Dawn opened up a sunny, springtime Saturday, just right for scaling a ladder and making final adjustments to the gutters I put up two weeks ago.

On the patio below, Little Roo found my plastic pack of drill bits irresistible. While I cut tin to make a splash shield, he studied the battery-powered drill. We took a mid-job swing break for the good of both of us.

Squeeky took him inside for his afternoon nap while I drove the last sheet-metal screws home. As I packed up the tools, a spattering sound got my attention.

Rain. On a sunny day. Two minutes after I finished a job that needed water-testing.

I set my glasses inside and took an observer's position out under the eaves. Two spots will need some touch-up sealer. Not bad for a total novice.

The day didn't start so auspiciously. We cracked a dozen eggs for breakfast, and the shells formed an impenetrable sand bar in the sink trap. Thinking the clog was farther downline, I rented a 25-foot manual sewer snake and went at it from three directions: outside wall, roof vent, and inside, under the sink. Only upon disassembling the trap did I see the jam-up that had, until that moment, resisted all the might I could bring to bear on a plunger.

For the record, a dozen eggshells ground in a disposal could be used for construction aggregate. Finding and clearing that mess swallowed a good 2½ hours.

Eh. I had the precipitation concinnity to lighten my afternoon, so overall it qualified as a Good Day.

Fancy Nancy is a little bedtime story of a girl who likes to play dress-up. One day she talks her family into joining her on a "fancy" night on the town (the pizza joint). Preposterousness ensues.

Naturally, Squinx got the idea that we should follow Nancy's lead and have dinner at the local Italian eatery in full dress of her choosing. For me, this meant an orange striped shirt, bow tie, and feather belt. Squeeky was awarded an Indian silk skirt with assorted faux-pearl necklaces and a scarf in her hair, crowned with plastic flowers. Little Roo got a scarf wrapped around his shoulders and spiky hair. Squinx sported two tutus (tutututu?) and two scarves knotted around each shoulder, with a sequined headband.

It went about as you'd expect. Squinx hammed it up for the help and any passersby who cared to comment. Then, partway through dinner, I remembered Squeeky and I had not yet gone to vote.

So, one hour later, we walked into the precinct dressed like all that, and the woman working the registration table—who remembered me from college 200 miles away and almost 20 years ago—announced, "Fancy Nancy!" Squinx couldn't seem to believe our game had preceded us.

Photos all around. Voting ensued. Candidates chosen. Feather belts waved.

I'm liking this Daddy role more all the time.

Posted by: Michael Rittenhouse at 03:16 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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