A Visitor and a Project
This past weekend, Chris’s dad, Mickey, came to visit us for the long weekend. It was his first visit to our house, and I know how excited Chris was to have him here and show him around.
Mickey came down to help Chris move our air conditioning unit to the side of our house and install a new unit. It’s a project Chris and I have been talking about since we bought the house. Our AC unit is over 20 years old. It was constantly leaking freon and then the unit would freeze up outside and the inside of the house would smolder. We have had someone come out to repair it a few times, but it is really just an old unit that needed to be replaced, so we didn’t want to sink too much money into it.
Another thing we always talked about was moving the AC unit to the side of our house. For whatever reason, the owners before us had the AC installed right in the middle of the back sitting area. It sat right next to our deck, and so there was a constant buzz from the AC when you sat outside. It drove Chris crazy more than me, but I could certainly agree with moving it to the side of the house where it wouldn’t interfere with the back deck area. So, we bought a new unit and Mickey came down to help Chris install it on the side of our house.
Once they got the AC moved, they also installed an outdoor shower where the AC used to be outback. Now, we have a perfect little shower to rinse off with outside. (Pictures coming later… My camera broke.)
Those projects took up a lot of Mickey’s time here, but there was also a good bit of hanging out with Granddaddy, too. We sat out in the backyard until way after dark one night playing corn hole with the kids, and we went out to dinner another night and watched the Rangers playoff game (still going strong, with or without Chris’s facial hair, by the way). It was nice to spend some time with him, and it was even better to see him playing with the kids. He has an easy, comfortable way with kids, just like Chris.
He left Sunday afternoon, and I know Chris was sorry to see him go. But every time our air kicks on now, Chris and I smile and say, “THANK YOU, GRANDDADDY MICKEY!”
3 Comments
Lee Ann
Dads are priceless! No matter what project I have around my house, my dad can either fix it, tell/show me how to fix it, or know who CAN fix it … for the best price. The hardest part is that my dad is getting older and a little less steady on his feet, so I find myself weighing the options: “Call Dad? Or just call the plumber/electrician/whomever, so I don’t worry about my dad doing too much?” But all that he has taught me will be with me forever. (As you well know yourself, Katie, from all your own dad taught you.) Thank you, dads!
Michelle
Lee Ann, it’s the same way with my dad. For my whole life, he’s been the guy who could fix almost anything and it’s hard seeing him get older and having a harder time bouncing back from these projects. Now we’re having to balance “call dad?” or “call a repairman?”. It’s tough. But I’ve been fortunate to have such an awesome dad and equally fortunate that he’s been teaching my husband how to do many of these things as well.
Maryanne
Dads are the best! As long as I can remember, my dad used to fix things around the house. It was rare for him to call a repairman or ask for help. He had a knack for knowing what to do to get things done. My dad has Alzheimer’s now and can’t take care of chores around the house. The memory of him always fixing things and knowing what to do has stayed with me and I learned a thing or two in the process! It’s a wonderful memory of my dad. 🙂