Friday, May 22, 2009

A big wet hole in our back yard!!

Three weeks ago this is what our back yard looked like, washing line and all. Even Mr 6, doned in his school uniform, is looking on. You can enlarge any picture by clicking on it.


Then the big bull dozer arrived...



...and took its first bite:


And, after several mouthfulls:


My darling brother, his work cut out for him!!

Some flattening:


And even bigger bites:


A different view; and in the foreground a tree stump discovered within that ground in the first two pictures:

Deeper...

The cutest and most hard-working little piece of machinery to exist, a bobcat:

And after three days of excavating, flattening out and shifting dirt and rock, me 9.5 feet under!

Mr Almost-16 by the scaffolding-clad hole:

AND after three days and nights of endless rain, these are the footings for the future retaining wall:

We didn't really want a lane pool in the beginning, but whether we like it or not, we have one now!

And more water; this is after draining and clearing some of the collapsed walls the last two days:

Despite what the tradespeople are saying, I don't think this will be concreted-in any time soon...

If you enlarge this last image you will see a big bucket and a shovel used to remove collapsed mud. Those tired and wet tradespeople gave up after a while.

And as I write this post there is an absolute down-pour outside. I am having to think bigger and deeper about our predicament. Is this payback for disturbing Mother Nature, by excavating out so much earth? I promise to plant many trees, bushes, shrubs, whatever it takes, just Please Stop Raining! And yes, the drought in our neck of the woods has broken and the nearby dam that provides half of Sydney with its water supply is at almost 75% capacity. So, Please Stop Raining, I pray, I beg, I plead...

I will keep you posted.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

wow- that is a massive undertaking and i can understand the weather is not your friend right now- at least the excavations didn't hit an archeological dig and hold you up for the next 40 years !!

Rosaria Williams said...

YOu will soon have a wonderful swimming pool, the magnet for all your children's friends.

Suko said...

How exciting to be building a pool!
Mr. 6 is sooooo handsome!

Jane said...

Wow - a dream come true!

♥ Braja said...

Ahhh, building...I love it...

Wait...no I don't...:)

Natalie said...

Looks like a BIG mess, Mervat. Although, your house and yard looked delightful before the first bite. Are you on a fair bit of land?

septembermom said...

What a project! It will be so exciting for you when it's done. Hope the rain takes a break for you.

La Belette Rouge said...

Pool party at Mervat's house!!!!

Warren Baldwin said...

We'll take some of your rain in western Kansas!! We are dry ... I hope it does stop for you. wb

Mervat said...

Lisa: I know. Sometimes I wonder if we have bitten off more than that bulldozer can chew!

lakeviewer: Really this is the main reason we decided to go ahead and install a pool. Also, it is the number one recommended exercise for our son who underwent major spinal surgery 18 months ago (I can't believe that much time has already passed). My earliest posts describe, in a first draft version, part of our experience.

Suko: Thank you. I had better not tell Mr 6 about your compliment of he will go red as a beet!

Jane: Oh Jane, it really is a dream come true.

♥ Braja: Yes, it is a love/hate relationship at the moment; in fact probably more hate!

Natalie: It is a big mess. We are on just over an acre of land. At least there'll be less lawn for my dear Mr almost-16 to mow!

septembermom: It is exciting and I am really, really trying to keep the final image in my mind, to get us through...it is *still* raining though!

La Belette Rouge: Yes, that is the sort of enthusiasm I need to hear!! You are all welcome!

Warren Baldwin: If I could I would gladly send it your way. I pray that you get some rain soon.

septembermom said...

I left an award for you on my blog today!

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh! I am SO excited for you. Kaish would die of happiness if we had a pool : ). So fun!

I am ECSTATIC that you are the 100th follower. How cool is that? : ).

I have to go look around some more so I can make some more educated comments. I think bob cats are just about the cutest things on the planet also : )

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