The Best Laid Plans . . .

Well, Happy Monday!

It's 5 a.m. and I've been up for an hour now. Anxious I guess.

The Deck: Still working on it. Neomom had the weekend off, according to her schedule. So, on Saturday morning, in spite of the below-zero temperatures, high wind and snow, I went to work. I just have to take advantage of Neomom's days off if I want to make any serious progress.

And it was a good day. I dressed for the weather and spent all day outside. I managed to finish the frame and get a fair bit of decking in place. My body protested, but the hot shower at the end of the day made it all worthwhile. And, I figured, if I put in the same amount of work Sunday, I could be enjoying my coffee on the deck Monday morning. Even if I had to wear a snowsuit, dammit, I was gonna do it.

Sunday morning, at 7 a.m., Neomom got the call. And she was off to Churchill . . . FOR THIS . . . most likely for a couple of days. The best laid plans . . .

But, in spite of this little fly in the ointment, I did manage to get a couple of hours in while the boys napped. Coffee on the deck will have to wait. Grrrr.

Anyhoo, it's -5C this morning with a forecast high of 5C. The rest of the week looks equally chilly. I will have to do my best to finish the deck, a little at a time, when the boys sleep. Next weekend, the temperatures are looking a little nicer. Hopefully, by then, I can enjoy my coffee on the deck.

Have a great week.

P.S. This one seems a tad disjointed. Tired. Don't sleep well when Neomom is away.

Summer Fun!

So . . . -4 here this morning, forecast calling for two to four inches of snow. (Written Saturday - we got it all and more.)

Time to start thinking about backyard summer fun!

I look forward to the days when I can boot the boys out the back door and let them fight outside instead of in the living room. If I crack the kitchen window, just a little, I can filter out the standard whining noises ("Sontoo's looking at me!") and still leave enough room to hear any full-out screaming that might result from a broken bone or uncontrolled bleeding.

But there are a few things that need attention around the homestead. The three at the top of the priority list for this summer are:

1. New eaves troughs and fascia. The plastic troughs on the house right now are leaking at almost every joint. Why anyone would put those crappy things on a house is beyond me. But someone did and now I have to deal with it. Seamless troughs and aluminum fascia, all the way around, two storeys up. What fun! This will cost some money.

2. A deck out back. Someone put some nice patio doors off the dining room, but there's a three-foot drop from the doors to the lawn. The previous owners thoughtfully cobbled together a few crappy stairs to remedy the situation. They wobble a lot and, as the doors open out, you have to walk up them, open the door while backing back down the stairs and then walk back up and in. Kind of a pain. So I have to deal with that. And this will cost some money.

3. Some kind of play structure. And I'll admit I'm a little iffy on this one. Given the cost versus interest longevity ratio, it's still up in the air. The boys have a great sandbox, plenty of toys and nearby playgrounds (granted, the playgrounds are often covered in broken glass, graffiti and some drug paraphernalia). Do we really need to spend money on this?

(The rest written this morning)

Anyhoo, by a vote of one . . . Neomom . . . the deck has taken top spot on the list. I spent yesterday planning. Today I will take the plans to the local lumber yard for an estimate . . . just to know how much further in debt we will go. I also need to find out if a permit is necessary, how much that'll cost us and when I can get going.

I admit, it will be nice to work with my hands again. And, weather permitting, the boys can "help out" which will put us all outside, all day, at least for a little while. And hey, when it's done, if I fall off the roof while putting up the eaves troughs, I won't have as far to fall.

I'll try to get some pictures as I go, just for fun. But, before I do that, I need to buy another hard drive or two, as the one on my computer is pretty much full. Need to dump the 8,000+ pictures and videos on to a drive for storage. Oh, and this too will cost some money.

So, those are the summer plans. Wish us luck!