why do we need projects?

my latest project is a 4 x 5 redwood picnic table
my latest project is another 4 x 5 picnic table

Do you ever wonder why we need special projects to accomplish in our lives and why we are not satisfied with the more mundane raking of leaves or washing dishes?

Laura answered this years ago for me by saying that ‘ although all jobs are honorable’, the ‘routine’ jobs really never end and only in ‘projects’ can we see a final effort that lasts long after the work is done. This — of course — was her nice way of saying,” mow the lawn.” However, I confess to not being able to resit tinkering with some project, culinary or otherwise.

24 years ago, I was very dissatisfied with a particular kind of outdoor furniture. I didn’t like the flimsiness of red wood picnic tables you could buy or make. I wanted a table that I could stand on one corner and it wouldn’t move. Given my ponderous size at the time, this was really saying something. One of the local lumberyards had some returned redwood in unusual sized ( 2 by 12 in particular) and priced right. What I needed was a design and most of the tables I found  were rectangular and didn’t provide for social interaction of 4 couples or eight people. I knew I had to design one myself.

I called this table my ‘four seasons’ table after the Rotary Club I belonged to at the time in which 4 random couples would dine at one home socially each month. This worked great when there were only 8 people, but I have finally  decided to make another table. I love my ‘double trestle’ design because everyone can easy talk to anyone gathered there.

Besides, projects are fun after all.

UPDATE:

now ofr four benches!

Roger

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