MacGyver's Fountain

The true spirit and essence of MacGyver lives in my husband, Gary. He can improvise a solution to almost any complex building dilemma in a matter of minutes, usually involving yards of duct tape, a nail gun, a cigar and loud noises.

While enjoying the park-like setting of our backyard during the recent Easter party, I mentioned that it would be nice to have a mobile water feature, something we could take with us, if and when we decide to buy another house. We had to leave behind the two fountains that we permanently installed at our home in Costa Mesa and I missed the sweet sound of water, especially after a long, stressful day at work. He agreed, but he didn't offer a solution.

Cut to April 22nd when Gary took seven baby chicks he'd gotten from a coworker up to the Garner Ranch. When I arrived home that evening, he was unloading a rusty old Maytag ringer washing machine that he had found in the ranch "bone yard" behind the barn. Our brother-in-law gave it to Gary with his blessings.

"What are you going to do with that?" I asked.

"It's a surprise," he replied.

When Gary says it's a surprise, I never know quite what to expect. It might be something fabulous like the deck he built in the backyard of our home in Parker, CO. Or it might be something useful but ghastly looking, like the shelves in my kitchen in Costa Mesa. Either way, I decided to wait and see what he had in mind before risking a comment that might damage his creative character.

Last Friday, I came home late from a grueling day at work and heard what sounded like a fountain gurgling nearby. I ventured into the backyard and there on the patio was Gary with his new prize - the old Maytag ringer washing machine had morphed into a fountain - my dream come true! There was no duct tape in sight. I squealed with delight and clapped my hands as Gary puffed out his chest and puffed on his cigar. "I'll install it against the fence somewhere in the yard next weekend," he said. My beloved MacGyver strikes again!