This year Ian and I designated some money for home improvement. After paying a family friend/landscape designer, Becky Carlson, to help us make a first draft of a plan for the yard, we decided to replace the fence and add a trellis to our back porch.

We used a company called Fence Connection for the fence, and they did a reasonable job. That finished up the week after July 4.

For the trellis we hired another family friend and general contractor, Jim Andrilenas. He began work last Monday. I’ve been taking pictures along the way. Here’s how it’s gone so far.

Monday: Begin demolishing the deck railing, begin digging hole for stairs, begin building stairs.

Tuesday: Continue building stairs, finish demolishing railing, start digging post holes (an arduous process, I know from painful personal experience). Benji warmed up to Jim enough to start giving him helpful pointers.

Meanwhile, Benji and I play with Grammy and Grandpa one day, and go visit friends the next.