When we moved in our second house in 2001, we were worried that living in a zero lot line neighborhood with no backyard only 12 feet from the neighbors might become a problem.
Boy were we right!
The only thing between us and our neighbors was 12 feet of grass.
Boy were we right!
The only thing between us and our neighbors was 12 feet of grass.
So we tore it up ! Wooohoooo ! Lets connect our houses !
Turns out ,as many of you know, all our neighbors were super cool and turned out to be our closest friends.
So one weekend we got some beer and some raw materials and built a patio connecting our house to Jesse & Kristina's next door.
We enlisted the help of our other neighbors & friends...like Barry (shoveling above) and Brett, who apparently was taking a break...in both of the pictures above.
After we dug the hole, we filled it with gravel and compacted it.
Then we planned out the flagstones like a big puzzle, turns out Jesse is good at puzzles.
Then we packed it all down with sand...Jesse couldn't wait to get his hands on a hose, he loves making mud.
Then some landscaping beds and lighting went in...
and BAM! we had a place to hang out. Which we did pretty much every night for the next 5 years...okay not every night, but ALOT of nights
It quickly became "the" patio to hang out in the neighborhood...mainly because it was the only one.
We had many a sunny afternoon out on the patio...puttering around caring for the plants...watching Jesse make mud...drinking beer
and many more nights...wooohoooo party!
We even got re-married on that patio !
Seems like ages ago, doesnt it? Ann & Fred moved to Atlanta and have two kids, Jesse & Kristina moved to Frisco and have a new daughter, Brett & Monica moved to Arizona and then SoCal and now are in Frisco too, also with a new baby...Brayden future extreme mountain climber. Megan & Ken were the last to leave just recently moving to another house in Tampa...now the old gang is all gone :(
but the patio remains.......
I hope the new people at our old house enjoy the patio as much as we did..
and leave the lights on for the neighbors...
4 comments:
This is a very touching post, Chris Arnold! I miss having you guys in Florida...
And I just have one question:
Is Clayton wearing leather pants in that picture?
xoxo A
If I was capable of emotion without sarcasm I think I'd shed a tear over that one. That patio was some really good times. Before we move the last of our stuff over to the new house and are gone for good, we will have to stop over there sometime when the party lights are on and let them know exactly what they've got.
*snif*
sounds like emotion to me you sissy.
here is how it's done:
that patio was pretty kick ass. lots of beer, fire, beer funnels, food, dirt, barfinator, mud, booze, sing alongs, beer, lack of pants, beer, chris showing off a new tat, beer, good music, beer, and some kick ass peeps that i'm glad we got to meet, hang out, and share some good times.
mad man-love to all my bitches, wherever you are.
/cheers!
I loved that patio! It was the piazza of Westchase.
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