"May I come along?" Shelley asked. "I fancy I'd be good at picking out a shed that looked nice."

"Sure. The more the merrier. I want whoever will put

it together for free."

When they were ready to go, and told the boys about the project, both of them said, "Putting a shed together is

easy. We can do it for you. Also pick up another trash bin to throw out the junk."

It was, naturally, Shelley who took a measurement of how much width could fit between the fence and the

house. "And you need two big doors that open out," she said as they took off at warp speed in her minivan.

Todd and John didn't seem to mind riding with Shelley at the wheel. Jane thought it was because they were too

young to contemplate imminent death in a fire-engulfed vehicle. Or simply because they had male genes.

They found a perfect steel shed that met the requirements and could be delivered and stacked in the driveway the next day. In the meantime, Jane went out to buy a new trash bin and started filling it. It would probably take two weeks to get everything disposable in the garage into it.

Jane then turned her attention to making an office for Mel. She hadn't consulted him yet. But she called her honorary uncle Jim. He'd had a room tacked onto the back of his house three years earlier. He was close to retirement

and wanted to set up a woodworking room with lots of windows for good light.

"Don't mention this to Mel yet. I want to tell him about it and figure out how much room he needs."

Jim said, "You'll need an architect to draw up tentative plans, and get the township's permission. I can help you

with that. I've been through it, and know the ropes and the right people to hire."

"Uncle Jim, you really are a treasure."