This time of the year a couple key things converge in the Kennedy household: warm weather and annual bonus money. With the government promising us a stimulus package in mid-summer, we are focusing for now on home improvement projects (the big TV will have to wait). The first project is one that we have needed to do since we moved into our house almost four years ago. Given the time I could dig up a ‘before’ photo, but trust me when I say that a drunk man built our original front steps.
While he is at it our brick mason is going to build a small planter box around our mailbox (see my mock layout below). We have the only house in the neighborhood where they surrounded the mailbox with concrete. The kids like to walk around it when getting the mail (calling it ‘the shortcut’), but Pam and I consider it to be aesthetically displeasing. By the way, if you ever need a good brick layer, I highly recommend Ibach Brick. Paul does great work and is a comedian, too. When showing him the newspaper-slot-turned-birdhouse below the mailbox, he said I should “start chargin’ that bird rent.”
We are also considering building stairs off of our back deck, which is as much of a safety/secondary egress issue as it is a convenience consideration. Currently we have to go down the stairs, which are positioned by the front door, in order to go out back through the garage. Then there is the floor I need to lay in the attic, organizing the garage, etc. Maybe, just maybe, when all is done there will be some funds left over to put in the HDTV piggy bank!
Update 1: Steps are done (they look great!). Mailbox work set for Monday. Getting an HD set after all (albeit a smaller 32″).
Update 2: Below are thumbnails (linked to full size on Flickr) of the completed steps and mailbox surround. Flowers (pansies and salvia) have been planted at the mailbox since these were taken, but I still have to build a new handrail for the steps (probably using one of those PVC railing kits).
