The deck. “A flat structure capable of supporting weight, similar to a floor, but typically constructed outdoors, often elevated from the ground and usually connected to a building.” This definition was found on the Internet so to argue its validity is futile. It is on the Internet so it must be true. While THAT statement could certainly be argued and proven incorrect, can we all agree that the definition offered for “the deck” for all intents and purposes is solid? I would think at least, most likely, we can. My column, my assumption – so there; and yes, I know what happens when we assume.

We have a deck. Our neighbors have decks and I would be willing to bet just about every house in the general vicinity of our place has a deck. If you drive around town, you will see all kinds of decks. Some are adorned with various types of patio furniture, which if it is on a deck, wouldn’t it be deck furniture? You might see a grill on a deck which, by the way is not the safest decision in the world. It’s a simple equation really. Wood Deck + Fire = No Deck and increased insurance rates. What I rarely see on most decks are people. Sure, you might catch a glimpse of someone sitting on the patio… ooops, deck furniture and, on a rarer occasion, multiple people utilizing their deck. I searched the Internet and was unable to secure any data for deck usage per capita. Considering that researchers at Cambridge University concluded Spiderman is not real; Their rationalization being the larger a person is, the more adhesives they would need to stick to a wall, making it virtually impossible for a normal sized human being to have the characteristics of Spiderman. Yes… money was spent on this study at a major University. If you don’t believe it, you can check out Entrepreneur Magazine (www.entrepreneur. com/article/275060) “These Are the 8 Dumbest Research Studies of 2016.” It’s worth the time if you need a laugh. Now you can see why I thought there may be a chance for deck usage studies.

Our deck does not get the attention and love that it probably deserves. My wife loves to spend time on our deck. When it comes to use at our house, she wins the prize for most deck time. It would make her happy if the loaf she married a long-time ago would spend more time on the deck with her. She grew up on a farm in Western Minnesota and it was a regular occurrence for her and her parents to sit on the deck pretty much any evening after dinner. Undoubtedly, they would each have a book in their hands as they relaxed and took in the fresh country air. They would also enjoy deck time on Saturday mornings and again, after Church (4:15pm Mass) and dinner later in the day. Sunday… on the deck pretty much any time unless they weren’t at home. Milt and Ione (Mary’s folks) worked hard as a Seed Corn Researcher and a Registered Nurse respectively. They took the time to relax and keep their lives in balance that many of us fail to do. The deck for my lovely bride brings her back to her youth and a much simpler time.

Contrast farm living to my upbringing on East Seventh Street here in Hastings. I grew up in a triplex across the street from St. Boniface Church and School (Now SEAS School). Within a six-block radius, there were easily 40 kids in my age group along plus older and younger siblings. We were a hop, skip and jump over the tracks to Lake Isabel and there was always a kickball or softball game going on in the church parking lot. The alleys were great for bicycle drag races and of course, building jumps out of any wood we could find. We might be playing football at Kennedy or at the joined back yards of Caturia’s and Hoeft’s. Pick-up basketball in the alley at Schoen’s garage or at McGinnis’s house was always an option as well. We could jump on our bikes and within a short period of time, be on the other end of town at a friend’s house playing something outside… even “Ding Dong Ditch,” which was frowned upon but lots of fun and a great form of exercise… had to run if you didn’t want to get caught. If it was too hot outside, which was almost never, we went to Hutch’s Ice Cream Parlor to play Pac Man and tackle a “Hutch Buster.” There was never a dull moment growing up and sitting around to relax was not something we ever thought about.

Very few homes in the area I grew up even had a deck. A few houses had front porches or smaller patio areas but, decks… not so much. If you had a deck, you most likely were not an “Eastsider.” McGinnis’s had a deck but we never sat on it as we were too busy playing hoops, hot box or football in their yard. I remember a time that Shannon and I slept under the stars to watch a meteor shower… that was pretty cool. The other day I took a quick drive from East 10th Street towards downtown and not much has changed. The church and the house I grew up in are gone and the funeral home is now home to United Promotions (Special Tees for the old-timers). The GuardianAngels block is now townhomes and apartments, a woman’s shelter and the Hastings Arts Center/Blessings Academy of Art & Music. Decks??? Still not as evident as in other parts of town.

My mom would always say “As you grow older, you grow wiser,” which is why she was ALWAYS wiser than me… at least that was her stance. She was one “smart cookie” and the lessons she taught me over the years are still being realized daily. While we did not have a deck, she certainly took time to relax. She was a creature of habit which included specifically blocked time for her to “chill” a bit. If you are familiar with the 1988 movie “Rain Man,” she was a lot like the Dustin Hoffman character “Raymond.” We all knew where she would be Monday through Friday from five until seven in the evening. Make supper… eat supper… wash dishes… watch 6pm news on Channel 4… Wheel of Fortune… repeat the next day. We also knew that we were to NEVER to call during Wheel of Fortune. What she considered her other “relaxation” time, most would call work. She found doing laundry, dusting, vacuuming, yard work and such chores ‘relaxing.’ I wonder what she may have been like if we had a deck. I can see her sitting outside with a cup of coffee (1/2 pot a day… no more, no less) looking proudly at her flowers, the garden and listening to the kids playing all around her. If the deck would have been on the eastside of the house, she would have probably turned the TV to face out the window so she could watch Wheel of Fortune from the deck… and we still would not have called her on the phone during that show… we knew better. I believe if the old place had a deck, she would have used it and in the same breath, if she wanted one, there would have been one.

We all need to take time to relax, regroup and spend time with those who mean the most to us. As a “goer” type, the struggle with sitting around and doing nothing is real. Maybe I need a little change in perspective and using the deck more will help? One or two times a week might be a good start… and I won’t be doing nothing; I will be enjoying the great outdoors with someone I love. That can’t be bad, right?? I’ll let you know. Get out and enjoy the great outdoors.