Desperate Yard Crashers - Part 2

The back yard project is mostly finished, at least for the winter. More grass seed will be spread between the flagstones, since the first attempt didn't take. We want to build a pergola over the flagstone area and a little gate arbor leading into my (hopefully huge) garden area. But for now, we are happy to have most of it finished! (Photos courtesy of my talented daughter, Jenni)

We have a firepit for s'mores!


My favorite part of the back yard.


The pool has a solar cover to help retain the heat.


Buddy has already fallen into the pool twice, so he spends a lot of time on the deck.

Desperate Yard Crashers - Part 1

If you are a fan of DIY Network, you will understand the combo title of my post. Before our pool was actually completed, my husband, who is my own personal Ahmad Hassan, began the sod replacement and flagstone bed preparation.

Here is the blank slate.


The sod, flagstone, and good Oklahoma sandy loam await our blood, sweat, and tears.

Hubby carted many loads of dirt and personally laid all the sod, because the rolls of fescue were too heavy for my daughter and me to lift.


I am a weak wuss, but my daughter was a trooper, filling the wheelbarrow with load after load of dirt to be dumped into the bed for the flagstone and to build up the corner for a flower bed. I think I moved two loads of dirt, total, before I was wiped out.


Finally the dirt and sod were removed from the driveway, and my yardgirl attempts to leave before we make her do more back-breaking work.


Remember the relocated crepe myrtle? It now has a new home.


Hubby installed stairs from the deck to the flagstone.


The flagstone is being properly laid by a landscape company, but it has been delayed due to daily rain. Part 2 will reveal more fun and games.

Life's Too Short--Build A Pool! - Done!

Our pool was begun on August 6 and completed on September 10 for a total of 35 days--not bad considering all the rain delays. Business, yard work, laziness, and enjoying the pool have taken priority over posting the final pictures of pool development.

Here is the yard before and after.



Below is a brief gallery of the process since the gunite was applied:

Plaster is mixed on the truck and runs through a hose to the back yard.


Plaster is sprayed onto the gunite surface.


The plaster is smoothed to dark blue perfection.


The last step prior to filling the pool with water is acid wash. I was happy to see this gentleman arrive.


The hose is turned on full blast to fill the pool, starting at 10:30 a.m.


Here it is half-full at 6:00 p.m.


We turned off the water to the pool overnight then resumed filling the next morning. Here it is at 10:30 a.m., being cleaned by a happy hubby.


In the meantime, this awaited us.


My next post will be about the ongoing yard renovation.

Life's Too Short--Build A Pool! - Part 2

The pool is progressing so fast now that I have not kept up with blogging about it! The gunite has been sprayed, the tile set into place, and the deck is complete. Now we are ready for the pool to be plastered.

The trucks arrived for the gunite--noisy and exciting!

The hose snaked from the truck to the pool.

The gunite is sprayed manually.


A screen was set in place to block some of the dust.

These guys worked quickly, but it was a lengthy process.

We squinted our eyes to picture our completed pool.

Gunite has to be watered twice a day for 7 days during the curing process. A neighbor told me that the Hoover dam had to cure for several years!

Next was tile!
We chose a matte tile with blue, dark brown, and beige, with dark brown grout, and we love how it looks.

Buddy and Randy survey their domain.

Next was prepping for the plaster.

I missed getting pictures of the first dark layer of plaster; the workers are laying the template for the "faux" flagstone decking.

The decking has been sprayed over the forms.

When the templates are removed the darker layer beneath appears to be flagstone grout.

Our weekend will be spent placing sod and garden soil to fill in the yard. During our breaks we will check out college football, and at 6:00 all work must end to watch the Sooners play BYU! GO SOONERS!!

Life's Too Short--Build A Pool! - Part 1

After braving four summers in Oklahoma's dry heat, we made the monumental decision to build a pool. This summer, with its particularly brutal 100-plus temperatures and little rain, served as the final impetus for us to seek out one of our neighbors who manages Blue Haven Pools and get the ball rolling. On August 6, the fun began.

Here is how the nice green grass looked with the pool outline.


The logistics of getting Bobcats into the yard made us nervous. They had to first go through this narrow space.


Part of our new fence was dismantled, and the crepe myrtle had to be temporarily relocated.


Our little garden fence had to be partially removed.


After that, it was clear sailing.


Apparently all it takes to bring rain is to start a pool. On the second day, we received over an inch.


You can see why Oklahoma is famous for red dirt!


As the work progresses, the removed dirt is spread onto the yard.


These guys work hard.


The excitement continued after the weekend; gravel was brought to the driveway and carted back to the hole.



This pipe will have to be rerouted.


Scott, the Blue Haven manager, assures Randy all will be well, while my mother and Buddy the dog look on approvingly.




Steelwork was completed.


And of course the rains came again, and again. Here is the back yard after a three-inch rain.



In spite of the mud, progress was made on plumbing and electrical work. Now we are finally dried out and anticipating the concrete work this week.