The week unfolds as the deck project gets underway

 Saturday, June 13th, 2026

I overslept.  I was about an hour late getting downstairs to take care of the animals.  I looked at the forecast and saw that the thunderstorm front was due at the same time as the "Tai Chi in the park" event and texted my friend Kim that I would be skipping it, in favor of taking Ember out for a neighborhood walk hopefully done before the front came through.

This photo is from about halfway through our walk.  Those are storm clouds, not hills, for those of you who don't inhabit the wide-open plains.  

Ember insisted on going around the last block despite my pleas to get home before it hit.  She won that discussion, and we went on around.  There were still some branches within reach of her sniff limit.  We had one funny spot where she climbed through a pile of them and I whined at her that she had to come back because Mommy could not go through the pile the way she did.

Sunday, June 14th

Waking time was more "normal" on Sunday.  But I was tired.  Reordered when we did the dog walk to "after puppy nap #1".  We walked the farthest she ever has on leash, and through a different part of the neighborhood.

Monday, June 15th

Mom still low energy.  This is the last day before we have 3 days of doggy day care in a row.  The deck project is supposed to begin on Tuesday or Wednesday.  On Monday I moved the deck chairs to the far end of the back yard, on the shed pad.  I'm waiting until the last minute to put up the x-pen temporary fence at the far end of the patio so that Ember can be contained for potty sessions.

Tuesday, June 16th

Ember was happy to be dropped off at day care.  I came home and put up the temporary fence, which will give her some back yard freedom, but protect the area that will have the privacy fence and deck removed for a couple of days.

I thought there was a good chance the folks would not show up Tuesday, which would give me time to clear the fence line of unwanted plants (volunteer trees and ivy).  The plan is to deconstruct and put the building materials on the concrete patio.  This should work!  Fingers crossed.

I was wrong about them not getting here Tuesday.  I had started some weed cutting along the fenceline, and about that time Calvin showed up with building materials for the fence part of the project.

I kept working on the weeds, then called it "good enough" to take a break.  About 10:45 a.m. I noticed the crew had arrived to do the deconstruction of the deck and fence.  I asked them to smile for the camera!

They proceeded to deconstruct, and when they left for the day, the posts were up but not the fence.  

Apparently, the delivery truck didn't bring the concrete to set them up!  Tomorrow.  Quick setting, says Calvin (the boss), only need 30 minutes for fence posts.

Raul and Ignacio are the crew hauling the deck flooring to tuck it away for installation.

Ember was very curious when she got home. After supper, I took her out to meander in her section of the yard while I sat on a deck chair and watched her explore.

Wednesday June 17th

Ember reluctantly followed mom to the backyard by way of the front door and across the driveway to the gate.  Treats lured her inside for her morning P&P.

Enticing on the far end of the deconstruction zone was The Prisoner, who was getting his first look at the work in progress.

I stopped at the grocery on the way home.  By the time I got here, the crew were already working on the fence post setting.

Those propping timbers are being anchored in my neighbor's yard.  I hope the neighbors are going to be OK with this.  I didn't see it coming.  Three years ago the fence guys did not put up such props.  At least during the previous fence work three years ago the neighbors were OK with temporary access.  

I can see that I owe my neighbors something for the use of their yard!  At the very least to restore the space between the houses.

10:45 a.m. the skin of the fence is starting to be installed and the joists for under the deck floor are going up.  The front side of the fence is up, shielding from street view the storage area while work continues.

The props will be removed Thursday, according to the work crew.  

Steps are in, as is the deck floor.

The kitty came back inside, after spending a day out hunting.  He had to be shown where the steps were, then he trotted up them during Ember's last call and went back into his own safe space in the laundry room.

Thursday, June 18th

The day dawned beautifully, with cloud cover being sun kissed into a pink glow.

When I stepped out onto the newly installed deck floor to snap this photo, I was met with sprinkles of rain from those clouds.

When I took Ember out for her morning P&P in the backyard, I looked West and found a rainbow.  Rain had not been in the forecast. 

Ember happily went off to daycare.  I came home to find the workmen already starting their day. 

I have rails in progress!

Blog is getting too long already... so I'm going to leave it here and post.  

...  To be continued  ...

Life is good.  As always, it is "under construction".  Keep on Sparking, my friends!