#62) Hang up a hammock in the backyard
Growing up, there were two places I always dreamed would be the PERFECT place to read a book. A window seat like this. Annndddd a hammock. There wasn’t a window seat in my childhood home. And the nylon version of a hammock that stood on a stand in our backyard? Well, it was authentic the way Olive Garden is authentic Italian food. As in, not very.
So I always dreamed about getting a FOR REAL hammock. And this year, I thought, “We’re DOING IT.” So I went online, headed to the most outdoorsy company I could find (why, L.L. Bean of course!) and ordered this cotton style. Then Nick spent a few days trying to figure out to hang it. It involved hooking it off a tree, digging a hole for the post at the other end (a hole he had to RE-DIG because there wasn’t enough distance from post-to-tree the first go around…did I mention this hole might have been deep enough you could see China on the other side? And that he had to RE-DIG it?) Oh, and that my husband is a perfectionist? So folks, this thing had to be perfectly level. 
When he was finished and we’d taken an inaugural swing in it, I told him that it might have been the best gift he’s ever given me. To which he pointed out, “You bought the thing.” And I said, “Yes, yes, I know, but it was you did all the work. For me.” And now I have the most perfect spot in the world to curl up with a good book. I also have a photo to stare longingly at come January, but that’s a whole other story.
Speaking of my husband and backyard projects, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share a shot of him with the flagstone patio he’s spent the past MONTH redoing. I am SO proud of my man. He researched this project for quite some time (unhappy with how unlevel the existing flagstone patio had been…see, I told you this is a man who likes things—from frames to flagstone—LEVEL), and then spent weeks playing a giant game of Tetris to make each piece fit just right. I love you AND the new patio babe!!! 
And because he so seldom lets me do it, I told Nick we were getting our picture taken in the hammock. He gave me four tries. This was the best I could get …which means it’ll do 
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by Gail Werner
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