Slow and steady wins the race

 After having a half a tree fall on our property and getting two more trees removed in the past year, we finally decided to get estimates on fixing the walkway and steps that lead down to our backyard.  The estimates came in way over our budget so we decided to tackle as much of the work as we could safely do.

This past weekend we pulled up the rotting railroad timbers that made up part of the old walkway.

We piled them all up on the curb and now we wait for the city to haul them off.

Then, instead of replacing the steps that lead down to the garden in the backyard, we began repairing them and we built a new top step.

Sparky laid the bricks in after I framed it with treated 4 x 4's, laid down pea gravel and paving sand.  Not bad for a pair of amateurs.

Next up we're fixing the rest of the walkway where the timbers used to be.  After that comes repairing the rest of the steps.  We're taking it slowly, one bit at a time, and when I cuss the hard work and the sweat is flying, I remind myself that by doing it ourselves, we're saving over four grand.