but even with the wife insisted changes, we are still making progress.

All the decking is down on the now 12' x 35' (instead of 32') deck and about 2/3s of the railing is completed.
The ramp off deck towards the front is built except for railing.  

The wife deciding we are going to going to get an 18' diameter above ground pool with a ladder off the deck meant leaving out a section of railing and adding a 6' x 5' addition to South end of deck for the stairs down to the patio.

Here a few pics of where we are now in construction.

North end off deck has a 42" high railing with a alternating vertical decking board railing that gives more privacy from the the houses on the hill about 125 yards away.


The rest of deck will have a 32" high railing with pickets. The open area with no railing is there until we see exactly how the pool will be positioned and wher the ladder into pool goes.
 
This is the 6' x 5' addition under construction with temporary supports. It will have 6" by 6" posts at the top corners and a 42" wide staircase down to the patio as close to the wall as we can get it to leave maximum room for the pool.


Here's the ramp toward the front of the house and down to my grilling area that I'm going to add some pavers to over the next few weeks.  The ramp drops about 15" in it's 8' length and will have a railing on the side away from the herb garden and house.

Nice job

Looks good; I learned the hard way that you want the bottom rail spacing so you can blow off the deck. Mine was the old school pickets that went all the way down.

(05-06-2026, 04:18 PM)Replying to Creed Looks good; I learned the hard way that you want the bottom rail spacing so you can blow off the deck.    Mine was the old school pickets that went all the way down.

My son has built several decks and that gap at the bottom was highly recommended,  especially with 3 oak trees and a large pine that drop leaves and needle into our back yard and patio.

looks great roga......

I need to know about the injured cat?

Deck looks great!

I’m guessing you’ll have the biggest deck in the whole neighborhood!

Good job, very nice looking deck.

(05-07-2026, 07:33 AM)Replying to DawgNatty I need to know about the injured cat? 

Deck looks great!   

I’m guessing you’ll have the biggest deck in the whole neighborhood!

Sarah, my granddaughter's cat was limping badly and my son thought it might have a broken leg.   $200 later the vet said it had an abscessed sore on the leg.   Cleaned, bandaged and a shot of antibiotics and the vet said the kitty would be fine.

Looks nice. If we weren't sure you were a fan of the Dawgs already, we know now.

(05-07-2026, 08:29 PM)Replying to Rogasingingdawg

(05-07-2026, 07:33 AM)Replying to DawgNatty I need to know about the injured cat? 

Deck looks great!   

I’m guessing you’ll have the biggest deck in the whole neighborhood!

Sarah, my granddaughter's cat was limping badly and my son thought it might have a broken leg.   $200 later the vet said it had an abscessed sore on the leg.   Cleaned, bandaged and a shot of antibiotics and the vet said the kitty would be fine.

Cat abscesses are pretty common.  They usually get them from fighting with other cats and getting bitten.  Ours had one on the side of his head, it looked like he was growing another head.

One antibiotic shot and he was fine in a couple of days.  He has had others and if he can get to them to lick them, he will usually lick them until they open up and drain and they resolve themselves.  The cat we had a few years ago was mean as a snake and fought every animal he could find.  He constantly had abscesses.  The worst one was under his front leg where it joined his body.  He came in the house, curled up on an ottoman and slept for a couple days.  The abscess finally opened up and drained on the ottoman.  I was pretty sure my wife was going to kill him.

Cats are badass creatures.  If they grew to the size of a bulldog, it wouldn't be safe to walk the streets.