Originally we had a small deck to the west side of our house; it was just a deck, no railing, no roof, no stairs. It was dangerous; David and I used it to cool down after a hard day's work. We weren't living in the house, the deck couldn't be seen from the street, so it just sat there holding building supplies UNTIL I said "You know this deck has potential if it were twice as big. We could have family dinners out here. You could build a ramp which would allow us to move some essentials (refrigerator, sofa) into the house". David thought this wasn't such a bad idea since it actually entailed less work than our original plan. He began measuring and came up with a design that was even more spacious than my proposal. A small deck closet and extra length to accommodate a ramp with minimum incline was included. David also insisted that the deck absolutely must have a roof. (I wasn't so sure about the roof). He put in major concrete foundation work and built the floor. Suddenly my health issues took priority and time leftover from medical appointments was used to build essentials.
This summer, three years later, our efforts have been focused on finishing the deck. Our new roof provides much needed shade; when a monsoon shower moves in we rush out to sit and listen to the rain pounding the tin. Mountain winds are almost constant and the deck provides us natural air conditioning. We now have railing, just in case anyone enjoys too many of Dave's World Famous Margaritas. There's a gate to latch, insuring we aren't joined by a wandering herd of javalinas. The dappled sun and fresh air dramatically rejuvenated some languishing plants.
I've had a blast spray painting lots of old treasures black to house candles and plants. Couldn't resist some turquoise for the plant pots. The white Vietnamese elephant and wicker love seat are new, the rest is restored furniture. The little round side table appears to be the innards of a heating system. It houses candles, protected from the wind by the glass tabletop. We can now seat a family dinner or just have a cup of coffee while working the daily sudoku puzzle at Maria's old wooden table, now stained ebony. The buffet cart needed a can or two of black spray paint and frequent lemon oiling is restoring the stone top. The bottom shelf of the buffet is perfect for the old peanut butter jar candle holders. The railing and ceiling of the deck are painted Santa Fe Grey which blends well with the native hues.
Every evening, you'll find me listening to the frogs call, sipping the occasional glass of wine or margarita, gloating over our starry sky, and watching moths commit suicide in our candles on our FINISHED deck.
FROM THE KNOTHOLE: Wow, that Badboulderlady really let loose on the deck project. She let all her feelings and emotions come spewing out. Moths seeking out the flame of death; turning junk into treasures; gazing at the stars, and drinking those margaritas while the soft, summer zephyrs of the great Southwest rustle through her golden hair; conjuring up images of bygone days; and reveling in the promise of all that is to come. To that I say, amen.
a parting shot from bbman: rain falls on the good and the evil alike. a biblical paradox
