The Evolution of a Home Built Patio...It's Finally Done

Well that was a crazy and ridiculous home improvement project, and it only took a year and one month to finish from the very start. I can honestly say (and Katharine will back me up) that I will never undertake such a project again. Not to say I won't do any home improvement projects...but nothing this huge. So without further adieu, I'll walk you through the evolution.

It started on a clump of land. I was going to dig a hole by hand...with a shovel. It started that way. The hole was going to be 14' long by 10' wide. It was a moment of temporary insanity...I'm not that motivated. Here's as far as I got.

So thank you Steve M, for bringing me to my senses...and for bringing over that ATV with a plow so I could stop shoveling. I can't believe I was going to shovel all that dirt.

And so...the dirt was dug and the framing was done...and we had to make it level. Dig out all the dirt...put some back in...dig some out...put some back in.

I'm sorry...did you say we had to fill the hole back up with gravel and stonedust? Are you f*cking kidding me?! Fill it all the way up? Thankfully David F and Tara V were around to help with that little project.

How many patio stones is it going to take to fill up this space? I'm sorry...did you say 60 (which turned out to be 64)? Only because we had the strength of Dan M to help, did this even get done.

Right...it's still not done. It looks terrible without something around it to dress it up. Unfortunately, that part had to wait since I had a bit of surgery before THAT got done...and then it snowed...and then it was cold...and then we were broke...and then...and then...and then a year had passed since we started this God forsaken project. But now, thanks to Katharine and Ethan's brute strength (carrying bags of mulch so I could spread them)...it's DONE. DONE. DONE.

And we dedicate it to all of those people I mentioned that helped along the way.