No more splinters

It appears our landlord is going to replace the deck with some of that fancy recycled plastic stuff that looks good forever. This is great news since there are several places where the wood is soft and rotten, there's a hornets' nest tucked up under it, and oh, it looks like shit.

I've enjoyed three things about the deck in the year I've lived here: sunshine, being up high, and peeling the paint. I like to peel paint. Someone years back decided to paint it a terrible pale blueish gray and years of Seattle weather have caused it to curl and peel, much to my delight. I can't describe the thrill I get on a hot day when the remaining paint is soft and pliable and I can peel it like sunburned skin. Oh the rush when a big section comes up!

Today, the first day of fall, was nearly 90 degrees and the paint peeled just how I like it to come up. I'm excited to have a new deck where I won't have to wonder if my foot is going to fall through or if I'll get splinters in my toes, but I'll have to find something else to be neurotic about while I sit on the new deck.