The latest.

WARNING.............VERY LONG POST
Read at your own risk.............


This first picture is the before. Don't know if you can tell, but the patio slab is very sloping. I have fought with this for years, trying to come up with an idea, cheaply, to fix it. It should never have been done this way, but, that's beside the point now...... I finally made my decision to have it covered as if it were a deck and add a top. Not that it was the cheapest way to go....as usual. I knew of only one person that would be able to do this and do it RIGHT, like it should have been done in the first place! I hope I don't sound bitter, I'm not, really... Anyway, after years of trying to use it without feeling like I was leaning, which I was, it was time for action.





















This is the under-frame for the deck. They were able to shape it to make it level. The difference in the level was about 10" on the left side.













This is the frame for the top. I told my comic carpenter I was going to publish this and he was okay with it......another reason I wanted him and his partner to do this. They also had it done in the amount of time they said they would. No having to hunt them down or check up on them. That was a nice change from some of the work I've had done in the past.












This is the top. They had cut it and stained it at their shop and then assembled it in my yard. I was very happy they did that instead of having stain all over my big patio. They made the top out of redwood, the frame and posts out of pressure treated wood and the deck out of Trex, which I wanted very much...








So now they are ready to put the top on top......














It's a bit heavy and big getting around my odd yard.






Little by little.

Think they got it...

Hummmmmm, now what. Let's see....

The smile says it all.......how do we get it up there!

Who you gonna call? Tayler, my very strong youngest grandson......

They have it figured out.

Okay, one on the saw horse and two to hold.

Don't think it is working....

Well, maybe a little adjustment..

Okay, we got it!!!!

Totally a 3 man project...

Some more adjusting. Oh, yeah, the kid on the crutches, not so much help....but, he wanted to.

Now, focus on the deck.....

It's all done!!!!!!!!!!! Now the fun part, decoration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is so weird to step out on it, feels good! And from the inside it shades the sun room and guest bedroom. For some reason when I'm standing on it, it makes me feel like I'm in the mountains, don't know what is up with that, other than I'm just weird......Can't wait to put up some Smith and Hawken lights and a very comfortable lounge chair with a small table for my early morning coffee and create a outdoor curtain for the one side and and and ....whewwwwww. I like it. Thanks for reading my long story.

Part 2, should have been at the bottom of last post.

As I said, not a good blogger person. Anyway as I just finished the last post, realized I'd forgotten these and REALLY wanted them in...

This picture is one Corinnes did and I stole it. It looks perfect on my kitchen wall and love it....

















This little pottery flower holder thingie is one Corinnea and I got at a German handmade craft faire. It is so cool, love the way the whole thing looks.






A few years back, Jessica and I tried our hand at wood burning in gourds. This is one Jessica did and she was just going to throw it away and I said, NO........so, I put some sparkly thingies on it and I think it looks soooooo cool!!! It is now on a shelve in the den.





And by the way, the top part lifts off and you can put treasures inside. I wish the sparkling thingies showed up better in the picture.

Jess, I think we may need to revisit this craft, just need to remember to wear a mask......





Okay, I'm done now. Thats all for another month or two.......

Not been doing much

It has been said before, " just randomness pictures." I have been very scattered for the last month, flitting from one thing to another. Not that, that is bad! I'm kinda liking it. It's like a variety show each day, at the end of the day looking back on all I did and knowing I enjoyed the day. Of course, cleaning house has NOT been on the schedule enough. I seem to get lost outside too often. Just taking out the garbage, can turn into a flower inspection that takes an hour. Now that the 'heat' is back, that will happen less, so maybe I can actually get the inside cleaned. Anywho, here is some pictures of odds and ends around my home. I'm SURE you will find them soooooo interesting. The first picture was to be third in the blog, how it got first, I don't know! It is showing the two pieces of art that I treasure in my little den. One is by Collin, one by his dad done way back in 1981...
Please excuse the light flash on the elephant. I don't claim to be good at picture taking.


I plan on getting Tim's picture reframed, properly. I love this picture and hope he someday starts his drawing again! Hint hint, just saying!!!

This picture Collin did for me before I left to come back home. I love it and am very happy with the way the framing turned out. Collin, I hope you like the way I had them frame your art.

I went to Ikea and got a new setup for my craft corner. I really like the way it looks so much better and it is already pulling me out there to start working on projects. I think one of Jennifer's clever bags would be great hanging on the wall and would help to keep things organized. (Excuse the dirty windows)

Here are some random pic's of the backyard, which I am now calling the design, "California Rustic"! I think it sounds like I actually planned it that way.

This picture is of a waterfall that needs help! HELP!!!

One morning when I got up and opened the window blind over the kitchen window, this is what I saw and for some reason, it made me happy so I took a picture of it. The whole sky looked this way and the morning was a very cool, sweet smelling morning, it all fit together perfectly. I love the way nature does that.

Okay,this is in the frontyard,how did it sneak into the backyard pictures. This is the first bloom of my Tuberose, which is the MOST, sweetest smelling flower. In the cool of the evening you can swell it all the way into the backyard. I have a few spots planted with this flower.


Back to the backyard and a picture of the Butterfly Bush, with a Butterfly, they love this bush.

Can you see him????








Now we are back in the front; I'm such a confused how-to-do a blogger person!

This is by the front door.







It has the biggest blooms.

I love my hummers!!!!!