Change is in the Wind

We are finally moving forward on getting a new deck addition on the back of the house. I am so looking forward to seeing this project finished. As is, our current deck is an overgrown balcony - an island overlooking the back yard. You want to go down to the yard? Go back inside, through the front of the house and then walk around the house and down hill to get to the back yard. Then, reverse the procedure to get back up to the balcony. Tired yet? I know I am. I have put up with this situation for eleven years and I am ready for the change. Bring it on already!

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair...

A friend of my husband's drew up these plans for us. Thanks, Rich, you did a great job. I think that the finished deck will be just a bit different from this when all is said and done, though.

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This is the site before construction. Sigh, so much to do before the workmen even get here.





Thankfully, the daughter's boyfriend was more than happy to come over and help clean up. As it turned out, I really needed someone who wasn't afraid to get in and start trimming up a tree. I realize and accept that I am very tentative when it comes to hacking off tree limbs.

Here is our temporary nursery on the front porch. I have several perennials, a bush and four volunteer dogwood trees in pots here.

I woke up on Friday morning to see that the contractor and a helper were on site, getting an idea of what needed to be done on Monday. They were delighted to hear that I was giving away the winged Euonymus (burning bushes) that are in the area where the new deck will be. Later, they had an employee leave a truck full of gravel in front of the house over the weekend. I hope our neighbors don't mind too much.

I can't tell you how happy I will be once I can actually access the back yard from the deck. Yes, I love the solitude of my deck, but I am also a practical gal.

Saturday morning, while I let my sick family sleep in, I got to work on the existing deck. The decking and railing will be replaced as the current deck is fourteen years old and is showing its age.

Eleven years of outdoor decorating must now be removed.

I have never seen deck railing like this before. Let's hope I never see this again.

I will not be sorry to see this decking go. I have gotten enough splinters in my feet from these nasty pieces of wood already.

So stay tuned as we witness the amazing transformation of this deck and backyard.