Green Point Palace 27th December, 2006

Every now and then I insist on proving to myself my carpentry prowess.

That is despite the fact that last time, a couple of years ago,
and the time before, a couple of years before that,

the results or lack there off prompted me to promise myself not to try these things again.

This time it was an old rickety little outside table which needed (still needs) replacement.

Having a large amount of wonderful old hardwood (hard being the operative word) under the house, I collected all the needed timber, set up the circular saw, got out all the power-tools required, bought $80.00 worth of hardware and started the job.

I'll save you the details of 5 hours labour but the result was that I ended up with

A few broken drills
A blister on my thumb
A seriously crook back
A fair bit of saw dust
$70 worth of hardware unused
A hardwood contraption which even Miss Marple would not identify as something destined to replace a rickety old outside table, ready for the dump
And a rickety old outside table, still in its usual place, which can't wipe a sarcastic, evil smile of its face.

Now I can look forward to approximately two carpentry free years.

I just have to watch the business news carefully in order not to miss the point in time when the world market prices for drill bits and angle brackets are going through the roof.