Page 4 - Scene Magazine January 2024 4901

As Scene By
BY FREDERICK (RICK) D
ERUITER, PUBLISHER
taken the time to start journals, I’m not sure I’d actually remember any of 2023
in accurate detail. Ask my wife... I tend to gloss over details. She would suggest that I never retell a story the same way twice – and that’s true. For me, details tend to get glorified or forgotten altogether.
My first foray into journals would be the photo journal I keep of projects. The photo journal has become a necessity. There have been several occasions when I get a request to make something I’ve already made, and I don’t remember how I made it the first time. It happened just the other day. My neighbor Mary Jo, asked if I could make her another coat rack. “Sure.” I said. Good thing I had a picture of the first one!
A few years ago I started a new journal titled... “In The Yard.” Every year when Spring approaches I’ve found it easier to remember how to start the new growing season if I have a record of what I bought the year before. I’ll write down the quan- tity and locations that I used grass seed, soil, and fertilizer. I’ll write in the “yard” journal nearly every day. I keep track of when I mow the lawn, plant flowers, when the flowers bloom, and how many lawn bags I use when I rake the leaves. And to be honest it’s fun reading about previous years... when the tomatoes ripened and how many lawn bags I used in previous years before winter arrived.
Here’s an example... I’m gonna tell you what happened on my first day of kindergarten. You may wince a bit – it’s very big news – I don’t remember that day at all. And to be honest, I don’t remember any real details of any of my “first days
of school,” with one exception. My mom told me that when I got to first grade – I’d know how to read. After the first day of first grade I went home with a worried look. My mom asked with concern... “How was it today?” And I answered...
“I still can’t read.”
I’ve since discovered that just a picture isn’t enough. I need details. The wood, the screws, the dimensions, you know... all the fun stuff. So now I also keep a journal with sketches and DETAILS. Last year I made everyone in my family a footstool for Christmas. They’re all somewhat different, but use the same basic materials and structure.
I’ve mentioned before that I make project lists for the Spring and Fall seasons. After I finish building all the Christmas presents – I’ll give the work- shop a good cleaning. Then I get ready for the new year in my journal with these words... New year. New projects. Holy bananas, my wife is gonna love the new laundry room!
Holy bananas the year 2023 is gone – I can barely believe it. So much happened, and kind of in an odd way – nothing happened at all. If it weren’t for the fact that I have
horrendous weakness for remembering details for a reason. It’s a new year. A new year means new projects. I LOVE projects! Oh, I can barely wait to get started on this winter’s big project. I’ve actually thought up the project’s strategies on my walks. Heck, I’ve even calculated costs while I’m trying to sleep. Of course there’s problem... I’ll forget all the details the next day. Enter the “journals.”
I can look in my journal for the details if I want to build some more. I even keep notes about my DIY projects... for instance, the locations of all the studs in the walls of my house.
So I bring up the passing year, and my
4 SCENE 4901 I EDUCATION ISSUE
New year. New projects.
DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
Be a super sleuth... join the ongoing hunt for Rick DeRuiter
Pour through the pages of Scene this month and find the
elusive DeRuiter. Warn your friends. Warn your neighbors. He’s in there somewhere, waiting for the one lucky detective to find him!
LAST MONTH... Page... 28 LAST MONTH’S WINNER... CYNTHIA KELLY
LOOK! – Now you can e-mail your detective work too! rick@scenepub.com. Include your name, daytime phone, and what page you found him. Tell us why you love SCENE, and you’re name will be entered twice! OR go on-line at... www.scenepub.com
WIN A
WHERE
COULD HE BE?
Have you found him in this issue?
If yes, call Scene at 979-1410 or email
to have your name entered in the drawing to receive A GIFT CERTIFICATE TO A LOCAL BUSINESS. You must make your discovery by February 5, 2024 and the winner will be announced in the next issue of SCENE!
VALUABLE PRIZE!