Backyard - Stage 1

Here's the deal.  Ken purchased this property in 2002, and then worked with a builder to have the house built.  It was a design already built in the area, but Ken put his touches on it.  The house was finished in 2003, and he moved in with the boys (OK, and the ex-wife).  


From 2003 - 2008, Ken only worked on the inside of the house, and not even that much.  So, he was still going through OT from his brain surgery in 1999, but when that was done, he only did basic upkeep on the inside.  (Ex-wife was no help whatsoever.)


Here's the front yard:

We always had Lake Koehler when it rained

You can see the "dip" in the middle of the yard

Here's the back yard:

 Again with the water pooling

 The yard was uneven everywhere

 Those bushes on the side were horrible and stubborn

Now, March 2008, the girls and I move in.  I love his house - roomy, plenty of breathing space, the location is nice and quiet, etc.  However, I have an issue with how there's been no landscaping done.  Ken and I talk about all of the things that we would love to see so the house is a "destination point," but nothing happens.  I lose my job, so the money that I wanted to save for landscaping isn't happening.  But then, a friend of ours buys a house in Wrightwood and there's a bunch of sheds in the back - one of which is a great 8' x 10'.  Ken and I wanted to put one in the backyard area to be able to clean out the garage and get organized, but now we have one for FREE!


The shed sat in the backyard disassembled for over a month.  I gently prodded Ken so that the free shed would not go to waste, and then we saw a sign.  Literally!  A neighbor owns a tractor and had a sign up advertising his work.  We called him, and he was out the next day in order to grade the backyard for us.  The price was so great, that we paid him to grade the front yard as well.


So, here's the progress on both yards:

Yeah!  The yards look sooooooo much better.  Today starts Phase 2: preparing for concrete for the pad to the shed.