Independence Days-We did it!!

It's DONE!!!!

Oh, I know that it's Monday and time for my Independence Days update. But first: The deck!!

V and the children built the pergola this morning.

Complete with privacy screen to shield us from the highway.

We finished the rails after I got home from work.

J16 sets the table

Our new outdoor living space!!

We have a temporary sheer curtain up to filter the sunset.

Dinner outside!

It was LOVELY!! The weather cooperated and it was a beautiful evening.

Now, as promised, a short IDC update. We are all exhausted. We got a late start with construction since I ended up working an hour late due to an "emergency" outpatient from the clinic that needed seen.

Here goes:

1. Plant something- not a thing. With all the craziness in our lives, I never managed to get any fall crops started. Oh well. Maybe next year....

2. Harvest something- tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, patty pan squash, apples.

3. Preserve something- tomatoes- and my sanity- and, come to think of it, all fingers and toes!.

4. Waste not- hmm, we reused the old deck frame for part of the new deck and some of the lumber in the pergola is salvaged. J16 and I picked up a stack of clay pots from the curb (probably 10-12 medium to small pots- but no saucers)

5. Want not- Not sure if this counts, but... WE BUILT A DECK!!! With shade to make it more useable in the summer. Oh, and I also stocked up on canned tuna and pasta this week at the store.

6. Community food systems- J16 and I stopped at the local orchard to ask about our apples. We also picked a few apples to bring home with us. YUM. I didn't make it to the farmer's market this weekend because of construction stuff. Maybe this Saturday- V's mother is coming to stay with us for a few days this weekend and I'm sure she would love to go.

7. Eat the food- Garden goodness- what more can I say. With as busy as we've been, we have had a few convenience foods recently- Zatarain's red beans and rice was tasty to have along with tomatoes and stuffed peppers last night. And- gasp- we had frozen fries with our grass fed burgers for our first dinner on the deck. But, you know, if that's as bad as it gets- I'm OK with that. I guess we drank lots of Gatorade this weekend as well, but, you gotta do what you gotta do to stay hydrated working in the heat.

Now, I've got to get to bed. We pulled a 12 hour day yesterday and I had a tough day at work, followed by construction. My pillow is calling to me.