Deck Progress Part 2

We have been waiting on the second round of workers for the bottom deck. I shared about the upper deck here.

I have also been super busy this week with Mama and doctor appointments. However, Friday afternoon and Saturday I tried really hard to at least go putter around down there to get a feel for my plans. Sometimes you just have to spend some time looking around and doing nothing to get a feel for what you want to do.

I actually find that taking pictures and then looking at them on the computer lets me dream or plan my next steps.

I would love to redo the whole bottom deck with the new boards that we used upstairs, but the truth of the matter is we can get several more years out of the lower deck.

My grand dog Hallie helping me out. #Boykin Spaniel

I spent much of the day Saturday sweeping and washing off the lowest level. I cleaned up the plastic chairs and placed them up on the second level which is what I am waiting on workers for. 

Anyway, I think the whole family has discovered something this past two weeks. We love the second level without a rail. It had a wooden rail previously. We were not going to go with a wooden rail since we had to move the supporting poles out further. Our plans were to put a metal rail up after we had the stone replaced and the tile taken up. 

After the rains all stopped we have found ourselves down there and all of us noting how much roomier, open, spacious, etc. that the second level is without a rail. 

With that said, I think we are going to leave off the rail at this point. I remembered some lights I had seen earlier at JoAnn's. They are stringed Christmas type lights, but with the new and trendy Edison bulbs. I picked up a couple strings. Hubby hung two yesterday. We didn't want to hang too many and it be super bright or trashy looking. We waiting until last night to see how they would look. They are actually pretty bright, so two are plenty. 

I added a couple of geraniums to the porch. I am liking the look. 

We plan to take up the white tile. I am actually quite fearful of this. The tile is difficult to keep clean, but even after 31 years, it has no cracks or bad places, so that could mean it was put down to survive anything. In other words, it may not come up without a fight and be worse underneath. 

The stone mason is coming soon to repair the stone and reattach it the porch.

See what I mean. The old upper deck rested on the stone wall. It popped it out from the second level porch. They will fill in the holes with new stone and I don't actually know what they will do, but they said they could fix it. It is the son of the guy who actually laid the stone originally.

You can see where it hasn't left the porch wall AND you can see that white tile. Let me just tell you know amount of sweeping can keep white tile outside clean. Drives me nutty.

I will share a few more pictures. There are lots of cleaning supplies that still need to picked up. I also  still have to clean the table and chairs.

My son and his friend are headed out to fish the docks this evening.

The lower deck is our planting area for tomatoes and peppers.

I have tried to add some color to the lowest level.

This area goes back up the side of the house. I put some zinnias and impatiens there. I don't know if they will make it or not, since it not the richest of soils. Maybe if I fertilize enough. I just thought it might help the look there.

The zinnias are just at the bottom of this rather bland view of the side of the house.

I am so excited about the new paddle board. I have a lot to learn, but I will share more about that soon. I am going to enjoy this immensely this summer.

The truth is there will always be toys on this deck no matter what. We live here and enjoy the water. We have hosted more church parties for kids than I care to count and our house was the hangout during middle and high school years. I wanted to scream many times, but as my hubby  always reminded me ---"better here than somewhere else" and "it would be over before I knew it."

So true!!!

One last look .... that has made us decide it needs to stay open on the second level.

Blessed this Sunday evening...

Sandy