What a week!

This past week flew by with my time consumed by the projects at hand and the care of my ailing Tramp 1. On Monday, Rock Guy and his crew came to start the retaining wall in front of the new deck, currently being built. First to arrive was their equipment - a Bobcat and an excavator. Then came two dump trucks filled with boulders. And I mean big boulders - I had been expecting smaller rocks about the size of a volleyball. But these approached the size of wheelbarrow!

I had figured the rock wall construction would take several days. Was I ever wrong! By the afternoon, it was just about finished and it looked great!

There is a neat feature that diverts water from the gutters over rocks and down a dry creek bed.


And some very cool steps to transition from the deck level to the yard level.

After most of the work on the retaining wall was finished, they started tearing up the front yard. We had been planning to wait until spring to tackle more but since the equipment was already on site, it made sense to keep on going.

The previous owner planted the wrong plants in the wrong places and it was necessary to clear it all out of the way and start fresh.

In the end, it looks pretty good but will look much better when we plant new things. We will be putting in some aspen trees, pine and spruce trees and other low growing drought tolerant shrubs and grasses.

Then they worked on the backyard - they created what we needed. Rock guy is very talented and we let him design what he felt was best.

By Friday, they were working away from the house behind the shop. They tore out juniper trees and cleared a new area for another garden. A dump truck load of gravel was spread to make a better access road, too

They won't be back until after Thanksgiving week. Then they will tackle the side yard and make a space for Tramp 1 to build an outdoor kitchen - a roofed area to BBQ out of the weather - we had snow today! And two more loads of boulders will be coming to finish the retaining wall and to be added in the front yard. My head is spinning from it all!

Meanwhile, Tramp 1 is still suffering and on Vicodin, Flexeril and Relafen. We saw the Neurosurgeon on Friday and he is referring us on to a pain management physician. Anything to help stave off another surgery for as long as possible. In the meantime, I have my hands full taking care of Tramp1 - the poor guy can't even put his socks on! And with all the pain and drugs, I can't let him drive. So I take him to work - 50 miles round trip - he sleeps in the car on the way there. Sometimes I stay in town and wait to bring him home or he will catch a ride with someone when he can. I only hope that he can start feeling better soon. And I know all the work going on outside is really important so Tramp 1 can't try to do it himself!