Last Saturday was a day dedicated to rebuilding Grandma’s bridge.  My mom and dad live in a condo in a retirement community called Wedgewood Estates.  Their condo backs up onto a pond and a woods.  When Wedgewood Estates first opened, one of the original residents built a bridge over a creek in the woods.  That resident has passed away, but the bridge lives on – sort of.

Because the bridge is in the woods, trees fall on it about once a year.  Sometimes there is little damage.  Sometimes the damage is more extensive.  Two years ago Tom and I spent a day making some repairs to the bridge.  The bridge was not built by Wedgewood Estates and isn’t maintained by them.  In fact, the only person who ever goes to the bridge is my mom.  But she likes standing on it and looking at the woods and the creek.

When grandson Devon came to visit last month, Mom took him down to the bridge.  A big storm had knocked another tree on it and there was some significant damage.  Devon offered to help fix it.  Then Mom showed it to Tom and he figured out what to do to make it structurally sound again.  Tom mentioned to John that he would need help rebuilding the bridge (#1 helper, me, being unavailable due to healing hip).  John offered to get the cousins together for a day.

They picked the last Saturday in October and all gathered at 10 a.m. on that day.  Tom, John, Devon, and Jared.  Tom got the materials needed and John and Jared brought power tools to help.  The guys worked for 2 hours, then took a lunch break.  Mom, Dad, and I had prepared a hearty lunch for the good workers.  Pizza, chips, apples and cookies.  They dug in and there wasn’t much left when they were done.

After lunch they headed back down to the bridge to finish rebuilding.  The tree that fell took down the railing and broke the support joist underneath.  Using bottle jacks, the guys jacked the bridge up level again, and then attached a new joist over the break.  When the bridge was sturdy again, they put on new railings.

When everything was finished, Mom and I went down to inspect the bridge.  Mom was delighted with the repairs.  Although it is a bridge to nowhere right now, Tom and Mom have been talking about cutting a path through the woods for a little nature trail.

After putting away all their tools and materials, the guys came in to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa for a while.  It is always a joy to hear them talking together and catching up on their lives.  They had a good time rebuilding Grandma’s bridge and working on that project together.  Mom and Dad loved having them there and appreciated their willingness to take time from busy lives to help out.