Porchblogging: Functionality edition

We have a back porch. The Monkey can run on it. The dog can walk past it to relieve herself in the back yard.

It still needs railings, a roof, and screens.

The crew of two has been working on it almost every day (including Saturday) since they started 8 days ago. They took a half day to thru-bolt a ledger board to the brick siding. Then they framed out the joists. Then they erected three 8x8 posts that will support some weight, eventually. Next they framed out the bump-up over the basement stairs. Luckily I was home for that: they had set the bump-up height at 23" over the deck, too high to be usable as a bench. I caught them in time, and they dropped it down to a comfortable 19". Then they put decking over the joists, and started in with the ledger board that will form the 2nd level/roof portion of the deck. There are a few rafters connecting the upper ledger board to the roof rim joist, but it is still a work in progress.

But at this rate, I should be sipping lemonade from my back porch in no time. In November, but soon.