Who Needs a Deck?

For the last "several years" (Joel insists it's only a year, I say three) we've had a unfulfilled dream of a deck in our back yard.

Things you should know before reading further:
1) Joel works a LOT more than 9-5, so his spare time is precious and so are his kids, and so is havings a little R&R so that he stays sane with the pressure of his job.
2) While he would love to learn how to do "BUILDY" stuff, he would admit to a very low natural skill set in the "handy" department.
3) I try really hard not to be too naggy about stuff around the house that takes ages to cross off the list or doesn't get done due to 1 & 2.
4) I have still clung to the dream of a deck and have been purchasing items for it when they're at the end of season (since i've had 1-3 end of seasons to pick up deals... depending who you ask.) and have had several large boxes of furniture in the garage for (1-3, depending who you ask) years.

Well, this spring came and went, and besides that fact that I had a written and witnessed contract that I would be sitting on my deck June 1st this year, we are, sans deck. Time ran out for Joel and I did get a quote for having the deck built, which came to the amount of $10,000. GULP. Not this year, thanks.

So, we've agreed that this year we would tackle the first step to the deck, which is to get a pad for the hottub (which is currently taking up 2/3rds of our small concrete patio, leaving us with virually no where to sit in our back yard.) And that this summer we (and when I say we I mean Joel) would move the irrigation lines around to fit the deck that is coming next summer, along with making our patio pad a little bigger. Bored of this story yet?

Anyhow.... yesterday I was in a "be part of the solution instead of bitching about my lack-of-deck", so I went on a tear... cleaned the shed, cleaned the garage, and got those several boxed out of there and assembled my own darn patio furniture to put on my "pretend deck".... I've always wanted an outside livingroom type space in my back yard, and deck or not, I can still have it... I'll just consider the grass (where it's not dead) to be green shag. I might get a tent next week and set it up in the shade, since the hot tub is supposed to end up in this spot soon.

Anyway, this is where I will be hanging out, in my outdoor with green shag living room. Come by anytime! (ok, call first)... and please note that if we were 18 inches higher we could see the lake.... next summer.