At the start of 2019, we had been in the new house for just over four years, and for four years, we had stared out the front windows at that eyesore of a trailer. Although I had wanted to tear it down right away, life's diversions had forced us to focus our energies elsewhere. But now its time had finally come.
With the trailer gone, I was determined to extend the driveway up to the house. Since Tennessee is fairly humid, the number of dewy mornings far exceed those that are not. I was tired of wet feet and shoes on the mornings I had to leave the house. So in April, we contracted someone to help us with our next project.
Next on the list was a carport.
When I called Thomas. the building inspector, out last week for the final inspection, he didn't take long to give me the thumbs up. Then he sat down on the landing I'd built off the side door. "I'm just going to take a minute. It's so peaceful out here." We chatted a bit more, then he sighed and stood up. "I'll see you for your next project," he said. And in my head, I laughed, thinking that surely we wouldn't be taking on any more building projects. Hadn't we gotten the house just how we wanted it?
Last night, after slapping a second coat of sealant on the side steps and landing, Chris and I stood out on the back deck. It desperately needs to be refinished. Chris noted that before we did that, there were a few pieces of decking that needed to be replaced. We talked about how some of the 2X6 joists had needed replacing earlier this year.
"Next time we need to replace any 2X6s, maybe we should seal the tops of them up, then use composite deck boards to prevent rot.
Or maybe we should put a roof up. It gets so hot out here, we don't sit out here much during the summer. But you know what would be really nice? A three-season porch- like the one at my Aunt Lillian's place."
"That would be nice," Chris answered.
And somehow, we started planning to tear down the entire deck, pour a foundation, lay, some block, and make sure to plan for a wood stove to warm us while we sat out there in our later years watching the goat herd munch on fallen leaves.
Maybe I will be seeing Thomas again, after all.
