Deck/Deck Goose?

Progress on the deck continues every week.. But, I think this week is has had the greatest progress.  

It started with the boards attached to the house, so that the support structure for the deck can be attached and stable. This was across the whole width of the cabin.  Watch out for the first step, it's a big one!

Then the Simpson hangers are attached so that the 2 x 10's had a nice little resting place.  And, there's, of course, a little story behind them.  Jim went to Sunroc Building Supply to get these hangers.. they don't sell the ones we needed at Home Depot, so he had to go to an industrial kind of place.. We already had an account at Sunroc from when we did the framing, so Jim placed the order the day before, and was picking them up the day after.

He gets to the store, and the guy at the front asks Jim his last name, so he could pull up our account.  Jim says, "Streeter - S.T.R.E.E.T.E.R", and the guy repeats back... "STREATRE".  Jim says no, and spells it again.  And, once again, the guy repeats it back incorrectly.  This goes on a couple of times until the guy called Jim a jerk and an a-hole...  All Jim is trying to do is get the stuff he ordered... Jim then just tells the guy he wants to close out our account and refund our money and he wants to speak to the manager. The customer service guy goes to put the hangers in the back of the truck and the manager comes up.. he knows Jim well..  Jim tells him the situation outside, and all the manager says is..."He's not very good with people"..... Really, ya think?

Well, I was telling this story to my boss at work and we were having a giggle over it, and my boss asks if we still needed the hangers.  He said that he was building a deck on his house last year, and he had about 30 of these left over.  I asked Jim, Jim said yes, and the boss went home and brought a box of about 30 and put them in my car!  They were exactly what we needed... saved us about $150.00...  With everyone complaining about their bosses, I actually have a really decent boss...  He lets me do my work, doesn't micro-manage, and is quirky, but fun...  

This picture is looking down from the main level, but the little squares on the wall that look green, (they're actually silver) - that's the hangers!

Jim and Ben put vinyl roofing on top of the gluelam to protect it from the weather.

Then came the deck joists.  These babies cost $49.95 each.

And then the redwood started appearing amongst the noise.

So, now that you have been educated about deck building.....  we move forward!

And, I was in the grocery store on Saturday and was talking to the produce lady... I am still on a quest to find leaves... She gave my name and number to a lady who has a greenhouse, in Panguitch... We stopped by on the way home on Sunday, and oh my goodness..... she has an amazing greenhouse... and, I am going to be casting cement leaves for the next week!  A couple of the leaves were a little too wilty on the way home, but 95% of them survived and look amazing!  I am so excited to start the process.  Our shower grotto is going to look amazing!!! So, thank you for the leaves, new friend...(I hesitate to use names in the blog without a prior ok....)  I know that I got squash leaves, and pumpkin and rhubarb, and I flat can't remember what other plants were... some are scratchy and some aren't... but, they are all beautiful!  Thanks again.

And, this is an ongoing issue with my washing machine.  I would be happier if Jim kept a whole lot of cash in his pockets, but when his work jeans show up in the laundry, there's always a handful of either screws or nails, or drill bits in the bottom of one pocket.  I'm kind of used to it by now...  Sort, or like car part cleaning in my dishwasher.... Giggle.... Thank goodness I love Jim, or else...  could be dangerous...

...still moving forward.... and the adventure continues...

Jim and Cheri