rail against the machine

 Day 12. Hot and humid with humidex at 35C but not as brutal as yesterday. The railings are going up today at a rate that seems impossible. Then stairs or skirting, not sure what comes first (skirting probably). John and Roy also lifted up the 3 giant planters with the cedars in them.

Carm was gone for much of the morning doing countless errands, some deck related and others getting food. Hopefully eggs too… I planned to make banana spice muffins today but when I got to the part where I needed an egg, well, it seems that I hardboiled every single egg in the house! Dooh! So lunch will be hard boiled eggs and crostini. Maybe some dip too. (update, the muffins were done in time for lunch)

By 2pm (maybe earlier), all the railings were installed. I love it! It wasn’t my favorite style of railing but with the scale and surroundings they look fantastic. Carm and I put the post caps on all but the ones by the gates which still need to be installed. Lupa can no longer jump off the 5 foot drop at the end of the deck (she actually did this the other day and came out unscathed but I nearly had a heart attack! Especially as there was a towering pile of boards with huge nails sticking out.

John and Roy worked on the skirting the rest of the afternoon. They work well together with John taking the lead and Roy there to cut and deliver wood and other supplies. I try to stay out of their way but today the temptation to be outside was too great… ha ha!

I’ve been taking out icy wet cloths for them to put on their heads or necks but still the heat bears down on everyone.

In the afternoon (after countless trips to the city and the building supply store), Carm started leveling a spot to rest the stairs on.

After a cheater supper of hotdogs, I wandered outside and decided to move one of the metal chairs from the front deck to down by the pool, and then the other chair, of course the table. We sat on the deck thinking about what will go where and before we knew it four more plants came aboard, and the big dining table, and a chair, and the old deck box…

It’s a bit like moving into a new house :-)

still a bit of skirting needed here and there

Awesome!

“I thought I wouldn’t like the railings but I love them!”

“my honey out and about like an ancient hunter”

“finding what I think are the perfect solution to planters on the deck”

“the stairs from the house (again, awesome)”