Any Denver resident knows that the city boasts 300 days of sunshine per year. From the beginning of spring through the end of fall, one of the best places to spend those days is on an outdoor patio with friends and neighbors, or just hanging out by yourself. Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood offers several great patios coupled with great restaurants for fine dining, or just hanging out with a nice cold beverage.

If you want to experience both land and sea, then don’t overlook Montana de Oro State Park in California. You can camp on the beach and hike along bluffs that overlook colonies of sea lions. No fires are allowed so be sure to pack your grill and plenty of water. This is camping for those who are truly ready to get away from modern life.

Grade Level and Bulkheads. You should grade the patio area so that it falls away from the house, but remains straight from side to side. Any side of the patio that doesn’t touch your home foundation should have a bulkhead that keeps the sand from washing out from under your stepping-stones or pavers. A pressure treated wood board works well for this purpose. Use at least a 2″ x 6″ for the bulkhead, as this will allow a portion to be below ground to keep the sand from leaching out. The top of the bulkhead from the bare ground should be 2″ plus the thickness of the paver or stepping-stone.

One way to find out your foot pronation is by the wet bare foot method. First, find an area that you can leave a wet print on. Your concrete patio cost cost would work fine. Wet your foot and step down on the flat surface, then lift your foot up. If the print is wide and straight, signifying low arches, you have Over Pronation feet. A Second way would be to take a pair of old running shoes to a specialty store. There they can tell you what your pronation is by the wear on your shoes. Finally, go see a foot specialist. There they can give you an evaluation of your feet and let you know what correction you need.

This idea is a favorite amongst mothers who would love their kids to clean out their drawers and closets during the summer. Gather old toys, outgrown clothing, books, and so on and prepare to set up a neighborhood yard sale. Challenge the kids to organize and conduct the sale (with your help of course). Keep track of money earned by each child and let them use their profits from their hard work for a special purchase.

Do not wait until December to start winterizing your home, and start in autumn, instead. Weatherstripping and other products that depend on adhesives will stick better while the air and surface temperatures are still warmer and you need not wait until it’s frigid outside to perform concrete patio cost tasks like insulating pipes in the crawlspace.

Some worm composting systems will have drainoff as a result of the worms eating the garbage inside the bin. Commercial, pre-made systems have worked compost tea collection into the design. If you make your own worm system, make sure you take this into account, if necessary.

Now Dianne is walking down the patio, ready to meet her groom Jayson. I introduced Dianne to Jayson two years ago. It was sort of a peace offering. Phil and I had met Diane at a friends’ house and felt she would be perfect for Jayson. I guess she was. Now we are at their wedding. The ceremony is short, but feels like an eternity. As they repeat their vows, “till death do we part” is not included, indicative of Jayson’s non-committal lifestyle. He is fifty and getting married for the first time.