Hal is Still Working on the Deck (and other things)

He does a few hours almost every day unless it's raining or something else takes precedence. He's gotten the entire deck removed behind the sliding doors now and had to remove the rotten outer rim joist under the door and replace it with pressure treated wood. He's doing that part right now. This photo is a few days old after he'd taken out the joists. The girder will be replaced after he replaces some other pieces here and there including the posts for the stairs. We certainly don't want that falling down at the wrong time.

Luna is standing on the last of the old deck that has yet to be replaced. It doesn't seem to be in as bad a shape as everything else. We think it was added later as the hot tub is set into it. It's a lot of work Hal has ahead of him. I'm keeping him supplied in Gatorade and water. Occasionally I get him things and hold other things in place.

I used to do more of this kind of work when I was younger (heck, we did an entire addition to our house in CA back in the 80s!) but I think I just get in his way now. So I stick to growing the veggies and cooking dinner. How utterly domestic. When did I turn into a housewife? ACK! At least I still mow the lawn (and it took 2 hours yesterday, but I mowed the driveway and a couple of trails, too). I also sprayed some weed killer between the veggie gardens after Hal mixed the ingredients and showed me how. Didn't need it all for the garden area so I used the remainder on those noxious thistle weeds the county doesn't like.

I finally planted a second set of green beans today, this one is an old variety called Slenderette. I also planted the Celebrity tomato I picked up at Wal-Mart last Thursday when I took Mrs J into Alpena for shopping and lunch. I also went to Tractor Supply and got a new battery for the riding mower we bought there several years ago. They happened to be on sale which was nice and I got the one with 280 cold cranking amps though the sales woman encouraged me to get the bigger one "for only $5 more because it would start anything"! But as I only needed it for a summer mower 280 was all I needed and I kept the $5.

While at WM I was also able to pick up the skein of gray yarn I needed to finish the gray and red Lagniappe shawl I started last month. I had to order one since the local Joann's didn't stock it anymore and they don't have free shipping to the store whic WM does, (it turned out to be cheaper, too). It is a pretty good match for being bought a year apart and I was able to add 3 rows to the shawl last night.

I suppose I had better get back to work now. I still have more tomatoes and one more package of green beans to plant.