It's More Than Just A Firepit!

This has been a busy week for us here at the Pinecone Ranch. Work has been nutso for both of us and we've been running nights as well. I wanted to relate this story much earlier in the week.

First, let me forewarn you that it has nothing to do with letterboxing! Many times when we write a story that might be apart from the world-o-boxin' we get email from someone asking us where the clues are in the story! There are no clues here!

Those of you who read our blog often know that Sue & I have a haven that we run to in southern Vermont as much as we can. Last spring, we made some huge improvements to our home there. One of the scheduled additions was to be a deck but, like most projects, we just ran out of funds so the deck was put off a year until this spring. Bummer!

What made the wait even worse was that our youngest son, Steve, had gifted me at Christmas 2005 with an outdoor firepit shown above. Well, this great gift stayed in it's original carton in our new basement in VT; waiting for a deck to hold it.

Over the past year, I played with different deck configurations; made sketch after sketch; trying to get the biggest bang for the buck. After we settled on the design, it was time to look at materials for the deck. After some research and also with a little help from a mystery man, Sue & I settled on a material. We met with our builder and I showed him our sketch and his price arrived the next week. We gave him the go-ahead and told him that we wanted the deck completed for the coming Memorial Day holiday for there was to be a party - a deck christening of sorts with our sons and their girlfriends.

The builder called me last Thursday at work and told me that the deck was complete! I felt a shiver of excitement run through me! We were going up on Friday night so that meant we'd be decking it over the weekend!!

Although the ride is only 2 hours from our CT home, it seemed endless last Friday night! I had a deck to see. Finally, we reached the house and after unlocking the front door, moved quickly through the house to unlock the slider, flick the outside light and there it was! Now I have a slight inkling of how a mother must feel after seeing her newborn for I, too, has carried the inception of this "baby" in my mind for well over a year. And like a newborn, it was the most beautiful deck in the world!

Sue, Steve and his girlfriend, Katie, joined me outside and we admired everything about it. We went inside, unpacked and got comfortable and Sue joined me outside at 10pm for our inaugural glass of wine on the deck!

Morning came quickly and at 8am I was out there, sitting on the built-in bench, listening to the birds and enjoying the early morning quiet with a cup of black coffee and my current Bill Bryson book. This was living. As the others woke, they joined me out on the deck. We made plans to make ready the firepit for there was a deck party tonight! Wood was gathered, firestarters were found.

About 7pm after a great dinner, we stoked up the firepit, and some sat with blankets as we watched the blazing fire. Sue got the fixin's for S'mores which was perfect. As the fire continued to burn, we all enjoyed just talking - away from the computers, and TV's and video games. It was a chance to be together, relax and just enjoy each others company. We laughed, told stories and made some plans for the future.

This firepit was much more than just an object - it was a family conversation maker! It was a memory maker. It was one of the best gifts I've ever received. Thanks, Steve, for the firepit - for as you see - it is much more than that!