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

The Weekend Getaway

Hubby and I took a weekend trip. I just felt like we could use a getaway: him from work and me from running to doctor appointments and trying to sell land for my mother.

So, off to our place near Auburn. We went to the baseball game on Saturday night after just roaming around Auburn on Saturday. The game was supposed to be a noon, so that is when we arrived only to find out they had postponed it to 5:00.

Auburn won over Georgia. Always good! We have been so busy the last couple of years that it has been a while since we have gone to a baseball or basketball game. We love attending all sporting events, but lately it has only been football. We have to remedy that.

Before we made it to the game, one of our stops was to the Robert Trent Jones golf course in Opelika. Hubby wanted to check on golf tournament tickets for the summer. Yawn!

However, on our way in, we spotted a model home tour. We stopped and peeked in. I LOVE looking at those to just see what is new.

I loved the dining room. The mirrors had me a first glance. I do have mirrors in my dining room. I have always loved them, but I must say I always choose to sit with my back to them. Just not sure I want to see myself eating. They do show off a dining room though when not in use.

My absolute favorite thing was this table on the screened porch. Oh my, I love original things like this. They said it was made from a ship's door.??

The master bathroom caught my eye too. Love the colors of the counter and cabinets.

Then, on Sunday we traveled to my old stomping grounds of Columbus, Georgia. My first time living there was in the early to mid-sixties when my dad was stationed at Fort Benning.

We went to the new Infantry Museum. It is super nice. I love history and was blown away by the museum. It is done with excellence. The drive into it is gorgeous as well with the pines and oaks dripping with Spanish moss.

The building is so pretty. The setting around very nice. I know they will be adding more for awhile.

I won't bore you with my museum pictures, because I know not everyone is a geek like me. I do love the big exhibits they have telling the story of the infantry, but the thing that I love to do is look at the real pieces of history. I have just been on a cursive whine lately. I think it is so pretty and hate to see young people who can't even read it. Not good. You wouldn't be able to read the wonderful pieces of primary sources of history.

We went to find my home on Trask Drive. I lived here and they were some of favorite memories before I lost my dad to cancer at a young age. I spotted it even before we saw the house number. I actually was surprised that after 50 years it looked this good.

There was a toddler in the door looking out at us. 

Here is it in 1964.

I have several more, but not any of the front with my sweet family. 

I loved sharing this with Hubby. I kinda think he enjoyed seeing it too. I have told so many stories about this neighborhood.

The next time I would arrive in Columbus was fresh from college with a teaching degree. A friend from our methods teaching classes and I rented an apartment called Club Hill. They were newly built on Warm Springs Road. I would drive north to teach in the neighboring county at a very rural consolidated county high school. She would drive south to teach in an inner city Columbus school. Oh the tales we could tell each evening. 

Club Hill had a pool and a pond (aka lake) in the center. Jill and I were both dating boys that were finishing up in Auburn(we both married them), so we either went to Auburn every weekend or home. Occasionally, Hubby would visit. My favorite thing to do was feed the ducks.

I was again most surprised at the condition. It looked the same. Still very nice.

NOW

THEN

The next picture is of my outside my apartment. I was a high school teacher. Smaller than most of the kids. I have great memories of that year. I was thrown to the wolves in my job. Little or no materials, but I did what I had to do and am proud of what I accomplished there.

I think that was favorite pair of tennis shoes ever. I bought them at Gayfers (Cordova Mall) in Pensacola while in college. Anyone else miss Gayfers?! Nike was just getting started.

Hubby and I walked around the lake to where two guys were fishing and had them take our picture. After all, this is the place where Jeff popped the question.

There is lot more of us, but a bunch more blessings to go with it.

Our last stop for the day was in Pine Mountain. We shopped in a few antique stores. There was one to linger in and wish on. It had so many beautiful pieces of furniture. The real deal!

My only purchase for the trip was a McCoy planter. I love dogs and I just thought I needed this somehow. Not sure what I am going to do with it yet.

We stayed the night at our cabin, and then headed home Monday. I hope a weekend away from work was good for Hubby. I know it helped me. 

I have a very busy rest of the week, so I need to get up and get started on it.

Blessed to get to spend a weekend alone with my fellow.

Sandy