Birthday present for the boy

The new chiminea I bought for the boy's birthday. I put it together all by myself! (let's hope it doesn't explode the first time we use it!)


This would be the old chiminea that came with our house. You can see our obvious need for a new one. You can't tell from this picture, but there's a rusted-out hole in the bottom.



The side-by-side comparison tells the whole story.




So pretty.

This was definitely a task! I bought it this morning while the boy was at work. I had to fit it into the car (big boxes+Corolla=brain teaser type puzzle). I had gone grocery shopping, and decided to put the groceries in the back seat, thinking that I would put the chiminea in the trunk. The chiminea had other plans. I had to remove all the groceries from the back and place them in the trunk in the Lowes parking lot. After trying unsuccessfully to fit the box behind the driver's seat, I lugged the box around the other side of the car (did I mention that the chiminea is CAST IRON?). I had to collapse the front passenger seat forward and slide it all the way up to be able to maneuver the box into the back. I finally get the box into the back, and slide the seat back and upright so that it won't move around as much.

Then I bring it home. Thinking that it will rain at ANY moment (the skies were VERY ominous!) I decided to assemble it in the garage. When I took the giant top part out of the box, it landed on my ankle-skinned and sore, thank you very much! I grabbed the necessary tools - phillips screwdriver and a robo-grip and set out to work. The directions stated it was a 20 minute job - woohoo!

I follow the directions, and the very first thing it says - recommended that 2 people assemble. Aw crap. While holding part F & G together, put the screw through both parts, and attach the leg, then place a washer and a lock-tight washer and a nut on the end. Sounds simple, until you realize you have to do this while balancing it all on top of your lap - did I mention it was CAST IRON?? Four legs later, I've got that part done. After flipping the blasted thing over and over, bending my arms in strange positions to get to the screws, I finish. 20 minutes my @(#*&$!!!!!!

Now the boy is 10 minutes away, and I want it in place (which is the BACK of the house). Brilliantly, I realize I have to move it, again...CAST IRON! I get out the wheelbarrow and somehow manage to place it inside and hold it (since it doesn't really fit in) down the hill and around the house.

SUCCESS! I think he liked it - we haven't used it yet.

We went out to Christina's restaurant in Leominster, which was a pretty nice Italian restaurant. We had bread & oil, salads, pasta, and split a canolli for dessert. I had vegetable risotto, and the boy had garlic & olive oil penne with meatballs on the side.

Now we're heading off to bed, with the boy waiting for his birthday gift from Mother Nature - he's hoping for a thunderstorm.