Every weekend I stand in our backyard and sigh. It is such a freaking disaster and no matter how well Michael mows and whacks, it doesn’t change the fact that our yard is literally dirt and weeds. The fence fund was used to treat the cancer corgi and the landscaping cash went towards a new roof instead. Yes, even we have priorities.

We have put lots of blood, sweat, tears and money into the house, and I love how it all turned out. But let’s be honest here, we live in only 1/2 a house. We have a 1/2 built house, and the rest…well the rest is not yet a house. Some day it will be! In fact I am quite confident that in 2010 it will become whole. In the meantime though, let’s disclose. I mean, god forbid anyone think that we are actually done with this whole historic house restoration thing. Here’s the dish.

When we were still thinking that we could both mentally and financially afford to complete the whole shebang, we had the covered sleeping porch removed, the deck ripped out, and the concrete slab poured for the new addition. That also meant that the siding along the back of the house was torn off, windows were covered, and doors…well, doors went nowhere.

Our future master bedroom currently makes a fabulous patio. This is where I read and sunbathe most weekends and dream about actually sleeping in this space.

Our master closet makes a divine outdoor dining area. The window you see will someday become a door expanding into the bathroom.

The grill lives in the hallway in front of the “stairs” leading to the second floor and the guest suite. Iona likes to lay in the laundry room, which presently houses our electrical box. Someday that added little room means the washer and dryer will no longer live in our bathroom. Then we can blow out the wall and finally turn it into a true master bath. Don’t tell Michael, but I secretly yearn harder for a laundry room than the master bath. There is just something exciting about that little room dedicated just to cleaning clothes.

As for the rest of the yard? Try and try to visualize the New Orleans courtyard that we have in our heads. Fountains, a patio, lots of flowers and greenery. A little deck and french doors off the bedroom. It’s there under all that dirt. Somewhere, oh somewhere. It is there.