A Funny Story on Projects - "A Screen Door"

[Chris & Dale]

The story goes that the original builder of a waterfront cottage was an old fisherman who actually had scuppers in the 4 corners w/the floor sloping from the center to front and back so that he could wash it down like his boat. As a result, nothing in the house was square, plumb, or essential fit snugly.

There once was a man who lived in that 100+ year old fisherman's cottage on the waterfront. The view was worth everything that was wrong with the house. The wife of this fortunate man had indicated that she'd like screen doors in the front & back doors, neither of which were the same size or a standard size. When the man went to Lowe's to see about custom screen doors he came to the conclusion that they just weren't worth having to place his 1st born into servitude for the next 5 years, and just never brought up the subject again. The wife, having the patience of a gnat, borrowed his truck one day and came home with 2 cheap, standard size, unpainted....yep, you got it.... screen doors. Having watched way too many HGTV shows, she pronounced that it was a simple task and that it shouldn't take anything to have these hung and painted over the weekend....in her opinion. Being happily married and wanting to stay that way, he dutifully replied "Yes Dear" and went to get his tape measure, knowing full well the expectation would not be met.

Being resourceful, he immediately got an outside resource whom she may listen to a little more than him....a friend who hung doors for a living. She once again stated her opinion of what it would take to accomplish the task....to which the friend, also being happily married & knowing the rules, said "Yes Dear". They spent the better part of the morning taking measurements and making notes, to announce that they were going to the friends house where he had all his door hanging tools & equipment.

In a nutshell, both doors had to be disassembled top & bottom, cut down, reassembled, rescreened, tested, reworked, retested, reworked, finally retested successfully, and then painted.....yep, with the screens in. Did I mention that it was now 2 1/2 weeks later when they were finally hung and working. All to the comment that she didn't understand why the simple task of installing a screen door could take so long, though she'd not witnessed one moment of the rebuilding of the $50 screen door.

A next door neighbor was witness to all this. Several months later they were talking about a project he was going to pursue on the boat which he thought should be relatively simple and quick.....to which the neighbor replied....Yep, you got it....

"SCREEN DOOR"

It is my humble opinion that the neighbor was correct, and it's even more applicable on boats!

[Nancy]

Great story!

[whwells]

All true when it is a boat. Enjoyed the tale.
whwells :Howard"