Sunday was a Good Day for an Erection

The pad was poured in early May and acid etched on Mother's Day. Mike had been working diligently for four weeks sanding, sealing, sealing again, and finally applying the last coat to 24+ pieces of rough hewn cedar. 6 x 6's. 8 x 16's and 8 x 20's. For those of you who have no handyman skills at all, try storing and sealing the above mentioned materials. You need a lot of space. A lot of time. And a lot of patience. Which is why Mike did this portion of the task, and I kept the household on track.

Mark was in from Seattle for a few days and guided us in the fine art of raising a structure that was not only plumb, but also solid. Mike worked from the scaffolding, Mark worked from the ladder, and I worked from the ground. 10 hours later, we had a structure. It's not quite done -- we need to add the stringers, and finish the trim. But I see late summer nights filled with too much wine, too many cigars and discussing world problems until at least 10:00 p.m. Let the party begin.