A Foundation to Build Upon

Vic and the Magic Van arrived my house this morning to begin work on the concrete footings for my back steps!  We still have one question about height, so I'm waiting for the steel fabricator to call me back... But when I get home tonight my rickety old wooden back steps should be demolished  -- (leaving me with a 4 foot drop off out my back door -- )  and I should have about 35 bags of concrete stacked in my car port.

The fabricator tells me that installation can happen 3 days after the concrete is poured, so I am hoping installation will happen next week!  I'll be about a week without back steps, which is sort of a hassle dog-wise (she could jump OUT the back door -- down the 4 feet -- but getting back in... a little more difficult!)

The layout of several other items in my backyard has been on hold until the steps are in; I am such a visual person that I just can't tell what it will all look like until they're in -- so hopefully in a week or so I can start making decisions on where my outdoor dining table will live, and where my permanent garden will be, and, and, and -- oooo it's all so exciting!!

Here's what that area looked like when I bought the house:

Here's the July 2010 architect's rendering of the steps: