DIY or Buy?
LAWN GAMES FOR FAMILY SUMMER FUN
CLASSIC HORSESHOES: INTERMEDIATE DIY Tossing horseshoes is a great way to pass an afternoon. To play, you’ll just need to set up two sand pits in your yard. Get a handful of horseshoes, and you’re ready to go! Many DIY plans are available online, including one from HousefulOfHandmade.com/ultimate-diy- horseshoe-pit. Buy: Check out the kid-friendly rubber horseshoe set fromWayfair.com, which requires no installation, can be used indoors or alongside your outdoor game, and is safe for younger children. CORNHOLE: ADVANCED DIY The humble beanbag may be the most versatile backyard game piece. It’s used in the popular game commonly known as cornhole. To build your own cornhole set, you’ll need a couple of sheets of 1/2-inch-thick plywood along with two-by-fours, some hardware, and a variety of tools including
The warm summer sun may be enough to beckon your family outdoors, but lawn games will guarantee hours of fun outside. If you’re handy, there are plenty of great lawn games you can make yourself. If not, buy an off-the-shelf alternative and enjoy the easy setup. GIANT JENGA: EASY DIY All you need to build a giant Jenga tower are two- by-fours that are cut to length. If you’re handy with a saw, you can do this at home. If not, ask to have the wood cut at your local lumberyard. Be sure to sand down the edges before stacking the boards to create a classic Jenga tower! For extra fun, pick a few paint colors and paint each board. Visit ABeautifulMess.com/make-this-giant-jenga to see a complete set of instructions. Buy: Skip the project and buy GoSports Giant Wooden Toppling Tower online, which retails for about $70 and stacks over 5 feet high.
a drill, jigsaw, and sander. Visit DIYPete.com/ cornhole-board-plans to get both written and video instructions. Buy: Ready to play ASAP? Cornhole sets are available from many large retailers around summertime, or you can order a customized set featuring your favorite team, family name, or characters from your favorite movies by looking at Etsy.com. Whether you buy or DIY, remember to have fun and always supervise your children while playing outdoors, especially when it comes to yard games!
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officer to gather crew members and prepare lifeboats to lower. I was told to stand by on the bridge for future instructions to the engine room.
The best explanation came from my wife. When I reached her by a local phone booth that day, she told me, “I always pray for you. I expect that God is going to protect you.” That brief statement impacted me. So, when I returned to the ship, I asked to speak with the captain. In Suzy’s manner, I explained the reason for our survival. He led me inside his cabin. There, I saw the officials and scientists that’d greeted us at the port. “These gentlemen here will be equally interested in your explanation since no one, including the explosive experts and chemists, have an answer.” He introduced me to these men, and, in a bit tongue-in-cheek, he said, “You’ve received high marks from me for your work Lance; go ahead and offer your explanation.” Then, I offered that we ought to consider my wife’s supernatural explanation, which she said so simply in a single sentence. The experts nodded affirmatively, one of them saying, “That’s the best damn reason I’ve heard.” The captain ordered it should be entered into the official log of the ship’s voyage — and so it was.
Then the current began to pick up, and the ship’s hull dug further into us again. At this point, because the penetration was so deep, it’d be difficult for them to back out solely with the strength of their engines. This was also about the time, however, of the ebb tide. As the tide intensified, it allowed the ships to begin disengaging with the other vessel’s powerful stern. (It provided a shaky moment when the other ship could’ve collided with us twice – and if you can ask the good Lord for one terrifying event, why not two?) Our ship now laid ground on the south shore of the St. Johns river. During the night, we inspected our damages and tried to ascertain how much cargo had leaked. By daylight, it was determined that we’d go to the dock, sort out what cargo was left, and begin washing out the tanks to get rid of any residual fumes so we could go upriver for repairs. That morning, everyone came to our battered vessel at the dock, including the Coast Guard, the gulf oil chemists, and explosion experts. All found themselves completely perplexed as to why these ships – particularly ours – hadn’t blown. Based on the type of damage and explosive material, plus the atmospheric conditions we’d encountered, there was no scientific reason for our survival.
In legally binding terms, the grace of God is what saved us all.
–Captain Lance
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LANCE: 716-912-9939
DREW: 716-946-3598
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