Bench press

My parents are just like me, they can't sit still and are always doing projects. My dad is a pretty handy carpenter and my mom loves gardening and crafting.
So when they come to see me at the house we are loathe to just sit around and do nothing.
I must plan activities to fill our days.
So a years ago I planned a project that I would do with my dad on one of their semi-yearly visits... we'd build a teak bench for the backyard. I'd ordered it as a kit and it arrived in a big cardboard box all ready for the construction.
Hewas all for it and jumped at the chance to help.
We decided to build it in my basement as it needed to be put together with epoxy and we thought the damp night air wouldn't be good for the setting of the adhesive.
The whole thing went pretty smoothly. As I remember it, we did attach one board incorrectly, too late to change, but as it turned out you'd never know of the boo-boo. And somehow that makes the piece more lovable in its imperfection.
I love that bench and over the years it's weathered nicely into a grey patina along with pale green lichens...a classic garden bench look.

I also love that it's a visual focal point as you look out the rear window of the dining room, past a row of white hydrangea. It gives your eye a place to look out to and land.
Over the years it's become a tradition of the house to have visitors sit on the bench and have their picture taken. I've got dozens of snapshots of friends, family, and acquaintances posing on that seat.
One other thing you may notice from these photos is the "carpet" of bricks underneath the bench. They give your feet a place rest, free of the wayward ant, and also preserve the feet of the bench from too much dampness. It also is easier for the yardman to mow around.

The brick 'carpet' underneath the bench, this is the view looking down

I love how the bricks have also aged well, sporting some soft moss in certain areas as well. It all adds to the cottage-y feel of the yard.

Moss on the bricks