Hodge Podge Highlight

Today I want to share one my favourite features of the Hodge Podge Lodge, barring it's proximity to water, of course.

I love this porch!

When we were shopping for our current house, one of the criteria on my wish list was a big porch. Something that was big enough for chairs so you could sit and relax and watch the world go by. Well, I didn't get that big comfy porch. This porch, however, is fantastic. It's covered (though I suppose it if wasn't covered I'd be calling it a deck rather than a porch), it's the full width of the cottage and then some, and is 36' long and... 6' wide. 

As with the rest of the cottage, it's not without warts. Some of the deck boards have shrunk leaving bigger gaps between the boards than I like (you can't really see it in the photo as I'm standing on them taking the picture). Also the handrail is very definitely not up to code. Small children will plunge to certain death from this porch. O.K. That's probably a bit of an exaggeration, but if we were to bring it up to code, the gaps between the boards could not exceed 4", and the railing height would need to be brought up to 42". Typically it would be 36" (this railing still doesn't meet that requirement), but because the drop from the front of the porch to the ground is over 8', the railing has to be 6" taller =  42". You learn so much on a home inspection, you really do.

I think when it comes time to overhaul the porch railings, I'll go big and screen it in so there's a bug-free outdoor space during the summer. It's certainly on the "List Of Things I'd Like To Change" but it's not very high up that list.

For now, I'll post a "Danger! Small children must be kept on a short leash to prevent them from plunging to their deaths" sign (to cover my butt in case someone gets litigious), and sit back to enjoy the unobstructed views.

Hmm. I guess I need to add "comfy deck chair" to my shopping wishlist, huh.

p.s. I just noticed the deck boards run in two different directions. Welcome to the Hodge Podge Lodge!