Saturday, September 12, 2009

Oh So Special Lynne

So, a couple weeks ago, danthecabinetman hooked me up with Oh So Special Lynne, a feisty eighty-four year old woman living just south of the Birthplace of Speed in sunny Daytona Beach.

Well, as it turns out Oh So Special Lynne has been looking for "My Guy" since she sold that apartment complex some years back.

Yeah, this oleunemployedconstructionworker, as described by thecardude, is a Boutique Contractor, a name that works for this olelongrooffan.

However, having said that, there is nothing better than being a "My Guy". As in, "You need that done? Call My Guy." Nothing better in my world.

So I am relocating the rogue air conditioning vent from that rare wall mounted location to the desired ceiling location and realize I need a taller ladder than this olestationbus owning dude had brung, yes brung, along to work on that cool Octogenarian's home.

I mentioned to Oh So Special Lynne that I needed to run over to the Kid's house to pick up a taller ladder as this ole man couldn't hoist himself up into that attic with that three foot stepladder I had chosen to bring along today.

Oh, by the way, when I first met Oh So Special Lynne, I had inadvertantly blocked the driveway to her home, thus removing any way for The Daughter to leave at her convenience. As a result, The Daughter stayed during my whole meeting with her lovely Mom, with Mom outlining all the stuff she needs "My Guy" to do.

Anyway, when I arrived to move the aforementioned air conditioning vent, The Daughter was there also. When I realized the error of my ladder induced ways, I commented to Oh So Special Lynne I needed to go get a ladder from the Kid's home, as I am ladder challenged.

She mentions her sister, Killer Kay, has a couple tall ladders and she is only a few blocks away.

Well, after a phone call between the sisters, The Daughter and this olelongrooffan headed off to Killer Kay's home in my oleragtop. When we arrived, Killer Kay was putzing around in her garage, just waiting for us to arrive.

We drive in that old two ribbons of concrete driveway and I see Killer Kay's New Beetle safely nestled in that one car garage of her home.

I promptly load up that much needed ladder, upside down, in the rear passenger's compartment of that oleragtop and, after a bit of chatter, The Daughter and this olelongrooffan head back to meet up with Manuel Labor for a bit of fun.

So, since that day, I have spent some time over at Oh So Special Lynne's home removing her old cabinets, chipping up the old tile floor in her kitchen, hanging those new front porch lights that she liked but The Daughter didn't, cutting off those vertical blinds that were not hung high enough to begin with, assisting in making decisions about granite issues....you know, just the "My Guy" kind of stuff I seem to be successful doing.

So, by now, The Daughter has treated me to a wonderful night at Bonefish Grill, Stonewood Grill, where, incidentally, I met one of my neighbors here at the Taj Mahal.....and the reason he remembered me?......Hey don't you own an old van, the bartender asked....Yeah....Well, I live next door to you...and yet another night The Daughter treated me to a totally memorable home cooked dinner of the best stuffed lobster tails in thisoleman's memory.

So, by now, I have spent several not quite full time days with Oh So Sweet Lynne and we have bonded. I mean, her family is Roman Catholic, as am I, and when I mentioned TheGentleManFarmer's career, it kind of drove home that bond. Oh So Sweet Lynne shared with me the fact she is a Eucharistic Minister at Our Lady of the Lourdes, her home church and after that, it was like we were family.

So, yesterday, danthecabinetman's company installed Oh So Special Lynne's granite countertops which means this oleunemployedconstructionworker needs to provide "The Tools and The Talent" to connect her sink and dishwasher, poste haste.

And Counters, guess what I did?

If you guessed I spent this afternoon underneath a new stainless steel sink with a date with plumbers white tape, You Are Correct.

Now while I am doing this, thejeepjunkie is installing a new set of sliding glass doors, performing his "My Guy" duties for another not so aged challenged woman.

Over the course of the afternoon, we exchanged several phone calls with the subject being, Twitter-Like....

Going to Lowes, need anything?

Going to Ace Hardware, need anything?

Going back to Lowes, need anything?

Going back to Ace, need anything?

So, toward the end of this Saturday,thejeepjunkie and this olelongrooffan speak and he is finishing up his project.

"Where are you heading?" he asked.

"Back Beachside" was my reply.

Okay then. And I don't hear from him again for about 20-25 minutes.

As I am cramped up under that sink, trying my best contortionist's moves, my cell phone vibrates and I flip it open to see thejeepjunkie's credentials on that screen.

"Whatca doing longroof?"

"Hooking up Oh So Special Lynne's sink. What about you?"

"TheGoodAttorney and thejeepjunkie are sitting on the front porch of the Taj Mahal and drinking your beer."

"Well, little brother, it's not my beer and when you are done having fun at my place, come on done to Oh So Special Lynne's pad."

And he did.

Yeah, thejeepjunkie came on down and, as always, displayed his charm and helped this olebeachside dude hook up the phone jack and hang a new light fixture in the dinette that Oh So Sweet Lynne spends her mornings in.

I have to tell you, it was funny.

As Oh So Sweet Lynne and The Daughter are Catholic, I know they possess a colorful vocabulary, as well as a sense of humor.

And they do.

As I mentioned to them, while thejeepjunkie was on that two step ladder doing those electrical connections for that new light fixture, I turned to them and said...

"You know how siblings have affectionate names for each other?"

And both of those beautiful women said "Yes."

I mentioned to them that thejeepjunkie and I did also.

"What is it?" they asked.

Both thejeepjunkie and this olelongrooffan, at the same time, said

"DUMBASS!!!"

and everyone started laughing our butts off.

Yeah that is how we are down here in the Sunshine State. Getting an 85 year old Eucharistic Minister to laugh out loud at the word dum-bass!!!

So, we finished up, and I am done with this phase of working on Oh So Special Lynne's home and she asked me what she owed, promptly cut a check and handed me said check as well as a bottle bag and this is what was inside.

I am pretty sure The Daughter had something to do with Oh So Special Lynne's decision in this matter.

But ya know what?

That is not what this blog is about.

No, like the youngsters, here, Oh So Special Lynne, all of 84 or 85 years old knows the same etiquette manners, of which the NotSoLilJim and LilMom possess.

And those are the folks I like to hang around with.

And check out the following images of Oh So Special Lynne's note.




And the fact this 85 year old, funny and beautiful woman, would consider providing a marriage proposal to this olelongrooffan helps me to

Celebrate Life.

2 comments:

Busplunge said...

My guy

Photos????

Horse-farmer said...

Way to go.......
love it when you can enjoy working with someone on a project both want done.
Good job