The Next Step - Prep

Even our cat Griffin was surveying all the work that was happening in our back yard. So many bricks, so much dirt, but we had make a landing site for Ye Olde Camper.

I'm so glad I left the trailer parked and tilted up at the front a bit, because about 10 gallons of water drained out of it over the next few days. It was sunny and warm so this poor camper finally had a chance to dry out a bit after a long, wet spring.

It was tarped when I first saw it, but I don't think its been very well protected. I'm dreading the reveal of just how much water damage there really is in her walls. Yikes!

Of course, I can't leave her parked on the street, and my back yard isn't quite ready for her yet. There's the giant old playhouse to get rid of first. My husband built it - and he's a carpenter - so it's solid.

So bit by bit we tore down the last vestige of our son's childhood hangout. It had gone unused for many years, so it wasn't all that sad. It was weather beaten and done. But man - it was hard to take down!

It sure looked bare when it was all gone.

Oh, but that was just the beginning of what needed to be done before we could park the camper out there. I had to dig up and get rid of the old garden in the very back. I then had to remove all the sod in that 12 x 12 foot area beside the old sidewalk. All that was in preparation for the bricks I was going to lay as a parking pad for the camper.

I mapped out an area for the tires to travel on and a front base. Not totally professional, but hey, I'm doing all this on a tight budget and by myself, for the most part. My son helped me move a LOT of bricks in a rented trailer and unloaded them by hand. Our hands were sore for days afterward. Ouch.