Ok, so the first thing to note, we solved the mail box impasse opportunity. We both like these, they are wood, which means we can stain them a slightly darker blue than the deck, and I went to Michael’s to get wooden letters, which spell out “Mail”. The bottom plate will have our house numbers on it.
We are both pleased, and we got both pieces for less than half of the mail box from yesterday. We are happy. (And, I can keep buying wool. The way I figure it, I saved us $100 on the mailbox from yesterday, so I can spend the $100 saved, plus my commission as a frugalista, so another $50, right?)
And you know what would be handy? Really handy? Astonishingly handy? A home renovation store right next to our house. By my calculations we lost somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2 hours at the Rona. . .
First we forgot the angle brackets, and then we had to re-visit the mail box hostility issue, and then we needed another 10 feet of flashing (which was the first place we looked at each other, and had problems doing very basic math).
So, we got home, and we started the stairs. And then we realized that we couldn’t finish the stairs, because while we had purchased angle brackets (2 of them, sitting all shiny and new, on the floor boards), we needed 7 angle brackets. And no matter how bad you are at math, 2 doesn’t make 7. So, back to the hardware store.
But, this person turned up, and she was the best thing we had seen all day (including the mail box we selected). She turned up at 9:00 tonight, with coffee in her hands. She also said very nice things about our work. Thanks Mum!
So, where else did we lose time? Oh yeah. The stairs. In our time estimate, we said, “Stairs. Stairs will take about an hour.” Did you know time telling is part of math? Must be. We got that wrong too. We were only 25% right. It didn’t take one hour to do the stairs, it took 4. Also, a few tense moments, especially because the measuring tape continually disappeared. Measuring tape gremlins, Mr. Spit is convinced. (Probably, also, they were buggering up our math).
So, here’s the finished product, with railings and all. Which, when you think about it, is exactly what we started with. Flooring and railings.
These look better, right?
I am very impressed.
You should be rewarded with wool.
P.S. when you say "wool" do you LITERALLY mean WOOL or do you mean all manner of fabric that can be knitted?
ha!! You sound like DH and I trying to do a home project. Although I think there is more yelling in our house. Good job Mr and Mrs Spit!! It looks really really nice. so shiny and new! And safe! With no places to fall through! I am impressed. Can you do my porch now?
Beautiful! Can I hire your team to come fix my deck?? (Sorry – I'm no help with the math…we'll have to hire someone else to take care of that part.) But I can supply you with all the coffe you can drink.
Wow, looks really nice!
Super handy dandy. I totally agree with Trish, you should definitely be rewarded with wool. 🙂
We have flashlight gremlins here. They take my flashlight and hide it somewhere near where my husband has been using it. I look and look but twice now it has taken me more than four months to find the flashlight.
Looks great! Since you two are such wonderful front-deck-builders, I could really use a new one (or one at all!).
I can pay you in wool.
Looks Great Mrs. Spit….. definately go for the wool!!!!
Maybe a nice throw to go on a porch Swing! (did I say that?)
p.s. the Swing could be Mr. Spit's reward!
These stairs and decking look great!! We have so many measuring tapes after losing ours to the gremlins too. Thank goodness for Mum!!
I like the knitter's math.
And if you make something for the Mister, doesn't that mean that you get even more wool?????
love the new mailboxes – can't wait to see them painted.
It looks very nice. Sure it is the "same" but looks completely different. You guys did a great job. I hope the reflooring of my 1st floor will go as well… (don't ask about when I went to replace a seal on my toilet… let's leave it at I wound up with a new subfloor and floor in my bathroom… the toilet seal was always fine but I put 3 new ones in just to be sure ;-))
Hey, pretty fancy shmancy mail box! Nice pick!
The porch looks great! And I like your mailbox choice!