A matter of choice: Flashback Friday - Home improvements

A rather random flashback but as we approach the winter season and many people here are coming to the end of their seasonal work contracts there is lots of talk of plans for home improvements (well, mainly from the women whose men will suddenly be off work, not so much from the men themselves! )

It made me think of the biggest and best home improvement we've ever done, with the possible exception of building a wall and creating a bedroom for Leo (when I say we, clearly I mean I made tea and Aaron worked!)

When we moved into our first house together back in 2003 the garden needed a lot of work, so much in fact that we left it for several years while we worked out what we could do to make it better. ?The problem was a raised section that was?separated?from the rest by a huge wall that was also on a steep slope and not really big enough to do anything with.

After much debating, discussion and drawing of plans we decided that decking the whole thing would be a good idea. ?We did not have the money to pay someone to do it, so despite the fact that neither my Dad or Aaron had done it before they decided to give it a go and do it themselves.

It took 2 weeks of very hard work, lots of cups of tea and many bacon sandwiches but look what they created!

I loved my new garden so much and was full of plans for lovely evenings sitting out on the deck - Aaron even had the genius idea of putting a double power point on it for a light and stereo. ?I used to finish work at 5pm and on a sunny day had just enough time to catch the last of the days sun by sitting right at the top next to the big plant pot whilst drinking a glass of wine!

Unfortunately?we didn't get to use the deck all that much, it was built at the?beginning?of a really?rubbish?summer, and we spent most of it looking out the window through the rain at our lovely new garden! ? We had a huge?BBQ?planned for Aaron's birthday that year and it poured so hard with rain that we had to go out and buy a second gazebo for people to stand under! ?The only time we had friends round that whole year and no-one even ventured up that far!

Although I still feel a bit sad that we didn't get to use it ourselves I think it was the improved garden that sold the house for us. The couple that came to view loved it and got very?excited?about the parties they could have out there (I didn't like to mention it would probably rain!).

We sold the house just before the recession started and all the prices dropped so we were very lucky to have sold when we did so it was still a very worthwhile DIY project. ?I still miss my new garden even though we have a big balcony with a lovely view, although I don't miss the weather!

Linking up to Flashback Friday

Source: http://emsyjo.blogspot.com/2012/10/flashback-friday-home-improvements.html

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