In woodworking, as in everything else, sometimes it’s the smallest of things that give the greatest unexpected pleasure.

Finishing a project or commission, buying a new machine for the shop, scoring some really great wood – all can make you feel great. Then again, you can sometimes get just as big a kick out of minor things.

A big ol’ winter storm came up the East Coast last week right when I needed to make a run for a load of 2x4s for a framing project. Buying and loading was no big deal – there was a covered loading area – but I was resigned to letting the load sit in the car when I got home till the storm was over.

With that in mind I parked in the garage just to keep the car clear of snow till I could pull it out later to unload. I flipped up the tailgate to grab a few bags of odds and ends, and on a whim thought I’d try getting a 2x4 out.

To my utter delight, even with the garage door closed (and a storm literally howling outside) I was able to angle that 2-by out of the car with mere inches to spare. From that point, it took only a short time to get out and stack the whole load.

A small victory, to be sure, but it’s the kind of thing that can make you feel good for the rest of the day.