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2007 Scotland
2004 Spain
1996 Ireland
1992 Maui
1990 Portugal
1989 England
1983 France
1980 Big Bend 1979 Cozumel

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HISTORY | DOGS | HOME | FOOD | GARDEN

1988: The Brick Wall

Craig has always wanted a house with a wall around it. I agree that it's a nice idea. He costed it out for our yard and discovered that it would cost ten to fifteen thousand dollars, even doing most of it himself. So he contented himself with building a piece of a wall to block off one corner of the yard where we wanted a patio.

Stacked WallFirst he built the patio. Then he poured a footer for the wall. Then he got the bricks and stacked them where the wall would be. And there they stayed for two years. At left: the dry-stacked brick wall.

Every so often he would get a bid for laying the bricks into a wall. Craig, you see, is great with concrete, but he is no mason. I remember one bid of $1500. For ten feet of wall! Ridiculous.

Finally one day our neighbors down the street built a retaining wall in front of their house so they could level their lawn. Craig liked the looks of the wall, so he stopped by to talk to the head of the crew. This was Sixto Acosta.

Sixto built the wall for a very fair price, and this was the beginning of a good long relationship. Sixto built the barbeque, laid the tile on the back porch and the courtyard, and built the brick pillars for the original courtyard.

Brick Wall

At the left end of the wall is a sweet little concrete figure of a lamb. We call her Agnes of Laredo because that's where we got her.

 

History | Dogs | Home | Food | Garden

 

Projects:

2010 Front Landscape
2009 New Rose Garden
2008 Dungeon to Office
2007 On Strike
2006
2005
2004 Return of the Pool
2003 Office
2002 Alley
2001 Front Yard
2000 Garage & Diningroom
1999 West Yard
1998 Shed
1997 Pool
1996 Greenhouse
1995 Brick Path
1994 Garden Path
1993 Southwest Corner
1992 Avenue
1991 Barbeque Pit
1990 Stucco
1989 Courtyard
1988 Brick Wall
1987 Pond
1986 Patio
1985 Deck
1984 South Wall
1983 Then