Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls

I got home tonight and looked out over the back yard. Nothing different. And then I looked a bit closer.... The waterfalls were running!!!

Our builder, Dreamscapes, came out today and started up the system. They will be maintaining the pool for the first two weeks as the chemical levels normalize. Even though our chlorination system is a salt generator, for now, we have straight chlorine running through it. Don't ask me why, that's just what Dave said they've done. They're the experts, I guess.

We also had to add a bit more water to bring the water level a bit higher for optimal flow. The waterfalls on the pillars are running, and they are really neat! The travertine on the top of the pillars is still yet to be fixed, and I'm hoping that happens tomorrow.

The sod company came out today and leveled the ground in anticipation of the new grass. As nice as our back yard looks, I can only imagine how nice everything will look once the ground is green, not dirt! They are to be coming back out either tomorrow or Wednesday to finish up.

Now it's just a matter of waiting until the chlorine levels go down enough to be able to swim. There's rumors that will be Wednesday evening, just 48 hours away. Stay tuned for that! xo

My girl just can't wait to get her paws in that water!

Fill 'er up!

Hello again friends! Most of you have been following the progress on Facebook and you know by now – by my incessant string of posts – that the pool is now filled! Thinking about it on Friday when they started the water loading process, it had been eight weeks exactly to the day since they started work on the backyard.

Tanking started Friday at 1pm and continued through Friday night. For those of you who have been patiently waiting to find out how long it took… I officially turned off the hose at midnight on Saturday night (or is that 'officially' Sunday morning?). Regardless, it took almost 36 hours to complete the process. Carla Niosi, you win the poll! She guessed 8 PM on Saturday as the cut off time, and that was closest to the pin!

The pool has already been broken in by Dave and our neighbor Tom. As you see in the picture below, these two knuckleheads just had to jump in last night. The pool company told us that we'll have to wait 72 hours after we put the initial chemicals in. And just so you know, the chemicals are NOT in yet! But the water is a 'perfect' temperature, at least according to Dave. But I beg to disagree. After I was thrown in last night, I experienced that the water is still a little too chilly for my liking.

 CANNONBALLLLLLL!!!!!!!

When we went to bed around 10 o'clock last night, we knew that the water level was a couple of inches from where we wanted it to be. Knowing that it would most likely overflow overnight, I set my alarm for 12 AM and got up, in a fog, to turn the hose off. And promptly fell back to sleep amidst the symphony of frog songs. Have I told you how much I hate frogs now?

What's next? There's a whole punch list of items to complete: sod is expected to be in early this week, the tile on the front of the fire bowlks has to be fixed (long story), a section of sidewalk concrete has to be replaced and so on and so forth. 

Dave and I expect to be going through "pool school" this week so learn all about the system. Stay tuned friends, the fun has just begun! xo

Quick update

Hello all you Wahoo Friends of the Feather!

Ok, sorry, I'm in a movie quote mood this morning- who can name that movie? Just a little test to see if anyone is still reading these things?

But I know there's at least 2 people reading them because I've gotten asked a few times in the past few days for an update. And here it is:

There's been little work here and there since last I posted a week ago. We're at the finishing stages of the pool, and it seems that this is ALWAYS the part of ANY project that seems to draaaaaaaaaaag on forever. Am I right!?

Anywhoo, we had all of the electricity hooked up last week as well as the gas lines run to the fire bowls. We ordered the fire bowls, and unfortunately they won't be ready for another 3-4 weeks because the place we got them from actually hand pours, cures and stains them. But I think we've picked something that's going to be gorgeous. They're bronze and we're still TBD on what kind of glass rock we'll put in them.


We got our brand new vinyl 6' privacy fence installed last week as well. It's absolutely gorgeous and really makes the back yard look more finished. Take a look!

On Tuesday of this week the City of Maitland came to give us our final inspection. This included getting all of the electricity inspected as well as the safety inspection to verify our back yard fence and safety measures are all up to par. And since they're all NEW, how could we not pass!?

Have I mentioned lately that we've had a hell of a time with FROGS in the pool!? Oy vey. Of course Florida in the summer is filled with many daily storms and showers, we we had accumulated several feet of water, and it's been a breeding ground. Every night around 11 or so the orchestra would get started and all night long it was frog song in G until the song came up.


The water and frogs departed yesterday in anticipation of getting the final coating of the pool done. I've got my paws crossed that it happens today so we can be in the pool by the weekend... Stay tuned my friends! xo

Child's play

I think that there are only a couple more pre-pool posts before I switch to blogging about how life at Casa Johnson has changed after putting in a pool. We got confirmation from Michael, the owner of Dreamscapes, that if all goes to plan this week, we'll be swimming next week. YAHOO!

Today's job was putting in the baby fence and gate. As per law here in FL, any new pool construction must have a fence around the doors that lead to the pool deck in the case of young children get out of the house. I was thinking that this may make our big deck look really disjointed, but maybe it's not as bad as I was thinking it was going to be. And, once the boys are old enough and we trust their swimming skills enough, this can be removed (there are caps to put in the permanently drilled holes in the pool deck).

Someone's testing his fences...

The view out of our bedroom sliding glass door

Tomorrow will see the arrival of the gas man to finalize the gas lines for the fire bowls and the irrigation man will return to re-zone our back yard irrigation. One sod company came out today to give us a quote and we're waiting on a second quote to come in. The Bobcat guys should be here one day to do the final land grade, and all we'll have left at that point is electrical, interior coating and the back yard fencing. 

For now, I'll leave you with this thought.... Thinking of the *BABY* fence has me singing my favorite parody song. Enjoy friends. Until next time. xo

Baby, baby, baby! Baaaaah!

Pavers. part two

This blog update will be mostly photos over words, because, well.... Let's let the completed paver work speak for itself!

As with anything gorgeous in life, photos really don't do our back yard justice. Y'all will just have to come see it in person when we have the pool warming party!

Until next time, lovelies. xo's

PAVERS!!!!!!!

Reef is so excited he's showing his muscles!

Just a quick update with some new pictures. Mother Nature *finally* let up on her relentless pounding of rain today, which allowed the work crew to begin paver installation. And can I tell you how gorgeous our back yard is beginning to look?

Oh my goodness, the photos don't do it justice. But I can tell you that our back yard is starting to look like something straight from the property of the Ritz Carlton. Check it out below:

Alani approves

Ugh, the mess left by the lazy paver deliverymen 

I would say be ready for a couple of updates this week, looks like they could be done with the deck by week's end! Until then, my friends. xo

Yeah, we're coping

Not much to report on work last week, as it was pretty much a washout of a week. Those of you reading the blog who live in Florida will completely know what I mean. Will it EVER stop raining in central Florida??

In looking at the radar this morning, I can assure you that the answer to that question is NO. Which will most likely push back work this week again as well... *pounds fist on table*

Anyway, the coping (the edge of the pool) was supposed to be installed last Monday but didn't get in until Friday of this week. It's travertine tile and is looking really nice:

Fire bowls are framed in

Word on the street is that the paver installers will be here today, but we shall see how much work they get done before the rains move in.... Until next time, my friends. xo

We REALLY need to add some chlorine!