Chicken Run (part two)

Last night I set about putting the rest of the frame together. I got the first vertical pole and the corner clamps ready. Clamp around bottom frame, at the corner? Check. Vertical pole in the top of clamp? Check. Pick up a socket wrench, for the first time in my life (and I'm old) and start ratcheting. What the...!??!! The damn bolt would not tighten. I reversed the direction of the ratchet, and the bolt came off. That meant I had it going right the first time. Reversed it back and ratcheted some more. Didn't get tight. Gave the hubby, who was at work, a call to see what I was doing wrong. He promises to help me in the morning. Now I'm terribly frustrated and disappointed with myself. What if it was the end of the world, I'm all alone, and I need to build a kennel? It could happen. I need to get this stupid frame together, dammit. I fiddle around with the bolt a bit more before realizing the darn thing is stripped. I swear it was that way before I ever touched it. I get out a different clamp/bolt combo, and success!!! It took me a while to get the hang of how the ratchet works, but eventually I had all 4 poles in place. Now to assemble the top of the frame. The PetSafe video was correct. That part certainly would be easier with a buddy. But Reggie refused to help, so I was on my own. After some bad words and multiple attempts I finally had it together. And I thought it might even be assembled correctly.


When hubby arrived home he confirmed that it was, indeed, correct. I'm so proud of myself. Now to get some chain link on that puppy.