Learning Experiences

For those of you who don't already know, my husband and I have had a very busy spring and summer this year. It all started out with a flooded basement that has ballooned to many projects on the go; some immediate ones to correct the seepage problem, and other 'not so immediate but let's stop putting them off' projects.

Installing a sump pump was something I never thought I'd have to learn, but side by side, my husband and I (more him than me) installed one into the existing pit (thankful for that pit already being there!), correcting install issues to the existing pit so the sump could drain/work properly. This had to be done while we were in the process of cleaning up (not covered by our insurance), discarding ruined carpet (wall-to-wall) and a few other possessions, which prompted us to look at all the possible reasons/places where water could seep in...and correct them too.

With the help of our son and daughter-in-law to be (who thankfully live nearby) we removed a 10' x 9' x 4' (approx) garden and retaining wall, that we'd been told was putting too much pressure on one part of the house. In removing it we found a small foundation crack. At first we panicked, then we read up on how to repair it ourselves and realized we could do it. Job well done! No leaks!

While working there we decided this was as good a time as any to fix problems that existed since we bought the house five years ago, but had been putting off, like:

1)  the stone steps leading up to the front door that were very uneven,  (done!)
2) replace the uneven blocks that were at the front door with a wood landing (not finished yet - blocks and old stone underneath  have been removed, wood is cut and ready),
3) create a much narrower garden/wall (done with the exception of a few more barrows of soil to top it up)
4) with the extra 9' x 8' space leftover, we're putting in a new patio area (blocks bought, patio to be done),
5) move other garden wall blocks that were holding moisture up against the house (but not leaking in yet) in another area and create a whole new garden (done beautifully with many compliments from neighbours!) and
6) finish the deck we started last year (that'll probably be a late summer, early fall project).

I haven't even touched on the indoor projects we have planned now that we're on a roll. That'll be another blog post!

I will say it has all been a wonderful learning experience, a lot of laughs, some tears (mine) and frustration at times and it will all be worth it in the end. I may even post some before and after pics when we're done and when I've figured out how to post pics on here. lol.

Now that things are settling on the home front, I will get back to posting stories of the fictional kind.