Deck...Day Five

Today was supposed to be Ozzy's Fence day, but the railings came in sooner than expected for the back deck, so Miguel and a new sidekick got to work installing them.  (Chris is gone for a week at the Burning Man Festival in the deserts of Nevada.  I think Miguel is stalling on the fence so Chris has to help after all when he returns from his holiday.  When he left Friday he was grinning ear to ear that Miguel would be stuck doing the fence.  It's going to be a monumental task, what with the uneven ground and the extreme slopes).  In any case, today's project was the railings.

Two views of the side deck, minus the gate at the far left, which will be finished tomorrow.

At first I thought the rails were too high, but when you're standing at the far corner of the bigger deck (hanging over the drop-off) it's really a perfect height for safety.  The bizarre round shadow thing on the deck is the satellite dish on the roof.  I've never noticed that before.  In the gap--middle of the photo--the railings will go down the steps, and be installed tomorrow along with the gate on the side deck.  I love how you can still see the view through the rails.

The deck was totally trashed with muddy footprints as the guys worked today.  I don't know if it's better we didn't stain the deck beforehand, or worse.  I'm not sure how we're going to get the mud and boot tracks off, other than a hard brushing and the jet spray on the hose.  Which means the deck will be wet all over again, and have to dry before we can do the first coat of stain.  With the familia arriving Saturday, we're pretty much doomed on that whole plan.  Oh well.  It really won't matter to them.

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On a completely different note:  Alan finished reading my book last night.  Wow.  The only person on the planet who's read it (besides my sister who read the first two chapters).  As he's never read a paranormal romance before, I was a bit leery of even letting him crack the cover, but he finally convinced me.  And how cool...he liked it..!!  Kept giving me hugs all night and saying how clever I was, and how much he enjoyed the story and the plot, and the characters, and wants to find out what happens next in Book Two.  (Funny thing...so do I..!!).

Once our belongings arrive, I will unpack my writing/office stuff and get on with Colin's story.  I'm going to do NaNo again this year so I have to get prepared by November 1st.  I also have just a few revisions to the first book, then I might...maybe...try to send out some feelers to see if anyone would be interested in the brothers and their story.  We'll see.  It's a "gut factor" thing, isn't it..??  Do I have the guts to send my book out into the world..?  Do I have the guts to handle rejection..??  Am I really a gutless wonder and no one will ever read my stories..??  Time will tell.

Lost Weekend

Indeed, it was.  Somehow I went from Friday to Monday.  Where do the weekends go..??

Saturday Alan worked on the second coat of stain for the front, while I tackled the kitchen. Honestly, I know the kitchen is big (12 large cupboards, 2 corner "Lazy Susan" cupboards and 10 drawers), but it seemed to grow exponentially as the day went on. When we moved in, it appeared the house had been cleaned, but on closer inspection, it really hadn't. So I took everything out of the cupboards--and I should mention there wasn't a lot in them to begin with as we are still waiting for all our stuff to arrive from Scotland; we're basically camping at the moment--and scrubbed until my fingers were worn to the nub. Meanwhile, Alan got everything done on the front and between us, we accomplished two major projects, though I was so tired by the end of the day, I could hardly move.

Sunday we got a late start on things, mainly because of the aforementioned couldn't move deal. We decided it was too much effort to start staining the back deck, so we sort of took the day off, dinked at some odd jobs, then drank a nice bottle of wine, had dinner and drifted off to bed. Maybe because of the wine the weekend was lost...?? Nah...

This morning Brian (the contractor) called to say the guys couldn't come today, which actually turned out fine really, because we went to DMV and got new plates on the car. We now blend right in with everyone else, and will no longer be the Outsiders..!! Yippee..!! I can flip people off, shout out the window, and honk with wild abandon at anyone with out-of-state plates--just like the rest of the residents have done to us.

One major thing I have to mention: IT RAINED..!!! I woke up this morning to the heavenly sound of rain bouncing off the roof. It's been over two months with nary a drop.  Unfortunately, we really should have stained the deck yesterday, because now the raw wood is soaking up the rain, and we can't stain until it dries. Bad, bad procrastinating kids. It's to be in the 90s by Thursday, so eventually things will dry out, though we'll be lucky to get the first coat on before our company arrives on Saturday. Buggers.

Such a beautiful sight...

And though I am developing a love/hate relationship with the deer and swore I wouldn't take any more pictures of them, this morning Papa finally made an appearance. I have heard him a few times blowing loud snorts from the cover of the trees while he protects the womenfolk and the kidlets, but today was my first actual sight of him. He was pretty handsome...and if I were a female deer, I would go out with him, no question.  Nice rack, huh...??

Then, to complete the Wildlife Safari morning, I happened to glance out the front window and saw this enormous Daddy Quail, with two "wives" and about 15 (yes, really) babies.  He guarded the whole tribe from the vantage point of the driveway while the moms herded the little ones around the shrubs.  I couldn't get a family portrait because half the babies stayed under the shrubbery, but a few brave ones ventured out and I managed to get these photos.

Dad...on guard

One of the mothers, with three intrepid explorers.  They were all wet and mussed up, but so fat and cute.

Another mom and two more babies.

One photo I missed this weekend was of a Praying Mantis.  He (she..??  Who can tell..??) was so cool, and found in my deer-decimated Crape Myrtle.  By the time I went for the camera, he/she had vanished, but what an amazing insect.  Alan had never seen one--other than on the telly--so he got up close and personal for a real look.  It sat for awhile, doing its "praying" thing and washing its face and seemed very unconcerned about us. Wish I could have gotten his/her photo though.

Tomorrow the guys will be back to get going on the fence.  I will continue with my domestic hateful chores as the heat returns, and will fondly remember the coolness of the weather today, and the wildlife.

TGIF

A good end to the week.  It's only in the 70s again today, the back deck is completely finished--steps and all--and the first panel and gate of the fence are up.  We might have to tweak the gate to line it up a bit better with the panel (it looks crooked), though that's a problem for Monday, not today.  So far, the fence looks really cool and I can't wait to get it finished so Ozzy can be outside without me hovering over him in case he gets a wild hair to chase a wild hare.  (Though that's one thing I haven't seen yet.  Maybe the deer ate them.)

I've already posted the deck photos, and until the railings are installed next week, nothing has changed there, so I will just show the bare beginnings of the Ozzy Fence.

This is the end of the driveway, leading into the backyard.  See what I mean about the gate being "off"..??  It doesn't look so bad in this shot, though if you click on the photo for the bigger picture, you can tell the panel and the gate aren't quite matching up.

Still.  It's a cool fence, doesn't alter the view, and is very sturdy and strong.  It won't be deer-proof (I watched the mama deer vault over a 5' fence the other day with about 2' to spare); it's a fence to keep Ozzy in, rather than any diabolical wildlife animals out.

The weekend is to remain cooler, in the 70s (though mid-80s expected for next week), so we're planning to finish staining the front, then move to the back.  We want to get the back done before the railings go up; it's been really difficult staining between all the rails in the front, so we're hoping to deal with the big deck beforehand.

Famous last words... 

Thursday...a better day than Wednesday

Yesterday was fraught on several levels, not the least being poor Ozzy had to have three tiny teeth removed...!!  Plus, it was 101* and I pretty much reached meltdown, overload and bloody "enough already", hence no blog post.

The day started very early...5:30am to be precise.  Oz had to be at the vet's at 7:00 for his teeth cleaning and boy, was he unhappy.  He is most definitely NOT a morning person, then to drag him out of bed and take him to the vet..??  Not a happy camper.  All I was expecting was a cleaning, but they found three teeth that were very loose, which could lead to abscess or other dental/gum problems, so not only was his mouth sore from the cleaning, but he now has three tiny holes.  He's on meds (for pain and infection) and today seems perfectly fine, though last night was a different story.  It was so frigging hot, no one was comfortable, let alone a poor wee dog recovering from anesthesia and teeth pulling.

Alan and I were supposed to finish staining the deck, but come on.  101*..??  I don't think so.  One of our stops yesterday was to the local bookstore; my favorite author has a new book out, so I spent the evening reading.  Escaping.  Pretending I was elsewhere and not in Roseburg (a euphemism for Hell as it's turning out).

So, while we were out and about yesterday, the Wonder Boys were working hard on the back deck.  They finished the side, and almost finished the big deck, but the heat was just too much by early afternoon.

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Today the temperature is only 79*...which seems like Alaska after the debilitating heat we've been having lately.  Alan and I finished the first coat of stain (one to go), and the guys finished the deck.  Our railings won't get installed until next week, though they are going to put up the Ozzy Fence--backyard only--starting Monday.  The whole deal should be done by next Friday, then my sister, brother-in-law and Mom are arriving on Saturday.  Talk about cutting it close, huh..??

I'll be very glad to take a breather when these major construction jobs are completed.  Course, then there's the second coat of stain on the front deck, two coats on the back deck, the landscaping (I'm drawing a blank on what to do with the slope as you come off the steps); the planting of those deer resistant (hardy har har) bushes; and let's not forget moving about six tons of rock from the old, dangerous pathway to...ah...somewhere.  Anyone else exhausted...??

Lessons...

Learning something new every day is a good thing. Learning a lesson is another matter entirely.

This morning we began the wretched task of staining the deck. For awhile it wasn't too bad as the Birch trees block the sun for most of the morning. Unfortunately, the Earth moves...and not in a good way. By lunch time I was pretty much drenched in sweat--my least favorite thing to be drenched in, with the temperature climbing toward 102*.

Alan started at the bottom and I took the top; we had the expectation of meeting somewhere in the middle. HA. The wood soaked up the stain like a dying man finding a desert oasis, and I suddenly realized just how many curves and angles and bends there are in this front deck. By noon it was obvious--at least to me--that we were not going to finish the first coat in a day. I bailed, had lunch and took a shower. Chris and Miguel left before 2:00pm. Alan kept working until 2:30 when it was time to take Oz to the park.

Die Hard...or Lunatic, take your pick...

Lesson One: Don't work outdoors when the temperature is hot enough to boil your brain juices.

Few photos of the mostly stained deck.

This picture shows the handrails stained, but not the steps. Such a contrast.

As I was merrily (*snort*) staining, I noticed that the wood putty was not taking the stain. It said on the bloody container the putty could be painted, stained, etc. I kept dabbing on more and more stain, to no avail. We now have a damned deck with a bad, bad case of measles. Shoot me now.

To add insult to injury. Chris and Miguel were leaving for lunch. Miguel says the deck is looking really good. I say I'm very unhappy about the dots from the wood putty. He says that's why he never uses the stuff; it doesn't take the stain. I say it tells you on the can that it does..!! He laughs as he drives away with Chris.

Lesson Two: Spare yourself endless work, wasted effort and serious aggravation. Never, ever fill nail or screw holes on your deck with wood putty, no matter what the flaming container says.

It doesn't seem like the guys got much done today, though they really did. The smaller part of the deck (from the back door) is now done, and tomorrow they will begin laying the actual decking. It's amazing how hard these two guys work, and that even with their speed, they're doing a great job.

Lesson Three: Be thankful that there is still a viable work ethic in America, regardless of what you read or hear from the media. And be doubly thankful you found two truly hardworking guys.

Monday...Monday...Monday

Alan and I spent the weekend working outside. It was in the high 70s Saturday, but a perfect 75* on Sunday. Today, however, it's back in the 80s and tomorrow is to once again reach 100*. Sigh. Is there no end to this heat..??

Saturday Alan slaved away removing the dangerous gravel, that for some ungodly reason, was used for a very steep path down the sloping backyard. Wheelbarrow-load after wheelbarrow-load. He piled it in the space that will eventually be under the back deck, which was a very good idea. While he was doing that, I filled the two million screw holes on the front deck with wood putty so we could begin staining the deck today, then painted the side of the house that was discolored when the guys removed the old deck in back.

Unfortunately, the best laid plans of staining today didn't happen. First thing this morning I had to sand the wood putty, then the whole deck needed to be washed down in preparation for the stain. As it got hotter, I got grumpier as the sweat ran down my face until finally I ended up borrowing Miguel's sander for the hard parts. Even so, it took me until lunch to get the flaming deck prepped. By then it was too hot to stain, so we'll try again early tomorrow morning.

Miguel and Chris came this morning and bulldozed through the framing of the back deck. We've changed the old octagon-shaped deck into a long, wide rectangle, which I totally love, and they cranked it out before the heat got too awful. We should have the new deck by the end of the week, though the railings won't be attached as they needed to be ordered.

Some photos of the wretched and ugly backyard...though I'm already loving the size of the deck.

You can see the weird and dangerous path that Alan cleared in this next photo.  Imagine how much worse it was with pea gravel..!!  I nearly killed myself last week when I slipped and fell down these horrible "steps".  I'm not sure what we're going to do to fix this, but it might have to wait until Spring, or until I can come up with a better plan for getting down this steep slope.

Even though it looks like there are actual steps in the dirt, there really aren't.  It's an uneven, bumpy, hurling-to-your-doom path that will be removed and another, better way from the deck to the lower garden will have to be found.

So, other than taking Ozzy to the park, we had an uneventful working weekend.  One of these days the fun just has to stop.  Know what I mean...??

Back Soon

Befores...and Afters

Today was Ozzy's day at the groomers. It's very hard to find a good groomer, especially when you've had the best groomers in Edinburgh, and you have no clue who's good or bad in your new location. So, with some trepidation, we took Ozzy to a place I selected from their advertisement in the Yellow Pages, and a telephone conversation, and just crossed my fingers it was the right choice.

Here's the Before, and how he looked this morning...Mister Ragamuffin, for sure. It's been nearly four months since his last grooming and that was in Scotland. Since then he's been the length of Great Britain, flown across The Pond, driven across America, and moved into a new house in the wilderness. It's no wonder he looks bedraggled. I've trimmed him a bit, but don't have the tools to really cut and thin all his hair. His tail was practically dragging on the ground..!!

The two women who own this grooming place were just wonderful. They treated him like their own wee dog, and made him feel safe and unafraid. And, gave him a brilliant cut, clean and overall grooming. When we picked him up, he was bouncy and happy, and ever-so pleased with himself. I'm sure the reduction in hair will also help him stay cooler in this never-ending heat. He looks gorgeous...and of course, first thing we got home, he had to roll around on the floor, and hasn't stopped smiling since we picked him up.

The After...

Now, for the other Before and After. And if anyone heard the scream of a Banshee this morning, not to worry, it was just me.

Oz and I were walking around the yard this morning, before his appointment, and I casually glanced over to the spot next to the garage where I've had to stash the plants. I can't plant the bushes out front until the stain treatment is done, and now with the back deck gone, my only recourse is putting them against the garage wall. Remember this lovely photo from yesterday of my glorious Crape Myrtle..?? You know, the one the deer haven't bothered for a week..??

This is how it looked this morning.

OMG...!!!!  When the shock had worn off, and the screams died down, I decided all bets are now off. No more "oh look at the lovely deer" crap. This is war.

After leaving Oz at the groomer's, we went next door to a large garden center where I had a chat with a very nice woman who told me about this spray called "Deer Fence." It's guaranteed to work, only takes two sprays per week for the first week, then once a month thereafter. She swears by the stuff. It's natural, no chemicals, no harm to man nor beast, though apparently the deer loath the smell. Needless to say, I have drenched the Crape Myrtle and frankly, the smell is terrible but supposed to evaporate to human noses when the spray dries. We'll see. If this doesn't work, I fear venison may be on the menu at some point in the not too distant future.

97%..!!!!!

Okay...I'm dancing around and grinning like a monkey.  I passed my written Oregon Drivers' Test with a score of 97%...totally cool...!!!  Oh, and Alan passed his actual drive-the-car test, too, so, we are both officially legit, and what a flaming relief it is to get that hurdle out of the way.

On a different note, and related to the remodel:  The guys came this morning and began tearing up the back deck.  I was in the shower and before I could get out for the "Before" photos, they already had half the deck on the truck..!!  Chris said one entire piece of railing came off with just a hard pull of his hand.  Is it any wonder we are replacing decks..??  Honestly, the elderly couple who lived here clearly never used either area--thank goodness--though I'm not terribly happy inheriting their lack of maintenance.  Oh well.  That's how things played out and we'll just have to deal with it.  At least we'll have two brand-new decks at the end of all this.

Miguel, strapping down the deck pieces to take to the dump.

We had another Chris help out today, so we had Miguel, Original Chris and New Chris.  Here is New Chris cutting through the support beams underneath the deck--about the only part of the deck that wasn't falling apart.  Have you ever seen such a horrible backyard..??  I loath bark dust, plus the gravel pit steps, down the slope, were so dangerous, Alan shoveled all the stones into a pile in the center of each step so no one would walk down and kill themselves.  And don't get me started on the neighbor's looming house.  I can't wait to get some plants growing between his house and ours.

This is the little walkway that leads from the back door to the deck.  Not much left at this point.  Notice the lovely bark dust--again--and the "scorched earth" effect lawn.  (That would be the burned out, crackling brown stuff near the pine tree in the distance.)

By lunch the guys were done and dusted.  This is what we're left with.  Bare ground, a small cliff face, bad gravel steps, and a looming neighbor.  Sigh.  So much work to do.

So, to cheer myself up, here's a lovely photo of my new Crape Myrtle which I will plant in the bare space next to the steps in the front.  Supposedly deer resistant, and hopefully that's true.  So far, the deer have just wandered by and not nibbled it to oblivion.  It will grow to 10' which will look really good against the wood and the staircase in front, and help hide the under porch space.  In theory.

I seem to be in a flower mood.  I also changed the Meandering photo.  Alan and I went to Kew Gardens on one of our forays to London, where I took the photo in a greenhouse with gigantic lily pads; the flowers were blooming, which was really lucky, and I got several photos between wiping the condensation off my camera lens.

The guys are taking a day off tomorrow, so no remodel photos until probably Monday.  Ozzy has a "hair" appointment that he will absolutely hate, but he really needs a good grooming session, so too bad for him.  He'll no doubt feel ever so much better to get rid of some of his hair while it's still so hot here.  And yes, since you've asked:  It's still HOT.  I'm going to have to make a serious attempt at a Rain Dance soon.

Ta Da...Day Six

Chris and Miguel finished the front porch and staircase today.  I absolutely love the new steps, and the larger deck, and having the configuration alongside the house rather than jutting like a behemoth into the front yard.  What I don't like are those bloody bowed railings.  UGH.  Chris, Miguel, Brian and Alan all agree that it looks really good.  I hesitate to say: What do they know..??  Hopefully, I will get used to living with Salvador Dali's railings.

This morning the work commenced as the guys worked down the staircase...

By early afternoon they were down to the last bit of hand rails and balustrades.

And...ta da...it's finished.  I have to say, I really love the look of this part of the steps.  Chris and Miguel did the best job.  I love how much wider the steps are, and the finish work is perfect.

Now comes the best part.  The BEFORE:

And the AFTER:

Really cool.  Now all Alan has to do is stain it (a natural stain to protect the wood, but not color it) and we're done.  It really is a beautiful staircase and front porch...it's just too bad about the Dali Effect.