Yesterday, we nearly completed piers 7 and 8 for our new deck. We have 9 and 10 left to go next weekend. After that? Well, we can start framing. We eventually need to dig and pour a cement pad for the stairs, which my husband insists on placing piers underneath to avoid frost heave, but the hardest part of the deck project is nearly done. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy to frame and/or deck. I’m saying that once we get to that point, I’m not shoveling dirt any longer.
Last night, I could finally see the end of one of the biggest pieces of the deck project. They are, in order: disassembly, piers/foundation, framing, decking, and stairs/pad. If I had to characterize each one (and play along with me here if you’ve built a deck before), I would describe them as:
- Disassembly (or site prep) – hard work for nothing; literally. In getting rid of the old deck we don’t exactly gain anything. At least the old deck was semi-functional.
- Piers – painfully hard and just something you have to get through. Put your head down, don’t look up and just survive.
- Framing – easier, demonstrates signs of progress; still a disappointment because you can’t walk on anything yet.
- Decking – easier still and the glory lap. Can be irritatingly frustrating when you have to trim boards, etc., but much better than anything else. Plus, you can finally see progress AND have a place to walk.
- Stairs/cement pad – mostly a husband’s job (😊) and tedious, but the biggest sigh of relief.
So, you can see from my descriptions what piers 7&8 actually mean to me: we’re 80% done with the part of the deck construction I find the hardest. More than that, having already disassembled the deck, we are almost past my two least favorite stages. Unfortunately for me, I don’t find that much joy in the framing stage. Still, even though we haven’t yet completed the piers stage, I would say we are about 40% done with the deck project. The piers are such a difficult part of the project that they account for more of the total project than anything else and in what I genuinely think is a 10-week project, we’ve been at this for four solid weeks.
But here’s the biggest thing to know about this deck project: now that we are just about done with the piers, I can start to see the finish. And when I can visualize the end of a project, it signals I can also get my life back. Along with temperatures that are expected to moderate and go back into the mid-70s, we will soon be moving on from my least favorite element of the project and everything should get much more tolerable. Further, framing and decking will take 1-2 weekends each vs. the five weekends that piers took. (And less intensive weekends overall.) It is time to think seriously about post-renovation life.
First, I think about how fabulous it will be to have the deck back. The new deck will be considerably more structurally sound and much larger, giving us a lot more functionality. The old deck was eight-feet wide and the new deck – at 10 feet – will allow for comfortable placement of a small table and chairs. The old deck was about 20 feet long and the new deck at 32 feet long will essentially double the square footage of the deck. Therefore, my Adirondack chairs along with a detached outdoor fireplace will fit at the other end of the deck, creating a comfy and cozy spot to enjoy the shoulders of the season.
But maybe so much more importantly, I get my life back. For those of you counting, that’s the second time I mention that in this post. It’s a real thing for me and after a tremendously tough five years that have been filled with a lot more than just renovations, it’s a goal I feared I would not achieve. But now, let me daydream a bit… .
I’m shooting to have the deck “done done” in mid October. That’s just in time to allow me to totally sink into my holiday season, which starts just about two weeks before Halloween. Genuinely, I love it all. I love the fun and laughter of Halloween, the warmth of family at Thanksgiving, the tradition and sweetness of Christmas and the renewal of the New Year. It is – literally – my favorite time of the year. This year with the end of renovations, it will be especially wonderful. After so long, so many challenges – from renovations to health to work-oriented – it is amazing to think that I’m just about eight weekends from the true best chapter of my life. Everyone healthy, post renovations and semi-retired is just about the best I could genuinely ask for. Time to roll, baby.
So, what is it that I’m looking forward to? Hmm… it’s all actually pretty darned pedestrian. I’ve got some pretty cool fall decorations that I’m going to enjoy putting out once I can deep clean the house after renos. I have some soup and stew recipes I want to try. I look forward to the cool crisp mornings when I can go out for a walk and enjoy the incredible beauty of bright sunshine with a layer of fog partially blocking the landscape but letting the fiery hillside of maple trees, the blue sky and the green alfalfa in the farmer’s field across the street stand out. I look forward to a Sunday football game, a Friday night movie and even cooking together like we used to do. I’m ready to make my pumpkin spice cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, which is one of my favorites and have it with a cup of coffee in the morning.
As we slide into November, I’m ready to do a harvest meal where we celebrate all of the bounty of the season – either at Thanksgiving or a week or two before. I’m ready for an outdoor fire when it’s cold enough that we have to wrap blankets around us as we enjoy the fire. There is truly nothing better. I’m ready for flannel sheets on the bed, cozy throws on the sofas and when it gets darker earlier, cozy fires also in the fireplace. I’m super excited about hosting the crowd at Thanksgiving and making our over-the-top Thanksgiving of turducken gumbo, roasted turkey and all of the fabulous sides.
In December, I’m ready for that first snowfall that feels like absolute magic (it turns dark after that… 😊). I’m ready for holiday decorations, roasted beef or chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, and secretly keeping the all-holiday music on in my car for the entire season. I’m ready for sweaters and jeans, boots, gloves and heavy winter coats. I’m ready to shop and wrap with my sisters.
And sometime around January 1st, when we start the new year and I don’t have to worry about finishing any project whatsoever, I’m ready for it to truly sink in that this wasn’t just a break but a change in lifestyle. When I finally wrap my head around that, I’ll also be ready to start my “what’s next?” Genuinely, I hope it’s a period of fitness and good health. When I no longer have to sacrifice a focus on getting fit or making good meals to ensure that I’ve smoothed the path for weekend renos, I hope that I have the true sense of peace and purpose to pursue fitness again. When I don’t feel like I’m behind all the time. When I’m actually ahead just enough to maintain an even strain AND have the peace of mind that will lead to a steady pursuit of healthy activities.
In the end, family cancer battles, renovations, career challenges and personal struggles made these last five years tough ones. While there was also incredible joy at times, I am so ready to turn the page for a little calm, quiet and uneventful living. My soul needs this rest in a way I can’t truly explain. But I know this one thing: if by mid-October we are done with the deck project, I can rest and enjoy the holidays and I’m planning on allowing myself to do just that with absolutely zero expectations on myself. When January rolls around, I believe I’ll be ready for my next phase and that’s soon enough.
The Yuppie Homesteader 