PDAs #10 and 11: Sous Jeff and Pine Dining

BAD PUN ALERT!! Or, apology. Sous Jeff, sous chef -- get it?

I've gotten terribly off track again with my weekly Public Displays of Appreciation posts, probably because I haven't posted much of anything lately.

Here's a new one and one from April, thrown together in the same post because of food.

Pine Dining

Look what Jeff built Saturday! We've been missing a patio table ever since last September when I listed our glass table with four cushioned chairs as freebies online. One of our relatives is big on the "vacuum principle," that if you want something new in your life, it will fall into place if you first clear out the old. His stories of same-day acquisitions are pretty convincing -- and I wanted something that would fit our family and space better. (Never mind that a woman with her own family of seven picked it up.) I figured I'd stumble on the perfect table at the next garage sale. No?

Jeff filled that void. He researched plans and tweaked one to make it longer, bought the lumber Saturday morning and set to work. Samuel pulled out his toys and helped. As soon as the table was done giddy Samuel brought out an apple, announced to all he was having a picnic, and sat down.

Photo 2: Jeff accused me of "getting all artsy" with this shot.

Photo 3: See? Here I am on the other side. Thanks, James, for the photographic proof I helped. And thanks for not taking pictures of my scribbled calculations when Jeff consulted me about figuring out the angle and length for a cross brace. We gave up, then altered the plan for a simple 45.

Photo 4: Here's the finished product and Elise's castle from scraps. Thank you, Jeff, for your hard work. The kids and I love it! We've eaten every meal there since.

Sous Jeff

My aunt recently had brain surgery to remove a tumor, and I am glad to say she is doing well. In the scary period between doctor's discovery and plan for attack, I felt very inadequate in what I could do to help her. She lives about an hour away.

Then one day I decided I would make her freezer meals. I knew I would see her the following Sunday at a family gathering, so wanted to get them to her by then (her surgery was not yet set). Trouble was, I did not budget my time very well. That Saturday I was frantically finishing (OK, starting) a baby gift to present the next day, as well as practicing the organ and finishing my Primary preparations. Jeff made minestrone and a zucchini-based lasagna for my aunt.

Jeff, that was the end of April, but I haven't forgotten the way you picked up my slack. I know it aggravates you sometimes when my ambition exceeds my ability, and you have to make up the difference. Thank you for loving me anyway.