They also keep dogs where they belong, which is really more to the point this time, since this stretch of fence doesn't run along the property line, but between the front and back yards. Long, long ago, in the distant past -- in May, I think, we started building a short nine foot piece of fence along the side of the house. We already have a piece of chainlink fence and a gate at the front of the side yard, but we'd like to get rid of the chainlink and push the dog back to the back of the yard.

The fencing project began. After preliminary planning, post holes were dug. Posts were set in gravel and concrete and all was well. Then the posts sat there until the end of June when the two short stretches of fence were built and the frame for the gate was cut.

Work proceeded on and off, but with life and three children getting in the way, the fence mostly sat unpainted and the gate sat unfinished in our bedroom. But all such things must finally be pulled out and worked on again.

So the weekend before last, we took the pickets that had been roughly placed off the gate, Justin sanded everything and I painted. We also decided to cut a few of the thin trim pieces out of PVC board, so as to ensure their rot-resistance. Then the gate was totally assembled, and all the holes, cracks seams and what-nots were caulked and/or filled with exterior wood putty. And then came more sanding. And more painting.

This Saturday I spent a large portion of the morning painting the pickets and posts for the fence. Monday I put a second coat of paint (actually, solid stain) on both the gate and the fence. It was a race against the sun in the end, and Justin had pull out his spotlight to finish, but with lots of props, shims and his wife holding the thing in place, the gate finally got hung up.

We still have to put caps on the posts and do a little touch-up painting, but I think it's turned out gorgeous. Justin says he'll build one for anyone who can pay his asking price of just a measly $10,000.