A Paved Paradise

Back in December, there was a partial government shutdown that found Elaine fully-funded and Allen with a lot of time on his hands. Without his shutdown buddy, Allen spent his time contemplating ways to improve the environment outside of work, which involved proposing some new regulations to the City Council and replacing our aging (and rapidly deteriorating) minivan with a plug-in hybrid. Alas, the City Council passed some other legislation instead and our backyard couldn't accommodate the dimensions of the preferred Chrysler Pacifica plug-in Hybrid.

So naturally Allen suggested we redo the backyard.


At first it was just moving the retaining wall a few inches so a Pacifica would fit. But then, since we don't really use the grass in the back, why not hardscape the yard so we could have an outdoor eating space? And maybe add a couch? Also, we should take out the bushes and then we can have extra room for storage and the grill. And move the garage door poles out to make more room for parking. And railings for the stairs. And a planter in between so no one falls off the hardscape. And we should totally add a garden and tree. And since everything dies when we go out of town, let's install a sprinkler system. And also have the landscaping crew quarterly clean up said garden because we're really bad with flora. And since they're doing all that, let's have them go ahead and stain the decks and fence because there's all this new wood now and they're professionals!

And then I asked for some bike storage and a mural.


And so, 10 months (and a horrifying number of checks) after Allen originally conceived of our renovated backyard, it is complete (sans some additions to the mural that Nora plans to make at her leisure).

Now if only Chrysler would release their 2020 Pacifica Hybrids...

(To see all the pictures, click here.)

Oh, and I guess we should include some before pictures ;-)