Home Improvement / Life Update

It's about time for another update.  Since the last home improvement post, I have made some good progress.  The old window is out, and new french doors are in.  I have also made some good progress on the deck.

The prep work on the deck was not much fun.  First, we used the Lowe's online deck designer to plan out a deck.  You put in the layout of your deck, and it gives you a part list and price estimate.  You can save the project by name, so that it can be referenced later.  After creating about 30 different decks, each costing much more than we would have liked, we settled on one of the last ones we designed, which we named "another overpriced deck."

Next, I had to move the sprinkler control box because it was located right under where the deck would be.  That was a several weekend job digging a big trench through the backyard and re-routing a bunch of pipes.  The kids enjoyed digging several large holes in the back yard.  Once the sprinklers were moved, we laid out the deck and leveled the area.  Then we rented a hole auger and dug nine post holes.  Six of the holes came out just fine, taking about a minute a hole.  The auger got stuck on three of them and it took us most of an hour to do those three holes.

Once the holes were done, we poured cement footings.  Once those cured, we brought in four tons of gravel and put it under where the deck will be.  We then put the posts in and hooked up the beams and joists.  Today, I managed to get some of the decking boards put in place.  Over the next several weeks, I will finish the decking, stairs, and railing.

This project has taken a while because it has been done mostly on weekends.  Most of the weekends have been taken lately by Scouts, young mens, camping, and life in general.

I am still serving as the scoutmaster in my ward.  This year we went to scout camp at K-M in Hilger Montana.  We had ten boys go this year, and they all had a great time.

Our family went camping this labor day weekend.  We met up with Grandma and Grandpa Pepper and went to Island Park for the weekend.  Zadik caught his first fish.  I was fishing with the three oldest kids.  He wanted to fish with a rubber tadpole that has been in my tackle box for years.  I have never used it because I didn't think it would work.  We put a bobber about a foot up from the tadpole and cast it out.  It only went about 30 feet from shore, and the wind and waves from the boats kept pushing it back to shore.  Zadik got bored, so he started playing around on the rocks.  At one point, I looked over and saw his line was tight.  I looked around for his bobber and noticed it was moving around.  I yelled for him to come reel his line in because he might have a fish.  The fish he reeled in was huge!  I think it his fish is bigger than any fish I have ever caught.  He was beaming when he went back to camp to show mommy his fish.  We ate fish that night with dinner, had some more the next day at lunch, and still had some leftovers to bring home.

On another note, I have been riding a motorcycle to and from work most of the summer.  I bought a 1980 Kawasaki 440 LTD in May, but it broke down and took almost a month to get repaired.  Since then, I had commuted to work with it almost every day.  I also take the kids on rides about once a week.  I have been trying to get Jenny to go on a ride for months.  She finally consented last week.  She wanted to go to the end of the street, but I convinced her to go to Lowe's.  The next day, she asked if we could ride to Blackfoot.  I think I have her hooked.