Nearing Completion and Busy, Busy, Busy!!!!

The back yard renewal is progressing well.  When I last blogged about the deck project, the framing was completed and I had taken delivery of the composite decking material.  I could only dedicate a couple of days to the deck project, this past week, and that was sufficient to complete the entire surface.

Easton is checking out the progress.

Our daughter Ginette was away in Edmonton, on a very quick business trip, for a couple of days and Jeanette and I looked after Easton and Brie during her absence.  Dad, Trevor, would collect the two kids early in the evening and take them home for the night. Easton did opt for a sleepover at our home on the second night.

Brie was so taken with seeing her mom on the iPad, calling from Edmonton, this past Tuesday.

Even little five month old babies can benefit from modern technology.  Brie's Facetime  with mom proved to be a sweet event.  I was quite thrilled to watch Brie react with her mom.

Easton trying out our nearby bicycle obstacle course.

I quit working on the deck early to take Easton on some fun activities while Jeanette would look after Brie.  It worked out well to split the tasks.  Watching Easton ride up and down the obstacle course was fun.

It took little time before he felt confident to tackle the long and arduous bicycle boardwalk.

Easton only fell off the boardwalk once.  He face planted in the soft wood chips but got quickly up, dusted off, and back he went for another round or two on the course.

Sitting by the pond on the finished deck surface.

With the deck surface completed, we did get to spend a bit of time enjoying it.  I plan to install all of the composite skirting material mid-next week.

Although ready to work, it is tough to get anything accomplished when a five  month old and a two year old call out for some one on one time.

One angle of the completed deck surface.

I had not worked with composite material till we undertook this project.  I found working with it was easy enough; no different that working with wood.  It cuts well.  When properly stacked, the boards do not warp. The clip system we chose to use made the surface look so good.....and without flaws.  The wood grain style is most appealing. A 25 year warranty from fading, scratching and damage - combined with never having to sand and stain the deck surface - was all the convincing we needed to opt for composite over wood decking.

Although we thought the surface would be hot when exposed to strong sun rays, it proves to be quite easy to walk on while bare footed.  Great!

The surface has not been washed but, once that happens, the dust covered boards will brighten up considerably.

The picture frame look we wanted is also quite appealing.  The deck looks so well finished. The contrast from brown to reddish colour is appealing too.

All exposed pressure treated wood skirting will be covered with 1/2" X 12" composite boards.  The entire deck and skirting will be completely maintenance free, other than the occasional wash with a brush and water hose.

The privacy pergolas will be built and the final step will be to plant a complete cedar hedge behind the pergola and  also on the opposite side of the yard where I previously built a large cedar hedge planter.

Our objective to completely privatize our yard is very, very close to completion.  Yeah to that!

Arriving at the Sandpiper Golf Resort - Rowena's Inn - Harrison Mills.

Jeanette and I did take last Sunday off and rode off to the Harrison Mills area.  Lunch was enjoyed at Rowena's Inn, along the Harrison River, while enjoying the golf course view at Sandpiper Golf Resort.

We enjoyed lunch at the famous Rowena's Inn on the Harrison River.

With being so busy, this past month and more, to get away from it all to enjoy a nice lunch at Rowena's Inn was a treat.  We enjoyed some very nice seafood along with a couple of iced teas. 

Rowena's Inn on the River

About a one hour motorcycle ride from our home, a lovely Sunday was enjoyed riding to and from Rowena's Inn and the hours we enjoyed over lunch and walking the lovely grounds that skirt the Harrison River in the eastern Fraser Valley.  

The view from our outdoor courtyard lunch table.

Looking out towards the Harrison River - while watching golfers tee off - is about as perfect a setting as one could ask for.  Our golf group gets to play this Sandpiper Golf Course a couple of times every season.

We took a long walk around the Rowena's Inn grounds

Mom is getting some special time with her two kids following two nights away in Edmonton, Alberta.

Brie was enamored to see her mom.....!

Easton and I were at the Abbotsford Airport at 10:00 am this (Thursday) morning to meet Ginette who had flown back from a few days away in Edmonton.  It's nice to witness the excitement for both mom and her little boy.  What a thrill!  Back at our home, Brie was still enjoying a nap but once awake, she just melted when he mom picked her up.  Beautiful moments!

A couple of hours following pick up at the airport, Ginette and her two kids left for their Langley City home.  They have to prepare for a one week trip at the family cottage at Barriere Lake - north of Kamloops, BC.  We are joining them there (for about four days or so).  Jeanette and I plan to motorcycle up there; a five hour ride; leaving tomorrow morning.  A nice surprise will be waiting for us when we arrive.  Our son Deni, his wife Courtney and their seven month old baby boy, Owen, will be joining us there too.  We are looking forward to that family time together.

With no internet service and no cell phone service, we will be out of touch till we return home.

And that has been our canvas these past several days.  Life is good!

Thanks for dropping by.