______________________________ SATURDAY, JULY 30th, 1960
Being it was a Saturday, which was a day off from work for Al Coyote, the cubs were excited about this being the day the tree house will be completed. It was also to be good weather that day. The rain they've been having days earlier have gone for the weekend. It wasn't quite yet 6 o'clock in the morning when Jed and Rex got out of bed and made their way to Mom and Dad's bedroom. Daddy Al and Mama Marge were awakened by Rex asking with much enthusiasm, "When we gonna build our tree house?". "You do realize you woke your dad and I up before we wanted to get out of bed this morning", Marge got on to Rex. "Oh...Sorry, Mom", Rex replied as older brother Jed stood beside him, and Clarence was now making his way over. "It's hardly sunrise yet", Al mentioned after he yawned. Then, Donna made her way from her bedroom, rejoicing, "The tree house! The tree house! The tree house! Yippieeeee!". "Well, I see everybody's up", Al mentioned. "I'll go ahead and get breakfast started now...I guess", Marge mentioned. "Might as well", Al replied as he and Marge got out of bed to begin the day. Breakfast that morning was scrambled eggs with cheese, home made waffles with honey, and cantaloupe slices. Everyone also had orange juice, and in addition, Al and Marge also had some Wilkins brand coffee... ...Back in the day, there were some funny TV commercials for Wilkins coffee. And it sure was good coffee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVewx3-9x24 After breakfast, the sun was getting well above the eastern horizon, thus there was now plenty of daylight. Al mentioned, "You know, Marge. I guess it's good the cubs did get us up as early as they did. This way, we can get a good start building the tree house before it gets hot later on". "I'm sure that wasn't on the minds of the cubs", Marge chuckled. "But it is good thinking". Then it was off to finish building the tree house. Al and the cubs carried materials from where they had been stored in the garage upon being unloaded from the Plymouth station wagon two days earlier. Al then gathered some tools, a couple of ladders and laid out some extension cords, as Marge prepared a batch of home made lemonade...Being it was going to get hot later in the morning, Marge knew everyone would appreciate some ice cold lemonade. Everything went along as Al had planned the project out. And it was a great experience for the cubs, as they felt like what it would be like to be little construction workers. As Jed, Rex and Clarence helped Al on building the tree house, Donna also helped on the project at times, and at times went to help Mama Marge with preparing goodies for the crew. As the project continued, a circular saw needed a dull blade changed out. Thus, Al entrusted Clarence to carry out that task. Before Clarence started, Al had to tell him, "Hey, Son. Unplug that saw first". After Clarence unplugged the saw, he couldn't figure out how to make the shaft and blade stay still so he can loosen the retaining bolt. "Dad. I can't get this thing loose. The whole thing's just turnin' round an' round", Clarence said to Al. "Don't you know where the shaft lock is?", Jed asked Clarence. "What's that?", Clarence asked. Al then showed Clarence the shaft lock, saying, "This locks the shaft so you can loosen the blade bolt". "Oh, okay", Clarence acknowledged as he understood and was now able to loosen the bolt. "This does work". After Clarence had changed out the blade, the power saw was pawed over to Jed to cut some 2x4 to length. However, the saw wouldn't cut anything. The blade just made a whirring noise. Jed looked at the saw a moment, then said, "Dad. Clarence got this blade in backwards". Al then said to Clarence, "You have to pay attention to what you're doing. You did put this blade in the wrong way". "I didn't know it made a difference", Clarence replied. "I thought it would cut either way". "What?!" Jed retorted. "That's silly", Rex added. "Okay. Give Clarence a break, boys", Al told Jed and Rex, then asked Clarence, "Clarence. In the day and time you came from, have you ever been taught anything about the proper use of tools?". "No I haven't", Clarence answered. "I guess that would have been too dangerous". "Oh, that would figure", Al retorted, then said to Clarence, "I'll show you the proper way this needs to be done...Okay?". "Okay", Clarence acknowledged as Al began instructing Clarence on the proper way to change out a circular saw blade. "And unplug that saw first", Al had to tell Clarence a 2nd time. "I know you don't want that saw accidentally kicking on with your paws anywhere near that blade". "Oh no. I don't", Clarence affirmed as he unplugged the saw as he was told to do. After Clarence changed out the saw blade as Al had instructed him, Jed was then able to cut those lengths of 2x4 almost as though they were hot butter. Later, Jed helped Rex with nailing together some framing, and Clarence was given the task of cutting out some plywood floor decking. This was the first time Clarence ever used a power saw, thus he adjusted the foot of the circular saw all the way up, then began cutting using only one paw to hold and push the saw. "It's trying to buck on me!"[, Clarence complained as he continued trying to push the saw through the plywood with the saw trying to bind and kick back. "Stop the saw!", Al called to Clarence. Clarence couldn't hear Al over the noise of the saw. Al immediately snatched up the extension cord and unplugged the saw. "Hey, the saw died", Clarence retorted. "No kidding", Rex remarked. "Yea. I unplugged it to stop you from hurting yourself", Al said to Clarence. "Look where Clarence got that saw foot set", Jed mentioned. "Yea, I see that", Al replied to Jed. "So...What's wrong with that?", Clarence asked. "I figured it would make the saw cut better having more blade into it". "I'll tell you what's wrong with that", Al answered Clarence. "You don't need three and a half inches of blade sticking out to cut half inch plywood. That's part of the reason why the saw was bucking on you". "And it's a good way to warp a blade too", Rex added. "What your brother just said is right", Al told Clarence. "And not holding the saw steady with both paws was the other reason the saw was bucking". Jed then asked Clarence, "Do you recall when I was cutting some 2x4 framing, I was holding both the grip where the trigger is, and also the knob on the front of the saw?". "That knob is on there for a reason, Clarence", Al said. "And it wasn't put there as a hood ornament either". "I guess I figured that was there to hold something together, or an adjustment control or something", Clarence replied. "No. It's not", Al instructed Clarence. "It's to hold the saw steady with. A circular saw, especially one this size, has to be held steady at both ends. The way you were using it just then was down right dangerous". Once Clarence got the gist of the proper way to use the saw, cutting out the plywood decking panels then went along so smoothly, it just about made Clarence feel like a pro. After cutting out a few floor decking panels, Clarence proudly mentioned, "This works good now". "That's the difference it makes when you know how to use tools the right way", Al replied to Clarence. After the floor decking panels were cut out, and Al and Donna nailed most of them into place, Clarence helped in nailing the wall frames into place that Jed and Rex had assembled...However, right from the get-go, Clarence was having problems mastering the skill of driving in those 16-D common nails. "These crummy nails keep bending over", Clarence complained as he attempted to drive a few nails into a wall shoe plate. One nail even shot out from under the hammer and made a >zinggggg< sound as it went flying out into the grass. "I don't like this hammer", Clarence complained. "Can I have a different hammer?". "Well, it doesn't help having another hammer if you're going to choke that one too", Jed told Clarence. "Choking a hammer?", Clarence asked in bewilderment. Al said to Clarence, "That means holding the hammer near the head like I just now notice you're doing. If a hammer was meant to be used that way, it wouldn't have a 14 inch handle". Al then instructed Clarence on the right way to hold and swing a hammer, then had Clarence give it a go. "Woah! Stop!", Al exclaimed as Clarence started whacking hard on a nail while he was still holding it in place...But too late. "YEOWWWW!", Clarence cried out as he missed the nail and whacked his thumb. "I hit my thumb", Clarence began crying. "Here. Let me see it", Al said to Clarence as he checked Clarence's thumb. 'It's not broken, is it?", Clarence continued to cry. "It doesn't look like it. I think you'd know it if it was", Al assured Clarence. "I guess I should have told you to start the nail before you start the swinging". "I heard someone cry out", Marge said as she stepped out of the back door of the house. "Is everyone alright?". "Clarence hit his thumb with a hammer", Al replied back to Marge. "It seems to be okay though. Nothing broken". "That's good", Marge replied, then mentioned. "I have some cookies started in the oven". "Oh that'll be good", Al replied as Jed and Rex cheered, and as Clarence finished crying. Donna also came out to help on the tree house after helping Mama Marge getting the cookies started. When Donna climbed one of the ladders to the tree house, she asked Clarence, "Does your thumb have a boo-boo?". "No...But it still hurts", Clarence answered. "It will will hurt for a while", Al said to Clarence, then instructed him. "So one other thing about hammering nails...You only tap a nail to get it started while you're holding one. Then once the nail will stay on it's own, you move your paw away before you begin whacking it all the way in". "Yea...I learned not to make that mistake again", said Clarence. During the construction of the tree house, there was an added feature Al decided to install...There was a 20 foot length of one and a half diameter, galvanized, steel pipe that had been laying along side the garage almost seemingly forever...That would make a great slide pole like fire fighters have at a firehouse. The cubs were thrilled with that idea, plus it would put that old pipe to good use. It was agreed the pole would be just inside the edge of a location of where the wrap around porch will be... A boxed out indentation would now be provided in the porch decking for use of the slide pole. As the cubs held the pipe in place, Donna positioned the bottom end on the ground where Al thought it should be. "That's got it", said Al. "Perfect". Al then climbed above a ladder and up onto the tree, then climbed out on a tree limb over the pipe to drive the pipe into the ground below with a mallet and a piece of board. "Okay. Here we go", Al said as he prepared to drive in the pipe. With Jed constantly keeping check on the pipe two ways with a level, and with Rex, Clarence and Donna holding the pipe steady, Al got good balance and footing up in the tree, then placed the piece of board on the top end of the pipe and began banging the pipe into the ground below with the mallet...It was tedious going. However, it was getting there. "So far, so good if we don't hit any rocks or tree roots in the way", Al mentioned as he continued pounding in the pipe. For some distance after the pipe driving began, there came a point to where there wasn't a tree limb in an ideal place for Al to get to the top end of the pipe. "What do we do now?", Rex asked. "That upper limb is now too high, and the pipe isn't pounded down to where we're working yet", Jed noted. "I got an idea", Al said. Al went to the garage, then came back with a length of heavy duty rope, and some light gauge line. "What's that for?", Clarence asked. "I think I know", Jed replied. "Just watch", Al said as he tied a piece of scrap wood to the end of the light gauge line. Al then climbed back up to the deck of the tree house to sling the line over the tree limb he had climbed out on earlier. "Oh, I see", said Rex as Al swung the wood around on the line, then let it sling over that high tree limb pulling the line behind it. Al then let the scrap wood pull the end of the line to the deck of the tree house, then tossed the piece of wood out so it can pull the line to the ground, thus the line was now draped over both sides of the tree limb. "Now we pull the heavier rope over the limb with the line", Al explained as he tied the end of the light gauge line around mid way of the heavy duty rope. "Couldn't Dad have thrown the rope over to begin with?", Clarence asked. "Care to try it?", Jed asked Clarence. "That wouldn't be as easy as you think, Clarence", Al added. Al then pulled the light gauge line, thus pulling the mid portion of the rope over the high tree limb as a double rope, and down within reach. Of the two extendable ladders they were using, one was a 20 footer. "Lend a paw here", Al said to the cubs as they helped him lay the 20 foot ladder on the ground. "I get it now", Clarence said as Al tied the ends of the rope to both sides of the top rung of the ladder. Then the ladder was extended all the way out to it's 20 foot length. Al then had Donna cut a few feet off the light gauge line with a some tin snips. As Al tied two ladder rungs off to each other where the ladder overlaps, Clarence asked, "Why the cord?" "So the ladder doesn't come apart", Rex answered Clarence. "This ladder is going to be hoisted up from the top", Al explained. "Being that the locks aren't designed for the ladder to be used that way, the ladder has to be tied off ". Then, with the help of the cubs, Al hoisted the ladder up along side the pipe. "It just does make it", Al said being that the ladder barely touches the high tree limb. The ladder still had to be secured, thus the rope was also tied to the end of the nearby joist header that didn't yet have decking on it. Al then had Donna cut another length if light weight line to tie a side of the ladder to the outer joist where it had not yet been cut to clear for the pole. "I never seen that done before", Clarence said of fastening the ladder to the joist. "It's to hold the ladder by from twisting around", Al replied to Clarence. As Al made his way up on the ladder, it was a little wobbly, though the provisions made were able to at least stop the ladder from twirling around. Once Al was up to where the top of the pipe presently was, he continued pounding the pipe downward. The cubs no longer had to steady the pipe and hold a level to it. By now, there was already enough pipe in the ground to where how it was going to stand was how it was going to stand. The pipe was eventually driven down enough for the rope to come back down off the tree limb, and for Al to use the ladder in the normal way to continue driving the pipe. With almost 6 feet of the 20 foot pipe in the ground, and the 8 feet from ground to bottom of tree house, that left the ideal 6 foot of pipe reaching just right between the floor and just past the ceiling to where it will attach to a ceiling rafter. "That will be a cool firehouse pole", Rex proclaimed. "This might be the only tree house in all of New Mexico that has one", Al jested. Before long, the rafters and roof framing were under way. "Nothing can stop us now", said Jed. About that time, Marge called from the house, "Cookies are ready". "Nothing can stop us except for that!", Rex exclaimed as the cubs and Al came on down for some cookies and ice cold lemonade. During the break at the picnic table, Marge got the camera from in the house and took some pictures of the progress made on the tree house. During a conversation about the progress so far, Marge commented, "I bet every cub in the neighborhood will want to come over to the tree house". "Can't say that I'd blame them", Al remarked as everyone chuckled. "Better watch Gail Skunk though", Rex remarked. "Yea. Guard your bottom", Jed added as the cubs laughed. "Okay, cubs. Enough of that", Marge got onto the cubs. "Just remember what your mother and I told you all a few days ago", Al reminded the cubs. "If Gail gets naughty, come tell us, and we'll send her home to her parents". After the break, it was back to work on the tree house. Marge left a pitcher of lemonade and cups out on the picnic table for Al and the cubs. After the roof framing was completed, Al got some brackets, lag bolts and tools needed from the garage to attach the top of the pole to a joist and rafter where it extended over the edge of porch of the tree house...That boxed out indentation provided into the porch deck to clear for use of the pole lined up excellent with it. Al placed a 6 foot step ladder safely positioned on the porch, and asked Clarence, "You up to tackling this one?" "Sure", Clarence replied as he started his way up the ladder. "I'll give it a try". Al then pawed the power drill to Clarence to drill the holes for the lag bolts where had made pencil marks for them. As Clarence began drilling the holes, Al went to help Jed and Rex get the tin roofing and lead head nails up into the tree house to begin the roofing. Of course, like was with the circular saw and the hammer, Clarence had never used a power drill before either, and was forcing the drill bit. Even 6 year old Donna told 8 year old Clarence, "You're forcing the bit. You're forcing the bit. You don't do that". "Don't force the bit, Son", Al said to Clarence, upon hearing Donna getting on to him about it. "Let the drill do the work". "Oh. Okay", Clarence acknowledged. Once Clarence understood the right way to use a power drill, he mentioned, "This does work better. I never knew it was easier this way". "Well I knew that", Donna replied to Clarence as Jed and Rex chuckled. A while later, Randy Fox and Ryan Lynx with his sister Janice came by to see the the tree house being built. By then the wall sheathing and porch railings were on. The tar paper was already over the roof boards, and they were now in the process of beginning to install the tin roof. "Can we help?", 10 year old Randy Fox asked. "And me too?", 12 year old Ryan Lynx added. Al gave it some thought, then replied, "Well, okay". As Randy and Ryan cheerfully began their way up a ladder, Ryan's sister, 9 year old Janice asked, "How 'bout me?". Al said to Janice, "Okay. Come on". Al then made it clear to Randy Fox and the lynx siblings, Ryan and Janice, "Now as you can see, we're 14 feet above the ground putting on this tin roofing. And some of this stuff has sharp edges. There is the potential for accidents here. So if you come up here, you're going to have to follow instructions as I tell you...Okay?" Al also gave them some safety tips about being up on a pitched roof. Randy, Ryan and Janice acknowledged they understood what Al had told them, thus they continued on up to help out. At first, Randy and the lynx siblings were accomplishing nothing but getting in the way. However, once Al got some organization laid down, the three visiting cubs were now a help instead of the detriment they started out as. Sid Calico Cat later came by and wanted to help. "You're only six years old", Randy Fox said to Sid. "Donna is only six, and she's helping", Al replied to Randy, then said to Sid, "Come on up if you want". With that said, the little kitten, Sid, cheerfully began climbing one of the ladders. However, once Sid got up to about seven feet on the ladder, he stopped. "I'm scared. This is too high for me", Sid retorted. "Well. Okay then", Al replied to Sid. With that said, little, six year old, Sid Calico Cat climbed back down and left to go play with some of the other cubs in the neighborhood. A while later, 9 year old Natiline Collie dropped by to check out the new tree house being built. "Wowwww!", Natiline Collie exclaimed. "Can I get in on this?". "You can if you can follow instructions", Al promised. "I can do that", Natiline Collie assured Al Coyote. "Well, come on up", Al replied. "Awright! Thank you, Mr. Al", Natiline exclaimed as she began her way up a ladder. As Al had instructed the other cubs, Al also showed Natiline Collie the basics of installing 5 groove tin roofing on a building. An important point that Al made to Natiline was, "Now when installing 5 groove roofing, the lead head nails are driven in only on top the peak of the grooves. And when you are nailing an overlap, nail only the second groove back in from the edge". "Wouldn't nailing out on the edge groove make it stronger?", Natiline asked. "No it wouldn't" Al replied. "The outer edge grove is to stop rain that splashes under the upper panel from making it's way over to the nail hole of the underlying panel...Understand what I'm saying?". "I think I got it. Yea", Natiline acknowledged. Al also mentioned to Natiline, "And be sure to tap a small indentation with a hammer on top of the groove so the nail doesn't wander on you while you're striking it". It should be noted that back in the day, roof screws with rubberized washers hadn't come into existence yet. Al also mentioned to Natiline, "And if you have any doubts about anything, ask me first before you take it on your own to do something". "Okay. Will do", Natiline assured Al. Of course, it was about 15 minutes after Natiline got on the job that Jed called out to Al, "Dad. Natiline is nailing a roof panel on the flat places". "Natiline! That's not how I told you to do it!"[/i], Al got on to her. "I know", said Natiline. "But I thought it would help hold the roof down better this way". "Didn't I tell you only on top of the grooves?", Al asked Natiline. "But wouldn't this make it stronger?", Natiline asked. "What's nailed on top the grooves is strong enough", Al said to Natiline. "Everywhere you've nailed it on the flat surface are now going to be leaks...The grooves keep the nails above pooling rain water. That's what they're for". "Oh, I didn't realize", Natiline admitted. "I thought I had a good idea". "I did tell you if you have any doubts about anything, to ask me first. And not to take it on your own to do something", Al reminded Natiline. "I guess", Natiline replied. "There's no guess about it", Al said, then told Natiline, "If you want to continue to help out here, you're going to have to follow instructions...Okay?". "Okay", Natiline replied. "This roof panel is ruined, isn't it, Dad?", Jed asked Al. "It will have to come back off. It's ruined", Al acknowledged, then mentioned, "It's a good thing I picked up two extra roof panels in case something like this happens". Being that Al had the foresight to get those two extra roof panels when he made that materials run to Santa Rosa two days ago, the job did not have to be on hold over Natiline Collie's goof up. The thing to do now was to place scrap boards beside the grooves of the bad roof panel, and with the hammer claws, begin pulling out nails. For the places where Natiline Collie had nailed into the flat surface, a piece of scrap board had to be placed on one hammer and hit with another hammer to get the claws under the head of the lead head nail so it can be pulled out. "Hey!" , Rex exclaimed as he heard two hammers clacking steel to steel. "Clarence! Stop! You get some wood between those two hammers!", Al called to Clarence. "Hearing that gave me the jeebies", said Jed. "You and I both", Al replied to Jed. "Oh, I'm sorry", Clarence apologized. "I didn't meant to make the hammers sound so scary". "That's not the issue", Al told Clarence. "You're popping those hammers together steel on steel". "A steel chip could pop off one of those hammers and fly like a bullet", Jed said to Clarence. "And there's no telling which way a steel chip will fly", Al warned Clarence. "And it could go in someone's heart like a bullet and kill you or someone else...It's actually happened before". "Oh my gosh!...I just didn't know", Clarence replied. "Well you do now", Al said to Clarence. "So let's get some wood between those hammers...Okay?". "Alright", Clarence replied as Rex tossed a piece of scrap wood over to Clarence for him to use. Once the nails were pulled from the bad panel, the bad panel was tossed to the ground as a reject, and a good panel trimmed to size and slipped into it's place. And...now that Natiline Collie also got a grip on the concept of following instructions, ie, where to nail down and where not to nail down 5 groove roofing, the rest of the roofing phase of building the tree house continued along smoothly. It was shortly past noon time when Marge called that lunch was ready...Thus the crew stopped to take lunch break. Being that Randy Fox, Ryan Lynx, Janice Lynx and Natiline Collie were helping on the tree house, they were invited to stay over to have lunch with the Coyote Family. During lunch, Al mentioned to the neighbor cubs who showed up, "We appreciate you all helping us out. Work has been going along pretty quick since you came by". "It's pretty cool having the chance to actually build something", Randy Fox replied. "It is a fun thing to do", Natiline added. "Uh-huh", Janice Lynx acknowledged. "It's like being one of those construction guys", Ryan Lynx cheerfully mentioned. "Well, I trust I prepared a good lunch for our little construction crew", said Marge. "It is good. Thank you Mrs. Marge", Randy replied as the others agreed. "I know we'll have lots of fun in that tree house", Jed mentioned. "We can also pretend it's our fort", Rex added. "Yeah!", Randy cheerfully replied. "Fort Duran!". "And we can play house", Donna added as Natiline and Janice agreed. "Yuck...That's girl's play", Randy Fox replied. "Sooooo what?", Janice Lynx retorted. "That tree house is for everyone", Marge interjected. "That's right", Al mentioned. "And after all, Donna, Natiline and Janice are helping to build it too". "And making the tree house off limits to girls only would be politically incorrect", Clarence mentioned as Clarence's comment struck everyone bewildered. "I never heard of that saying before", Ryan Lynx said, hearing that phrase for the first time. "Nor have I", Marge added. "What does that even mean anyway, Clarence?". Clarence started, "It means that..." Then Al interjected, "I remember my dad once told me a politician coined that phrase back in the 1930s...Though I don't remember which politician my dad said it was". "It's a new one on me. That's for sure", Jed mentioned. "It's said all the time in the day and time I came from", Clarence said. "Politically incorrect?", Ryan Lynx asked. "Sure", Clarence acknowledged. "It means when you don't believe what everyone else agrees on...I guess". "So it's a thing said a lot in the future then?", Janice Lynx asked. "That's weird", Ryan Lynx said. "Remember this, cubs", Marge addressed the cubs. "Don't always base what you believe in just because the crowd picks it up and runs with it...Especially you, Clarence, when you are able to get back to your day and time". "Oh...Okay", Clarence acknowledged. "That's right", Al added. "An old saying goes, any dead fish can float downstream. It takes a live fish to swim against the flow". "I have to say, Al. I've never heard of that phrase until now ", Marge said to Al. "I've never actually heard anyone using it myself", Al replied. "Everyone thought that phrase was a flash in the pan that had died out almost 30 years ago". The lunch break continued from shortly past noon till just before 1 o'clock, in which enjoyed a really good meal that Marge had prepared...Now it was time to get back on completing the tree house. Once Al and the cubs were back to work on the tree house, it wasn't long before the tin roof was nearing completion, which meant all the construction work would be done, including the permanent ladder which had already been recently built. Of course, the Mr. Softee ice cream truck showed up in the neighborhood not long after 1 o'clock that afternoon. https://youtu.be/WsCDGY8e0P8?t=5 However, this was the only time the cubs were willing to forgo ice cream from Mr. Softee. They were anxious to get that tree house completed. The only cubs that went out to the ice cream truck that day were those not involved on the tree house project. Shortly after the Mr. Softee ice cream truck had come through and left, the tin roofing was completed. All there was left now was to paint the newly completed tree house. The colour for the tree house would be beige white. There was enough beige white, outdoor, latex paint that had been in the garage to completely paint the tree house and have some left over. The tree house would also look nice with brown trim, although that could always be done at a later time. "It's a good thing this tree house has a wrap around porch on all sides", Jed mentioned. "You got that right on the nail", Rex replied. "With nine of us painting, we'd only have two ladders". "Would have been three ladders with the short one", Natiline Collie added. "You mean that six footer over there?". Ryan Lynx asked Natiline. "You'd have to stand on the tip top of that ladder to reach up the wall. And that wouldn't be safe", Al mentioned to Natiline. "Why not", Natiline asked Al. Jed interjected, "You don't want to try it. Trust me". "It would be a quick way to fall off", Al added. "Yikes", Natiline replied. "I wouldn't like that very well". The other two ladders were extendable ladders...A 14 footer and a 20 footer. Of course, with the tree house having a wrap around porch, the ladders wouldn't be needed except to paint; 1. the outside of the porch railings, 2. gables, 3. roof fascia, 4. and the outer floor joists and joist headers. The wrap around porch was a blessing in that it was like having a scaffold all the way around the tree house. However...Before any painting began, any old news papers and cardboard that could be rounded up were laid down to protect the porch decking from paint drips...Al had planned to get deck finish for the porch at a later time. "Can't we just be careful not to drip any paint", Janice Lynx asked. "Not unless you plan on not painting", Janice's older brother Ryan replied. "If you're going to paint, you're going to drip. It's inevitable", Al said to Janice, then said to the cubs, "Let's go to the garage and get some papers and boxes. I'll get the paint and brushes". Once the porch decking was protected, the bucket of paint was opened and stirred, and the painting began. As Al and the cubs began painting the tree house, right away, Randy Fox got Rex Coyote's attention to how Clarence was using a paint brush. Rex then asked Al, "Dad. What's Clarence doing with that paint brush?...Loop-de-loops?" Clarence didn't even know how to properly paint a house...He could paint a picture okay, but not a house. Instead of using the paint brush in an up and down motion, he was swirling the brush all around. "Gee, Dad. Looks like he's painting spaghetti", Jed mentioned. "Clarence. That's not the right way to use a paint brush", Al said to Clarence. "I didn't know there was a wrong and right way", Clarence replied. Natiline Collie giggled at Clarence, followed by Randy Fox telling Natiline, "We hope you're not forgetting that flub-a-dub you pulled with that roof panel". "Uh. Oh", Natiline replied as Randy gave her a grin. "Well...If you didn't know, you didn't know", Al acknowledged to Clarence. "I'll show you the right way". As Al began instructing Clarence on how to paint a house, he also said to Clarence, "For one thing, you've got way too much paint on that brush". Clarence had paint more than half way up over the metal cladding on the handle of the paint brush. "Depending on how well this brush can be cleaned, it will probably be ruined", Al mentioned about the paint brush. "How would that mess up a brush though?", Clarence asked. "If you can't get all this paint out from where you got it up in the top of the bristles, it will dry there and ruin the brush", Al answered Clarence, then continued, "Let's wipe some of that paint back into the bucket...Now the way to do it is up and down strokes while moving slightly to the side". "Like this", Ryan Lynx said to Clarence while painting. "See how Ryan's doing it?", Al said to Clarence. "That's the right way". "I think I got it now", Clarence said as he began painting a wall correctly for the first time. "See how easy that is?", Al asked Clarence. "Uh-huh", Clarence acknowledged as he continued painting. After Al showed Clarence the proper way to use a paint brush, Clarence wasn't exactly a pro at it, but at least Clarence was now making some progress as to going about it the right way. During the painting operation, Clarence's fiancee while in the year 1960, Cheryl Coyote, showed up, and observed the nine animals; Al, Jed, Rex, Clarence, Donna, Randy, Ryan, Janice and Natiline painting the tree house. "Whatcha all doing, Clarence?", Cheryl asked. "We built a tree house", Clarence answered. "Wow, I see that", Cheryl replied. "So cool". "Ya wanna help?", Ryan Lynx invited to Cheryl. "Mr. Al. Can I?", Cheryl asked. "I'll have to see if I have another paint brush in the garage", Al said to Cheryl as he climbed down from the surrounding porch of the tree house. And sure enough, it wasn't long before Al returned from the garage with a paint brush...It was one of those cheap budget brushes, but it was the only one left...Anyway, it was a paint brush just the same. Now instead of a crew of nine painters, the crew was up to ten... Of course, Clarence and Cheryl, being the lovers they are, stayed with each other while they were painting. Natiline Collie even remarked of Clarence and Cheryl, "Now we have a boy and girl sweetie team up here painting with us". With so many painters, it wasn't long after 2 o'clock that afternoon when painting the tree house was finally complete, and was something certainly to be proud of.
All there was to do now was the clean up of the brushes, and allow the paint to dry, then enjoy the use there of. It wouldn't take very long for the paint dry at least to the touch being it was latex. The only thing that would be later added would be shutters and a door... But that would wait until the approach of autumn in another month and a half. "Well, Clarence. You did catch on pretty good on how to use tools today", Jed commended Clarence as everyone was admiring the tree house. "I have to say, I'm right proud of you, Son...We all are", Al said to Clarence. "How's your thumb?", Marge asked Clarence. "Still hurts a little", Clarence replied. "What carpenter hasn't hit their thumb at one time or another", Al remarked as everyone chuckled. During the construction of the tree house that day, Clarence had gotten some paws on experience in the proper use of tools that he had known absolutely nothing about when he got out of bed that morning. And who even knows?...If Clarence had never took that trip from 2018 to 1960, he might have never had the occasion to learn anything about how to use tools...And maybe never would have even in his adult years in 2028 and beyond.
It was around 6 o'clock that early evening when the paint was finally dry enough to the touch for the cubs to enjoy use of the tree house. Not only did Jed, Rex, Clarence, Donna the neighbor cubs who helped went up into the tree house, many other cubs in the neighborhood also came over. "Looks like the tree house is a popular hit here in Duran", Al said to Marge. "Yes it is. The cubs love it", Marge acknowledged. Needless to say, there was a big crowd of cubs from all over the neighborhood in and around the tree house. Even 7 year old Gail Skunk and her 5 year old brother Dennis were there. "Gail", Jed Coyote got Gail Skunk's attention. "Yes?", Gail responded. Jed then told Gail, "I have to tell you, that if you do any naughty hanky-panky, my dad and mom will tell you that you'll have to leave...Understand?". "Oh...Uh...Okay", Gail skunk replied to Jed Coyote. Gail Skunk had a reputation throughout the neighborhood of having sexual behavior issues. However, Gail didn't want to blow it for herself and her younger brother Dennis as for enjoying the tree house...Thus, Gail was on her good behavior over at the Coyote Family residence. When it got late in the evening, the neighborhood cubs got permission from their parents for a sleep over in the tree house at the Coyote Family residence. And boy was that tree house crowded that night, though despite of being crowded, it was an enjoyable experience for the cubs just the same. Some cubs chose a place to sleep in the tree house itself, and others chose sleeping spots on the wrap around porch. As for those sleeping on the porch, there was no rain forecast for the week end. And the roof overhang protected the porch from any weather anyway. And it was warm weather... After all, it was still summer, the end of July. You might say, this was sort of a "house warming ceremony" for the tree house. As for Gail Skunk, even though there was the big temptation to have wandering paws on the personal territories belonging to the males there, she knew that all it took was for one of the coyote cubs to go tell Mom and Dad, and Gail and Dennis would be sent back home to their parents, Tabitha and Pete...Thus, Gail Skunk behaved herself. As for Clarence and Cheryl, they too resisted temptation and stayed on good behavior. Even though Clarence and Cheryl hugged and snuggled together that night, neither of those two wanted to be in trouble with the parents over their little ongoing affair. Just before the cubs went to sleep for the night, Marge brought some cookies and Kool-ade out to the tree house for them... That was certainly a treat. That Saturday night was a good night.
Parts of this story are also in the pool named "Project Courier".
____________________________________________________________________ Throughout this story, multiple links to songs are being set up. That is because Youtube is aggressively shutting down accounts that have music videos. So in case you click a link and get their notice like shown below, there are two other links to the same song;
Had this story been a Saturday morning television cartoon, I believe this song could almost have been theme music for some of the construction scenes where work on the tree house is progressing right along.
PC stuff was around back in 1960, though was either owned by the military, scientific research facilities, or the recently established NASA...And an average computer took up the space of an entire wall in an office or research lab.
Power tools did stay pretty much the same. Two major differences though were that most of them had casings made of metal instead of plastic. And of all the power tools I've seen as a kid, nearly all of them were double insulated and had a two prong plug with no ground prong.
PC stuff was around back in 1960, though was either owned by the military, scientific research facil
I meant "politically correct", ok basically I usually agree with Clarence and all that, just dislike how toxic it can get. Back then a computer took a whole room!
I've worked with metal ones as well as plastic, more heavy duty ones are metal. A three pronged plug is safer though, even better an outdoor surge protector. Also there can be spring loaded guards that even Al would approve of.
I meant "politically correct", ok basically I usually agree with Clarence and all that, just dislike
![Been Seeing a Lot of This With Links to Youtube Now Days [Page 2] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2693/2693771_moyomongoose_notice_cr_noncustom.jpg "Been Seeing a Lot of This With Links to Youtube Now Days [Page 2] by moyomongoose")
