Around noon today we pronounced our work in the yard finished - at least finished for this season. It was already 89 degrees and we were whipped. But at least we could say we had finished what we set off to do - clean up all the dirt and stone in the back, provide protection for the shed that was slid into a high berm, and neaten up the yard. We learned a lot about what we can do when pressed to do it and also how hard it is to do outdoor work once the summer weather has set in.
Looking at these pictures you have to wonder what was the big deal but believe me it was a big deal taking on this task. The huge pile of dirt created when digging out the berm to slide in the shed was filled with stones which had to be separated from the dirt so it could be spread and not cause problems to those mowing the grass near by. The weeds it was piled on were awful with roots that went very deep and sent out shooters in all directions so pulling them was a major chore. Laying all the cement blocks and keeping them level is truly a challenge and they are super heavy to move about anyway. And putting on a gutter with a down spout and addition to shoot water out beyond the hill was no easy task either.
At the back of the shed we had to build a retaining wall on two sides since our neighbor had a terrace much higher than the base of the shed and, or course we had to stop dirt from avalanching down from the exposed berm. Ken ended up using angle irons and straps screwed into the cement to help keep them in place. More work will need to be done once there are some rains and we see how well it is holding things back but for now we are calling it done and will deal with it next season when we return.. But then there will be lots of weeds - a constant problem and who knows what other problems. But here is what it looks like now.
Not bad for a couple of amateurs.
Now to tackle getting the motorhome ready for our travels up north. We leave in a week
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