This video was taken last October during our first snow storm. At the time we were fostering a sweet dog named Shiloh. But it shows the steps as they were - with Jeff shoveling for the first time! As you'll note, from the bottom up, there was first a walkway, then three steps up onto the portion that was terribly slanted. We spent last winter walking very gingerly. (We still will!)
Then it was two steps up to the top platform, also a bit slanted, then a step down into the dirt (insert mud or snow here!) There were a few rocks concreted in as a "stepping path," however, they were all over the map and the surfaces of the rocks weren't level either. Going to work in heels was becoming a real bear.
There, now you can see the slant a bit!
One plan was to put in flagstone but was rejected due to cost. So we thought we'd do some work and fix it temporarily so it would be safer, leveling it out with railings. So, off to Home Depot or Lowes, some 50 miles away. Driving with 8' lengths of wood in the car became very interesting! So, when we decided to simply level the middle and top section, we found ourselves in slightly over our heads! Pulling up the section we found boulders concreted in underneath - AARRUGH! Our little project has taken several Saturdays, but thankfully the weather has been terrific with no snow like last year! We're working in short sleeves instead! Using our pick-ax, we pried out the boulders. We've discovered that we are in the house the wise man built on the rock. We're not falling!
In order to correct the slant, the rise that we had to overcome required several steps instead. It looks steep, but we'll get the hand railings in hopefully before the big snows. We're out of time. This week was great weather, but we'll drop temps and have snow perhaps this week. We already have out lumber so hope to get it up asap! Anyway, here's where we are at now...
And I guess that's about it for now. We bought paint, too, but we might be doomed to wait till next spring. As far as the paint goes, our other nemesis will be the wind blowing stuff on the wet paint. We had a lot of wind yesterday, so we have to be a bit choosy on that.
Meanwhile, we'll just do what we can!
Hope you're all doing great!
Bonnie
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