Or not to buy or build . . . that is the question. I thought about the cost of lumber to build a bench, and following that, the time . . . I decided to keep a lookout on the local Craigslist to see if a bench might turn up for less than the cost to make a bench.

Last week I found one! I had to drive to LaConner, a small town about 50 miles from my house, but the more remote location probably resulted in a lower price asked. Besides the owner told me he didn’t seem to be able to sell it, due to the time of year, he assumed. Could be. For once, my inclination to shop for things at the wrong time of year actually benefited me!

Here is a couple of photos of my “new” bench sitting on my new deck!

Iron and oak bench I picked up for a steal off Craigslist

 

Here it is again! Very nice.

 

I have a few more changes to make to my deck. I decided that in the interest of safety, I should install a motion sensor light on the back of my house. I have neighbors that have brains the size of gnats, and they leave their backyard FLOODLIGHTS on all night, due to which I had to buy blackout curtains for my bedroom. However, the nitwits are not always there, and if I’m lucky they will move soon, in which case I should have some kind of light for the back of my house that a) looks good and, b) comes on when racoons and dishonest humans walk around out there.

Hence, I have a light that will be just right. As usual, installing/ changing a light fixture means I have to figure out which circuit it is on so I can turn off the breaker switch. By the time I’ve replaced a light fixture in each room I should have all the breakers labeled. I still do not understand how this house could have been occupied for 37 years without any of the owners feeling the need to LABEL anything. Must be the same mental caliber as my current neighbors.

Will update you when I get it done.

Oh, by the way, I shampooed my annoying wall-to-wall almost-white carpet, including the stairs last weekend, for $75.00 (that includes the rug shampoo). I did a far better job than any of the companies that come around and shampoo your rug for $100 (or more). If you can’t afford to get rid of the carpet and put in tile, you gotta keep it clean, right? It was really gross dirty water that the vacuum thing sucked out of the carpet – which is one of my many reasons for disliking wall-to-wall.

God! I have to go hiking next weekend! Will report on that!

Hamster report