It's been a while but man is it hot out side. Dangerous hot. Well we have a new starter in the truck so it's safe to head out now. I am buying wood at the Homie but first I need roof plans. I found this site but they recommend you buy a pre-built trusses. and this one that has a how to, but they recommend finding software to help design and calculate, link.

I think this site will do what I need.

Maybe a video?

Oh, talk about keeping up with the Joneses. Look at what our neighbor has done!

The pergola was put up in one day, but they hired a crew, bah, wait till they see the roof on mine!

Still thinking about having everyone over. That was a lot of people and I guess it was the ultimate test of the deck and it's footings.

It finally got hot this week, we've had a few hundred degree days this week. We have been watering by hand but the flowers are all pooping out.

The party was a success! Everybody made it to the house, even my brother Rene and his wife Elva. Everyone was supervised, but we were concerned after he called to let us know they were lost. some where in Georgetown on he Tollway.

Mom and the Gabby, My brother Daniel with his back to us, and Michale and his son Gavin in the back looking on. oh and Desire with Elva on the right.

That's John Paul in the middle and my sister in law, Maria on the right.

Topsy is so good with kids, he had been having his seizures but the stopped when everyone showed up. My little niece Abby thought he made a wonderful pillow.

The Cabana has been a great addition.

We even added a gas grill. Even used it every day this week.

Took four hours this morning to edge, trim the hedges, and mow the yard. Yes it's hot outside to bad the summer is about to roast the yard. We need the rain but we are being teased with an El Niño.

Tweaking

I've been back to work and had very little time to update the blog. But this is what's been done so far. The deck was water proofed by painting it, the frame is kilz and the floor has a moss green oil based porch paint.

Maria at work mentioned that the lobby of hobbies had decorative deck lights on sale and I found a string of ten small paper lanterns that blended in with the pastel color scheme. I also bought 12 yards of an indigo blue material that I fashioned into a cheap set of curtains.

I'm still waiting for the tarp material we ordered last week it should have been in by now I better call and see what happened. it's going to be a very busy day today but I'll post pics of the party on my next post.

Starting to look better everyday.

Got home today and got the sewing machine out. I joined two panels together just to make sure the colors picked would look good on the house. I went ahead and painted the posts and beams with Kilz. These post and frame will be hidden by RealTrim to give them a little more visual mass.

I did it!

It took a solid day of work on Sunday but I got it done. The deck is completed and I had enough time to start the roof. I should have named this site Steve builds something, the posts went up with out any problems and I was even able to get the beams up myself without any help.
It was around 8:30 when I was finally able to sit on the deck and drink a beer.


I even had time to make it to the fabric store and by 20 yards of material to create the awnings. I think the blue and yellow are summery and will go well with the house. Hum, Steve sews an awning?