Backyard Makeover

With the help of his childhood friend Mickey McCombs, Andrew gets started on the yard. He plans to lay uniquely shaped flagstone pieces around the pool and plant moss in between the stones to give the yard a softer, more natural feel. They begin by hauling tons of dirt back to the yard to level out the area around the pool. The next challenge is breaking the large slabs of flagstone into smaller pieces. Then Andrew and Mickey check for drainage, making sure that any dirt or runoff will flow away from the pool and not into it. It's a long day's work, but they get a lot accomplished.

On day two of Andrew's work on the yard, trouble hits. The moss he and Mickey planted earlier between the flagstones hasn't taken off, so Andrew decides to replace it with a hardier and more durable grass. Once that's finished, the two can start work on the fountain that will flow into the pool. The fountain will be built around a cinderblock support wall and will be constructed of variously sized rocks and boulders. The project starts off alright, but when half of the fountain is built, disaster strikes: several of the rocks come tumbling down! Andrew realizes he must wait for the concrete to dry further before he continues, so he and Mickey call it a day.

Andrew finishes off the fountain by himself, and it goes smoothly. Finally, after all his hard work and creative solutions, his backyard is the paradise he set out to make it. He and his two dogs all enjoy swimming in the newly refurbished pool, and the area surrounding it is a pleasure to the eye. Success is sweet!