D. C. Donahue Books

Be thankful, grateful, patient, charitable, kind, and don’t forget to smile, as it is infectious. God Bless America and Protect Our Military!!

I feel most productive when I complete a project – creating, building, painting, fixing, writing, and diving into whatever the task is at hand, whether at work or on a more personal level of accomplishment. It just always seems a little better when it’s a personal, hands-on project. About five years ago, several projects came to mind.

I wanted to do some projects with my two oldest grandsons, Charlie and Kevin. So, the first project we did was to replace the four window wells at their new home. Although tired, they felt a real sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

So, the following Spring, with their help and my design, we put in a slate patio at our new house. To this day, five years later, it still gives them a boost to their pride.

On a personal level, I built a picnic table, a wooden crib for storing firewood from the pallets the material came. I then fashioned six bench seats to sit on. Later, the next Spring, with my late brother-in-law Steve and Charlie, we put in the post supporting the canopy over the patio.

Later that fall, with the help of my daughter Kate, we put in a fire pit. These are just some of the projects we’ve done in the 8 years we’ve been here. We also put in a garden, fruit trees that bear fruit, fenced gardens and the like.

As any homeowner will tell you, projects are endless from move to move. Over the years, I have done my share of projects that I still look back on fondly at each house we lived in, and too many to list here.

I might add that I had our children help with many projects. It was sort of a coming-of-age, building memories, creating a sense of pride, and passing on some of the knowledge my father gave me. It taught them that, with the right tools, a little planning, research, and a hands-on work ethic, they could do anything they put their minds to. I know this will inspire them today and reignite those same feelings they can carry on and maybe someday share with their children.

Feel free to share a project memory of your own.