donforrester1947 posted: " You know the drill: "If at first, you don't succeed, try try again." The truth of the matter is that I didn't try. The workbench I ordered from Home Depot was obviously not made in the USA and the contents of the box were not at all what I was " Carpe Diem
You know the drill: "If at first, you don't succeed, try try again." The truth of the matter is that I didn't try. The workbench I ordered from Home Depot was obviously not made in the USA and the contents of the box were not at all what I was expecting.
The directions were without words, and the pictures didn't reflect much. The directions did include a listing of parts. All of the screws, washers and nuts of varying sizes were in a single plastic bag. It was obvious to me that sorting the hardware was the first challenge. However, why should I struggle figuring it out when I have a fourteen-year-old grandson who would enjoy the exercise. I called in the troops (aka - Jake).
As a first step, I suggested to Jake that we sort the hardware by sizes and put each size on a paper plate. He assured me that he didn't need to do that. He could tell by looking, and he would pick out what he needed.
He suggested that I go back into the house while he continued the assembly in the garage. He said, "Granddad, I've got this covered."
Confident that Jake would work his magic, I went back inside the house. In short order, he was back inside the house with me. He had hit a roadblock. He figuratively announced "calf rope", he was giving up. The pictures (aka - directions) weren't clear and it didn't make sense. My thoughts exactly!
I hated to throw away $195, but I had destroyed the box the workbench came in getting it open. I couldn't take it back for a return to the store. There was no further discussion.
Whether the General verbalized that she would assemble the bench or just quietly decided to do it, I don't remember. When I got back from where I was going, she had sorted the hardware in paper plates and had begun assembly inside the house in air-conditioned comfort.
Of course, not being one to allow me to pass up a life lesson, she made it clear when I returned that I should have left all of the hardware in the bags they came in. She was clear: "No one in their right mind would take all of the screws, washers and nuts of varying sizes and pile them all together! What was I thinking?"
I dodged the bullet by making it clear that the hardware came from China in the single bag with everything inside. I was not responsible for mixing everything together.
With the patience of Job, the General didn't give up until the assembly was completed. She now wanted it out of the house and into the garage.
It took a little shuffling of stuff, but I adhered to her request. Actually, I'm pretty impressed with her abilities.
Gone are the days when most of the kids Christmas presents were marked with the dreaded words: "Some assembly required." I was the person who always considered it my responsibility to make the magic happen. I should have outsourced it to the General. She holds the magic.
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