A couple of months ago, I made my way to the porch's far side. . . .trying to catch John as he went by on the tractor. . . .and surprise. . . .surprise. . . .I fell through the porch floor. . . .That was the day John decided a porch replacement was necessary this year. . . .We had put it off too long.
I confess. . . .It's mostly my fault. . . .(Quit smiling, John). . . .When the wrap-around porch was added to our home seven years ago. . . .(has it really been that long?). . . .nothing would satisfy me but one of those beautiful perfectly painted floors that I was seeing in all the top magazines and books. . . .We found stacks of tongue and groove pine in the barn previously, so I insisted we use that for the porch floor. . . .reassuring everyone that "we'll just have to keep it painted". . . .Yeah. . . .Right. . . .Little did I know about the harsh weather conditions. . . .When you're house is stuck out in the middle of a cotton fields with no windbreaks or protection, things quickly deteriorate. . . .Poor John. . . .Every year he'd have to scrape and repaint after replacing and repairing that year's rotten wood. . . .I felt badly about it. . . .yet, neither of us could find the time to change it. . . .Last year I told John to not bother with his yearly ritual. . . .We'd replace the floor soon. . . .Me falling through was the last straw. . . .John said it was time. . . .No argument from me. . . .I had lost interest in painted porch floors. . . .Funny how that happens. . . .(grin)
Two sides down and one to go. . .Treated wood that will weather to a soft gray. . . .No paint. . . .Able to run around barefoot again. . . .so very much better. . . .The eight white rockers will soon come out of the barn. . . .I have a date with one of them when that happens. . . .A whole afternoon with nothing to do but look out over the farm. . . .count my blessings. . . .and rock my cares and troubles away. . . .LIFE IS GOOD. . . .
