Ta-da!

So, here it is. The very-nearly-so-close-I-can-taste-it finished front courtyard (or whatever the correct name for the space is).

Firstly, some of the early before/progress shots...

And now, an after...

Another before...

And an after with the shade out

And some more pictures because I'm feeling pretty pleased!

Took a lot of convincing but A finally let me write our names
in the concrete drain...

...so long as I covered it up with some pebbles

After my jitters yesterday I've decided I really do like the black. It does make the area look a bit smaller but I think it looks more defined and, well, finished. 

So, what's still to do? It's really just the patch of dirt you can see in the 5th photo. We haven't decided what to do with that just yet. Garden? Garden with path? Suggestions welcome!
Also on the list is sanding and doing the front door the same colour as the bifold doors and probably painting the front step in Domino as well. A powerpoint out there would be nice too, so we can remove the cord running out the bedroom window to power the awning!

For the moment though I think we've earned the right to sit back and enjoy and start shopping for a nice outdoor setting!

For a look back at the whole process click on the 'frontyard' label.

Paint it black

Today's project is painting the retaining wall. It's been a long time coming but finally we've had a few days in a row without rain! If nothing else, at least all the rain meant we had to leave the render for more than the recommended time before painting.

When we first looked at pavers we liked two colours in combination - Athens (which we chose) and Prague. Prague was a charcoal colour which we considered using for a border. In the end we decided with the strange shape area we had a border probably wouldn't work and as a alternative we'd paint the wall as close to Prague as possible. A trip to our second home (known to most as Bunnings) and we found a match in 'Domino'.

One coat went on this morning and after being used to the bare render for the last couple of months it looks very different. If I'm being honest, I'm a little unsure about it but it will probably just take some getting used to! A second coat and a picture will be on the way tomorrow!

2011 in review

We are home from our little holiday to Victoria to see the family and catch up with friends. Had a lovely time despite having a ridiculous cold for most of it! Oh how I miss cold and flu drugs!

I always get to looking back over the past year a bit late, but am going to run with it anyway. So here, in no particular order, are some 2011 highlights...

Finding out we are expecting Baby A!

The belly at 18 weeks

An amazing snow holiday in NZ including 2 days heliboarding

Raising our little chickens - Lucky, Luna, Hermione and Professor McGonagall

Finally making some progress with the landscaping of the front yard

Celebrating our first wedding anniversary with a visit to Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney

There are many other less exciting but equally good things I could add to the list - dinners with friends, visits from and to family, waking up to find Axel snuggled next to us, the simple joy of making a salad completely from our veggie garden or a pavlova from our chook eggs. I really do feel incredibly blessed and very grateful for life in 2011. 

Now for 2012, changes, challenges and all!