Pergola! Yay!

This past month has been super uber busy and crazy.  My last post told you of our new roof and I have yet to get a final shot to reveal it...because there were some additional changes that Sparky had to get done.  In the past month we have completed the following:  two pergolas, a deck, changed all hardware on exterior doors as well as add a deadbolt, painted the driveway black (yes, black!), painted the front door black (sorry awesome red door), and started and almost finished the dresser and nightstands for the spare bedroom.  We also ordered a new french door to replace the energy sucking nasty old sliding glass door that leads out to the new deck. 

In addition to all these great honey-do's, we worked (a lot) at our day jobs, celebrated my 28th birthday, I went to my 10 year high school reunion, and we took a five day vacation to North Carolina for my cousin's wedding. 

whew.  I'm tired.

I caught myself saying to Sparky this morning (while getting ready for work), "I can't wait until tomorrow morning so that I don't have to wake up to an alarm.  I'll probably only sleep in until 7:30 am, but I can't wait to sleep in." 

We still have to get the french doors installed and I need to finish the dressers and nightstands so that I can start on the headboard and footboard of the guest bed.  (I'm so excited about this project!!! It's looking so good so far!)  We also plan to head to TLC (a local nursery...for plants!) to start looking for vines, flowers, and bushes to plant on the new pergolas and the back yard to prepare for next year....(that's a hint for something exciting happening next year).

PLUS, Sparky has to study for his engineering exam.  His second test comes up in late October, so we have to start limiting our honey-do's for some very necessary super uber studying like last year's test in October.  The test coming up will be the last, so we have to be diligent! 

For now, here are some pics of our first pergola when it was in process and the beginning of the deck.  I'll try to get some final pics over the weekend!

The first post to set up for "squaring the posts".   "Squaring the posts" may have been the most difficult process of anything ever!  If you ever decide to build your own pergola, do a lot of research and asking around about squaring of the posts if you have never done it before yourself.  We did ask around and did research, and it was still a time consuming ordeal.  ...or maybe we just suck.  Of course, Ruby had to sniff out the situation as well.

We had this old nasty concrete pink-ish colored patio that was a nasty eye-sore.  We built the deck over the patio but the pergola had to go in first.  We had to screw in and concrete two of the posts into the concrete patio.  Chewy too is keeping good watch on the progess.

After the four posts were squared perfectly enough for us, Sparky added the main beams to support the smaller cross beams.  He was also able to get a friend over to help for a few hours with some of the heavier lifting that I just was not willing to do built for.   But little Harley thought she could show me up in the strength category.  Pompous chihuahua.

Then there was the addition of the smaller cross beams.  Sparky had a specific idea in mind of the shape he wanted for the ends of the beams, so he measured and cut all the ends himself.  He was trying for a more simple modern look.

I thought this was a cute little shot.  It started pouring down rain in the middle of trying to screw in the smaller cross beams.  Both Sparky and his friend were sitting at the top with their legs hanging down getting drenched.  Poor guys.  (You can't see the rain very well at all.)

Afterward, we started framing the deck. 

And Ruby loved it.

I'll get some shots over the weekend of the final products to share with you!

Keep on Keepin on.