How to build a patio. (Instead of the laundry room)

Last week I was actually up past 9pm. Now I know that for most people that is not a huge feat but for me it nothing short of a small miracle. Since I couldn't sleep I thought I would look at facebook on my phone. As I scrolled down, here is what a friend posted:

"I have a free hot tub for whoever wants it. Just come and get it. Paid $9000 for it in 2005. Needs about $1,500 in some repairs but works just needs some parts replaced. No time for it anymore. Kids are growing up and I travel and it's taking up deck space. I will help u load it. 6 person, 600 gal."

WHAT?!?!?!?! A FREE HOT TUB???????? HOLY SHIT!!!!!! 

How fast can you type, "I will take it"?????? I messaged him............... He messaged back............... I went to look at it........... I said I will take it.............. and that is how I got a free hot tub!!!!!!!!! 

We agreed to meet on Sunday but when I called Bic he said his boys weren't home and then we agreed to meet Monday instead, which turned out to be a good idea because as it turns out it takes 1 adult male, 4 big teenage boys, and 3 girls to move a huge hot tub. 

I have to show you a few pictures of Bic and Diane's gorgeous Victorian home. This house was moved here from another location and it is breath taking. If you think that the outside is beautiful then you would fall in love with the inside. (I didn't have enough guts to ask to take interior pics.)  I love the double porches and on the front (and the back). And check out the gingerbread detail on those porches! What is there to not love about this.

My daughter is going to "dog sit" for them while they are on vacation. I am so jealous that she gets to stay here for a week. They are paying her! Crap, I would have paid them to stay there and keep those puppies company! 

Bic and Diane's Victorian- Front View

Side view

Porch Detail

Here is the hot tub on the trailer awaiting its new home!

Here is were I was planning on putting the new hot tub. It would fit perfectly between the two dilapidated stairs. Yes that is a female peacock in the picture.

Making progress! This is how you get stuff done on the farm! Bring in your friend John Deere! I worked on this a couple of hours and was pretty happy with the results.

Here is the what it looked like at the end of the day.Yep, that is a male peacock there now....and the random farm cat that has to be in every outside picture.

One of the things that we did have to do before we finished the laundry room was take out a fenced in part of our yard and move it (and the dogs) elsewhere because we I have to take an exterior door out. and put up siding over the OSB/TYVEK patch on the house. So while I was working on the area where the hot tub was going, Big L was working on taking out the existing fencing. That area looked so good when he was done, I decided (after working on the other spot all after noon) the I want the hot tub over there! Yeah I know. Dumb, huh? But Big L and I decided that this would be a really cool place for and big patio area. So guess that is our next project. I will be praying to Little Baby Jesus for the sanity to finish this house and in the meantime I will be thanking him for this beautiful sunset looking off the back of our, ever so crappy, deck.