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April 2025 marked the beginning of the tenth month since moving into the new house. April should also mark the end of financial outlays for varied home improvement and maintenance projects we needed to address.
The Big Sigh is a sigh of happiness and contentment.
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Today, April 12, 2025, our patio will be formed and poured. This new patio area will substantially increase our outdoor living area. A couple of months ago, we addressed drainage issues in our courtyard by adding a system of “French Drains.” After the drainage problems were resolved, we were ready to begin patio construction.
When completed, our courtyard will have a covered gazebo, a grassy area, and a concrete patio surface. Our courtyard is closed, and courtyard gates can be locked. It will become an ideal location for our small grandchildren to congregate.
I spoke in previous blogs about the deferred maintenance in our home. We were fortunate there were no structural issues, meaning the deferred maintenance problems were not extremely difficult to resolve.
After completing the home renovation and move-in, I addressed additional problems outside our home.
Our initial exterior renovations included a new roof, new stucco application, and fresh paint on all exterior surfaces.
Additional exterior issues included leaf and debris buildup in the house’s gutters, drainage issues in the courtyard and opposite side of the house, and new landscaping and irrigation. We were also considering adding a stained concrete area in the courtyard.
Leaves and debris from surrounding trees caused gutters and downspouts to clog. The faulty gutter system increased water retention problems in the courtyard. We resolved the problem by installing a leaf guard system and splash plates.
After fixing the faulty gutters, I was able to resolve the water retention issues with the installation of a French drain system. A French drain system is a series of underground trenches and drains designed to remove excess water from an area.
We next turned our attention to deciding whether or not to create a patio area in the courtyard. We were undecided until we saw our grandchildren playing together in the courtyard. An additional patio area would enlarge the usable space and enhance the function of the courtyard area.
Another added benefit of this space is it is enclosed and gated, which helps to ensure the safety of younger children.
So, today is patio day!
It is now mid-afternoon, and our patio has been formed and poured. Once hardened, the concrete surface will be scored and stained to match.
Scoring, acid washing, and staining concrete surfaces will take several days. Once concrete work is complete, I will add bedding material, plants, and a sprinkler system.
The main lines for the sprinkler system are already in place and positioned under the new slab. The process for landscaping will proceed from weed barrier placement to adding soil and finally adding plants. Since the main trunk lines for the sprinkler system were pre-installed, it will be relatively simple to connect feeder lines and sprinkler heads to complete the sprinkler system.
I followed the same landscape process for the front of our house.
Someone asked how I had the knowledge and ability to complete such a complicated landscaping project. I have enjoyed working outside and learned to build and plant landscape beds. I also learned to install and maintain sprinkler systems.
The landscaping of the front of our house required several steps and was not easy. Installing a sprinkler system, placing a weed barrier, building landscape beds, and planting all landscaping plants and shrubs saved thousands of dollars.
In addition to the money saved, there is a certain amount of pride in completing the project with minimal help from my family.
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The courtyard area is the last of the major projects on our to-do list.
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What About our Lifestyle?
After living in our new home for approximately 10 months, we can honestly say that we love our home and are enjoying our new environment.
Now that home improvement projects have dwindled, my wife and I joined River Ranch City Club.
Membership in the City Club provides access to the City Club gym, Restaurant, tennis courts, pickleball courts, and pool area. I transferred my gym membership to City Club’s gym and have begun working out there. I receive additional exercise by walking to and from the gym.
Our new community is very walkable, and walking to the gym takes about 10 minutes. Tennis courts, pickleball courts, and the swimming pool are accessed by a 3 to 5-minute walk.
For the past two weeks, my wife and I have been attending outdoor concerts sponsored by our community. Several times each week I walk 3 to 5 miles and can complete walks of this length without leaving the confines of the village of River Ranch.
After our courtyard area is complete we will have an additional living area that is enclosed, gated, and will be ideal for our young grandchildren.
We have already had several family gatherings in the new house and have been able to utilize the park across the lane. We look forward to our first Easter egg hunt in the park.
In a recent moment of quiet reflection, my wife and I discussed our decision to move to River Ranch. After all the projects, pain, money, and time spent, we both agreed we were happy with our decision and had no regrets. We have been enjoying our days here, and these joyful times should only increase as our free time increases.
Recently, my wife and I were professionally photographed, with one of those photos shown on the April cover photo of Stroll, our community magazine. The cover title: “Welcome Home, Guidrys” conveys our feelings. We feel like we have finally arrived home!
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Final Thoughts
Ten months is not a long time to move and renovate a home. I can’t say that the time has flown by, as each day is filled with thinking about, planning, paying for, or doing home improvement projects.
Our last major project, our courtyard improvement project, is underway and should be completed within the next couple of weeks. My wife and I will take a break after this project finishes. We will be spending some R&R time outside of our hometown.
By the time our projects are finished, my wife and I will have spent almost one year dedicated to our current home. The consensus is our move was good and that we are happy we moved to our current location.
It’s incredible how moving only a few miles within the same hometown has dramatically changed our lives. The architecture and design of our planned development are friendly and foster increased interaction between neighbors. Within 10 months, we know approximately half of our neighbors in a two-block area.
Because of the proximity of varied services, it’s easy to walk to most places. Walking has physical benefits and provides opportunities to meet and interact with people.
Change is hard. The move to our new house is no exception. I spoke in previous blogs about how hard it has been to change the physical location of our home and the physical and mental challenges associated with moving into another home at age 72. Renovating the interior and exterior spaces of our house has been challenging. These changes don’t include multiple minor changes like changing the address on all correspondence, financial and insurance information, and all medical records.
After 10 months, we truly feel we are home!
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