Good morning to everyone! I am so proud of myself today. You see, I’m writing this entry from my newly cleaned, organized, and “beautified” backyard patio. I’ve always wanted a place where I could sit outside and write – and now I have one! Now, I’m not done, but I wanted to share with you what I did (and how a little planning, shopping at second hand stores, flowers, bricks, and spray paint can really help).
I live in sunny Arizona – in the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert. We get A LOT of sun – it’s something like 300 + days of sun a year. Now granted, it’s too hot in the summer to be out on the patio during the heat of the day. But I get up early enough when it’s still cool in the mornings during June, July, August, September and October to be able to take my kitties out and let them wander around the backyar
d while being “supervised”.
There’s always been a vague idea in the back of my mind as to what I wanted my patio to look like. Over the past six years of living in my rental house, I’ve purchased items to help me achieve the look I was going for. Unfortunately though, I don’t make a lot of money, and things seem to progress so slowly for me. Couple this lack of $$ with dealing with depression and fatigue for the past four years, being a packrat, and just generally being lazy – and what you get is a patio that is messy, cluttered (old fish tank that hasn’t been used in four years anyone?) and just plain an embarrassment!
Now, don’t call the TV show “Hoarders” on me! I’m working on getting rid of the clutter, organizing, and making my house a home I can truly be proud of.
I’ve had four of my metal chairs for literally YEARS – try about nine! I got them one at a time from different second hand and “antique” stores and paid about $75 dollars altogether for them. The bench and this chair are actually from Target. I got them on clearance at the end of the season (I think it was two years ago), and spray painted them white to go with the rest of the furniture. The two small end tables were picked up at a yard sale about ten years ago. I finally put them altogether last weekend, along with the plants & bricks I’ve bought over the past couple of years and this is the look I know have (I’m not anywhere near being finished with the patio – I still want to add more flowers, repaint the small wooden end tables, make some new outdoor pillows, and add some lighting)!
I love my “new” patio, and am looking forward to spending mornings this summer outside while I write! It’s so soothing, and tranquil – just the thing to help me continue this journey I’m on to improve my quality of life.
What type of project have you started that makes you proud? I would love to hear about it!
Along the way with Julia 