Step #1 - Dig A Hole in the Yard

Last Fall I called Home Depot to find out how much it would be to have a patio installed in my backyard. Since then I've seen several news stories regarding Home Depot and 100 reasons why I shouldn't hire them for a home improvement job...I didn't need to see those stories to make my decision...the $4000 price tag made my decision for me.

This year, Katharine and I decided to put our own patio in. I don't know if we've met, but I don't do my own home improvement. No...really...I don't. I hire people, which is why it's not done yet.
So what's happening in this picture you might ask?

That's me...digging a hole. I figured, the dog has made enough of them, I might as well dig the biggest hole in the yard. You know it...this is where the patio will sit in about 4 years when we finish this project (see how I switched to WE...Katharine is helping...I need someone to lift all the heavy bags). Sounds easy to do, right? Dig a hole, fill it halfway with crushed stone, a layer of sand, a layer of bricks, more sand. Don't go sending me messages with details that I left out...I know there's a bit more than that. Let me fool myself, at least until the rest of the hole is finished. This is as far as I got...it's hard to see because it's not close to finished, but just imagine.

Stay tuned for more on the patio project as the hole gets deeper and is filled with stuff.