Deck Work

A few years back, I used to like to brew beer.  I had an old refrigerator I used as a beer fridge.  Time, a couple moves, and some downsizing resulted in the beer fridge being stored on the back deck.  The deck is covered, but open to the elements otherwise.  The refrigerator had not been used for around 9 or 10 years, and was old when it came to me back in the mid 90's.  It might have been from the 60s.

So, a call to GotJunk and a little over $100.00, and the refrigerator, an old window AC unit, and some other stuff I could not put out for neighborhood bulk pickup went away.

With the refrigerator gone, our wicker furniture evicted from the Media Room now fits pretty well out there, giving us a new seating area.  I used to enjoy sitting out there at night, so I'm looking forward to having that experience again.

Much of the last two weeks, I have been working on removing hackberry trees from the fenceline, and generally performing landscape fixin'.  My neighbor graciously allowed me free access to his property so I could work from his side of the fence as necessary.   $50.00 and a call to the city got an out of cycle brush pickup arranged (it went yesterday).  I have a bunch of stuff left to cut / remove but May has a free brush pickup, so that will work out I think.

One of the decks has lattice in place of balusters, and the lattice has started falling apart.  I have new wood balusters partially stained.  I did another deck last year with the same stain and materials, so this project should go pretty fast.  I figure I'll stain the balusters during the week, and on saturday I'll remove the lattice on one face of the deck (the one exposed to the wind), relocate the 2x4 horizontal supports so the balusters will work, stain the 2x4s and the 4x4 uprights, and mount the balusters.  Should take only 4 hours to do that Saturday.  The top rail will have to wait for materials, but at least no one will fall through the huge gaps in the lattice. 

My '70 Olds 98 has an interested buyer, a recent high school grad.  he and a friend of his were by over the weekend looking at it, and got it running.  It needs some work, so I've offered to buy parts to get it running if they will work on it with me.  We'll see where that goes, but if nothing else it will be running when we are finished, even if he doesn't feel its worth my asking price once all is said and done.

My friend Wendall used to brew beer also.  About the time I called GotJunk, he brought his collection of gear over, and all the beer stuff (his and mine) went to storage.  I may put up an unfinished project for a batch of beer.

My friend Greg has talked us into starting to bicycle.  The wife picked up a Tricycle, and has been enjoying it.  Greg loaned me a Trek commuter bike, which I have also been enjoying.

That's what I've been up to the last month or a little more.