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Saturday, June 7, 2014

Building Bun Bun a Home

Poppy's shop...



Dear Friends,

What I need to do here is a post on how "NOT" to build a rabbit hutch! Seriously! Why didn't I take "shop" instead of "home economics" in high school? Probably because you did not have that choice back then!



Funny how you don't know what you really enjoy doing in life until it is too late. Most of my time as a teenager was spent laying on my back on mama's cedar chest, daydreaming about being a movie star or an opera singer. A movie star...me...too bashful to buy a ticket at a movie theater let alone act in a movie.  And an opera singer...yeah right! I can't carry a tune well enough to help sing the hymns in church.

So back to the rabbit hutch. How much wood does it take to build rabbit hutch anyhow? I've used eight 2x4's, and sawed the brackets off one good saw horse which gave me 5 more shorter 2x4's which are now part of the hutch. In town yesterday, I bought 12' of wire mesh but still need a couple of short 2'x4' pieces added so the wire will fit flush. The more I build the more wood I need and the hutch is not getting any bigger. There is one more 2x4 that Poppy said I could use. All it needs is the "no trespassing" sign sawed off the end.



As Hank Hill says, "I tell you wot", taking apart an old pallet is near bout impossible. The nails will not pull out! That's what hurt my back in the first place! I need the wood in that pallet to build a door! 

Andee was telling me just yesterday that some community colleges will let seniors sit in on classes for free...like "shop"! Would this knowledge be too late for me with this Osteoporosis in my back? My back! I hammered and pulled out nails, and sawed 2x4's while bending over for too many hours yesterday. Disgusted, with one foot I raked all the bent and crooked nails into a pile on the floor of Poppy's shop and dragged myself into the coolness of the house. Perhaps I need to label that one jar of used nails, "L" shaped nails...



Poppy preached to me all morning about all these things I am trying to do.  Is hurting your back really worth building a rabbit cage, he said. Just keep it up and one day you won't be able to do anything.  So, I suppose I will try to cool it a little and just finish painting the trim on the back porch today. All that's left to do there is the trim on each end and the boards up near the top, which require climbing to the top of the ladder...something I put off doing when I painted last Tuesday. I can't wait to show you before and after pictures, which means I need to end this break and get busy.  

When Bun Bun's new home is finished, I will proudly show you that too! :)  Thank you so much for stopping by. We simply need more hours in the day!!! And a good back brace! :)

Love,
Henny Penny






14 comments:

  1. Well, it's looking pretty sturdy to me! I have often thought the same thing - it would have been much more beneficial to have had a shop class than home ec. Be careful on that ladder!

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    1. Thank you Cynthia! I love using a hammer and saw!

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  2. Maybe the reason we retire is because we really need those extra hours : we should be spreading our "one-day" projects over three to save our backs, rotator cuffs, arthritic elbows, etc!
    On the plus side, look at all the great kindling you have now for those winter fires.

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    1. That is the truth! I get in too big of a hurry and want things done immediately!

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  3. I have never in my life done any woodworking. I'mm impressed. I hope your rabbit is too.

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    1. I just hope I can finish the job and hold up! :)

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  4. I have such great plans in my head for all sorts of wonderful things I will build/make,but with everything else there is to do ,they will stay in my mind forever,I guess!
    Jane x

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    1. I know what you mean! Most mornings I am awake way too early thinking about some new project I would love to do. Poppy says he is ready to stop planning and building and just maintain what we have.

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  5. To bad daddy is not alive he would come and knock it together in just a few minutes. He use to build me rabbit pens when I was little. I miss him so much. So it is in your blood to build and it looks like you are doing a great job. I have missed your post while your computer was sick. I am glad it is fixed. I can not wait to see your painting.

    Love you!

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    1. Oh I know. He could have put that cage together in no time. I hope I can finish it. It will be funny if it won't fit through the shop door!

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  6. Whoa, Henny! You are the bomb, building a rabbit hutch! Well, girl, you are doing something I could only dream of doing without sawing down a forest full of trees to get the boards even. Just work on it a little at a time and it will come together! Good luck and can't wait to see the finished result! Terry

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  7. Hey! Thank you Terry! Building a rabbit hutch should be easy but I've made a real job out of it! If it turns out I will post a picture! Love you!

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  8. Well there is bound to be some use for those L-shaped nails! I'd hang on to them if I were you! I can't imagine just starting out to build anything! Wouldn't Poppy build it for you or did you just want to do it yourself. I know there's a real feeling of accomplishment doing it on your own string even when it's so much harder than just letting someone else who knows what they are doing do it for you. But Poppy's right that it may not be the best thing for your back.

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  9. Was going to yell at you for not showing us a picture of Bun Bun, but then I scrolled down and voila!

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