A.J.'s post about having to go get stuff made me smile. I have always maintained that no project can ever be completed with fewer than three trips to the hardware store or the wood yard.

It does not matter if it is a huge woodworking project or a simple matter of fixing the running toilet in the bathroom.

Obviously, the farther you live from the store, the greater your investment in time will be. This time should be factored into the bid but we never seem to allow for that, foolishly thinking that we will have made a complete enough list that we will be able to procure everything we need in one trip. Pure folly!

Three is the minimum, regardless of other circumstances. We will always be one screw short or there will be one "bad" hinge or the package will be missing something.

This is something we have to accept if we want to do this kind of work.

D.D.