Deep Sixing the Deck?

I am feeling much better. Thankfully, healthy living and herbs seem to push any cruds I get out quickly as a general rule.  I did fall asleep for an hour yesterday morning which is pretty weird for me.  But when I woke up I felt a lot better and was pretty much my usual active self the rest of the day. The kids and I did  bike riding. I love watching their growing confidence in this arena.  KC also likes to scooter this year and creates all these "tricks" that he has named (as in Watch me, I call this the Statue of Liberty!"  They all look remarkably similar but he has a blast.

K and I spent some time pondering the fate of our back deck.  The presence of a deck has been there for many years. This most recent incarnation was put on when Chet was in about 3rd grade. We have been repairing it piece meal ever since.  It is not up to code. The kind of railing that we have the city would not allow, so if we replace the deck we need close togtether ballasters which will impede the view of the back yard.  It is also pricey and not really a DIY project for us.  The reason we kept the deck all these years is that I had this dream of K and I eventually occupying the downstairs bedroom that is reserved for my mom at present. In that vision, we would remove a window in the bedroom, put in a door and have access to the deck from our bedroom. 

Except that is not really likely to happen. And even if it could, I am not sure I really want that room as my bedroom for other reasons.  So I got thinking and asked K if we should consider making a hardscape patio instead of replacing the deck.  There would be less maintenance. We would still have a place to eat and entertain.  So we spent a lot of time drawing plans and looking at big box store DIY videos and such.  It is not a project for this year but I think it is on the radar for next year.  The only thing we would need assistance with is building the steps to lead down to the walkway and the actual excavation for the gravel layer.  I think the rest of it we could really do our selves.  BUT if anyone has done a project like that and has pearls of wisdom, shoot em our way! :-)