Phase I: COMPLETE

One completed step closer to the raging party we'll have in our backyard when all this is done!!! Last weekend, John and I spent our Saturday outside finishing up the patio project!!! He cut and laid in the last of the custom cut pavers and we rented the Tamping machine once again. Luckily, ours looked so good that one of our neighbors was inspired to do a small paver patio and we were able to split the rental cost. The finishing touches included sweeping in this sand mixture into all the cracks, then going over with the tamper to shake things up enough to fill the cracks with the sand. When we couldn't fit any more in between the pavers, we hosed down the entire patio which caused the sand mixture to become like concrete. Those pavers... they're not going ANYWHERE! I think it may be the last thing undamaged in an earthquake (maybe that and the deck John built in Utah... he tends to error on the sturdy side when he builds).

Looking ahead to Phase 2!!

When John gets back from his Alaskan adventure, he's planning on beginning Phase II, which consists of digging trenches and installing all the irrigation pipes as well as the wires for the "mood lighting." He's currently reading up on different transformers, sprinkler system timers, outdoor lighting (solar vs. low voltage), etc. Rest assured, he's already planned out the sprinkler head placement where he can cover the most area with the least number of sprinklers as well as calculated the number of drip hoses he needs to each plant to provide the optimal amount of water... He's math geeking it up, but I've never been more proud of his mad skills.

Pictured below is the blueprint for the backyard, and I've colored in the completed part. Still quite a bit to do, but I think (and hope) Phase I was the most tedious and time consuming of the work!