Monday, May 4, 2009

Backyard Project Part One

Remember how I told you that Calvin trashed our yard? If not, you can read about it here. We’ve talked about putting down grass seed. But let’s face it, it’s not going to grow with two big dogs tromping on it, so we decided we need to sod. This may sound easy but in reality it isn’t because first you have to remove the grass that is still there. Knowing we’d have to rent a sod cutter the wheels in my head started turning and the following conversation transpired Friday evening between me and my better half:

Me: “While we have the sod cutter here we should remove the grass from the edge of the patio to the side gate so we can put in that flagstone path we’ve been talking about.”

Him: “Well, maybe.”

Me: “We should probably make the garden bigger too.”

Him: “Huh?”

Me: “While we’re at it we ought to put a fence up to keep the dogs out...”

Him: “That’s a lot of work.”

Me: “…and a trellis over the garden gate.”

Him: (Crickets chirping)

Me: “Okay, let’s start tomorrow.”

Him: (Chirp, chirp)

Saturday morning we headed to a nearby quarry to pick out the flagstone; two tons of the stuff.



From there we headed to Home Depot and Menards to price out the material. We purchased everything needed to build a picket fence, including a trellis, yay!

This morning Paul ran to Home Depot to rent said sod cutter and a truck to get it here. Then he ran to Menards for the landscape timbers needed for enlarging the garden…in the Home Depot truck.



We removed the grass by the garden…



…and where the dogs had trashed it.



Unfortunately we didn’t think ahead and get a dumpster, so we had to pile it on the concrete slab that will someday be home to a hot tub.



It was a backbreaking day, and it’s just the beginning. We still have to move that pile of grass to the dumpster, lay the new sod, carry and place two tons of flagstone, frame the new garden area with the landscape timbers, order dirt and fill it, and build a picket fence.

It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.



To be continued, right now I’m in bad need of a shower.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Okay. Now I feel like a wimp.

Bama Cheryl said...

Ah yes, the escalating summertime project! It's a lot of work but you'll love it when it's done. Yeay!

Lola said...

Wow, you are overly ambitious, just like me! Good luck with all that, girl. My back is hurting just looking at that huge project. I think we're done with those bad boy projects for a while.

Aunt Juicebox said...

Hot tub? I'll be right over...well as soon as you actually HAVE the hot tub.

Wait. What? said...

Sweet - a hot tub!!! Oh I know in time but this project sounds like fun - because the pay off is - well right around the corner right?!

Expat No. 3699 said...

Yeah, I think we did the projects in reverse. We should have gotten the hot tub first, then we could have soaked our weary bones after all this hard work. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.

Badass Geek said...

Holy Jeez.

It's gonna look great, I know it.

Fraughter said...

LOL Papoo went to Menards in a Home Depot truck!! Thats hilarious!!