Done!

Now it may not look like much, but it's better than it was. It is highly practical for three dogs and for us. Poop clean up is a breeze because we can see it. It can all be hosed down to remain sanitary. Drainage trenches were built in for winter run off. Next year I'll try my flower pots again to add some color. This year Pip ate the flowers, the little stinker. He also nibbled on our bushes, which look scrawny. I have a lovely wicker chair that I will keep put up until next year, too--in case Pip gets hungry. Pip is 7 months old and still chewing a little, so I'll wait.

That's 4 ton of river rock on the ground--countless wheelbarrow loads. I carried about 150 of those bricks that are stacked. The tiles on top weigh about 40 pounds and I carried a lot of those, too.

I'm feeling it. Hubby is exhausted. Hubby decided to pay our son for all his hard work--and he worked his tail off.

Next weekend we're going to start edging around the house with the remaining bricks. We'll also work on cleaning up the front beds.

I am just elated. I don't think we squabbled once, and we really came together as a family. I think my son actually had fun. I did at times. I earned a gazillion activity points. It felt really good to get so sticky, stinky sweaty.

Couldn't have done this at 282.5.

Before: