Day 1127 Storage

 

My mission to buy a storage chest for my deck to hold all the couch cushions was a success—sort of. I didn’t realize just how incredibly large it would be! When I look at dimensions online, I might as well be reading Chinese. This one looked perfect in the photos, but when I went to pick it up... there was no way it was fitting into my car.

I quickly texted my son-in-law to see if he could pick it up with his truck, and thankfully, he was happy to help. Tim spent the morning assembling it—"some assembly required" being a serious understatement. Once it was finally put together and placed in the spot I had earmarked on the deck, we both burst out laughing. Tim joked that we could store not only the cushions but also the entire furniture set inside it!

Darn that Job Lot—I really needed to see it in person first! That said, I scored a great deal: I paid around $250 and got $125 back in Job Lot credit to use later, so all in all, I can’t complain. I’ve since measured the new chest, jotted down the ideal dimensions for a replacement, and handed it all off to Tim to help me hunt for the perfect size. The oversized one will be demoted to under the deck soon enough—and who knows, maybe it’ll come in handy someday... if I ever need to hide a dozen bodies!

The rest of the day was filled with house projects. I cooked dinner for an unknown number of guests—my daughter wasn’t sure if her crew could make it, but fifteen minutes before dinner, she texted to say they were on their way. I quickly peeled more potatoes but otherwise had enough food to go around.

We were celebrating three birthdays, and I made cupcakes for each person: chocolate with cream cheese frosting, chocolate with chocolate, and funfetti with white frosting. In all the chaos, I totally forgot that my son-in-law had just had a birthday at the end of August—I'll have to bake him something special next time!

Once everyone left, I managed to clean all the dishes and put the food away. Tim kept me company, entertaining me with stories while I worked—he’s good like that. We both agreed it was a perfect low-key day: building, cleaning, cooking, and simply enjoying being home together.

Days like this remind me that even the most chaotic plans can turn into great memories. I may still be hunting for the right storage chest, but I'm not short on laughter, love, or cupcakes.