I had this crazy idea of putting in some shelves in the garage today.  The previous owners had planned to do that and graciously left some boards for the purpose.  They never got to it.  Neither had I.  Today was the day to make it happen.

I had all the materials I needed and I gathered all my tools.  I pretty much just needed to measure and cut and assemble.  Great.  But I couldn’t find a level.  A level is pretty much a must have tool when installing shelves.  I guess I could have just eyeballed it, but I would likely be ruing that decision every time I went into the garage.  Cockamamie shelves just won’t do.

I searched the house to find one of the two levels we own.  We have a newer one and we also have an old one that belonged to my grandfather.  Neither was where it should have been and I looked every place either of them might be.  I looked and looked, searching places two or three times.  I even looked in places it probably would not be found, but where it just might fit, like in with my pants.  You never know.

I was unsuccessful in my quest.  I was even going to try the mini level on our square, but I couldn’t find that.  I kept going out to the garage and looking at the shelf that is there, a makeshift particle board jobber.  That thing is crooked and falling down and unsturdy and ugly.  We keep crap on it anyway.  I want that gone and some solid shelves instead.  I’m not looking for perfection here.  I plan to use the lumber I’ve got on hand.  If I can make this happen, however, we will have more shelf space and stuff won’t slide off every time I shut the door too hard.  Apparently, however, my tools to get the job done have disappeared.

So I have no new shelves.  I did manage to install some hooks to hang our snowshoes.  They have been piled on a shelf (a different one, way up high over the firewood) the past couple of winters, so that at least feels like something.  Summer is well underway and the year, as of today, has entered its second half.  I need to get cranking if I want to get much done this summer.  But first I need to round up all my tools.  I would prefer not to spend the next couple months searching for them.