Last year we built a gate.

Because we have an escape artist, named Sefton Aron. So we had to contain him. Somehow, someway. Enter: a gate.

It wasn't what we would have designed (we'd have gone with a more modern, horizontal fence board look like slip fencing), but we also weren't about to tear down all the fencing and update it. So I just took the design and ran with it. It was pretty simple.

This meant I had to do a few things:

• Rip down 1x cedar to 2" and 1/2" strips
• Ask K for a dowel jig for my birthday
• Learn how to use said jig

First up: ripping the cedar.

The jig was for joining the 2x6's that made up the frame. Once that was done, it was a pretty simple puzzle to put together.

Then it had to be installed. We used a post on our neighbor Kevin's fence, and I poured some concrete for the post next to our garage.

Oh right, then painting. I'm not a fan of unfinished treated lumber. Why? Because it's butt-ugly. Nor am I a fan of leaving cedar to grey and weather. Why? Because then it's butt-ugly. So I painted the frame and post the same Valspar Muted Ebony we painted the front door. K clear-coated the cedar lattice.

Oh, and as evident in that photo above, last May the lavender was off the hiz-ook.

And thankfully, we no longer had to worry about Sefton running down the sidewalk, the driveway, and disappearing into the canal… Little turd.