What is your typical weekend activity? Most people enjoy taking a couple of days off to spend time with family, visit a cottage if they own one, go on day trips, or simply relax and enjoy their time off. Some people use their time off to work on household projects that have been neglected for months.
We all work hard to spend a few days doing what we enjoy on our days off, but as we all know, weekends never last that long. Some people, like myself, have a partner whose home requires maintenance from time to time. This implies that we both dedicate a significant amount of time to assisting each other with ongoing projects related to our homes.
Vacations offer a dependable solution to the challenges of relaxation. When you go away, you do nothing but enjoy the freedom from your daily boring but important issues, which we all need to address. Whether it's driving your kids to their games, practice, or just grocery shopping, it seems like we never have any time to enjoy ourselves with our days off.
As summer draws to a close, how much progress have we made outside, and how much more work remains before the weather becomes unfavourable for outdoor projects? I am trying to finish my deck, a major project; I replaced some rotten boards, redid the whole top railing, and sanded the entire deck, 12' x 24.' Whether it was the sanding or the replacement of the rotten boards that took longer, the process was extremely time-consuming.
This weekend, we worked on her upper bedroom deck, removing all the old railings and posts and replacing them with new ones. The deck now looks amazing. We also got to watch the final show with The Tragically Hip ending their tour in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario. It was truly a remarkable performance by Gord Downie and his band. Despite Gord Downie's health issues, the performance left me impressed. The way he handled himself and spoke about what being Canadian meant to him, along with the presence of our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the event, meant a lot to him.
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| It all takes time away from the weekend |
On Sunday, we went out for breakfast and resumed our work on the final stages of her deck. After having an early dinner, I packed up all my tools and the rotten wood from the deck, which I plan to use as firewood for the fire pit in the future. I arrived home by eight, took a shower, and watched the Rio Olympics conclude—or maybe they were watching me. Yes, I have a TV in my bedroom for this specific purpose: it helps me fall asleep, and if that's my mission, I might as well be in bed.
This highlights the comfort and routine of winding down at the end of the day, emphasizing how familiar surroundings can enhance relaxation. The mention of the Olympics also suggests a connection to shared experiences, as if the event is a backdrop to personal moments.
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| The before and after look, prep work is what takes up so much time |
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| Coming along, still a lot of work left |
All the Best,
Joseph Botelho
