don't do this

Two weeks ago I was working on a few things in the yard.  I did something that I had done several times before - but not since October.  Seasons change whether or not I do, and the clever maneuvers of summer just aren't the same when days are cold and outdoor wood is slick.

It was a choice of walking around the house to the door and going out the slider, or just scrambling onto the deck like before.  I was nearly up, my belly-button was level with the deck.. then something slipped.  I suspect it was me!  I landed on the edge-up plywood I believe, then rolled gently into the yard, giggling at my foolishness.  The bruise came quickly but didn't develop into much.

Turns out that bruise was a decoy, as six days later I noted a huge bruise had formed on the Inside of my leg.  That grew and spread along with the tenderness, and finally my back recovered from shock and insisted it be heard.  The second week was spent icing then heating the leg, icing then chiropracting the back.  It's nearly all healed but color and tenderness remain.  This was a world-record bruising for me, about 1/3 of my leg showed some incorrect color.

And yet again this deck proves that it needs to be rebuilt.
 A deck that cannot be accessed from the yard is not a friendly deck - more so since the actual Front Door of our home is up there, inaccessible from the outside world!!  That's just silly and must change.  I have begun to design plans whereby some portions of the deck will be lowered a foot or more, making for more seating at the boundary, a cool spot for rope lighting, and the ability to partition the deck into lounge, cooking area, fire pit -- and oh yes, a way to reach the front door without climbing on a slick piece of edge-on plywood.

As to note #3 - yes I nearly fell again as I walked out today to take this photograph.  Don't tell my back.