Back Porch Update

Well it is starting to look like a real porch cover now. We have the three steel post up and leveled and all twelve rafters up and bolted and supported and tied into the original roofing. Our ol' casa has a two foot over hang so this wasn't as difficult as we originally thought it would be. We needed to cut away about two inches of the edging that had some water damage. We expected to find more damage but we where lucky and found that the installation of the last roofing was done by someone who knew what they where doing. And yes, you can see my 15 year old doing one of her weekly chores of cleaning the glass doors. Just so you know she is wearing her new favorite skirt. It's a bit too long as you can see in the other pictures. But she loves it still the same. Now I need to dig out the old sewing machine and shorten it. In this second picture you can see where we still had two rafters to go. They are all up now, and we're starting to put up the between rafter braces to support the plywood top before we lay the tar paper and then the shingles. Slowly bit by bit the job is getting done. And we have had some really great dinner with my folks lately. Not that my cooking is gourmet or anything, but the company is always great. It's really been wonderful to just set around the dinner table with them and us and talk and break bread. Growing up that was one of the highlights of our day. Dinner was the one meal everyone was home for most of the time. Other then that we all had shifting schedules. Well, here's a shot of our construction zone. The large trainer still full of sand and gravel ready for the side walkway we will be pouring some up coming weekend. and also the new fence and gate that we now need that this lovely trailer smashed down when it was backed

into our yard. Not that I'm bitter

about my white rose bush. By the way that's what was growing in that big hole. Now I have a broken fense and a hole in the ground. And please ignore the growing virginia creeper that needs to be cut and for some reason this sinder block, where did that come from? DAD!!

Well the plan is to pour a cement strip along the new fence and gate so grass won't grow close to it making things difficult to mow, as well as allow a latch hole for the new triple sized gate they will be putting in. Anyway when it is all said and done my once five foot white rose bush covered with blooms will be a new fense section with a triple gate and a new Azalea bush in it's place. (we won't have to trim the azalea in the fall, just in case you where wondering) Well that's about all the updates. Jaz once asked what the white wire was in front of the window in the third picture - It's the power line to the motion detector light that was on the back edge that is now in the middle of the cover. This will be the power line for the lighting around the porch that we are planning to put up. As well as adding another motion light on the west and east ends of this porch. The measurements for it are 16x28. And there is about a three inch walkway on the west side of the porch along the side of the house that leads to the front drive. There is a 3x10 walk that still needs pouring on that far side of the garage, but that's the third project in our back yard. First the cover, then the gate/fense, and finally the sidewalk around the west side. Just wait until we start converting the garage!! That will be fun and easy!! RIGHT!! NOT!!