Simple Machines

When the kids were in elementary school, they learned about and built models of simple machines. Wikipedia defines a simple machine as a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. A simple machine can be a pulley, a wheel and axle, a lever, an inclined plane, a wedge, or a screw.

I was reminded of those simple machines while at the lake this weekend.

Pulley

Wheel and Axle

Lever

Inclined Plane

Wedge

In reviewing the list of simple machines, I now realize what our problem was.

We were missing a screw.

This all started this summer when my mother mentioned that she thought the ceiling in the outdoor shower was too low, and she wanted to lower the floor of the shower. I told her in no uncertain terms we needed to bring in a contractor to do that job. When I was up there this weekend, I noticed she had started to dig things up, and I told her there was no way we could move that rock.

But while my brother Matt was cutting some wood, and his girlfriend (fiancé, actually, but he doesn’t like that term) Megan was stacking the wood, and my mother was mucking out the lake, and Phil was painting the living room, I had nothing to do.

So I went over and looked at the rock.

Pretty much the rest of the weekend was spent in that little shower enclosure.

My mother and Phil managed to stay on the periphery while Matt, Megan, and I came up with various engineering solutions. Usually three different ones at the same time. The three of us would stand there and pout because the other two wouldn’t jump on the obviously better solution. Reluctantly, we would somehow select one to try.

We never managed to get that big rock out, but we did remove a number of rocks from around and under it to the point we were able to lower it by maybe 4 inches.

We felt good about that.

At least we tried to convince ourselves to feel good about it.

In addition to moving rocks, cutting and stacking wood, mucking out the lake, and painting the living room, we also took the dock out, brought the boat in, and moved furniture. And we ate 25 apple cider donuts, several chocolate chip cookies, and a strawberry-rhubard pie.

And took in some scenery.