So, the decks were finally done by the onset of winter and I just couldn't believe I owned that clean, tailored structure! As it would be my Christmas & birthday present for the next 30 years, I figured I might as well get busy and decorate my cake. I decided to name it "Happy Landing" from the old Shirley Temple song, some will remember, "…happy landing on a chocolate bar".I ordered more (you guessed it) Bouquet Canyon Stones and more railroad ties. I called up the nice boys I'd been hiring to help me build some planters around the decks. They worked so hard on that steep hill under my (inept, as it turned out) direction and it wasn't until it was all done that I realized they weren't asking "Is it level?", they were asking, "do you have a level?". They must have thought I was a nut, I kept standing back and squinting and saying, " yeah, yeah looks good guys" but I never went and got the level, I'm turning red just thinking back.
And the guy at the building supply who told me to use T-post…I just hated it, now I hate him.
Well, there was only one thing to do, cover it up…and do it fast before self loathing set in too deeply.

