Our back yard - the mess!

We finally found someone we were happy with to build our deck. His quote was the best, he seemed nice to work with after coming out and viewing the site and discussing the project with us, and he got us a list of references - we checked out one of them and were amazed with his work from nearly a decade ago - so he's been in the business for awhile!

After telling Todd we were ready to go forward with the project, he was able to fit us in fast - he says he's got another project or two coming up, and figures he'll have our deck done within the next week! Wow!

The plan was for him to come out sometime late yesterday afternoon with the contract for me to sign, for us to give him the deposit, and for his guys to start digging holes and putting in posts. I was a little worried about a late afternoon start with it getting dark so early, and came home to find a pickup in the driveway and this in the backyard!





Turns out they were able to show up around 10:30 yesterday morning and got a good start on the project! Todd and his guy were working until just past "too dark" - I had all the lights on in the house, plus the back porch light (which isn't good for much), as they were wrapping up filling in the last of the concrete.

The plan was for a delivery of beams to be in the driveway when I got home today, while they let the concrete finish setting (and I'm sure they have another job going on), and then tomorrow they'll come out to build the structure, joists, etc.


I got home from work this afternoon - no wood in the driveway. Uh oh? Oh well - I'm sure it'd show up for them to do the job tomorrow. Putzed around the yard a bit, and realized there was a pile of wood over on the far side of the yard - I guess the delivery guy just dropped it off in the backyard.


The very wet backyard - we've had some good rainfall lately, and things are a bit muddy (there's mud clods all over the yard from yesterday's work). Oh, and it looks like the delivery truck found some soft areas of the yard...ooooh well...it's not the only spot we'll be fixing next spring, plus it's right on the edge.


After checking things out I went to pick spinach, lettuce, and other greens. Dan, the retired farmer down the street came over to visit and had me come get more leaves for the compost/garden - now that he's got a rake attachment for his rider mower, it's MUCH easier than the last two times I got leaves from him. It only took us 20 minutes to load the five Rubbermaid tubs full (PACKED full) of leaves, which I then hauled back in the garden cart (thanks again mom and dad!).