The Most Romantic Deck in the Santa Ynez Valley

Over the last week or so, Mr. W has been working like a boss to build the deck outside our bedroom. County regulations said we had to add a deck, but I think Mr. W also wanted to do it so that he and I would be able to stand out there together, romantically gazing at the stars...or the scrap wood and rubble heaps in our backyard. He'll stand behind me with his arms around my waist. Just like Leo and Kate in Titanic. I'll feel like queen of the world on my shiny deck built for two. It'll be magical.

I'm actually most excited because having the deck means I can put a doormat outside and that means we'll both stop tracking dirt into the master bedroom when we go out to visit the chickens or pick kale.

Because I know every blog reader loves a good before and after, here's a little recap of how the process went down:

I could hardly wait for the polyurethane to dry so I could throw some accessories out there. I'm sure I'll rearrange everything a hundred times. I do dig the funky little table we got at Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, though. It was black when we found it, and I gussied it all up in gold.

Look how cool its shadow is!

We have a lot of clean-up work to do in the backyard to get things to where I want them. We have at least a couple dump runs to make. We have a fence to build from the edge of the house to the chicken yard. We have decomposed gravel to lay down. A pizza oven to build.

But for now I'm going to just enjoy our pretty deck and try to turn Mr. W's head in the direction of our unfinished master bathroom...