Building a second-floor verandah is both tedious repetition of simple timber work like cutting out halved joints and thrilling tightrope-dance-like balance work on a crossbeam.

With all the joist work done, I can start planking the deck, which can be only a one-day job. Planking is also boring but doing tenons and mortises of the banisters and handrail is even worse.

I don’t stint myself of time and effort to figure out the  corner-cutting way, but at the same time, I have to think about the structural strength for safety of the railing– that’s why I can’t sleep now.