# 457 - Deck Construction

Living in the RV for a while, as we decide about the placement of the cabin on the acreage, we have to make things more "livable" for the duration.

One problem is not having anything but a straight dirt entrance/exit from RV to outside, so we're building a little deck for sitting under the awning and to help reduce dirt being tracked inside the RV.

That's my beautiful mother-in-law. She is helping me 100%

My father-in-law owned a construction company as their kids grew up, so my husband grew up with his brothers as the company "workers." My husband does know a lot about construction, but one thing working in this field taught him was...it wasn't going to be his first choice for a career. He choose to be a lawman.

But, he and my father-in-law have been working together to do great projects over the last few weeks.

I have been in awe at my father-in-law as he tackled major projects without Sgt. Dave's help since e often is at work. This dad's life-time of construction techniques go into action, and I am amazed by this man who is about 75 years old as he works in the Texas heat and builds things while referencing a detailed drawing he made at his kitchen table the night before.

And when we have a couple of days of freedom, the four of us stay up WAY too late playing cards, dominoes and other games that have us women team players dubbed as "the losers the guys must admit they are married to." Hardy har har.

Doing projects around the land, I've developed an understanding about which things to keep on hand at all times:

1. Old clothes you don't care about wearing for destructive projects
2. Great pair of heavy duty working gloves, preferably leather
3. A dolly can be a girl's best-friend, a rolling dolly, NOT a play dolly
4. A pony-tail to pull long hair off your neck so you don't smother to death in the Texas heat
5. A walking-stick to give a sense of power against predators, I intend to smack that cougar!
6. Hats are great for swinging wildly at flying stinging beasts and to keep sun off face that is freckling faster than it did as a teenager.

Anyway, those things help me everyday. I love my leather gloves. My clothes take a beating; I save the nice clothes for going to town and the cheap, worn t-shirts are my uniform out here in the country.

This coming week we are expecting a rainy week, and I'm not complaining, we desperately need the rain. I guess that will be the week for me to complete my indoor projects, such as scanning old family photographs.

Until then, we are working the land, I am planting all kinds of seeds in an attempt to begin my edible garden, no matter how late in the season it may be...I keep working at it. Soon, we will be able to get our veggies from the garden growing on our own land and the herbs from our own herb garden.

Decorative blocks to be used for my edible garden.

It's slow going, but we keep working toward our goals to make this land a true home...bit by bit.