A Little Sunshine On A Rainy Friday

I'm sitting here looking out the window at gray skies remembering back to the sun we had just a day ago. Then my eye moved to the somewhat decaying swing set I built for Grace a couple years ago....which then made me think back to other stuff I've built plus add that to me wanting it to be summer and you know exactly how I got to this post.

In 2005, my friend Beth Jensen and I threw my husband a luau birthday party in our backyard. It was really the start endless hours in the garage... and the start of an incredible friendship with the Gottliebs, aka the other half of the Gottcocks. We ended up building a bar, a stage, apparently we built a faux sail boat that I don't remember, luau tables and a tall table made to look like a surfboard. Pretty much all from scrap wood and a bookcase. Beth and I tried to keep it a secret by storing our phenomenal craftsmanship in the garage but eventually Scott found out...and then if I remember correctly, he helped with the some of the stage building. We still argue about who gets the most credit for the wall mural. I started it and then he came in to help me. I still say me. All me. And to Beth, I owe you more than the crappy beer and pizza you're getting tonight. There is no way any of it would've happened without you. And that includes Mod Mom Furniture.

Anyhow, here's Hawaii in the backyard of a San Fernando Valley house on this dreary rainy day.

Hope you enjoy!


(Patch, Sam and Michael -- all so little and squidgy then.)


(Scott was singing to the kids. I think it was an Elvis song. From Left: Grace, Michael, Noah, Jack, Katie, Patrick, and Sam.)


(The bar. Beth had the awesome idea to build it from the base of an old bookcase. Smart one, that Beth!!)


(The set-up. I think I made that table out of scraps I found in someone's yard. Classy.)


(The actual party)


(Beth and yours truly singing Hit Me With Your Best Shot. I think we brought the house down with that one.)

* I don't have any pictures of it but Jim, Beth's husband, did some juggling with sticks of fire. And he did well considering he'd been to the bookcase bar many, many times before his performance. Jim, you're a brave man.