Saturday, May 13, 2017

The Deck That Hick Built

Hick does not live by shacks alone. Hick's Shackytown is smoldering on the back burner now. He's almost done with the railroad car shack, except for painting. But that's not a gleam in his eye anymore. He's graduated to more expensive projects now that he's decided he's going to fully retire. I'm pretty sure that's his goal. Minimum money in, and maximum money out.

Because we (and by WE, I mean Hick, and last year a couple of times, The Pony) use Poolio for refreshing recreation so often during the two months that he's got warm enough and clean enough water...Hick decided that we HAD TO HAVE a new pool deck. Okay. So the old one WAS rotting through on a couple of boards. But since I never get on the deck, I don't see the urgency.

Anyhoo...one thing I'll admit about Hick: he's a pretty good amateur carpenter.

First, he had to tear out the old deck and start laying boards for the new one. Which he made bigger. And added steps down from the porch, instead of up from the yard.


That's a view taken from the back porch, off the laundry room and kitchen area.


As you can see, dark of night did not stop Hick's progress.


Hick's deck wasn't built in a day...but all of this part was. The rail and boards.


Then the floods came, and about the only thing that was accomplished for a week was getting enough rain pumped off of Poolio to remove his cover. Look away! He's hideous!


Hick finished this part in one day, too. The rest of the deck boards, and the steps.


In this photo, the sun was setting, and the rail was yet to come. Which is tomorrow's story!

12 comments:

  1. Look really nice! The thing I learned about carpentry was "measure twice, cut once...then throw it away and try again."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hick would love that! He would take what you throw away, and save it for a Shackytown project! In fact, a bunch of lumber he used on this new deck was formerly thrown-away lumber. He was busy pulling nails out. He DID buy those long boards, I'm pretty sure.

      Delete
  2. Val--Well, I guess that's one reason why you should keep Hick around...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well...how many new pool decks does one woman actually NEED in a lifetime?

      Delete
  3. It looks like Hick is doing a good job, at least now you can walk down from the house rather than going down to the yard then up to the deck...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. Because even though Genius and The Pony used to climb over the railing to get down...that's a road I chose not to travel.

      Delete
  4. Could it be that you're trying to gently admit that you appreciate him? Nah, never mind!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WHAT are you thinking? Are you delirious with fever?

      Delete
  5. I must say that he does do good work!! Oh, and your pool looks great compared to mine!! We just finished the back breaking job of netting all the leaves from the bottom and we are now 12 hours into the "magical" green to blue chemical treatment. Our pool holds 60,000 gallons of water ..... green water.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Poolio has now been chemically altered, and you can see his leaf pile out in the yard in the two next-to-last pictures. Because it would make too much sense to dump them a few feet over, into the woods.

      At least Poolio is not as large as your pool. And weirdos don't knock on our door asking to swim in him.

      Delete
  6. So, he;s earned his keep and your tolerance?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now-now-now! Let's not be too hasty in this assumption!

      Delete