The sun has returned, possibly just for the day, and the wind is rather blustery, ideal for drying washing…believe me my day has not been wasted.
Much has been happening since my last little tale on here…it all started with me mentioning that the logs we had used to edge the flower beds had ceased to be useful, indeed most had begun to powder up when pressed upon. We always knew it wouldn’t be a long term solution. Anyway I happened to mention to he who is strong and can do, whether we should use stones or bricks to edge our many and winding flowerbeds, Apparently he’d been thinking…uh oh! Well he thought we’d better take up the slab path and concrete under, then re-lay the slabs on top to save weeding the things all Summer long (otherwise known as ignoring the problem and running the mover over occasionally),then decide what edging to use…OK…but wait a minute, when hubby thinks, he does rather a good job, and little did he know I’ve been hankering after a level space in our garden for the table and chairs, we never levelled or seeded or anything so it was very rough and ready. As more plants and trees have come into our lives so the size of the grass area had diminished. Anyway, the question he put to me next was quite unexpected…what do we need that little bit of grass for? Steady girl, don’t show your excitement too much, this sounds expensive and a lot of hard work, and I’m not that strong!
Out came the tape measure, the really long one! We plotted and planned, had a morning looking around builders merchants, and decided that everything was really pricey, so…plan to level and concrete this year, edge and slab next year…of course I nodded not wishing to push my luck too far. Of course this wasn’t going to even begin until mid May as we had a few things planned for our free time. Of course I nodded again, I can be patient…but hubby can’t. That very Sunday he started to dig, very soon the grass was gone. I had to bite my tongue a few times as soil and stones and old slabs began to decorate the flower beds…really bite it! But I managed. Over two weekends with help we concreted two levels and the path. And that was all we were going to do this year. Despite the piles of earth all around, several bits of plants hanging limply after some big boots had trodden on them and some old paving slabs dumped just so I nodded grateful for the new level area. Did I mention my first estimation when asking for a paving slab quote was woefully inadequate? About 20-25mt square…err not quite, actually not much shy of 70mt sq. As I said paving next year.
It was a beautiful Sunday evening, we had eaten outside when hubby said in a very serous manner, I know it’s going to cost us a bit but I think we really need to edge the beds this year so you can move the soil. Oh I said, I suppose so…we duly chose what we liked, and ordered, only for hubby to then say, trouble is I really want to put a slab up against the edging and before I can do that we need a little wall around some parts. I didn’t even ask for a quote for the cobbled bricks, they are now here, along with 2 patio packs of slabs, another has been ordered this month, the edging has begun to be cemented into place, we are waiting for someone to do the walling. Oh and we are doing our best to eat out the freezers and garden!
Have I mentioned extending the pergola, re-painting it plus the grill shed, doing out the shed with left over bits of parlour board, and an upgrade for the grill from the cardboard box it came in to a stainless steel lid. Once nabbed at a sale with a view to using it as a sink splash back. That never happened thankfully!
So a few piccies, taken before the space was converted in mounds of slabs edging and cobbles…
And the work continues…my goal of weeding a meter of flower bed today has been surpassed many times thankfully, but with two days of thundery rain predicated and yours truly at work I can foresee it needing attention again soon! Until next time, Blessings J. x
