Mt. Pleasant Classical Academy

This is the time when many folks start planning their coming school year. I know I am usually in full-swing-planning-mode by the end of April and this year is no exception. More about next year plans later. However, sometimes you just can’t plan in unexpected bonuses. At least that’s what I will call this one.

Earlier in the week DH came home from work early and immediately headed back out with the pick-up truck. Soon he was calling for ScienceKid to join him outside to build steps leading from our mudroom door to the backyard. We’ve been without steps for 3 years or so and since we never used this door it has been no big deal avoiding a 4′ drop. As I watched the steps go in I started dreaming of how dog-paw-dirt might be contained in a mudroom. Imagine that! Dirt and mud in a mudroom rather than in the kitchen, family room, dining room,…. By Friday evening, and only by working in the evenings, a foundation was laid, blocks laid, and a beautiful landing with a couple steps now grace my mudroom exterior doorway.

It took quite a few treats, and lots of coaxing though to get Brutus to go up these steps. I could see his brain working — now, the last time I came in this door I did a jump up to get in. hmm, how am I going to jump 6′ laterally and 4′ vertically? Nope, I will not walk up these things, there has got to be a way to jump up them since that’s how I have always done it. Too funny to watch. What a silly dog!

Saturday morning I headed out at the crack of dawn with MilitaryKid. We made a quick stop at Helen’s Famous Sausage House before doing our shopping. MK keeps going through these growing spurts and presently stands 5′ 3-1/2″ and weighs 90# fully clothed, and since he loves Helen’s sausage it is a great meal for him. Oh to be so skinny. DH had said he really didn’t know what he was going to do for the day but once back home we discovered that DH must have had a plan! There he was operating a back-hoe and producing a 900 sq ft wasteland. A few hours later flagstone and pea-stone were delivered. He was crafting a 30′ x 30′ patio so we could walk from the patio, or mudroom, or driveway, or garage without stepping into mud. Imagine that! Maybe the dogs and I won’t need to use that mudroom entrance afterall.

Throughout this project SK was by his Dad’s side, sometimes operating the backhoe, more often moving pea-stone (the cushion material that should be under flagstone), sometimes hooking up 400# slaps of flagstone to the backhoe’s bucket and then guiding them into place, and always following his Dad’s directions. Now, how could I a year ago plan for such a great Industrial Arts course for him this year? One that has included over the past year; installing insulation in the garage, building and installing a kitchen pantry cabinet unit, and now building a flagstone patio and stone steps. Totally divine.