We're Not Playing With a Full Deck

I apologize for the lags between posts lately-we've just been busy busy busy this Spring and the blog has sort of had to get shifted down on the priority list (what? you expected me to shift the knitting down the list? ha!) Most of our spring has been consumed with the rebuilding of our deck. When we moved into our house we had a MASSIVE deck looking out onto a beautiful view. However, it was a MASSIVE disaster of a structure that was a safety hazard at best, or better known around here as The Death Trap. The railings were thin flimsy boards that stairstepped out AWAY from the deck in a ridiculous, early 80's fashion that earned them the name "Ladder of Death" and the kids knew they were to under no circumstances to go near them. Then there were the steps which were attached to nothing (yeah, you read that right-nothing!!) and were barely rested on a half of a cinder block. When the Hubby tore them down, he just picked them up and pulled them off-charming. Not only that, when he got to the part where he needed to take out the old "support posts", he just pulled them out of the ground-now, yes, he is INCREDIBLY strong (that's for you, Honey!) but they were attached to NOTHING, just stuck in a hole in the ground with no protection from moisture, no concrete, nada, zip, zilch. Now, I really am not exaggerating one bit-I have a high tolerance for things being "rustic" or having "character" and not being in tip top shape. This was literally a dangerous structure and our home inspector laughed at us for saying we wouldn't be tearing it down immediately (decks=$$$$-way more than you'd expect, I was shocked). It was also hideous, by the way. So anyway, this spring it was finally time and in March the old deck was torn down, a large part done by some hard working Hokie boys through The Big Event who were happy to be paid by pizza-I love college! (by the way, the boys in that picture on the VT website holding the huge shrub are the ones who worked with us last year and that is our monster shrub-we're, like, famous! or something...) However, a husband who must work a full time job every day, rain, a road trip or 2, rain, a tragic shooting, some more rain, and 2 birthday parties have put us behind a bit and the deck has dragged on throughout the spring (although where is the rain now??). The Hubby has worked like crazy though and while we have had some help, he has done the majority of it himself and it is looking great!!! Perhaps by June we can sit on our deck with out praying no big gusts of wind would blow up (not likely by the way because we live right on the side of a mountain). I feel like I wish I could help more, but aside from knitting a nice canopy for our new deck (hmmmm....rope? nylon? I'll have to the think about this a bit more...) I can't do much except wrangle the Things. Anyway, that's been a big time consumer for us but the end is in sight so hopefully I'll be posting a bit more often soon-I know you all have been waiting on the edge of your seats ;)! Right now I am contenting myself with daydreams of sitting on the nice new deck, knitting while a nice breeze gently blows and my kids play happily on the swingset and trampoline below and Thing 3 naps peacefully.

I bet you didn't know that building a new deck cures sibling rivalry, banishes bad attitudes, completes housework, and induces great napping in tiny babies. It's my daydream-I can think what I want.