple miles over. Hick has always been the busy sort, and did a lot of work fixing up my house. Of course he knew it would one day be his as well. No man can resist a woman with a $17,000 house!

Hick's boys, HOS and The Veteran, were just little shavers back then. Probably 7-8 years old. When they came for weekend visits, Hick would take them out to the land, and have them pick up sticks or stack wood, something to show that he was the boss over them, and laziness and whining would not be tolerated. I'd pack them a lunch or supper. Sometimes they took hot dogs (of course, Hick's favorite food) and built a fire, and stayed the night, sleeping under a tarp stretched across the bed of the pickup truck.

Hick kept the front part of the property mowed, but the woods he left alone. He decided that he wanted a cabin down by the creek, and set to collecting scrap materials for construction. Such as the wood from shipping crates that work gave him for free, so as not to pay to have them hauled away as trash. Let the record show that Hick never builds from a plan. He imagines it in his head, and then slaps it together. If pressed, he can sketch out the idea for skeptics. But he doesn't draw out his blueprint before building.

The A-Frame has a window up top that doesn't open, but lets in plenty of light. It's made from a piece of plexiglass that Hick salvaged somewhere. Same with the door. He didn't buy his materials back then. We weren't the Rockefellers that we are now. Inside, on the left, there's a platform built about knee-high, which opens on hinges for storage. The top is flat for sleeping. Beside it is enough space to put a couple of lawn chairs for seating. There's a board ladder to get up to the loft, which is the right size for two boy young 'uns to sleep in sleeping bags.

That A-Frame has provided many happy memories for both sets of our boys. But I think nobody has enjoyed it more than Hick.

21 comments:

  1. What wonderful memories Val, I see Hick was quite resourceful back then, kind of like he is now, no wonder you fell for him.

    Excellent post my friend.

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    1. Yes, he's always been resourceful. Which reminds me of another story that I'll expand into a whole post.

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  2. Val--I am serious (this time). I would love to have something like this in my back yard (to get away from my PITA on the weekends).

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    1. Every woman needs a PITA getaway retreat! All it takes is a PITA to build you one.

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  3. I does look like a fun place for guys. Ladies, probably not so much.

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    1. Yeah, I never spent the night there. I'd go down to the creek, though. And make them a box of snacks and Little Debbie cakes for breakfast.

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  4. I built a dog house once without any plans...even the dog laughed at it!

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    1. The little dog laughed to see such sport, and the JERK played a guitar tune!

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  5. That sounds to me like the best little A-frame ever built, a good space for small boys to camp out in too.

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    1. It's starting to look weathered now, but the boys loved it. They'd spend the day looking for arrowheads along the creek.

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  6. It is impressive. I like the design. I think Hick should buy the campground. He could spend many happy hours building rustic cabins......

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    1. Kathy--I think you're trying to slip into retirement... or you want that ostrich/emu egg. (Which is it?)

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    2. Kathy--Oh crapola. I forgot. It's YOU who has the egg that Hick wants. Perhaps you could jack up the asking price for the campground, and add another $1000 or so for that egg he covets...

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    3. Kathy--Hick does not have the temperament to run a campground. One Crazy Stick Dude almost sent him over the edge!

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    4. Sioux--I know who NOT to consult for advice in buying a campground. You, Madam, would take Hick's retirement next egg (the rocks behind our house) and throw them away on an EMU EGG!

      How is he going to afford new shoe inserts from The Good Feet Store after THAT?

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  7. In the beginning, Hick created the A frame...!

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    1. Heh, heh! That's pretty much how Hick thinks of himself.

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  8. A frames are a quick way to get some usable covered space. There are only two walls to clutter up which adds to their efficiency. Nice memories, too.

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    1. Yes, even Hick did not clutter up his A-frame with his collectables. Lots of memories there.

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  9. I think Hick has always been well-intentioned. An out house and an A Frame. He must have really loved you from the start. I would love a retreat like this. Hick interested in building these for your writer friends?

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    1. Well, Hick's going to be retiring after 9 more work days!

      As much as I'd like to keep him in the house, all to myself...he'd probably enjoy a new project, for the lulls in building his freight container garage. He rarely works on one thing at a time.

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