Day of the Human Auger

Big day today. It's hole-digging day in my front-deck flower patch, and the "human auger" is coming to do his job. 

That would be Trevor, brother to Amos, who has started the deck roof project. Amos figures the project will be completed in a couple of weeks.

Before he could start, however, he had to wait for Bill and my return to Sandpoint.  When Amos showed up the day before yesterday, he and my brother Jim surveyed the situation and came to the conclusion, "Yeah, it probably would be a good idea to wait until Marianne comes to save what flowers and shrubs she wants."

I thought that was wise thinking on Amos' part.  

So, yesterday when he showed up, my trusty carpenter friend put me to work with a shovel while he disassembled the beams around the flower beds.  

I spent the morning digging up perennials to transplant (pray they live) to another planter in the north lawn. 

 Amos lamented at one point that I might want to get the blind folds for when he had to decimate the thick Kinnikinnick-type shrubs that take up most of the flower bed space.

I assured him that I was mentally prepared to deal with the pain.  

Later, however, the prognosis looked a lot better.  Amos devised a slight change to his plans for posts, cleared out a minor portion of the bushes, and,  happily, we have no sorry sight.  Most of the shrubs will stay intact.

So, today Trevor, who spells off between his dad, the fence builder, and Amos, the carpenter, will come and did the six holes needed for the beams supporting the lower portion of the new roof.

Trevor has dug a hole or two during his lifetime, so he has fully earned his title of "human auger."  

When the guys are finished today, things will sit over the weekend, and then the real visual aspect of the project will unfold. 

I keep thinking of what a difference the covered deck will make in our winter lives, and I smile.  The addition may even help ease some of the winter doldrums when we can actually walk through the front door and stroll around outside but out of the elements. 

We may also have more options for Christmas decorating, and that is exciting, especially because we can put up lights without worry of what might come sliding down that steep roof. 

Plus, I think it's gonna be a lot quieter around here whenever it snows.  The steep pitch of the roof causes earthquake-like rumblings every time another layer of new snow goes shooting toward the ground. 

In the summer time, we will be able to derive more enjoyment from the front deck during the mornings when the roof shades us from that hot sun traveling from the east. 

All of this will be a very welcome change from the past six years, and I'm afraid I'll like it so much that we may have to ask Amos and the human auger to come again next year and build us a covered deck on the west side of the house.

One project at a time, though.  We'll be content to dance and thumb our noses at the snow on one covered deck for a while. 

Happy Thursday.