12th finish for 2022, deck demo, landscaping

I finished quilting the 2010 quilt after I got home from work. I only had one row to quilt. I already had the binding on the quilt which I did on my covid vacation so I toss it in the washer and dryer. It shrunk a little so now it is 46' x 62". I dyed all the fabrics for this a long time ago, and now it is done!

My deck has needed replaced ever since I bought this house, but having the money to do it was another story. I now can get it done. I found a contractor I can trust and a price. I am going to take as much of it down as I can to try and save a few bucks plus get some exercise.

I worked for about 45 minutes last night. One of my neighbors is letting me borrow his spud bars. I don't know that I will need them, but I have them just in case. He proceeded to question how I was going to demo the deck and after assuring him I knew what I was doing he left. Geeze! He is a very nice guy, but drives me crazy sometimes. I got the railing down to the left and then started on the long section across what I am calling the front. I hit the bottom of one of the balusters and noticed that the rim joist moved. This was not good. I got a long heavy duty extension cord - I didn't have any rope- tied it around two balusters, threw the cord over the rail then went to the backyard. I had plenty of cord to stand a safe distance from the deck and gave the cord a tug. I did not have to pull that hard and the railing, rim joist and first deck board came crashing down. Yikes! It came down way to easy! I circled where the rim joist should be.

Decks these days have a skirt board that is attached to the rim joist, but that is not how this was constructed. You can see in this picture there is nothing to hold the joists in place except for the deck boards so I am going to have to change my plans on how to remove the deck boards safely. I plan on taking out what deck boards I can while standing inside the house at the sliding glass door and not being on the deck.

I also won't take off the steps until the deck boards are removed. The steps are attached to the right side rim joint and if I take the steps off now I am sure the rim joint will come with it.

To me this is fun. Better yet, getting a new deck is even more fun! I will continue to go at this a little at a time, cut up the pieces so they fit in the garage bin, and do this safely. I need to get my hard hat out of the car and wear it anytime I am working under the deck. My Shasta Daisies out front are looking so pretty.

The ornamental grass I transplanted last year to along the neighbor's fence is looking good.

It is bent over because it is reaching for the sun. I need to get out my little electric chain saw and trim back all the junk from the neighbor's that is overhanging my yard to give the grass more sun. The fellow doesn't do anything other than mow his front yard. The back yard and the side yards are "natural".