February was a crazy month weather-wise. First there was snowmageden and then we had a few days of some serious wind. Turns out my janky, rotting, mostly gone fence on the north-side of the yard wasn’t up to battle and toppled.

Fence lost the battle with the wind.

Neighbor Charles’ little outhouse was collateral damage. Once I got the fence panel off of it, we stood it back up and it was only a little worse for wear.

I wanted to do the grown-up thing and actually pay someone to come and build me a new fence. I mean, it is only 35 feet on a basically level area and then square it off with the back of the house with a gate.  How expensive could that be?! Turns out — a lot more that I thought. I got 4 estimates — ranging from $1200 to almost $3000. Whoa folks, the cheapest is my yard budget for the whole year and then some.

I piled the panels up in a corner that is someday going to become a flower bed so I don’t care about the grass. Then I spent a very rainy day off breaking down the panels and stacking the wood. It was very therapeutic!

Thankfully, my parents wanted to come the rescue! When we were in Phoenix, I was complaining about the cost and my dad insisted that this was a job for him. So a month later, when I had so vacation time slated, they came down.

They got here on Sunday night and we started planning and scheming, then early to bed. They got up crazy early (which for me is any time before 11) and started digging out the old posts while they waiting for me to get my butt out of bed — which I did around 9. Over breakfast Dad came up with our shopping list and plan to get the stubborn posts out (and repurpose the holes for the new posts, since it turns out my dirt is insanely hard clay.) Hardware store and then Dad and I spent the afternoon setting the new posts while Mom weeded my flower beds (Thanks Mom!). Lily did a great job supervising everyone, barking at people walking by and napping under Charles’ tree. Dad and Lily really hit it off and it was fun to watch them play — kind of weird cause Lily usually doesn’t like men (it took months and a lot of treat bribes for her to like Charles!) Posts in and not much else to do, off to the hardware store again to get the pickets!

Tuesday, with the posts set, we did the rest of the framing. We decided to rent a compressor to use with the airgun (and nails) Dad brought, cause turns out I’m not super handy with a hammer! We turned the picket installation into a family affair with Mom and I doing the spacing and Dad running the gun. We were done in only a few hours! And it looks great.

This is the finished product. Basically 2 days of hard work. Looks great!

Gun returned and all of  us showered and sleepy, we went to Derek and Bridget’s for dinner. Then home and bed. Dad forgot the tool he needed for the gate, so they are planning to come down for a quick trip in a few weeks to install that. With nothing left to do, they left before noon on Wednesday. It was an awesome little trip . I have the best parents!

ADDED 4/22.

As planned, Mom and Dad came down for a super quick trip to do the gate. They got here around 1 on Monday, and after a quick lunch, we started working. We already had the lumber, so Dad started building the doors while Mom and I weeded the herb bed. Because the opening was about 70 inches, we decided to do two doors that would open fence door-style instead of one big door, which would have been too heavy. Great decision — looks great. Door frames were built and hung and we were done for the day. We ate some food and then I took them out for ice cream. In bed early (I slept on the couch as the air mattress was too much bother for one night.)

Tuesday, we had breakfast and then hung the pickets. Whole project done and cleaned up by 11. They scurried to get out the door to beat traffic in Seattle. Really fast trip but lovely to have them here again! Oh, by the way, the whole project, INCLUDING feeding my parents was less than $600 — half of the cheapest estimate (and I have a pile of pickets to return, cause turns out math is still hard!)

Gate view from the street

Gate from backyard

Gate open. We had to move the board that edged the mulch but without measuring (or really thinking about it), it was the prefect length to square off the bed.

I love the french door-style! Our spacing was really perfect on the post — there is just enough room for the picket between the post and the side of the house. 

Dad takes a picture of our handy work to brag to his friends (apparently they were all sad he didn’t have pix.)

Tuesday morning breakfast