This was supposed to go in the last post about the kitchen - I can't believe I forgot it! I finally installed the casement window hardware in the kitchen and it works perfectly. So smooth and beautiful. I will still need to build screens for it, and finish the trim, but I already consider the hard work on this window "done". I've also been working on the other kitchen window, so that will be completed window #2. Only 15 more to go!
Now this is part is also exciting! There has been a huge mess in the back yard, ever since Don and the boys dug it up when working on the fence. The idea was for them to continue, and pave the driveway and everything else, but it was costing too much so I decided to go back to the "amy" way of doing things. I've been looking at the pile of crap for so long, and walking through the sandy dirt driveway that I kept getting stuck in... I had plenty of ideas and now you're going to see what we did! Behind the truck you can see the pile of dirt and concrete chunks that were the original crumbly retaining wall from 100 years ago. It was destined for the landfill but I had a better idea.
A week or so ago I asked Steven if he could round up a friend or two that would like to do some manly-type labor for me, whenever they were available. To my surprise he said the 30th would be fine. The first order of business was to build a retaining wall to define Yard vs Driveway. I set the posts in concrete on Wednesday, so they'd have plenty of time to firm up before Saturday when the boys would come. In the previous picture you can see the 12' 4 x 6 posts in the bed of the truck that would go behind these for the wall.
Saturday came and these are my two helpers, Steven and Brian. Both great kids, full of energy and a lot of fun to work with! I had them help me dig out behind the posts, then Brian moved to the driveway project. He took that pile of concrete, one piece at a time, and threw it over into the driveway. Then he broke it up into smaller pieces with a sledge hammer. Steven and I worked on the wall construction. We put the four 4 x 6's in, secured them with lag screws, and decided that we would go get one more on lunch break. After lunch we put the last board on, and finished the concrete chunkin' and breakin', and also leveled out the dirt in front of the wall, for what could be a third parking place for something small. (You didn't hear this from me, but the building I said I wasn't going to mention again is still standing in the background there).
I originally had hoped to have enough concrete to have two little strips that I could drive on, but somehow, it all spread out to be a complete, two-car driveway! I was shocked and ecstatic beyond words. When I go back I am taking plants, plants plants... I'll put some plumbago and other things behind that lovely wall there. It's amazing how satisfying it can be turning a total pile of crap into something nice, neat and usable, in just one day. It would really be nice if that crummy building next door were gone, but I promised not to talk about it until demo day, which I am hoping will be soon!
We finished up about 3:30 and after everyone got a shower I fired up the barbie... I can't remember if I showed you the little grill I got, but here it is on it's improvised grill stand. Dave 'just happened' to show up with a sheet of drywall I needed, and also because I asked him to accompany me to a Halloween party that night. Believe it or not, I cooked awesome ribeye steak, baked potato and broccoli for four on that little baby! Gotta keep the menfolk happy - and good food is a sure way to do it. We had a nice dinner after a long, hard day of work.
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