FAMILY TIME SUNSET ON THE WESTERN EDGE

Family time needs a motto, and this could be one:

“It’s better to create something and be criticized that to create nothing and criticize others.”

But what feeds the creative force?

Wife: Let’s get pedicures.

Me: Okay, but I’ve got plans so let’s get in and get out.

Wife: Let’s try and relax, okay. Let’s try that.

Me: How do we relax with someone is grinding on our feet?

Wife: It’s easy.

I don’t know what she ordered, but it was a lot.

Was it relaxing?

Nail Tech: I just grated two pounds of callous off your feet.

Me: Is there any blood?

Wife: They don’t draw blood.

Me: I’ll be on my feet all week so this ought to help.

Wife: It will.

Me: We’re finishing a project.

Wife: I know.

 

Creative Family Time

My oldest kid and I built a fence. Call it work, or family time.

I call it family time for obvious reasons.

Some people have kids and celebrate their accomplishments from a distance.

I have kids so I can join the celebration with wood, power tools, and sunset beers.

How great was it to screw the last boards into place?

It felt worthy of the bottle of champagne used to christen new ships off the boat yard and into the water.

Replace champagne with Pacifico and it’s the same deal.

End of the day, end of the project. Cheers.

So often we do things that seem unending to the point of it feeling like nothing got done but pushing the pile of life to the next day.

The visual effect of a new fence stops that notion dead in its tracks.

Sure, call it a wooden wall and move along.

A family time wooden wall is a different thing.

It’s not a museum object to analyze, not an art piece, but when it comes with a learning process of trial and error with kids it’s a golden memory.

To the rest or the world it’s just another fence; to me it’s The Great Wall Of Tigard.

 

What’s Next On The Family Calendar 

With two kids married with their own kids, what’s next is an open question.

Will the next task be rounding everyone up so the boys can hoist their momma?

With shirts off?

We can do that.

All Pro Dad gives us 101 Weekend Family Activity Ideas.

The top ten:

 

1. Family bike rides
2. Game night
3. Neighborhood walks
4. Sports training
5. Yard work
6. Laundry day
7. Volunteer in the community
8. Family movie night or marathon
9. Read a book together

 

The good news is that the moms and dads in the family are all up to speed.

No is wondering why they’re shackled to each other and their kids.

No is taking a break to figure out whether they want to raise kids.

I didn’t, I haven’t, and I never will.

I got married with good intentions and they’ve all been realized. So far, Lol.

The key to family success is spending enough time together to know where the edge to fall off is.

If you are an accomplished shit-talker, remember who it is you’re talking to.

Some people talk it better than others; some people can deal with it better than others; some people can’t tell the difference between normal talk and shit-talk.

As a granddad in the group I can tell you will all certainty what not to do:

Don’t get all puffed up and defensive and aggressively lean into people to make a point.

However, if I were to be honest, and why not, after days of manual labor and evenings of beers, it feels natural to bet a jerk.

Call it ‘letting off steam’ or call it being a jerk. Most jerks like to call it letting off steam.

I call it being a jerk when I hear it; the same goes when I’m the jerk doing it, but an accountable jerk.

Recognize the problem in others, and do the same for yourself.

Any questions?

Why not do something creative if you have the time?