Spring has arrived

I always like spring, even if it can be wet some times. All the new growth and the waking of plants after their winter's sleep, when they start to burst into life, always seems to have that affect on me, I'm not a lover of winter, the gloomy weather seems to rub off. But once you get out into the garden on a sunny day it brushes the cobwebs away.
Which is exactly what happened to the covered deck area, cobwebs were brushed away and the spring cleaning began in earnest, in excited anticipation of warm and sunnier days we decided that, like us, the place needed a bloody good clean up and de-clutter.
I haven't taken any before photos, because quite honestly no-one needs to see that kinds of mess. Joe had the Friday off making it a long weekend for him, a bloody long weekend he would no doubt say after we'd finished!
Michael and Natasha are back from their six week long honeymoon, where they spent time with family and friends in the UK and traveling around Europe, they got home on Wednesday. We let them have a rest day before Michael's help was required for some lifting. We had surplus furniture which has made it's way to their house, once that  was all gone we were able to get our home back into some kind of order.
First the family room, which is essentially a lounge, dining and kitchen space all rolled into one.

 

The new rug went down too, we'd held off because of muddy paws

 

Then is was time to tackle outside under the deck, the furniture was pulled off and the concrete washed, the dogs ad made muddy trails around the furniture, already we have more paw prints, courtesy of Dot who likes to dig.

We've had this furniture for years, it's lasted well, until now, Dot is a chewer, I have to make some sort of covers for the arms where she's chewed, little ratbag

 

If we do nothing else this year we want to at least paint the deck railings and balustrades.

 
And now I shall leave you with images from the spring garden, there are a few, enjoy