Summer Project #2

Our deck steps were in bad shape. They were cracked and warping and not anything you'd want to walk over in bare feet.

So we (I) undertook a project of removing the steps and the risers and replacing them with new ones.

I cut new boards to length (thanks for the saw, dad) and stained them on all sides, then mounted them back on the stringers. Here were the first few I did. It was so cool to see the boards bead up after a brief shower.

Reece was a big helper.

He was so curious, he just couldn't stand to not be involved.

Janet and I stained the whole deck.

This probably took three months from start to finish. In part, because we were also working on summer project #3...

Summer Project #1

I'm certainly no Roger Cook, but I took a crack at unifying our back yard this summer by removing a fence and some landscaping.

The previous owners of our house had a couple of dogs. The customized their (our) house and back yard for these dogs by putting in doggy doors so that the dogs had freedom to move in and out when they wanted. They also put a fence down the middle of the yard so the dogs could do their "thing" on one side and so they could enjoy the other side.


Since the time we moved in, I have wanted to remove that fence and bushes and landscaping they put down the middle of the backyard, and regain a contiguous backyard for our kids to enjoy. The yards in our neighborhood are not large, but our backyard is probably one of the largest and most private, since we are on a cul-du-sac and since there is protected greenland behind our house.



So the poject began over several weeks (read: months) as I pulled out seven bushes and other plants.


the fence posts were anchored in concrete so I had to cut them out with a reciprocating saw.


I rented a rototiller and planted grass seed.


After a couple of weeks (in October) the grass came up and I removed the straw. I only wish the rest of the yard looked as good as this single strip.