During the construction process, there are two words that you don't want to hear: Retaining Wall. Especially when you're not planning to have one so it becomes a surprise retaining wall.
The worker bees came in, dug up the back yard, poured the footers, laid the block, and then filled the block with cement so that the wall will be nice and sturdy. You're looking at about 5 feet of block wall in the corner.
When I heard that we had to get this wall, I imagined it to just be in the back corner of the house.... Well, I should have imagined it to go all around the back yard!!!
We'll have a terrace to separate the pool-side of the yard from the grass-side of the yard.
And the fence will sit on top of the block, which will eventually be ground level. Are you following me? I know it will make more sense when you can see it. We're getting there!
Those guys were busy! Now before they back fill this entire area, we needed to put in drainage pipes, sprinkler pipes and run electricity to the other side of the yard.
I drug a million 6-inch pipes across the yard to Husband who was on the other side of the wall, in our neighbor's back yard and then I took a break and gave a tour to a friend who happened to drop by. Husband single handedly (is that a word?) ran the pipes down this trench to that wooded gully area. We are going to have the BEST back yard neighbors. I really hate to put up a fence between us...we'll have to make a gate for them :)
Not too much is happening on the inside. I've learned that, when building a house, there can be a lot of 'hurry up and wait.' So, while we're waiting on the interior doors and trim to start...we tried out a few paint samples. Tiki Hut for our bedroom:
Frolic for Diva's room:
Grounded for G's room: (we feel this color's name could be a slight foreshadowing of her teenage years)
Beach House for the foyer, living room, and connecting areas:
Lemon grass for the office:
These two awful colors have been rejected and their names stricken from memory!
This is one we're trying out for the kitchen...and its name escapes me. If we decide to go with it, I'll find out the name, promise.
Oh, this is Lemon Grass again. We think it will also go in the laundry room and the guest room. It looks greener in this light.
We have the granite and tile samples for the kitchen propped in the kitchen window for now. (slowly but surly our current home is becoming less and less of a showroom as we're moving samples to the new house)
Okay, back to the retaining wall. After my break was over, I had to help install the rest of the drainage system.
...which goes all around the house! It was quite the process, and I can assure you that I do not have a future in plumbing.
I mean, look at all of that! Husband didn't complain about doing all of that by himself.
See the thin gray pipe? I did single handedly tackle that! It is the conduit for the sound wires.
...and it stretches across the whole backyard. Impressed, aren't cha!?
Check out my 'working in the dirt' boots.
Also, check out the 1992 extension cord holder...
Seriously? A closer look confirms....early 90s for sure!
So, I put in my bump-it, rolled up my t-shirt sleeves a couple of inches, and changed into stone-washed denim shorts before I rolled the cords back up.
Although we're planning to move to a new neighborhood, our current spot on the end of International Boulevard will always have a special place in our hearts.
Each year, one of our sweet neighbors organizes a street party for everyone on our quiet, little, dead end street. Unfortunately, each year we are usually out of town and miss the opportunity to mix and mingle with our culturally diverse neighbors. This was my lucky year! We were in town and I participated in full force! Our neighbors are from at least 5 different countries and those that are from the United States are from all over the country! Each family brought an appetizer to share and we circled our chairs in the cul de sac and spent a beautiful afternoon spending time with our neighbors.
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