I'm supposed to be off 'til summer! My 'third job', aka band stuff for the kiddo, caught up with me. I'm beginning to regret ever giving the band boosters my phone number...

I won't turn this into a craft space, it's not that interesting; I'm building something for one of the upcoming fundraiser events for the band boosters/band kids. One of those things where the ask came via email and no one was responding. So I asked "Anybody volunteered yet?" and now I'm hip deep in it. Fortunately, a drawing, a couple runs to the hardware store and it should be pretty well done.

I've got the rough build sitting in the garage now, I've a few cuts tomorrow and then painting next weekend and I'll be able to deliver it. Of course, I might have to make a few trips. Or, I'll tell the band booster president that his part in the proceedings is providing his truck for the delivery.

I was kind of proud of myself. I figured the basic lumber needs about mile 2 into my walk/run this morning. Came home, after bananna and coffee I drew it out and started figuring based on the drawing rather than my noodle. Everything came out well at the hardware store.

Except for the screws I brought home. I went with inch and 5/16's, should have gone with inch and 1/4's. One of those things where I should have checked my junk drawers first. I had a box of inch and 1/4's from the last time I tangled with 1x4's; I don't have the 'as milled' dimensions in my head the way an everyday carpenter would.

I got most of the way through the rough-in and only had to change a couple pieces of the design. Basically, I'm putting together a two-piece display, a stand and a plywood sheet-based wall. The stabilizing elements of the stand were the parts I had to re-design on the fly due to the difference in screws.

Got the stand all put together, tomorrow I have to trim out the display wall, and then make sure I remember I'm painting next week.

And then, maybe I can go back to enjoying our new roses. We introduced three more this spring, as well as spending some time stabilizing a couple of our older family members. All of them are coming along well this spring.

I'll post a couple pix of our older roses. The first one is our Dawn rose, aka the most vicious thorny beastie in the garden. Careful, she's a terror.

Oh, and it's lovebug season.

And then there's our Yellow Lady; she's a great deal easier to work with. Her thorns are there, and actually quite significant. She doesn't have anywhere near as many as the Dawn Rose, though, and she's less apt to pull a switchblade on you just for wandering by.

In both cases I rebuilt their boxes, so that they both get quite a bit more volume of dirt around the root balls. They've both had a pretty significant first bloom this year, as a result. There's room enough for both of them to accept roommates, as well. The Yellow Lady has a sprig of purple clover sharing space with her.

The Dawn Rose has the world's most protected strawberry sharing her space. I'm terrified to reach in and pick the first berry, which should be ripe tomorrow. I'm not sure I'm quite up to spilling new blood for the guardian every time I get hungry...