Last summer we decided to get a stamped concrete patio in the backyard, because we hate grass and we wanted to remove as much of it as possible, and we hate maintaining stuff, so we wanted something with absolutely no work required. Because we are lazy, and hate the outdoors, except when it looks like the indoors. No wonder I’m pasty-faced and need to lose weight!
(If you’re not sure what stamped concrete is, here’s a nice sample picture.)
Anyway, we got a bunch of quotes from firms that other people warned us against, and some more firms that refused to give us any references, and more firms that said they knew what stamped concrete was on the phone, but when they got here, not so much. Then we got exactly one quote from an awesome guy who does awesome work who we loved, but of course, charged twice as much as everyone else, so we had to heave a big sigh and resign ourselves to another year of icky grass beneath our feet.
But! We saved all year! And now it’s next year! And we can afford the good guy!
He was here last night to re-do our quote, and it’s the same price as last year, so we are a go! I’m so incredibly excited. By total fluke they are booked to do another similar patio for the house right across the street from us starting next week, so he is going to try to do both jobs at once. So this time next month, I could be out back working the barby, sipping a Tom Collins, and all without actually having to have my feet touch nature!
It’s going to be sooooooo awesome. Once the patio is in, we’re going to start talking fence. And once the fence is in, we’re going to talk landscaping, and maybe shed. And once the trees and shed are in…we’re talking tiny paradise!
TurtleHead 
Wow, I’ll be impressed to see all that fit in your backyard! One thing is for sure: when it’s all over, there will certainly be no grass.
Let me know when the marshmallow roasting starts. I’ll bring the soy burgers. 🙂
I hear you about icky grass under your feet. I *hate* walking barefoot on grass. Just thinking about it makes me shudder!
Actually, sadly, there will still be plenty of space for grass. Eventually we’ll take the swingset out and that’ll mean even more grass. Ick. Since we have so much space on either side of the yard (since our house is meant for a smaller lot than we actually have), we are thinking/planning to put the shed at the side of the house, so it won’t take up any backyard real estate. In terms of landscaping, I mostly want to plant shrubs along the back fence to cover up the gross whiteness of it, and we have a few places that are very weedy that we plan to replace with river rock.
But the dream of no-grass lives on. Actually recently I’ve been reading about clover and ivy and other non-grass plants you can use for ground cover. Maybe that’s the wave of the future!
You can come on over for a Tom Collins when it’s finished!
I love Tom Collins..es.
Ooo, I’m all about the clover. I’ve heard about that idea, and it seems brilliant.
Because we are lazy, and hate the outdoors, except when it looks like the indoors.
I hear ya. My mom loves to sit outside and read when the weather is nice, and I just find it totally annoying. Why would you be outside where the breeze is blowing and the shade keeps moving around and there are flies, and other bugs, and the temperature is unpredictable, and…
I think I’m a firm believer in the right tool for the job. And for me, the outside is a great tool for, say, a bike ride, but a really lousy tool for just relaxing. Inside, I have control over my environment. Outside… not so much.
Man, the very idea of sitting outside to read gives me the shivers. Captain Jelly Belly is like me, but Gal Smiley LOVES to be outside at all times, no matter what. She seems to have gotten some alien DNA mixed up in there