A SIMPLE DECK

We worked for 3 weeks solid on the backyard ..................for Ashley & Chris' baby shower.

As a family affair - we built a deck for extra seating ( with my contribution being the planning and decorating and the " bossing " )  A simple straight forward deck - we don't even have railings ( it's very close to the ground )

this is the area we placed it in  ( from the original MLS photo's )

And though it's not that large a deck - I found a way to seat NINE people comfortably in a " conversation pit "

The furniture was bought from IKEA - ( the last 3 seats from one store - and the last 2 seats in another - we were soooo lucky )

Across from them I placed 3 cedar folding chairs that I bought in the winter off Craigs List - I think I paid 25.00 for all of them )

I remember John telling me I was nuts for buying outdoor furniture in the middle of the winter - but like childbirth he usually forgets all about it ...............

John says - That was a great call getting those chairs
Suzan says - And you thought I was nuts !
John says - I never said that

But he did ...................
They're so beautifully weathered that they may be my favorite things on the deck !

When I have some time I'll make cushions for them - but believe it or not - for hard wood chairs they're really comfortable !

I had another chair that we weren't using - it's a faux leather so it's perfect for outside and the same color as the cushions - so out it came

I filled the corners with plants ( that we still need to plant - they're perennials that were on sale ) which filled the spots up perfectly since they were out of the corner seats AND tables when we got to Ikea.  I'm hoping this line continues next year because I'd love to add to it.................they have benches too !

We made the coffee table from extra wood we had on hand ( you can read about that HERE )

John says - NOT WITH THE BRANCHES IN A VASE AGAIN!
Suzan says - I LOVE branches in a vase - and they're free - why do you fight it?
John says - Because they're all over the house - and I'm constantly being poked by them

But the branches in the vase are staying !
I took advantage of the other side of the deck ( because we can never have a spare inch anywhere - a spare inch is a wasted inch in my opinion LOL ) and placed a small bistro table
And of course a vintage ( possibly antique ) door !

That table?  Was the same color as the furniture - but I bought it many years ago - and black worked best at the time - now it's pretty beaten up and time to sand it all down - no paint brush will ever touch it again !
Anyway this corner still needs a lot of tweaking....................but the conversation area is FAIT ACCOMPLIS !!!

Simple but perfect for us - AND WE HAVE A DECK - HOLY COW - WE HAVE A DECK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

( and next thing on the list is installing French Doors from the dining room so we have indoor access - right now the only access is from the kitchen and through the mud room )

Guess where I'll be today ?
I'll be going back and forth from the deck to the

And then back to the deck again !

Though the pool's on the other side of the garden completely - if you're sitting on the end of the sofa you can catch a glimpse of it. - but I'll give you a close up instead :)

The reno's on the inside have been nothing short of a nightmare.............
But this back yard has been a dream come true -
When we're inside we sit around grumbling about how much there's still left to do -
and then we step outside and have to pinch ourselves - we're so grateful - and now
with the deck we're pinching ourselves so hard we've got bruises ......................
So I plan to spend a day in dreamland - with black and blue marks all over my body
Let me know what time you're coming over - there's enough room for 8 of you !

You all have a glorious Monday !
Much love,
Me


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BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH                          A STROLL THRU LIFE
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT                   SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE
MY SALVAGED TREASURES                                  FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS
NO MINIMALIST HERE                                           I GOTTA CREATE
LAMBERTS LATELY                                                LIVE LAUGH ROWE
THE CHARM OF HOME                                          FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE
CRAFTBERRY BUSH                                               MY TURN FOR US
PIN JUNKIE                                                              THE SHABBY NEST
LITTLE MISS CELEBRATION                                 THE DIY DREAMER
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

A Friday Chat ( about this & that )

The below observation is my opinion - and is not necessarily shared by fellow Canadians.

Our television sucks.

Wait - I take that back - our Documentaries are really pretty incredible - but other than that?

Our television sucks.

Most of us watch " American " television because..................well it's superior.

The other night John and I watched a game show.

The concept of the show was all right I suppose - but after sweating their brains out for half an hour the grand prize was a tent.

Let me repeat that - a FREAKING tent.

American game shows send people on holidays to Hawaii or some other beautiful beachy resort - and we get a tent?

" Here you go - now go find yourself a camp ground buddy "

I've seen shows where they win a year's supply of SAUSAGES ..............Oh Canada we can do better than that.  I would have had to fight the urge to whack him in the head with one of them !

It's absolutely pitiful to watch.  And if you didn't know better you'd think you were watching an episode of
SNL ( whose creator - by the way - is a Canadian )
The contestants are always stiff and formal ( and kind of nerdy ) nothing like the people I know anyway.
And the clapping of the audience is " tinny " because there's only 20 or so people sitting in it, I'm sure.
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So I went dress shopping this week.

First I HAVE to say that I've never seen this condition on another living soul but I've developed a DONUT on my stomach.

Most people get " tires " - I've literally got a huge donut - with my belly button the hole in the center.

I stood in the dressing room staring at it in fascination.
Then I shed a tear because it means I can absolutely never eat another donut as long as I live.

Here's what my reflection looked like ( because the reflection was far worse than the " real " me )

But it's such a gorgeous dress that I bought it anyway.

John says - Oh - that's a beauty !
John says - Try it on - I'd like to see it !
Suzan says - I'M NOT PUTTING IT ON - LEAVE ME ALONE !!!!!!!
John says - WTH?  What did I say?
Suzan says - GET OFF MY BACK ALREADY - I'M NOT PUTTING IT ON
John says - Why the hell did you buy it and why is it hanging on the outside of your cupboard door.
Suzan says - It's a reminder..............I can't eat donuts anymore
John says - You're slipping over the edge..............

You know for years and years people always told me I was too skinny
Well..............
HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW??????????????
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We were in the car............and another one pulled up beside us at a red light.
The guy was drinking a coffee in a cup the size of a bucket.

John says - Check out the exhibitionist beside us.

My head whipped over

Suzan says - He's not an exhibitionist !  He's just ridiculous
John says - He IS an exhibitionist !
John says - He's the EPITOME of an exhibitionist !
Suzan says - Well he's not showing his penis or anything
John says - NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE THE THINGS THAT COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH !!!

and so we bickered about THAT for a good 5 miles or so.until we got home and he looked it up in the dictionary.....................he's right - crap - I hate it when he's right ( thankfully it's not that often )

I seriously always thought an exhibitionist was someone that showed their private parts.........

And this topic was just a little fluff - you know - filler
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Now on to more serious stuff.

Bubble Nails

SOURCE

Have you seen the new trend?
Apparently it's taking the internet by storm
I don't know about you but I'm thinking when we have to walk around with gumdrops growing off the tips of our fingers - we've exhausted all ideas for nails - really - it's just time to admit defeat and go get a French Manicure.

Watch there'll be a movie about it next - like Edward Scissorhands -
it'll be called Edwina Marblehands.........
They look just as lethal to me.
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I'm titling this section
" THE WORLD IS FULL OF A$$HOLES"

Have you ever considered what it would be like to walk into a body - through a giant anus?
NO???
What exactly is wrong with you?
Japan has an exhibit where you can do just that.

It makes me want to vomit a little in my mouth.
I find it vile..................

Oh look kids !
You can even see what it produces !

ROCKET NEWS 24

And then Mommy will take you to get bubble nails !!!

At least when North Americans enter a human body - they do it in a dignified manner - through injection -



What tiny little bit of interest I've ever had in science has just flown out the back door.
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I had to blow up 144 balloons.
For Ashley's shower.
I didn't have any problems blowing them up - ( because after about 20 of them I ran and got the electric inflater we have for the pool floats - worked like a charm ) but it was tying the knots that killed me.
I don't recall that ever being a problem before but it certainly is now............my fingers looked like
Godzilla's the rest of the night.

John says - EVERY SINGLE THING YOU DO IS OVER KILL !!!!!!
John says - 10 balloons or so would have been ok - but no we have to have hundreds
Suzan says - I'm swagging them - so I needed a lot
John says - You're what-what?
I'm not sure if this is a British thing or not - but he always repeats the " WHAT "
Suzan says - swagging-swagging them

I'm halfway through as I type this up ( but I'm typing it up Thursday - so in real time they're finished.
I hope to God anyway.
If I'd waited till I finished tying knots in all of them I wouldn't have been able to type period.
Here's the half.

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And since my fingers have been rendered useless I think I may glue a balloon to each fingertip - start a trend

Wish me luck everyone - there's a lot of people coming..................
( and can I just tell you I'm dying a thousand deaths because the downstairs bathroom hasn't been touched and it's a hell hole ?  I might just use the balloons to cover all the walls in there ! )  Would a tent/outhouse be too tacky do you think?  I should have tried to win one on a game show !
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Oh !  John just pulled a doozy - just in time for me to sign off with !
He just walked in with some back cushions for the outdoor sofa and loveseat !
Earlier I had been complaining because they're not very thick at all - they'll do for now but they're pretty thin.
Anyway John had told me in the middle of the week that he thought they were fine.
Ok so in he walks tonight and tosses down 2 pillows and with disgust -
John says - You're right - these are complete crap - they should be ashamed of themselves for selling them
Suzan says - You said they were fine!
John says - LOOK AT THEM !  THEY'RE AS FLAT AS A PANCAKE !!!

OMG - I thought I'd die !
They're pillows so they were vacuum packed - of course they were flat !

Suzan says - They're vacuum packed
John says - Where do you come up with these things?
Suzan says - They vacuum pack all their pillows - it saves space
John says - I've never heard of such a thing

I'm still giggling

You can see for yourself - they ARE thin though

But they're SITTING ON A DECK THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE LAST WEEK !!!

Have a wonderful weekend !
Hugs - with just my arms because as you know - my fingers.............but now I'm just repeating myself.