When I built our house my mindset at that time was BIG. I had spent the last 25 years traveling the world for GE, so I ask them to leave me alone for a year because I planned to build our dream house. I was the Contractor and had someone else do those things that I was not comfortable doing my self. I had someone else do framing. sheetrock, plumbing, and Heat/air heatpump, so Celia and I did the rest ourself. What we ended up with was way to much house for 2 people. Our total Square footage is about 4190 with 3800 being finished. When I finish the remaining 390 sq we will have a 1200sq complete apartment down stairs. The apt space now is where I have My bedroom, Home theater and a full bath. When finished it will have another bedroom and a kitchen. Once I have pasted to the Great Beyond this could be rental space that will help Celia with expenses. This would be ideal for college students.


The house has a 750 sq foot covered front porch.This is where Koko usually spends her time. In the back off of my home theater is a 400 sq foot covered patio. I just finished laying the 900 dutch pavers that make up this patio. I am in the process of making a court yard off the patio that will have a space of 450 sq that will have a 2 foot rock wall with a 3 foot aluminum fence on top that looks like Wrought Iron. I have spent the last month assembling my fence while I watched TV. The top rail of the fence is shaped like an inverted U. While assembling the fence I have laced 660 LED Christmas tree lights in the top rail between the spindles. When the fence is up complete the LED will put a subdued light over the courtyard. I will also have around 400 LED lights that will put a hushed light on the covered patio. None of the lights are visible because I put a Lexan window between each spindle. I am looking forward to completing this project. Right now I am having to wait for some dryer weather so I can do the footing for my rock wall.

The court yard should tie in nicely with my patio since the wall area under the patio is stacked rock. The entire lower level of my house is covered with natural field stone stacked so that there is no cement showing. I hope to have the entire project finished by spring.