I keep having this same dream over and over again and I cant get it out of my mind. It’s about a bridge and deck that cantilevers 15’ out over my pond and 10’ above the pond, the picture is crystal clear in my dreams. I don’t dare talk to my wife about my dream, she’ll shoot me, and my back and wallet say enough already…set back and enjoy the pond. But, darn it that deck looked so cool in my dreams. Most men dream about money and women, I dream about ponds and decks….spooky.

I too have been the victim of many lurid & steamy pond dreams.

Unfortunately, these dreams don't go away until you fully execute the visions contained within the dreams.

My suggestion is to tell your wife that you've been having two dreams. Make the second dream someting so outlandish such as making a floating home on your pond (wait...thats already been done, so maybe make your pond home underwater).

Present both visions to your wife with the statement that you must execute both visions. By default, you'll be directed to revert to the lesser cost, more reasonable deck/bridge vision.

There is no winning situation for your back though.

My dreams tend to be more dirt related, but those pond dreams can be pretty overpowering too!! My dock was never gonna happen, but just like you, it worked it's way into my brain and I couldn't get rid of it. Just like a song that keeps repeating itself over and over again.

I bought a few 2x8's, but just added them to the wood pile. Then I picked up a few 2x6's and added them to the wood pile.

Then the impossible happened. The water level dropped to the point where I could get my tractor to where I wanted to put in the posts. It was more then I could handle.

I drilled the holes, set the posts and joists. That night it rained 3 inches and the pond has never been close to that low since. I decked it the next day.

Now that we have it, we wonder why I didn't build it sooner. Listen to your dreams!!! You wont regret it, except to wonder why you waited to build it.

Build it and they will come!!!!!!!!!

Eddie

...yeah, but nothin' beats the dream about women with money on the deck over the pond
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please build it and take pics!

Jim,

I know the feeling. I had the same fervent feeling when I wanted to grow out trout year around. There wasn't any good info out there on how to do it in earthern ponds, carrying capacity, flow rate etc. but I was a man on a mission and pretty much have figured it out. I did hire a consultant but he was a big disappointment and I'm sure glad I didn't listen to him.

Had to cash in some 401K money to put the trout pond in but it was worth it. All of my plans are going to be for my retirement anyway. Now if I could just recoup the 6 grand I had to remove from my 401K to refinance the house because the b***h that did the apprasial appraised it at a lower value than what I paid to build it! When she told me she didn't like log homes I knew I was in trouble. Trouble was I had to go with her as she was the only one approved by the board of the credit union I was going with at the time, and interest rates were on their way back up.

Now with four ponds on the property I would like about five more!

If you could only see the look on my wife's face when I told her I'd found the perfect site for a third pond (#2 is supposed to go in this Summer). Wait - a lot of you have already seen it on your own wives' faces!

Boy do I hear you guys. Great topic. I really thought I was the only one sick enough to dream of new ponds and bridges and docks and digging holes. I'm glad I'm more normal than I thought What you guys describe is the exact scenario that occurred that resulted in my first pond, my bridge across my pond, my second pond, and a few smaller projects. Eddie's description of his dock is scary because it's exactly what happened to me with my bridge. I had the idea, it was haunting me, the water level dropped, I told me wife I had to build it while I could (she objected), I put off the honey-do list to build the bridge, my wife forgave me, and the water level has never been low enough ever since. To this day I often think how glad I am that I built it when I did because it would never happen again. This is all very weird. Let's face it, some things are just destiny!

Wow!
This is like "de-ja-vue"(sp.) all over again.
I am not alone, there are others with the same affliction!

Theo, I have seen that same look from my wife at least 4 times now.

I have absolutely no regrets of past projects. (Ponds, trails, docks, fish, feeders, etc.)

Go with your heart and the wallet will follow,
(Sometimes rather slugishly).
Full Steam Ahead!

All of you sound so... OBSESSED!

All kidding aside, don't listen to the psycho-babble about obsessions. An obsession is normally not an illness at all. It's just nature's way of making sure that man lives up to his great promise by accomplishing great things. Every great work you see started the same way, endlessly ricocheting around in someone's head, day and night. Which reminds me! I think there's a donut left in the kitchen.

One interesting caveat about this obsession is the worst thing that can happen to you sometimes is to have the money to do what you want in the beginning. Many times (at least with me) it's a good thing for the obsession to simmer while you think about all kinds of angles and ways to attack the problem. Getting there is actually half the fun (at least for me).

I am so glad I had time to think about my setup before I did it, and I didn't do it like I thought I should in the beginning.

Obsession, like paranoia "can't be paranoia if they really are following you", can't be if what you obsess is real, eddie-walker's bridge, bobad's wharf, CB1's giant trout. Oh, and if you want to do better with your obsessions you will be well advise to keep it to "yeah, but nothin' beats the dream about womAn with money on the deck over the pond"
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I authorized Operation: DAYP this morning, this is a covert mission in search of information only. I deployed my best people to Lowes and Home Depot to gather as much information as possible, material cost etc. If the project looks feasible we will move into the situation room and discus the “Sunil idea”.

Ok, not to point out the negative but.... are we really judging our sanity by comparing ourselves to each other? Ask your self what kind of a yard stick it that?

Reminds me of a couple of quotes from the movie "As Good as it Gets"....

Melvin Udall (played by Jack Nicholson) "Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here."

Frank Sachs (played by Cuba Gooding Jr)"If there is a mental health organization that raises money for people like you be sure to let me know."

Sorry I have to break it to you people but all of us, every last one of us, is full tilt bozo (to put it in highly technical scientific terms).

PS I didn't post anything about my ponds dreams. I mean read a few of my posts and ask yourself this one simple question ..... do I really want to know what this guy is dreaming about? 'nuff said.

Hey Jim...
when your agents in the field get back from Homey Depot, have them examine these plans that I picked up from Menards: Dream deck

You guys do realize all of these dreams are nothing more than a wet dream right?

Brettski,

I'm sure you have figured out the cost of that puppy but if it will help sway you into starting that project, a article in yesterdays travel section of the paper listed the fees. To walk around the glass floor and glass walled "deck" (After you put on your paper C.S.I. booties) is $199. To just approach and look at the "deck" while remaining on the rim of the canyon is $49.

You could pay for it in no time........

Dan

It looks like nothing so much as a giant Pinky and The Brain horseshoe magnet!

We have a GO from the Boss. Just one little catch…I need to hire someone that knows how to use photo shop and draw in the deck on a pic of the pond so the wife can see what it will look like.
BTW…I ended up calling a structural engineer for advise, I mentioned “fish pond and deck” and ended up getting a ton of information for free…well sort of…he wants to come out with his son and fish for CC and BG…I can handle that. Life is good.

Jim,
Can you paint the picture in words? Give us the verbiage blue prints.

It’s obvious from all my post that I slept in all my English classes in school, in other words…my communication skills suck. A picture is worth a thousand words to me.

I think what B'ski is asking for is more description about your project and you would need to post a photo of your pond. Brettski has some serious photochopping skills....


Brettski photoshop

For those of you that haven't tried it that type of image layering takes time and patience.

Brettski,
I really appreciate the offer, but I gave the job to my Nephew.

We finalized the plans yesterday and it looks like we can build 99% of the walkway and deck on the ground and use a crane to set it on the supports, four welds and were done.

We ended up with a 4’ x 20’ walkway attached to the 8’ x 20’ cantilevered deck with two ½” jets of water shooting 10’ over the top of the deck. Hours are 8 to 5 M-F tickets are $10.00 ea. )