Actually, it’s more like phase 20, but it makes you feel a lot less behind if you restart the numbering on each smaller part of the project. This one in particular involves removing the ditch from our backyard, and covering where it used to be, along with any sections that are currently plain-dirt, with grass.
We got a start on it yesterday, when Randy came over and we busted up all the concrete gutters along the ditch, which was a lot more work than I estimated it being. We rented a jackhammer, because that concrete was pretty thick, and it turned out to be even more challenging because it was reinforced inside with metal rebar.
We took turns, with one person doing the jackhammering and one person picking up the pieces and carting them off in the wheelbarrow. Actually, Randy ended up doing most (75-80%) of the jackhammering, while I mostly did the clearing duty, because of Randy’s mad jackhammering skills. And by “jackhammering skills”, I mean that Randy’s in better shape than me. (Well, that and he actually has done it as part of his profession).
I started stacking all the pieces along the front west side fence, but quickly realized that there was going to be way more debris than would safely fit there, so I ended up piling the rest back behind the retaining wall behind the house.
It was quite a pain, but it is good to be done with it. Now I just have to rest up and recover for the next part of the project - leveling everything out and getting ready for the grass. Actually, the next step is to convince Dan and Nathan not to keep doing stuff that reminds Martha that our stuff isn’t done yet…




5 Comments
It shouldn’t be hard for us to stop soon since both of our places are small and we’re almost done…for now.
randy is a 1337 j4>
It has nothing to do with them and you know it.
I know - just joking. Sorry, I forgot to add the happy smile face.
A bunch of you have backyard fever or something.
Could be a new reality movie -” Backyard Fever” with several projects of real people and interesting interviews with the good bad and ugly
of it all. could be but won’t be.
We worked on the backyard 4 years ago and have some pictures. We tore down an outdoor fireplace and put in new grass. We took turns with the jackhammer.