The Backyard Project

Any dog owner knows it's only a matter of time before your dogs take over your yard. Well at least my dogs. They are creatures of habit and always walk the same paths outside, which kills the grass. They dig holes. Some that are small enough for a bone and others that would give me a free trip to China. Those activites then leave DIRT instead of grass in my yard. As you know when it rains, dirt turns into MUD. Everytime it is wet outside, and they have to potty, I stand at the back door with a beach towel. I have to dry them off to save my carpet from muddy paw prints!

The night they dug me a tunnel to China, Mona was covered in mud up to her neck! I had to get the hose out. Oh and I will add that happened at about 9:30 at night! Why they do this, I have no idea, they are dogs. BUT, I knew one thing...it was time for the humans to reclaim the backyard.

I brainstormed, drew odd backyard pictures, and asked Mike to imagine all sorts of things back there. His common, and most frequent, response was, "Whatever you think is best dear. I am fine with whatever you choose."

Adrian: But do you think we should have a tree or a flower bed?
Mike: Whatever you think is best dear.
Adrian: Do you think we should extend the patio?
Mike: Whatever you think is best dear.
Adrian: Should we build a zoo and charge the neighbors admission to come in?
Mike: Whatever you think is best dear.

You catch my drift? I was on my own...just me and my brain. That sometimes is a dangerous combination! :P One afternoon we had Ava out back on her playground and I started thinking again. Then I finally figured out what I wanted. The next week I got the name of a landscaper from a good friend at work, Katie. He had worked on her backyard, her mother in-law's yard, and her parent's yard. He had to be good. A couple of weeks later he and his men came out and made my vision come true in just a couple of days. Here are the before and after shots of the yard.

BEFORE (BOO!)







AFTER (YAY!)







Now we go out there all the time. To water the grass, play on the playground or just to hang out. One night last week Ava and I ate dinner together back there. She at her little table and me in a chair! Ahhh, it feels good to see a project come together.

P.S. When Mike saw it he liked it. Guess that means from now on I will continue to get the same response, "whatever you think is best dear." Wonder what he would have done if I really did install a zoo???? LOL