From the general manager

Patio furniture has come a long way in a short time, both in appearance and price. When i purchased what we have now, there were basically two options: the frosted glass table and cloth chairs or the metal mesh table and chairs. The frosted glass looked nice at first, but eventually you get a grime on the table and the material in the chairs rots and you fall through your seat. The metal mesh are not as comfortable, and they get hot, and they make the back of your legs look like an Eggo waffle, but they last forever. If you were super fancy you can also add an umbrella, which wasps will happily build a nest in and lay in wait for that first sunny day when you decide to open it up.

Now they have entire living room sets designed for the patio. Love seats, sofas, tables with fire pits in them, and so much more. There is a plethora of patio possibilities.

As impressive as these sets are, I am wary of the price tag. I know that as soon as you leave anything outside, especially in Texas, the clock starts running the second it hits the porch. Wind, rain, sun, dirt dobbers, fire ants, wasps, tree sap, and pollen are all part of nature. Nature abhors patio furniture. So as nice as it is, you are basically hoping it lasts long enough to get your money’s worth.

My penny-pinching heart would really like to wait until November to make a purchase. But, I may have to bite the bullet and buy it in-season. We’ll see. In the meantime we are making do with fold-up chairs and the last remaining chair from a 12 year old patio set. It’s patio chair Russian roulette every time you sit in it, but that kind of adds to the excitement.

If your patio is already set, I hope you get some time to enjoy this weather before summer sets in. I also hope you enjoy this issue. We’ve pulled together some good stories, and we have the latest on upcoming sales and events. Hope you find something you like, and as always thanks for reading.