The death of the Diving Board

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Well.......I was attempting for the 2nd time to turn a NE from that birch log I got from my son last month. His MIL and wife requested bowls from it. We were to have a late (3:00 p.m.) Thanksgiving dinner at the son's place. At noon I came in.....made a pot of coffee and had a cup. I switched to a channel to check on the football game. There was the weather warning.......first major winter front coming in this evening.....wind warnings here in the valley (extremely rare) 30-35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. As I sipped my coffee it dawned on me.....You fool.....you haven't cleaned the gutters since the neighbors maple tree dropped all of it's leaves. ......The LOML had been up since 0400 cooking ...she was taking a nap. Normally I'd have her hold the base of my regular extension ladder but I'm not about to wake her up......Gee....I have this Little Giant Ladder that's currently tied up as the base for the 2x12 on which the Bomb is mounted.......So....I go to the shop and quickly clean of the tools, sandpaper and other turning paraphenalia.....put it back together and get to the gutters. No big deal......when I'm done I'll just reassemble it and finish those Christmas presents. After Thanksgiving dinner, my wifes asks........."You cleaned out the gutters on the shop didn't you?"..........UH?.......Aw!....I forgot we had gutters put on the shop and it's right under the neighbors 100' maple tree..........I sure hope it doesn't snow tonight! I'll clean the gutters on the shop tomorrow a.m. and then resuscitate the Diving Board...........Christmas isn't that far away and my wife's Christmas list is getting longer..........At least it's turning!

[Mike Cutler]

Ahh... At last I've found a kindred soul in the "Gutter Wars". I've spent more than a few hours in a panic doing gutters before big storms. The part that really bites is that I'm afraid of ladders, not heights, Ladders. I hate 'em.

You have my utter sympathy Ken.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ken you better take some time and get that shop finished so you can build a bench for that bomb. I know what ya mean the neighbor here has a big maple and I would like to make bowls out of it every fall. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving Ken.

[Dennis Peacock]

Wow Ken...a winter storm already???? Here's wishing you luck and safety during the storm.

Why not put together a bench for the "bomb"? Besides, with the new lathe I feel coming on for ya, you'll need the space. :D :P

[John Hart]

I figured that you'd build a quick bench at the start of your story!!! I got my gutters done last week. Funny thing is...I didn't mind..and I usually do!!:)

[David Fried]

Ken,

I took down my gutters while reroofing and haven't put them back up! I don't miss cleaning that yuck out! Someday I'll get gutters again - I wonder if any those semi-covered never-need-cleaning ones work?

Dave

[Ron Journeau]

I have that wire mesh screen, less than 1/8 square mesh, and I still had to unscrew it last week to drag out the sludge and "helicopters" that got through. And then there are the pine needles from the other neighbor...