Capital idea

When I got to the house this morning, I saw the change as soon as I walked up.

Arnold had been eyeing the porch for the last few days, and we'd talked about it a bit. Months ago, Ref had mentioned someone wrapping the columns, and Robert had mentioned finding a bracket (or corbel, more properly) shaped like a conch shell.

But Arnold's solution was a classic molding. They're all over town, absolutely as often as the decorative stuff I'd checked out at the lumberyard. Arnold had said he was quite happy to cut a custom bracket, but he wanted to see my reaction to this.

My reaction was awe at the thought and effort he'd put into the example. He would have been more than willing to tear out his prototype, and go with something else. I would swallow hot coals before I let that happen.

So when I went out to the hospital to reassure Ref that the project was going really well -- inspections passed, walls ready to go up, Arnold chopping like a chef, Mr. B on the spot, Mike doing some details, Nate picking up the pieces, and Shawn in charge of the big picture -- Ref grinned.

He wouldn't settle for a soul handshake when I was leaving -- "Is that the best you can do?," he asked -- and I bent down and we hugged. I told him again he didn't need to worry about the house anymore, though he had a million questions he couldn't quite form.

All he has to do is to take care of himself.