What The Hell Have You Been Doin?

Well to be honest, we have been very busy here in the Pacific Northwest.

We dove right into a project soon after the last post on this site and this is the main reason I have not been updating the blog. I hope to re-engage going forward as most of the work is now complete.

So, you say, "What was this project you speak of?" A big one: We tore out the old back yard that was Ok but, suffering due to mud plots, cracking patio stones, dry rotten deck and an eyesore of cement table.

Goal of the project was to get us off our asses and get some real work done that would make this summer all the more awesome.

Here is the slideshow (click on it to enlarge):

Back Yard & Deck Project 2009

As you may not be able to appreciate from the imbedded slideshow here are some highlights....

• Built ramps within the debris box to ensure we filled it to the brim (if you have done this before, it makes for good theater seeing someone race a wheelbarrow up the ramp to dump debris in back and on top of the pile)
• We had an minimum load of 4 tons for the box and put in 18 tons
• The truck that came to pick it up looked like it was going to flip over on its side when it was loading up the bin. That would have been interesting and depressing all at the same time.
• Our initial paver delivery was the wrong stones
• The deck wood order was short and this is why we have yet to put on the railings
• Karen was instrumental in picking out the plants for the back garden area replanting (and effort I might add!)
  

Kudos to the following vendors for providing superior service and materials...

Lakeside Lumber
Willamette Graystone
Porland Sand & Gravel

We are off to NYC tomorrow and hope to post from there. Have fun!