First, I'd like to ask you a few questions, and I want you to answer them immediately. Is your back yard an enjoyable place to sit and relax? Is it pleasing to the eye? Does it offer an escape from the world of bills, traffic jams, and noobs? Your backyard is your sanctuary, and if you did not answer "yes" to any of the above, please read on.

The most important factor to backyard relaxation is comfort. Above all, you want the most comfortable place to sit possible. A visually pleasing scene is the other important factor. A simple and very effective way to meet both of these needs is installing a gazebo in your backyard.

A gazebo is a pavilion structure commonly found in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, basic shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest. They can be made out of many materials, but most are a stained or painted wood. They are an outstanding place to gather, prepare food, have a band, take a nap, or set as a wireless point and play some Warhammer in your own backyard.

Let me tell you a story about my very own gazebo. There was a planned gathering of friends at my house; we were going to grill a bunch of meat, and play some lawn darts. It was kind of a yearly thing, and the previous year one of my friends got a dart through his right foot which was no good. Anyway, this year we all assembled and got to cooking but soon the rain came and we were faced with a dilemma. Luckily, I had gotten a gazebo installed that spring so we simply moved the grill and chairs to the gazebo and continued our eating and conversation.

However, as time went on the rain became heavier. It was a torrential downpour, but because the gazebo provided such great shelter, we really saw no danger. I noticed it beginning to pool up on the ground, and I saw a small river beginning on the road, as the sewer intake could not keep up with the rainfall. Suddenly, a large rush of water came crashing through my fence and continued flowing through my yard. It quickly splashed up and over the floor of the gazebo, and we realized the danger of the situation. The water level continued to rise, and we needed to seek shelter.

With little time to react, we immediately began to climb the side of the gazebo and sit on the roof. Due to the strong construction of this beautiful gazebo, our lives were spared. Many of my neighbors floated past our gazebo salvation screaming for help, and we were able to save them. They now all have gazebos as well. It turned out that on that fateful day, the rain had indeed caused some flooding, but it was a mudslide on the hillside of our town that knocked over our water tower, creating a rush of water towards the town dam which was not built to withstand such a rush of water. The dam broke, and the city lake was free to flow wherever it wanted, which happened to be all around my house and the surrounding neighborhood.

The gazebo saved my life, the lives of all my friends and neighbors, a dog, and one stray cat. I thanked the builders for making such a high quality and beautiful gazebo many times. In fact, I have since rebuilt my house and now have two gazebos in my backyard. I doubled my backyard enjoyment, and life saving capacity.

While a gazebo may not save your life, it could. At the very least, you should have a gazebo so that you can enjoy the relaxation and enjoyment it provides.