July 29 -Aug. 7, 2009
Steps to getting a new deck ,, Number 1, Be sure to take the "before" picture. Note the cement steps and the inground basement entrance. These will become two of the tricky issues although in much different ways.
On the first day the man with the machine comes to dig the holes for the posts. Careful not to back too far down the hill into the lake..
Next the post are cemented in the holes and the sand is piled up around them.
Our great crew. Ben and Mike.. They were here every day and very hard workers.
When Kristi seen these posts she said she thought my deck was going to be awful high! I had to agree with her.
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We just have to try it out ,so, we lift table and chairs onto surface and have Mark and Tina join us for a brew. Careful not to fall into the basement steps. Then we have to remove all the furniture , because the working crew will be here early in the morning..
Ben just doing his job..
Finally see how nicely the basement stairs have disappeared.. These guys worked real hard to engineer a unique door that was easy for me to use and yet be strong enough to walk/sit on. They really rock!!
You would not even know there were steps or an entrance there. You open it from below and it rolls on casters ,ramp up, onto the deck.
This photo shows how they keep working on it . Many "tweeks" and ideas were changed as some worked and others did not, it became a work in progress because it was the first time this idea was used in just this way.
Mike works hard..
The finished deck.. We have a nice bench across the front for extra seating and saftey. The wrap around steps on each of the front corners give it a good balance.
We love it.
If you need any type of deck or remodeling give these good guys a call. They are so easy to work with.. Call Dennis at 810-629-8818..
Now for the cement steps,, I put them on Craigs List , no interest, I tried giving them away, too heavy, thought about putting them in the lake for use by sea wall, no way to move them, Now I just wanted to get them out of the yard they are killing the grass and do not fit the "decore" of the new deck. Dwight came through , he showed up with buckets, hammer and a tarp. Dwight and Bob busted them up and hauled them away to Dwight's property to use as a base on the long drive. Thank You Dwight, a win win !
We should have done this 10 years ago.
Because I am known by certain little people as Grandma NoNo, I just had to take this photo..
Tooling down highway 2 , we spy this guy and his cow standing in a field.
A real nice park on the way to Fayette historical mining town.
Entrance to the harbor where the docks to camp are located.
Back across the beautiful "Big Mac"
Oops, this one is still north of the bridge...
Now in lower Michigan on the Tunnel of Trees, we spy this deer who is not scared of us at all. We get out of the car and he just looks at us.
Which one do we get to ride in?? Dwight's '57' or Grandpa's Z06 , Yellow Stretch or Uncle Jeff's speedy convertible??
Uncle Jeff takes Dennis on the first leg in the 57....
OK, Mike draws the lucky number and gets to drive Jeff's tricked out car and the blond [Lisa ]that comes along for the ride. Hey ,I thought this cruise was guys only!!!!
Lisa Polzin on her new Wake board showing her form.
Even after this action Dennis stayed on.
He just likes the daredevil stuff. 
We are not that far out in the sticks that we do not have the Ice Cream truck playing the pied Piper music calling all children,,
The truck goes to the end of the street and back so we wait for the return trip.
"Look, Look, we have money."
"Me first, I want this one".
Sitting on the old fashion Tractor tire tube with Aunt Connie is lots of fun also. You don't always need a motor.
Things must be winding down because we are sitting still for a few seconds, can sleeping be next? Almost.
If your ball goes down the hill into the lake ,,, well so do you..
Sing, sing, sing, so much fun to end the day with music. Thanks again to Gary and Katie for joining us..
