3.17.2010

pagoda 2...

In case you missed the first installation of our Pagoda saga, go here and you can read chapter one.  Okay, now that we're all ready, let's go take a walk around and look at outside of our then new home.  This is where Andrew Henry was standing when he first called to tell me about Pagoda.  That yellow door is actually a side door that enters into a hallway near the back of the house.  That's a lot of driveway no?  It won't be staying.  That red garage door is now the corner of my master closet and part of the bathroom.  That yellow door is still a door.  It opens into a walk-in closet that was added on.


This is to the right of that yellow door.  It's an old airconditioning unit that is in the front/side yard - yes it faces the street.  There is a cactus there now.  This weed filled gravel is now my driveway and that gate is..........a new gate! 


Through that gate now into the multi-level rock and concrete garden.  Sorry this is in black and white - it's all I could find.


Keep walking past the Arizona room addition at the back of the house.  It is no longer there.  Neither are those steps, but let's walk up them and around the other side. 


Now you can see how much higher the ground is than the house.  You actually have to walk down to get inside.  It was really fun when it rained, let me tell you............flood.  Are you diggin' on the McDonalds colors of the original Pagoda House?  We didn't keep the color scheme.  Now, walk straight ahead and turn left.


Here we are at the front door.  Over there on the right behind the pretty yellow bush (sadly it's gone now) is the front door.  It is in the same place now, just bumped out a bit.  That window is the living room.  That wall with the window is about where the middle of our living room is now.  We put a little addition right there.  Look behind you.


This is a nice jumble of cacti that had many little critters living in it.  We'll cover all the creatures some other time.  Sad to report we had to remove the tree.  I know.  I didn't want to.  We tried every which way not to.  The house came forward to within inches of it and it just wasn't going to be safe to keep it.  Don't be sad, I planted a new one right about where you seem to be standing.  Let's walk over that red and yellow bridge shall we?


See those rocks on the side of the walkway.  They are cemented in.  CEMENTED.  Oh, the removal. The removal people.  Hey, recognize that little statue?  It was in a photo from Monday's canal post!


Here it is folks. The namesake of our home. Our beautiful red and yellow Pagoda.  Looking at it now, I kind of like it..............but I don't want it back.  


Next week we'll go inside!

9 comments:

sunshine said...

I admire your fortitude!! I don't think I would have taken on that project. Yes, the Pagoda does look nice but what came with it looks a daunting challenge!

lisa said...

I'm new here and I had to go back and read the first part. I can't wait to see the inside (and how it all came out). Seems like alot of rocks!

Andrew H. said...

I'm having flashbacks!!!! Lots o work to get to the point where we could actually start the project. Lots o work indeed.

MJM said...

Oh that pagoda. I am loving watching this story unfold...

Jeanine said...

I still cannot believe what you have done with this house. When I first toured it, besides having to duck my head, I thought "what were you thinking?" The transformation is amazing and beautiful. Congrats on a job well done! www.etsy.com/shop/RockinJ9designs

Maria said...

This just keeps getting better and better - After seeing this I now know what true visionaries you and AH really are!

Beatnheart said...

We also had a cemented "grotto" in the back of our house..Poor English husband!! What a nightmare to pull out.. sledge hammers for 3 days.. And I image the man who put it in there in the first place spent a lot more time putting it in. Horrors!!

Andrew H. said...

AH takes no visionary license. He wanted to run.

MaiPie said...

You should have stayed with the McDonald's colors.........NOT!