Busy, busy, busy!

ongoing project...

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth! Thank you all for checking in!!!

Since my last post, I've both hired out and been a do-it-yourselfer with various home projects.

I've painted, chainsawed, chipped branches and leveled out ground for an above ground pool.

Hired out some plumbing, heating, and electrical work... bringing me to my latest pet peeve project, shown above.

I never liked the entry to my house. Since the actual front door entrance is around the back of the house, the first door encountered is the dining room slider. Originally, one would walk from the gravel driveway straight onto the deck and then take an educated guess as to whether you were in the right place.

There was a small pergola lightly shading the area, which gave me an idea. Why not create an entry-patio? Good idea, bad choice of contractor...

The work this guy has done is great. He built aggregate curbing where there was previously railroad ties. He sanded and stained the entire deck, replacing boards as needed. He built the steps shown above, with lighting beneath. He added to the existing pergola, giving much more shade. He poured the patio too.

This work was completed 5 weeks ago, today.

The trouble is that he has more work to do... clean off the aggregate patio, build one more large section of curbing for a flower bed, and build steps down to the patio from the driveway.

He's been warned he needs to come and finish. Several times.

He must intend to return, as he's left lots of tools and his portable cement mixer. I'm tired of waiting.

I piled some of his tools in the mixer. I have several bags of concrete mix. I'm thinking about mixing a load of cement, with his tools inside the mixer, and letting the whole thing dry.

That'll larn him!!!