My mother has an adorable beach house.  I call it The Hobbit House. There was a cute and very original picket fence surrounding it. Termites had gotten to the fence, and it was on the verge of collapse. Mother’s Day was approaching and, as is custom in our family, labor is the best gift ever.

 

My brother and I had had a falling out several months before, and we hadn’t spoken for much of that time. I knew that I couldn’t do the job myself, so his help was vital.

 

We managed to put aside our differences for the sake of our amazing mother.

I had taken measurements and given my mother a supply list a few weeks in advance so she had everything waiting for us.

 

We started early in the morning, attempting to replicate the previous fence. I manned the chop saw, and my brother did most of the demo and the heavy lifting. We both worked on screwing on the slats. We only took a break for lunch and again for a great dinner. The final cuts were made and remaining pickets installed with my mother holding a lamp outside so we could actually see.

 

We completed it all except for the entry gate. I returned a week later to build and install it. My brother and I managed to build that fence without a single argument. I think for my mother that was the greatest Mother’s Day gift we ever could have given her.