Barn Raisin'

Darren has decided to take off work this week ~ no big vacation planned.  We're just going to stay around the farm and get some things done.

He's been working on the barn off and on for the last several days.  Saturday he had to take a pick axe to the rock bank behind the barn to level it off some.  Yesterday, he decided to work on putting the floor in on one side.  Sarah and I had to run a few errands and when we returned, Darren requested my help.   
Okay, just so you know...I have no carpentry, construction, hammering, etc skills.  So, he was going to hold the board tight up against the other while I hammered the nail into the floor joist.   Well, it all sounds easy enough on paper...er, in typing.  He's pulling back on his lever thingy and says "Now...hammer the nail in"...The hammer makes contact with the nail ~ Wow..I'm impressed with my skills.  However, the rebellious nail suddenly takes a quick swerve to the left.  I blush and begin tapping it back up straight...Darren is calm.  I hit again and make a good hard knock straight down.  Okay, I have it now ~ I can do this!  I hit again and the obnoxious nail once again veers the wrong way.  I duck my head against the exasperated look and tap the nail back into position.  Another knock and the nail head is now bent and going the wrong way again.  So I laugh...what else is there to do?  When face to face with your inadequacy, just try again and laugh it off....  Only I"m laughing alone...Darren is shaking his head...and still pulling on the lever,  mind you.  I finally get the nail to become flush with the board.  Victory at Last!!!  Why don't I feel triumphant??  Hmmm...
We move to the next board.  I am once again manning the hammer :)  So as to avoid holding you in suspense, I will tell you that yes, the story for this nail follows much the same outline as the last nail.  We continue on and it occurs to me that Darren has already begun hammering!! What???  Is he doing my job?   He mutters something about just getting the next couple of nails in quickly.  Wonder if that had anything to do with my hammering speed??  To make a long story short, I bent a couple more nails, and finally he grimaced and asked he if I could just go get him some water.  Well, yeah, I think I can handle that :)

And just as a follow-up, he did finish the floor and it is beautiful.  I love it!  I'd really like to put a wood stove in it and make it my Little Prairie school room but for some reason he's not going for it.....  I'll post a picture of the floor soon.