Friday, March 10, 2006

Shed for brains...

They say that it's normal for a couple to fight / have disagreements, and that everything is fine if you always find a way to resolve your fights and move on. That it's unhealthy for a relationship to have unresolved disagreements that drag on and on. There is such a disagreement in my marriage that was initiated about 2 years ago and has yet to be resolved. The subject of controversy is baby barns. I think that you americans call them sheds. I remember when we used to call them sheds. I can't quite recall when the change took place but now everbody calls them baby barns. It sounds like a more glorified way of calling your shed. Although if one's baby barn looks old and dilapidated you are allowed to call it a shed again.

I will try to demonstrate both sides of the argument with the most objectivity :

I - want us to build a classic wood/shingles/nails/hammer etc baby barn. No we're not expert builders, but they come in friggin kits with instructions. Plus we have gained experience and knowledge since building our deck the first year we moved in. Also we can blackmail our families into helping and last but not least, the primary reason I'm putting my foot down on this issue is that I don't want to take a lazy shortcut. I don't want a baby barn that sticks out like a sore thumb. When I look out my patio door or when I'm sitting on my deck and gazing at the forest behind the house, I don't want [wait till you hear what he's arguing for!] sticking out in my view. I want the baby barn to add value to the house. I want it to blend in with our property.

He - wants to buy a rubbermaid plastic piece-it-together-in-an-hour lazy cop out butt ugly baby barn. "But Scott says that they even sell some that look like real baby barns, with plastic wood imitation and all!" Why doesn't he get married to Scott then ? Is Scott a baby barn expert ? (Scott is his friend/coworker/World of Warcraft buddy.) When I said that I didn't want an ugly plastic excuse for a shed sticking out on my property, he argued that we could get one that's JUST big enough for the snowblower. um. What about the lawn mower, garden hoses, sprinklers, shovels etc etc etc ? It'd be completely absurd to have a box just big enough for the snowblower. Why even bother ? Why not just put a tarp over it then ? Is he crazy ? His main argument for buying a slide & lock lazy plastic babybarn is only laziness.

Yeah, I didn't think I could remain objective.

So, what do you think ? Would you let your husband install a plastic shed on your property instead of a proper classic wood one ? Please share your thoughts. Even if you take his side. Maybe someone can think of more advantages to having a plastic shed.

8 comments:

Scatterbrain said...

In my non expert opinion, but being of the same sex as you, I'd have to say I'd agree with you, unless I had a plastic rubbermaid house, in which case the wooden home built baby barn wouldn't match and stick out like a sore thumb....but if I had a normal house with siding and shingles, I would want my baby barn to match with the same siding and shingles and depending on the size some cute little windows with planter boxes...and my husband would prolly agree wiht me actually, but I'll ask him to make sure..because he likes building things...I'm asking now.......here is our msn conversation...
Scatterbrain says:
if yo uhad a house with siding and shingles...would you want a snap together easy rubbermaid plastic shed that wouldn't match or would you prefer to build your own wooden shed with matching siding and shingles?

Shane... says:
is that a trick question?

Shane... says:
definitley noit rubber maid

Scatterbrain says:
no not a trick question...

Scatterbrain says:
but wouldn't be easier..you wouldn't have to labour as hard?

Shane... says:
wooden and shingles..... all tha way

Scatterbrain says:
do you think you would build it yourself? wouldn't that be hard work?

Shane... says:
no, would be fun.

Shane... says:
why?

Scatterbrain says:
oh just asking cause nancy and steph are in disagreement over it...read her blog for more info...I just wanted a man's opinion
Scatterbrain says:
thanks
Scatterbrain says:
I'll comment with my research now

Scatterbrain said...

oh I actually just looked at your links...that rubbermaid one is ugly...I htought at least it would be cute plastic...ew ew ew...

Tina

Anonymous said...

Further to the above UNAPPROVED use of my comments.... I'll add this.... Power Tools.... Cutting, building.... HELLO?!?! Give your head a shake.

Rubbermaid is a woman's shed.

Wooden, with vinyl clad exterior siding, small 'too scale' porch on the front, loft... BEER FRIDGE (if I drank beer). Now that's a MAN'S SHED!!!!!

COME ON!!!!!

*SIGH*

Anonymous said...

Well, it seems you are in quite a pickle here. I sounds like "hubby" is a little lazy and wants to take the easy way out. Even though I do agree with "Scott" you can get plastic baby barns that look like real ones, but they still have a fake quality to them. I am a gay male who is not afraid to get do a little work and I would go for the real shed, myself and there is no way I would let my partner put a rubbermaid shed in my backyard either. I say build a proper classic wood one. Besides, it could be fun for the two of you to work on a project together. And leave Scott at home, unless he is cute and I can keep him company while the two of you build the shed. lol Good Luck,
Jeff - Brampton Ontario

Anygma said...

it's wierd how i totaly missed that blog post all togheter until you mentionned it hehe. remember a little while back, i mentionned that it would be fun to take carpentry so i could build my own house myself? you rmember? right now i don't see when i'd have the time, whith toddlers but eventualy, building things with power tools would be cool. that must make me a freak, cause i'm not a guy and i would love a well equipped workshop. wood work, blacksmithing, even stonework. although i'm not sure if making the big barn match the stonework of the house is practical, but i think a matching siding and shingle baby barn and house is very desirable.
now, i'm reminded that i should try to point some solid arguments, hmmm, let see, sun bleach plastic and make it look, hmmm bleached? not to mentionne that plastic eventualy get brittle after so much sun exposure. you can't really change the color, cause pain will peal off of it and make it look worst. once the damage on a plastic barn is done, you pretty much need to buy a new barn to replace the old one, while a shingled and sided wooden barn, you just replace the panel that has been damaged. if you don't want to build it yourself, get your friends and family to have fun at it. have a BBQ party and then you'll also have a place to store the BBQ in the winter months.
oh yeah and the nailing argument(pun intended) is that in a wooden barn you can plant nails in the inside to hang all kinds of things.
Chantal, i hope i nailed it right

Anonymous said...

Wood, all the way! I even asked hubby, and he agrees too.

I was surprised to see how much that ugly plastic thing costs, though. Wouldn't it almost be cheaper even to use wood?

Me, Myself and I said...

I agree with Nancy - especially since it is in plain view and part of your view. Get some family and friends and have a picnic for afterwards - make it a party :0) This way both parties win, you get a cute shed you can put flowers around and you both get friends and family to come over and have fun!

Kelsie said...

I am with you Nancy. Spend the extra to have a nicer baby barn that will last longer and look better.