I decided to take a day’s annual leave either side of the Australia Day public holiday to make for an extra long weekend to get a good run at the decking.

Leaving home at around 9:00 on Wednesday we encountered heavy traffic on the Monash with overhead signs indicating a rollover on the on ramp to the Bolte Bridge with lengthy delays. We decided to take a detour through the city, much to the delight of Skylar who was able to hang her head out the window as a result of reduced speed and take in all the smells of the city.

After our usual stop at the Calder Park service centre for coffee we made good progress, arriving at the house at around 1:30. After unloading the car we did some minor chores around the house and then just kicked back, in preparation for an assault on the tasks we had set for the next few days. Mine was to lay the decking boards and Shirleen’s was to continue preparing the entry for painting, and specifically this trip to strip the numerous layers of paint from the door and doorway.

For the next three days we did just that… decking and paint stripping, stopping occasionally to eat, drink and rest.

The end result, as can be seen below was worth the effort!

The west side of the house has been transformed… from this when we bought the house:

To this after this weekend’s work.