the grass is greener up here on my new deck

we've been in this house for five and half years...and we've made a LOT of changes to it...inside and out...and we have loved every minute of it...i mean, the house is deep purple, what more do i have to say.  however, in hindsight i have learned a very valuable lesson...

the quickest way to dramatically change the way you live (at your current address of course) is to build a deck...really.  walking out on your new deck in the morning will become habitual.  there's something fresh about standing out on a deck...like when hiking a woods trail, and you cross a bridge or a platform trail over a muddy stretch...there's an inventiveness to this simple structure rising out of nature, standing over, looking down...even though "outside" and the "backyard" has been there for the past 5+ years, it's the built environment that enhances the experience.

with a new deck you triple, quadruple, octaple (not really a word) your living space, even if the deck itself is only a few hundred square feet, really all it needs is to fit two chairs and a table.  but the fact that you can now see the stars from a comfortable seat with a place to set your beer... now your floor space is Buzz Aldrin big.

perhaps the best part of a new deck is meal time...

akin to the whimsical delight of chinese takeout or pizza delivery, a new deck creates unpredictable moments where every tuna sandwich and breakfast muffin takes on the desirability of grilling out on a sunny afternoon.  coffee tastes better on your new deck. even in the 40 degree chill of fall mornings.  just snacking on almonds is better on your new deck, rain or shine...'cause now you're snacking on almonds outside.

honestly, if done well, your new deck will make your grass greener...