{Our New Retainer Wall & Vinyl Picket Fence}

Our final mega project for 2013, did come along very well! Husband Pieter did finish placing the two new segments of vinyl fence panels on December 28. Photos have been taken yesterday. We already did have 6 Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence Panels in place. Pieter did dig them up and on the Internet I'd found and ordered 2 more of these 3-ft x 8-ft Vinly Fence Panels from Lowe's Home Improvement  

Bandido-boy, is proudly showing off his new Gatehouse Arborley Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence that he helped his Papi build.

On December 16, I did drive this cute little trailer back home from Lowe's, Vidalia, Georgia where we picked up the 2 panels that I'd ordered on line. Here Pieter made another trip with our Toyota RAV4; our loyal work horse for 16 years!

Just enough space for passing by the huge Southern Magnolia.

On December 18, another load of concrete blocks and concrete mix for building that retainer wall after the 65 Year Old Pine Tree had been cut down on the 17th. This is part of our water control, for keeping the rain water behind this retainer wall and not again running towards our home.

Bandido-boy helping his Papi, day after day. And our felines thought that the mulched tree trunk + the dug up soil was their new HUGE litter box...

You can see the spot of the mulched trunk to the right.

Precision work for leveling it out neatly...

Pouring concrete and on top of that come those concrete blocks...

Some back breaking job for removing the old green metal post that was deep into the concrete. Hacking it clean from concrete again and also finding a huge surprise in the ground.

You can now clearly see where the 65 Year Old Pine Tree once stood!

No, the huge surprise he found in the ground was nothing valuable but these Saw greenbrier, Catbrier, Bullbrier or Smilax bona-nox L. roots! 

It got tangled up into the huge oak tree, unseen with its mean thorns and very hard to kill.

That's where the 65 Year Old Pine Tree once stood...

All done! Retainer wall painted and the Vinyl Fence Panels all erected again! The old green metal post anew into the ground in the concrete for fastening the wire fencing.

Leaving an opening between the white vinyl post and the green metal post for Cat–Thresspassing.

That's where friend cats come to visit and our Tiggy–Tiger goes to see them...

Neat job or not?

And that for an eighty four year young man!

Guess that my Pieter does more physical work than many young men half his age...

Healthy living!

Our Tiggy–Tiger girl figured it out how to get to the other side again.

Notice that the first panel is NOT set on concrete blocks.

Husband Pieter didn't dare to dig there due to the wiring in the ground...

But do you see now how different the height levels are and why the water after tropical showers runs towards our home?

For the end of the year, I feel mighty proud of my dear husband Pieter's accomplishments.

Living frugal from one pension, with 3 adults, we also manage to be happy with our 6 felines.

Now, I'm off to scanning the FINAL100 slides and than I will have managed to make them all digital by the end of 2013 for archiving!

Have you also accomplished some major project this year?

Wishing you all a happy New Year's Eve and a Happy and Healthy 2014!

Thanks for reading here.

Related links:
{65 Year Old Pine Tree Cut Down} | previous post of Part I
Gatehouse Arborley 3-ft x 8-ft White Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence Panel | link from Lowe's

{Our Bathroom Renovation from Tub to Shower while Caring for the Environment}

• Planning our Master Bathroom Renovation from Tub to Shower started out with ordering our Danish, Damixa Plus Shower Set and Damixa Space Shower Mixer. 
• Our entire home is equiped with Danish Damixa faucets, except lately in our laundry room. We both agree with the Damixa company philosophy; Caring for the Environment and reducing water consumption by 25% or 30%. Going Green!
• Just click the above hyperlink to read their statement. 
• So we did contact our long time business relation Kömhoff Sanitair in Meijel, The Netherlands. 
• They previously did ship some items to us, in case we did not go to The Netherlands for hand carrying it back home to the USA, inside our suitcases. 
• This was mid August... the first step was laid. 
• The reason we wanted to proceed with this renovation was because of the great difficulty I had in January of 2010 when I had become paralyzed. For husband Pieter, having to lift me over that tub's edge for taking a shower was nearly impossible. Not because I'm heavy but a motionless person doesn't give... 

• Not a great photo but you still can see the tub with mirrored tub doors...
• Our vanity is from Italy. We did bring it with us after living there but not building our home in Italy.

• Danish Damixa Plus Shower Set that we ordered.

• Danish Damixa Space Shower Mixer that we ordered.
• We also had a new water filter and conditioner installed, before proceeding with the renovation because we have very hard water in our area.

• We moved into our Rose Suite while doing the renovations... 
• Out came the fiber glass tub and also our all white Damixa Tub Mixer...
• Dusty job!

• The drain goes into our garage's ceiling...

• This was on November 8, 2012 and Pieter wanted to make sure that our Tile Redi Bathtub Replacement Shower Pan would actually FIT.
• It will; so I went ahead and ordered it on line, from Coral Springs, Florida...

• Tile Redi Single Curb Shower Pan With Left Drain

• We did go ahead and selected their Redi Drain in Polished Chrome. Easy for the tile men to work around.

• A  special aluminum guard is included in their Bathtub Replacement as well.

• The day after Thanksgiving, November 23 of 2012, Pieter did cement this Redi Tile Shower Pan in place!
• You can see the shelves in our Master Bedroom closet through those holes...

• ALL Made in the USA...

• A nice ledge in the front for the shower door...

• A sample tile in Snow White on the ledge. 
• All our bathroom tiles came in a container across the ocean from Italy, so we had to find some matching ones for this shower!

• The entire pan...
• That will make quite a difference for getting in and out of; whenever health conditions would change for either one of us.

• Husband Pieter working out something for covering up the space in front of the pan...
• You will see it later!

• Next search was for a fitting shower door.
• We found that Lowe's had by far the best selection.
• We wanted something in a simple Scandinavian look so we found it: 
• DreamLine 60-in W x 72-in H Frameless Sliding Shower Door
• Our Cute Ute; Ravy our RAV4 did haul it back home from the Lowe's store.

• Frankly speaking, I was very happy to reach our destiny just before dark; driving this load home.

• Of course our cats must inspect whatever we bring home...

Till next time where you will see it all built in!

Related links:

{'Ravy', my Toyota RAV4 is 15 today!} | previous post by me

{'Ravy', my Toyota RAV4 is 15 today!}

My 'Cute Ute' has another birthday! You can find a link below photos, about last year's post with lots of info and photos. But today 'Ravy', my Toyota RAV4 turned 15! Still love him and keep him. Such a loyal Mini SUV, so why ditch him? As written about in a magazine in 1998, for being a small, spunky, head-turner - to me that's still valid. The New Car Test Drive in 1996 called it: The new king of the minis. It's a shame that they discontinued making the 2-door since 2000. Even now, with high gas prices it would be even more relevant for having a car with such good fuel economy. 

The Chicago Sun Times wrote: Toyota's new, hot-selling RAV4 small sport/utility vehicle is terribly cute, practical and more affordable than larger sport/utilities. AMEN to that!

Ravy looks still cute and is in excellent condition. Always being loved, even though he worked hard for us... When this 2-door launched, it became hugely popular in France. 

That's me on July 13, 1997 after Ravy's first 1,000 miles. This is at the Philadelphia Franklin Mill's Outlet Mall. We parked, and funny enough, there were two RAV4 4-doors parked as well; Ravy's big brothers...

Here we are at the Delaware river in Philadelphia, with the Benjamin Franklin bridge in the back.

Ravy did bring us all the way to Pennsylvania, from Georgia, to visit also Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Our second visit, but now as Americans and it meant a lot.

Visiting the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Pieter in front of the Liberty Bell...

Me in front of the Liberty Bell...

Oh, Ravy hauled many a load with this cute trailer that Pieter himself has put together. He ordered it from Northern Tool + Equipment and added the upper part himself.

I still love Ravy today...  together we age!

Related link:
'Ravy', My Toyota RAV4 is 14 today! | previous post by me

{'Ravy', My Toyota RAV4 is 14 today!}

Today is a very special day as my Toyota RAV4 2-door 'Ravy' has 'his' 14th birthday! It makes me feel good. Above all, this car was such a lovely thing to receive for my birthday then. It had to be special ordered in Japan because of wanting a shift stick with cruise control and a 'male part' for hooking up our little trailer. At the time that I got it, it was very popular in France and it took the USA by storm as well.
Automobile Magazine's 1997 Automobile of the Year is the Toyota RAV4 read: Automobile Magazine Announces Toyota RAV4 as Auto of the Year. You can read some of its history 1997 INFORMATION.
Some Magazine Reviews:

• New Car Test Drive: 1996 Toyota Rav4: The new king of the minis
• 1997 Toyota Rav4 - A trend setting Toy(ota)
• 1998 Toyota Rav4 - A small, spunky, head-turner   

Some Newspaper Reviews:

• USA Today: Toyota RAV4 is Consumer Reports' Best small SUV, March 18, 1997
• Detroit News: Toyota RAV4 though pricey, has broad appeal 1997
• Chicago Sun-Times: Toyota's new, hot-selling RAV4 small sport/utility vehicle is terribly cute, practical and more affordable than larger sport/utilities.
• New Standard: 'Cute utes' invade a growing sport utility market, Sept 1, 1996
• Autopage: Toyota RAV4 - Best in Class Mini - SUV 

But WHY did we keep it this long???

Because RAV4 continued in 2000 available as a 4-door model only.
So no longer as a cute 2-door... Read: - RAV4 HISTORY -.

Me and my 'Cute Ute'... I LOVE this car!

What does RAV4 stand for?

Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-Wheel Drive



'Ravy' only twice got new tires and has been always very reliable.

Very good fuel economy!

Do you like my 'Ravy'?

Oh sure, 'Ravy' can carry things on the roof too, as well as behind in the little trailer we got for him.

In the center of the bumper you see the square opening, that's where the male part goes for the trailer.

Ravy served us well, he did haul many a load for us, for the construction of our Rose Suite and for hauling furniture from the Savannah harbor, Miele appliances from Atlanta...

Went all the way to Key West with our German 'son and daughter-in-law' and to Orlando with our other German 'son and daughter-in-law'. With us to Central Valley in New York. So he's been to many states, always being loyal.

Therefore we keep him! Besides; he is in excellent shape.

Related link:

{'Ravy', my Toyota RAV4 is 15 today!} | other post by me

Toyota RAV4 Automobile of the year 1997 in Automobile Magazine of January, 1997 Pdf

{You like to meet our 3 Feline Boys?}

Okay, having seen now most of our home|garden|gazebo in: {Our Home of almost 20 years} on the outside, let's now introduce some of our Felines.

We love them dearly and as you all know by now, they have plenty of space to roam free. 

They are, like both of us; in paradise!

This is Spooky

 Spooky is a very slender male with long legs.

 Spooky Panterino on the driveway.

Spooky hugging his true brother Bandido while together napping in their oak pet–bed in the garage.

Same hug from Spooky who's on the left.

Bandido, on top of my Toyota RAV4 2-door car. He loves my mini SUV as much as I do!

That car used to be very popular in France when it first came out. Pieter gave me this Cute Ute for my birthday. Got it about seven months later, as it had to be special ordered in Japan with a shift–stick... But I still love it!

This is Barty with {Anita Anggraeni our Foster Daughter}. She LOVED this little guy and he loved her. They were inseparable and Barty missed her for quite a while, when she went back to Indonesia.

Barty is three years older than his two step–brothers Spooky and Bandido. He came from the local Humane Society. Read about their sisters here: {Telling You the Tale of our 4 Feline Girls}

Barty next to my RAV4 and the Pet Beds in the garage.

Well this happens to be also their Breakfast & Supper area; next to their beds...

Are they not well behaved?! 

Together with their sisters (whom I introduce to you later).

They know that their Mami's motto is MANNERS DO COUNT as taught at: Mariette's Back to Basics! 

After supper they all love to groom in our driveway...

Related link:
{Telling YOU the Tale of our 4 Feline Girls} | previous post by me

{'Ravy', my Toyota RAV4 is 15 today!} | previous post by me