Our newest yard project is to put a walkway along side the deck. The area is too narrow for much of anything else and we don’t want to have to deal with any plants or grass there. David built a raised boardwalk and covered it with outdoor plywood. He is going to paint it with Olympic ‘Cape Code Gray’ Translucent Stain and once that has dried, we are going to put a faux brick design on top. We’ve used the Olympic stain for many other outdoor projects and have found it to be the most durable with the best protection for the wood.

Many years ago when we were living in Houston – David built a potting table for me . . . I call it my birdhouse table. We used the Olympic stain on all the surface wood including the picket fence back – and it looks as good today as it did when he finished it. (All the wood stacked on it is for another ‘David’ project.)

Went to my very favorite auction this past weekend (lot’s of really nice people) and bought an old stenciled chair with a rush seat for a whopping $5.00. What a steal – oops, deal. Granted the seat is in pretty bad shape, but that’s easily fixed and with a little TLC I’ll have a beautiful piece of furniture. Being in the antique business for 20+ years I’m always on the hunt for little treasures like this.   The main thing is to remember my budget limits and not get carried away.

Now about husbands. Girls, if you can’t get your better-half to go with you – take note. Find something being offered at the auction that interests him. David is crazy about tools and has come to enjoy the auctions because he can buy box-lots (boxes filled with lots of mixed items that are sold as 1 item) of tools and other assorted hardware bits and pieces. I have to say in all fairness, he only buys stuff he can actually use around the house for repairs - tools, screws, nuts/bolts, plumbing pieces,  and the like.  Most of the time purchased for no more than $2.00 a box-lot.

Sound like fun? It is. But, if you’re not familiar with auctions and would like some helpful tips on attending one, I’ve put some information together – visit the Texas Antique Mall Compendium and click on ‘Auction’. Here you’ll find a glossary of auction terms, what to expect at the auction and what you’ll need if you plan on attending an ‘on site’ auction vs. an auction held at the auction house.  I’m working on a list of Texas Auctions and hope to have it uploaded in the next week or so.