{The deck}

I don't know if I mentioned it earlier this summer, but our deck just sagged one day----literally. One day it was together, and the next day it sagged. I'm on the deck everyday because I use the back door to let the dog out. One morning I opened the back door to let her out and I saw the deck sagging in the middle. It kept sagging and then one day I heard a crash and our glass table had shattered....I didn't think of it at the time, but obviously it had something to do with the deck sagging underneath it. O course, I don't have a picture of that part---the workers came earlier than I thought they were and I hadn't taken any of it (and I was out of town---didn't think to ask anyone else to take photos either) SOOO, here are a few random photos of the deck in my files.

We have wanted to replace our deck for some time now, but this summer we are having the house painted, so replacing the deck was going to have to wait----until the contractor said, "No, you need to do the deck first---it's dangerous." So, as you look at these pictures and see our house with the awful green trim, please know that we will be painting that in the next month---I'll put pictures up of that as well. Anyway, our deck had been painted green as well--- deck....WHO PAINTS THEIR DECK IN THE FIRST PLACE----AND, IF YOU WANT TO PAINT IT-----green? Seriously, GREEN? I really don't mind green, but it's not what I would do if I had painted, and I guess there's just too much TEXAN in me to ever understand why anyone would paint a deck---but that's for another post. ANYWAY, here is a picture that I found before the sag!


















And here is my deck when I came home from DC on Monday---Day 1---GONE

















So, Day 2-- they got the footings in and braced them




Day 3--they laid down the floor--- We have almost doubled our deck space. It's going to be so nice to have another "living space" outdoors. We took out all the shrubs around the deck, so we'll just replace everything. Most of it was stuff that I would never plant, so I just decided to get rid of it---This fall we'll put in all the plants, I hope.















Day 4--He actually braced the deck---not just the footing, but SERIOUS braces and built the stairs. We made them wider than before and he really supported it---this deck is here to stay!
















Day 5--so, the frames of the rails are up---I'm sure some of you are thinking why it took so long, but most of the week we just had one worker here---I was so impressed with his work---and his work ethic. What a blessing to have someone who worked so hard













I'll be out of pocket for a few days, so I won't be able to take pictures. When I am able to share the rest, I will. I know it will totally change the look of our back yard. After the deck is finished, we are beginning the process of replacing wood on our house to get it ready to paint---I'm going with the traditional all white paint---woodwork, too. Black shutters, red door (on the front---black on the others). I just can't wait to have this done! What a blessing to get it done this summer in the midst of lots of other stuff. The Lord is so gracious to provide.

I hope you have a restful Sunday~I promise a card eventually!
Kathleen