The Runs are UP!

I have not been a total slacker! Just slacking off updating this blog.  The runs are up!  Managed to get them up last weekend.  Could not have happened without the help of Heather and Donald, THE BEST NEIGHBORS IN THE WORLD!  

It was stinking hot Sunday and Monday and those were the days I moved pavers, transplanted some hostas, put up the runs.  And it was 95F in the Shade. 

The weather is not condusive to the plantings I want to do, but now at least, I have three runs and a "puppy pen" up.

Grace and Wasp are in the end run with the dog house, Ben is in the middle, and for now, I have the third run split in half for the Lakie boys.  Sky and Nomar occupy the puppy pen.  Each pen has it's own water bucket and clip!  I knew I was collecting extra buckets for a reason!

I still have to put on top the shade cloth, which I may do today, I can use cable ties to fasten it to the pen. I had to cut down a branch from the tree, so I have a bit more sun than I'd like (especially right now when it's sooo hot).  Each run will have a nice dog bed or dog house of some kind as soon as I can find what I really like.

The ground is not as level as I would have liked.  In fact,it's barely level at all.  I will have to get some paver/play sand and sweep it into the cracks to "cement" in the pavers, a few are a bit wobbly. I tried to put some dirt underneath the unlevel ones, but I know I missed more than a few.

Now to tackle the landscaping, the dead lawn and the front door area...

The Next Few Steps

My days off from this project are Friday and Saturday.   I used Sunday to catch up not only on the yard chores, but some overdue home improvement projects. I did a run to Lowes and got my new closet rail system and installed it.  I will eventually get the shoe box, but right now, it's nice to have some closet organization back.

For the kennel project, I was able to put the feet on all the panels, finishing up what I started on Thursday.  I also put some Liquid Wrench on the old nuts and bolts on the old run. I'm hoping I can get some help on Monday or Tuesday to take it down and move it out of the house yard space. 

I also did some on line reading about how to grade the ground and lay the pavers.  According to the Better Homes and Gardens Book of Home Repair, laying a patio of bricks or pavers that is 10 x 10 should take 12 hours.  Best laugh I've had all day.  

Good Day 3

Thanks to my lovely neighbor, I was able to get rid of the couch.  Off to the town transfer station (or dump, or tip, or whatever) with it on my cargo carrier.  I also got rid of a few other small items. On they way back to the house I stopped at the masonry place here in town.  They have some nice decorative pavers on sale. They did quote me $45 to deliver the pavers all of one mile, but you know what, it may be worth it. I have to count up the pavers I have here all ready and see if I can get by with the one pallet.  I think I can.....

 Also done today, I started to put the legs on the fence panels.  I only got half of them done since floating in the Lake called.  What a great way to spend some time, floating on the lake, warm water, sun on my face, a beer in the cup holder.  Life is grand.


Tomorrows goal, put the rest of the legs on the panels and to weed the herb garden. 

Day 2

I write this late at night and really to smack one of the pups..  Spot Shot just won't Shut Up.  The price we pay for puppies.

So, today's task was to dismantle the old couch.  I really wanted to cut up the couch to go to the dump tomorrow.  I had no clue how to do that, thank goodness for Google.  Actually, the bed frame is held onto the couch frame by 8 star headed screws.  What don't I have? A star headed screw driver.  Ah well, Heather offered to help me tomorrow Wednesday to get this sucker to the dump.


It's now raining, like a lot. Which means I will have a very wet couch to get rid of.  The upside is we need the rain, the down side is that I have a soggy couch sitting outside my gate.

Day 1-The Before Photos

Day 1: Why am I doing this sort of crazy 26 day challenge?  Well since no HGTV show is calling me up to redo my home, I guess it's going to be up to me!  Of course, I'd love some (free and talented) help. So if you are in Bethlehem, give me a call or if you know someone at HGTV who will do this for me, have them call me!

My lovely Bike under the not so lovely blue tarp on top of the grass that died last year from grubs.

The old kennel run that needs to come down and go to it's new home.

The couch sitting in front of the house.It needs to go to the dump, the puppy pen needs to go into the shed.

The new fence panels....my Christmas, birthday, Easter, Valentines Day present to myself.

So what has to be done.  Old run taken down and moved out of the yard old pavers moved, new paver pad area measured and smoothed out, pavers installed, new runs put up, small puppy pen moved from the back yard next to the pen, plants moved, grass re-seeded, flowers transplanted, well you get the picture.

How am I going to do this-Not 100% sure at this point, which is why I'm giving myself 26 days ) this gives me some wiggle room for the days I'm not in CT.

What I did today-Started this blog, uploaded the photos and actually read the directions to put the runs together. Oh yeah, and went public on my Facebook page with this.