On the fence

11/28/09 Thirteen 4'x4's, sold on craigslist for $20

One of the best things we've done to improve our home is to replace the fence around our pool, which we did two years ago. As we must for any big job, we called my parents into service. They came over and helped us dig the new post holes and erect the new fence. Free labor is the best kind.

The old fence, rotten as it was, required several trips to the dump. However, I saved the fence posts, which were still perfectly good lumber. I stacked them carefully beneath our deck, under the cover of an old tarp left over from our old temporary garage.

I used a few of them, most notably to build a clothesline.

I am loath to give up usable lumber, but it was taking up valuable storage space, and it had "downsize" written all over it.

Today I sold the remaining posts to a personable guy named Greg. He planned, appropriately enough, to use them to build a fence for his dogs. One fence to another, separated by a few years.

It's interesting. That old fence was in such decrepit condition, we couldn't replace it fast enough. And now, parts of it shall create a new fence, perfectly functional and thoroughly economical.

Just as I want to think of myself.