Couples who lay together, stay together - isn't that what they say? Never mind date nights, mini breaks and surprise gifts, twenty seven years of unmarried bliss is down to us tackling all manner of projects together such as this week's gargantuan task - laying ten tonnes of gravel.
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| Before! |
When we bought Stonecoft back in 2005, re-graveling the driveway was on our to-do list but after laying the initial hardcore somehow we never quite got round to finishing it. In recent years it was in such a state that we were probably the only household in the UK who had to mow their drive. Enough was enough. After a friend kindly donated some excess weed suppressant membrane we were spurred into action, Jon laid it out, pegged it down and we flew off to Greece leaving it to do its magic.
Inspired by Corfu's beautiful pebble beaches, on Tuesday morning we ordered ten tonnes of ocean flint chips from a local builder's merchant and forty eight hours later it was dropped off by grab lorry.
Between the two of us we managed to lay the lot in two days. Not bad considering it took us 14 years to get round to it!
Oh, the glamour!!
We live in an affluent part of town where the residents usually employ people to do their manual jobs so, as you can imagine, we've been the talk of the neighbourhood this week. Passers-by came to see what we were doing, the local minibus slowed down so the passengers could get a closer look and even the bin men and postman gave us their opinions (a thumbs up from both!)
Today Stonecroft looks more like it did when my maternal Grandparents lived here....
Taken in 1954.
Mum on her 21st birthday in 1963.
Those gates are still standing.
Dad admiring Grandpa's new Rover.
Mum and Dad showing off their new baby (me!) in December 1966
I'm off for a long soak in the bath followed by a congratulatory beer or three.
See you soon!
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ReplyDeleteIt looks so good!! You guys did a great job!! I love the pics of your mum and dad!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Becky! xxx
DeleteYou have a stunning place to call home Vix. If ever you are skint and decide to do B and B sign me up. We always take our shoes off at the door :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cherie! Now that's an idea! x
DeleteOh well done to you both. That must have been bloody hard work but it looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed your soak and beers and that you're not too sore and stiff today...
xxxx
Thanks, Vronni! It was a bit of a challenge, we've put it off for years. I love how it looks now, though. x
DeleteWow, it really does look great - and you still manage to look cute in your work attire lol
ReplyDeleteHa! Thank you! x
DeleteBravo!! It looks great.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tracie!
DeleteA daunting task, but well worth the effort as it looks amazing. I'm sure Jon's back and your hip won't be thanking you though ... Jos and I agree you're the spitting image of your lovely Mum! xxx
ReplyDeleteWe weren't too bad considering all that lifting - thank goodness!
DeleteI never used to look like Mum when I was young, it was my brother who resembled her. I can see it now, though. x
Aw DIY can indeed be a bonding experience, you did so well! It looks really, really good. I hope you didn't have any arguments doing it, that's the main danger with DIY as a couple. Hope you had a few beers after that strenuous effort.
ReplyDeleteYour Mum's beehive in that '66 photo is amazing!
xx
Amazingly we didn't argue once - maybe we should do it more often! x
DeleteIt looks amazing, well done you! Doing something yourself always makes you appreciate it far more than hiring help.
ReplyDeleteThank you! We both felt a real sense of achievement when we'd finished. When we've paid for stuff to be done in the past we've never been totally happy. x
Deletewe did that to our drive awhile ago, but had the yard guys do it. It was only a pickup truck full. Needs re-doing
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping this will last for ever!
DeleteI like!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rebecca!
DeleteThe rocks look great!
ReplyDeleteI love how you were inspired by the beach pebbles and the fact that the locals were all checking out what you were doing. X
Thanks, Jess! We're an endless source of wonder to our neighbours! x
DeleteWow! Epic job Vix! Kieth and I always do it ourselves, and we've been together 48 years so you're right about the bonding!š It's great exercise and done well! The house and drive look great very swish! What a beautiful home you have. Xx
ReplyDelete48 years? That's brilliant! xxx
DeleteGreat Job! I can feel my back just reading 10t of gravel...... Enjoy your bath and beer!
ReplyDeleteLove the look of the gravel, germans always use those ugly concrete stones - our driveway has to be done too, hopefully in Vintage cobblestones. DIY - naturally.
Xxxxx
The Brits love tearing up their lawns and laying Tarmac, terrible for the environment and miserable to look at! x
DeleteI think it's wonderful that you live in the family home. Such lovely memories.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Ilona! I've always loved this house, it's been a labour of love but I couldn't live anywhere else. x
DeleteWell done you two, it looks fantastic. I think it’s wonderful you have such family history in your home. It makes it even more special xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lynn! xxx
DeleteThat's obviously what we farm folk would call "more'n a couple tri-axle loads" of gravel! Well done! Now quickly add some "nice (Epsom) salts" to a tub of hot water and hop in before you "set up stiff and hurting bad".
ReplyDeleteDefinitely "more'n a couple tri-axle loads"! xxx
DeleteWow! Great job! That would have been a ton of work! No doubt you needed a well deserved soak in the tub.
ReplyDeleteI think it's very cool that this house has been in your family for so long. Since you guys are child free will it still pass on to someone in your family?
Suzanne
http://www.suzannecarillo.com
Thanks, Suzanne! I did wonder what we'd let ourselves in for when the truck delivered the gravel on Thursday morning!
DeleteThere's no children in our family - Jon's an only child and my brother, like me, is child-free by choice. We'll have to sell it at some point (hopefully to a family as lovely as the one who bought Mum & Dad's house) and go mad in our old age! xxx
You two are a very industrious couple! The project looks wonderful and must have given you a great sense of accomplishment. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jan! We did feel very proud of ourselves and its been a brilliant incentive to get cracking with a few more tasks we've been putting off for ages. x
DeleteYou've done a great job with this project! what a beautiful gate and entrance. I loved seeing the photos of your parents with you as a baby. They were a verx stylish couple, just like you and Jos.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ivana!
DeleteLooks great, Vix!! And I love the pics of your mum.
ReplyDeleteThank you! x
DeleteI can't even imagine what a ton of work that must have been! It looks amazing, Vix. How are the fur-boys reacting? Walking like it's eggshells? Glaring at you?
ReplyDeleteHope you had a fabulous weekend!
Thanks, Sheila! They're just about starting to get used to it now, the hated the grab truck (lots of growling) and the noise and couldn't understand how to walk on it for the best. They're running along it now like demons! xxx
DeleteThat does look so much better, really smart, and one less area to mow! I can imagine it was hard work though.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Betty! The less mowing the better!
DeleteWow well done you too in two days, Its amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it , I know all through the summer i barrowed all the sod that had rotted down from the old lawn and distributed it around the garden and it was a big lawn, nearly came to the top of the wall surrounding our garden the pile did , i had to pace myself though , but i did it in the end ,I felt so chuffed with myself you have a beautiful home vix xxx
ReplyDeleteThat sounded like a tough job! We'd put it off for years but it's funny, it wasn't nearly as bad as we thought it would be. I loved dashing upstairs after every 10 or so barrow loads and admiring our progress from the bedroom window!
Deletewow, great job!, I can only imagine how much hard work you needed, it looks like the kind of task which takes a lot of time and effort. Hope it doesn't need to be redone for ages!.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny when neighbourghs and passersby are so amused by your activities!, mWhahah
I hope it doesn't have to be redone in my lifetime - I don't think my back could take it!
DeleteYou both worked hard, it looks great.
ReplyDeleteI love the old photo's, I think you look like your mum, beautiful xxx
Thanks so much, Sally! It was always my brother who resembled my Mum, I've only started looking like her now I've turned 50! x
DeleteYou've done a beautiful job on that driveway. All the hard work really paid off.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mim!
DeleteLooks brilliant! What a good job you have done! It's quite an extensive driveway! Love seeing your family photos! What stylish ladies!!x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kezzie! Its a whopper of a space, trouble is that it encourages Jon to hoard cars! x
DeleteGreat job, looks so good. Isn't it satisfying to create something you have put off for so long. Enjoyed the family photos, your grandparents would be pleased to see the house in all its glory.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jill! My Grandparents would be so happy we've kept Stonecroft in the family although they'd be horrified by how wild the garden was! x
DeleteYou and Jon have done an amazing job with Stonecroft. That is a big space to cover and I'm impressed you did it in two days. It looks great; I've always preferred a gravel drive.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shelley! We love walking on it and hearing it crunch. xxx
DeleteGreat job! Isn't it nice to get long awaited jobs done and dusted. You're so right about couples who play together, I much prefer doing stuff around the house or gardening together to meals out, hearts and flowers, and other romantic stereotypes. A good walk in the fields to check our drainage ditches is our idea of a nice afternoon. Make of that what you will!
ReplyDeletexx