Awesome Idea

We got this awesome idea last spring. It happens EVERY spring around here. 

The awesome ideas flow like tap water! Funds for financing awesome ideas don't. Most of 

the time, we remember this before we actually begin work on an awesome idea.

Awesome Idea: Build a deck behind the living room. 

We staked out the deck, making it plenty spacious, and discussed

railing options. Metal? Wood? Painted wood? Vinyl?

Did we want a roof? A partial roof? Pergola-style? Awning?

We planned to build it ourselves, we have lots of 'manpower', after all.

*To get a ballpark idea for actual cost of materials, we called for a couple of estimates.* 

In the time it took to get someone out to do an estimate, we dug the bed for this 

rock walkway. The walkway would edge right next to the deck and finally 

complete a rock path around the entire house. With the bed dug, we began the 

puzzling work (!) of placing rocks.

The first estimate came in and we laughed out loud. 

The guy must be crazy or not need this job - at all! What?! No way!

By the time the second estimate came along, we were finished placing and leveling the 

rocks and all that was left to be done was filling and top dressing. 

The second estimate was almost double the first. 

AND we found out that one of our vehicles would need to be replaced. 

Oh! Did you hear that nasty scraping sound?  

That was the Awesome Idea moving to the crowded back burner. 

We did end up with a really nice rock walkway made of native Kentucky stone. 

Now you can run all the way around our house and never have to get in the wet grass or mud.

Go ahead - run around! 

But don't try to stop for a rest on the deck ...