I built a covered screened porch a few years ago and it’s THE place to hang out at my modest little domicile. We spend a lot of time watching thunderstorms ( unless the winds come up too much!).

Oh, wow, lucky you! We do patio paver stones or cement mostly, here in Michigan but only get to look through the window at it 5 months out of the year!

How high up is the existing deck? Could the space underneath be used for additional outdoor retreat space such as a patio, for example.? Also where is you location?

With all due respect, I wouldn’t waste time on cheap imported stuff like that. Search the thrift stores or Craigslist and just buy another one. Check Walmart, too. They have about the cheapest appliances around.

There’s nothing wrong with being kind to people. I think everyone would like a little more kindness than what has been demonstrated over the last several years but there’s also nothing wrong with being careful at the same time. There’s things I’ve done in the past or allowed that I would not even think of doing in this day and time.

I still have a landline. I find it a very useful alternative to giving out my cell number to every Tom, Dick & Harry. I get very few telemarketers b/c I screen every call I take. I never answer anything I don’t recognize. They can call 100 times but they’ll just get the old fashioned answering machine b/c, oh yeah, got that, too. Eventually, they just stop calling.

It does depend on how often you’ve been taken advantage of but, then, it’s also a part of the experience of life. When you get to a certain age, you understand that almost everything is about the money. It’s up to you to filter what is worth it and what is not. It didn’t used to be that way. Older generations didn’t need contracts. Their word was good enough. Sadly, that is not the case anymore.

I expect the best and plan for the worst. I’m nice to people but I also have come to know when to say “no” and not feel guilty about it. I never buy a product or service if they have to call me.

I always make a little contribution when they ask. It’s kind of like PBS but for information, I use them all the time and I feel less guilty if I contribute. I’m not a scholar or anything, just a regular old lady.

I clean houses for a living so, at my own place, I choose #1. It does take me all day but it’s great when its done!

Cleaning people are there to clean, not pick up first, unless that is in the agreement.

I have a shoebox in an easy to reach kitchen cabinet I throw receipts in; from everything. I don’t do it so much for tax reasons (Im a standard deduction sort) but if something I bought needs to be returned, I know right where to go to find the receipt because I pay cash at almost all point of sale purchases. Old-fashioned, I know but it works for me.

We got one of these last summer and, at least in our SE lower Michigan location, on our covered porch, I found it to work pretty effectively. We also have an oscillating ceiling fan.

Check your local building codes. Where I live, that is too close. I built a shed like that and placed it within 6” of my house so I could use an outdoor outlet with a drop cord for a light source. I had to get a property inspection for another project and they told me the shed had to be moved.

Not if your washing stuff that’s greasy or if you’re trying to remove a stain of some sort and using something like Shout.