Let the Demolition Begin!

It has my friends.

Actually, as I type I'm listening to the sound of the stump grinder working VERY hard to remove the remnants of the ugly Spanish Bayonet. If only I can get Bruce to remove the other one...

Anyway, when I returned home from the symposium yesterday this is what I saw:

Still working on this area but look, we have a house:

Mr. Bruce devised and executed a plan to cover up the view of our neighbor's ugly shed:

This will undoubtedly require time to cover, but oh future happy days is what I have to say!  He was an extremely tired boy after this project; thank goodness the weather is a tad cooler. Take a look at this great view:

 I cannot be happier to see those ugly air conditioners go away!

I had no idea it was happening yesterday so it was a wonderful surprise. Because they were on the side of the house where no one goes, Bruce saw no real reason to remove them befor,e but because he loves me he agreed to it while we have this great crew. While hanging clothes after all this mess is over I'll be thrilled time after time.

See what I mean? Awesome baby!

Removing all the Boston ferns and just plain ugliness around the palms. There is a stump in front of the bricks that will be ground today ensuring better drainage off the patio in the future.

Here's an overview of the yard:

Next week the windows in the sun room will be new with very tinted glass, not to mention, insulated and tempered. As well, the deck will be gone. I'm not relishing the idea of a mostly dirt back yard for a week or two, but we're hoping it's a small price to pay. Well, not just hoping, we know it is! We are so grateful to be doing this project. At times I feel a little guilty because so many folks are struggling. I then remind myself that we've had our share of hard times. Keeping the economy moving we are.

It did occur to me that I'll have to learn how to operate the new pool filtration system which could be a problem. Currently I have no idea how to operate the sprinkler system, or the thermostat in the house. Sounds pathetic doesn't it? And then there's the matter of the alarm clock. You would think I was a moron after reading the above, and you'd be right when it comes to most of the digital world! Here's a look at the previous one with the easy to operate dial timer:

To the left of the upright pipes is the stump from the giant Sheflera tree we removed after the winter freezes. Now you see why it couldn't be ground before! Pretty ugly huh? No telling the age of the sand filter-- least thirty years old? Through the years the pool repairs have had to be made above due to the tree roots. No more, no more.

It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks we mark our fifteenth year in this house, making it our most permanent residence. Through those years we've had to repair/replace just about every system including the air conditioning, plumbing, and roof. This is our second pool renovation, although the previous one was not nearly as extensive. Let's hope this one is our last!