Despite the lack of posts, I have been busy...

 Here is some good old fashioned before and after shots so you can see what we've been up to these last few weeks.

 Remember this little project of mine. Well lucky for me, the round stool broke when Oliver used it as a launching pad while wearing his superman suit. Guess all those padded muscles of his actually weigh something because the metal legs literally buckled and twisted. I was OK with it, as it meant one less project. The computer/sewing chair however was redeemed. A welder friend welded the top back onto it. The chipped metal was then painted and the oil cloth gun stapled over the padding. Yes, Done, and roll next project please.

I can't actually take the credit for this but it has been my dream to do this for the last 10 years. All that whispering in Marcus' ear while he slept about stoning the side of the house finally worked and one day he just did it. Yay, now I can open the windows in Nathan's room and see a lovely purple climber and tidy tidy stones and paving. Thank you babe. You are so clever.


Then there is the back garden. Ta da!

Let me take you on a trip down memory lane so you can see how it's changed.

This is Lucy's 3rd birthday party and that is what our back garden looked like in March 2010.  The flowers are beautiful but it was all getting a bit much, shady and overgrown. Take a good look at the green corrugated fence because removing that was what started it all...

Down came the fence between us and the back neighbours. It was the start of a lovely friendship. We are going to miss these guys heaps if we move.

Up went a new wooden fence but low enough that we still get our daily chat with the neighbour and he can still pass us over fresh veggies from his garden.

Then there became an issue with the side fence. New neighbours meant a playmate for Sam but disaster with keeping this old fence upright.

so up went another fence and again, an opening into getting to know the new neighbours. We love these guys heaps too. Even their thieving Labrador Maggie. This new fence has a lockable dog flap so the two dogs can go back and forth to each other's houses as they please. (Our kids use it too and they play next door with their teenage daughters for hours.)

And then there was the painting. You wouldn't believe how long I ummed and arghed about this particular job.  I asked everyone who came over what they thought. Most said not to, but I wasn't convinced. In my head, I pictured it a dark colour and to me it just never looked finished. So finally, one day I just brought the paint and started. It helped that my paintbrush was called MACGYVER. True story and it spurred me on no end. I spent the mindless hours re running MACGYVER episodes in my head from my childhood.

So there you have it.  I'm loving it. House goes on the market this week but if it doesn't sell I'm not worried. Either us or someone else is going to have a great summer in this back yard.