SUMMER 2009 PROJECTS

I've been neglecting the blog as well as many other things over the summer due to several projects. We've missed out on lots of quality time with friends and family over the last few months and haven't even gone anywhere for any type of summer vacation...no camping, beaching, fishing and any of that fun stuff we usually do over the summer.

We had good intentions of finishing the projects in time to kick back and relax while the season was still in its peak, but the weather was not cooperative and neither were work commitments. Halo Pinoy accepted a new position at work and even though he was told before he accepted the position that there would be some travelling involved, he has been away on work-related activities usually at remote locations for about 1 of the 2 months that he has worked in that department. The other month, the weather has been incredibly wet. The weather wouldn't really have been a roadblock in progress, but the major summertime projects were outside. When the weather was nice and we were actually both around to continue working, there was either a wedding, baby shower, birthday or christening we had to attend.

Backyard projects planned for the summer were to build our deck and successfully grow some veggies in a small garden. I wanted to keep it small in case I wasn't gifted with the ability to nurture the plants.

So, without further ado, here are photos of the fruits of our labour...

Photos of our deck:

I think that the deck looks great! However, Halo Pinoy mentioned at the start of the project that it would take 3 days from start to finish. The lights on the posts were put on LAST NIGHT! We started working on this on July 1st!

Note the BBQ placed on it...finally assembled the darn thing and was already stoked to fire it up last night to discover that the friggen propane tank is EMPTY! Wah, Wah, Wah.

We still have a gazebo, patio table and chairs, and a BBQ prep cart with sink that needs to go on, but we'll drag them out as we need them. Hopefully we can squeeze in one backyard BBQ before autumn sets in. There should be railing for the perimeter of the deck, but we're so tired of working on the deck that we figure the railing can wait till next year. We also like the openness, so depending on whether or not anyone falls off our deck and seriously hurts themselves-we may or may not put them on :)

Photos of my 'Garden':

Sweet Cherry Tomatoes:

Talong (Tagalog)/Tarong (Ilokano)/Egg Plant (English):


Sweet Red Peppers (Not sure why the big one is green because it was the first one to grow, but whatever.):

Hopefully next year we'll be able to grow a bigger garden and get to enjoy our backyard all season next summer.