Workin', Workin', Workin'...

...though my knees (feet, back) are hurtin', I keep right on a workin'. Rawhide!

Terry went off on another sit-n-stitch today so I was left at home to do chores.

First I mowed the lawn. While doing so I roused at least three leopard frogs and three red efts from the ankle deep grass. They and lots of black crickets and tan grass hoppers. Less welcome was the discovery of a yellow jackets nest in the leaves that have accumulated between the log splitter and the house foundation. I watched as dozens of the little stingers flew in and out of a sizable hole in the leaves and paid real close attention as I pushed the mower lawn mower a foot or so away from them. They did not attack for which I am grateful, but they are on my hit list. In fact, this evening I took a can of wasp killer and doused the hole with as much as I cared to use--probably 15 of the 20 ounces. If there are still signs of activity tomorrow morning, I will got to phase two--the remainder of that can and a second I have in reserve. (Might have to figure a way to move the splitter before I do that, however.)

Finished with the lawn, I ate lunch and then ran down to Lowes for some supplies needed to work on the deck. It needs to get stained--again. Today was day one of prep. I took the air compressor and a spackling knife and tried to remove as much debris as possible from between the boards. Shells of sunflower seeds and more seem to get wedged in there pretty tightly. I know we spaced these boards using a screw but next time I want to use something a wee bit thicker so all this crap will fall through. I hear a carpenter's pencil works nicely. It took me more than four hours to get that job done--much of it bent over--in the hot sun. My back and knees are killing me!

Tomorrow it will be time to use some cleaner. Spray it on, scrub it with a stiff brush (with a looong handle) and rinse it off. In a day or two, the deck should be dry enough to apply stain. While I'm waiting for the deck to dry, however, I can get started on the railing and spindles. If I do the outside surfaces (all ladder work) I can do the inside when I do the deck.

The weather forecasts show only the slightest chance of some scattered thunder storms early in the upcoming week. If I keep my fingers crossed-and my knees hold up--I might get everything done by Wednesday/Thursday.