Tony Seeley Photography

Well I promised to post some pictures of the back yard (garden for all you British folks) when it was finished.

The work took just over 4 weeks through some incredibly hot weather. It was over 100°F on some days (38°C) so we kept an ice cooler full of drinks and snacks available for the guys.

The first week was spent prepping and marking out the garden, the second and third was putting down all the pavers adding the irrigation and lighting and the fourth was rock, plants, grass and mulch.

It’s funny, when you see the plans and then look out onto the mud pit (that it once was), you couldn’t really imagine that everything would fit, but I have to say the designer did an amazing job and the contractors who built it followed the plans perfectly.

To say we are delighted and love the garden would be a huge understatement.

We’ve had a couple of BBQ’s already, and there’s still a couple of warm months left so plenty of time for more.

Anyway, here are some pics from the entrance to the garden through to the other side.

We didn’t know it when we first came to Erie, but this is a popular location for flying balloons. They have a number of events over the summer months and this morning there was a big launch a mile from our house.

So Lisa and I got up at 6am (yes really) and biked over to the local field where all the balloons were located.

There were hundreds of people present, all locals I suspect, there with their families and cameras to enjoy the event. In all we saw 8 balloons get inflated, two apparently decided it was too windy and decided not to fly but we saw the others take off.

I have been in a hot air balloon before (a birthday gift from Lisa 20 years ago) and it’s a wonderful experience, so we were quite jealous of the lucky few to took off today.

It was also a perfect morning for the flight, very sunny and around 65°F (18°C), as I write this now at 9:30 in the morning it’s already up to 85°F (29°C), so I’m sure those in the air and enjoying the experience.

As usual, I took a few pictures to share the event:

I know it’s been a while since I posted, but we’ve been a little busy.

December obviously was a holiday with family visiting which was great fun, but we were still in our rental so not our perfect first Colorado Christmas.

Then January was great as the progress on the house was fantastic. All the drywall was put up, the cabinets were installed, flooring and paint and appliances etc. Basically, by the end of January the house was almost completed.

February was super hard though; they finished the house by the middle of the month and then we entered a two-week lockout! The builders have this to do any finishing touches and repair any damage caused by workmen coming in and out.

As we had visited the house every day since September, being told you couldn’t go in was torture. Fortunately, we did our two weeks (hardly a big issue really) and signed contracts and took ownership on March 1st.

We signed and paid for the house in the morning, and Lisa flew to San Diego to spend the weekend with Abi in the afternoon, leaving me alone to start the move in process. This was a planned trip for her, and we couldn’t change the dates (it was “Mum’s” weekend at Abi’s college sorority).

So that weekend I moved everything in the rental that we had unpacked. This included all the kitchen, clothes, electronics etc. After around 20 trips (only ½ a mile) I was done and picked up Lisa at the airport (good timing, eh?).

Then the following morning, we moved in officially. All the big furniture and the unpacked boxes we had from Redmond, Washington were moved.

We pretty much unpacked in a week and had the house in great shape.

So why no posting?

Well, I was waiting for the grass in the front to be put in as I wanted a nice picture. That took 2 months and went in this morning.

We now have the house inside pretty much sorted out, we still have to get some new pictures to hang in some rooms, but we have window blinds, rugs, and curtains up where we wanted, and the house really feels like a home. Lisa even had two walls painted to provide a nice accent in a couple of the rooms, so we’ve started making changes already!

I’ve always wanted to install a state-of-the-art electronic system, and I went to town in the new house. We have 9 cameras a security system and an amazing wifi system with a great signal everywhere. I also configured the whole house as a “smart home”. So, blinds open and close and lights automatically turn on and off and the garden irrigation system waters at set times in the day. I did go a little nuts here, but even Lisa likes it. We have electronic locks on doors, and everything can be controlled by voice or our devices, computers and phones and smart watches – oh to be retired eh? Lol

Here’s a picture of the front of the house:

So, what’s next?

Well, our back garden/yard is a mud pit! We’ve learnt there is something special about Colorado mud, it sticks to EVERYTHING and every time Harley goes outside she brings the mud in and we end up playing chase until we can get her in the bath!

Here’s a current pic of the back yard.

We’ve had plans created for the yard and they’ve already been approved by the HOA. We’ve selected a landscaping company, and they start doing all the work at the beginning of June (they are busy in May). The work will take 3 or 4 weeks and includes a paved path with a circular patio and pergola. We’ve got a hot tub going in, some lawns for the dog and LOADS of plants and trees. We can’t wait.

Here’s the plan:

When it’s all finished, I’ll post a load of pictures.