We just finished putting in an extension to our driveway to complete the drive circle in order to get rid of the mulched areas which tend to get washed away with heavy rains. The circle makes for great skating too. The new concrete drive is definitely better than the mulched driveway although it requires a lot more time to blow off the leaves, etc. The next project is re-landscaping the island and to re-sod the areas of the lawn destroyed by chinch bugs and the work done. Then we plan to build a boat garage for John's jon-boat because the squirrels have decided to eat the carpeted areas of his boat.
Before the deck and pergola were added. We removed the hedges and sod.
After the deck and pergola were completed.
We decided to add a 15 x 54 foot deck and pergola which adds shade to the enclosed patio which tends to stay warm during the summer months from the sun which comes into that area. The deck makes for a nice sitting area and I'm looking forward to adding plants from my collection. Next we are going to cover the area under the deck to keep the dogs and varmints out, then we will add hedge plants along the front, probably using red and orange blooming Ixora bushes which can be trimmed to just above the deck floor. We can already tell that the pergola shade is cooling down the temps in the patio. Hopefully it will help lower our electric bills as well. We also plan to move our gas grill to this deck since the squirrels are destroying the grill cover when we aren't looking. Of course there is new patio furniture to buy along with plant pots, etc. John has already ordered a palette of sod for this Thursday. The snow-ball effect you know. Oh, my aching back, I'm getting too old for all this work. Oh yes, today was John's first day away from his old job. He is officially retired. Now where is that "honey-dos" list.
....then, with the help of a couple of pros, created a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the view of the lake. 
John has wanted a big deck for a long time, now he has it. Looks like we will have plenty of room for entertaining and family gatherings. He has added wiring for lights and ceiling fans. Also drip lines for watering the plants. We just purchased two sets of patio tables and chairs which were such fun to assemble. We are thinking about adding hedge plants along the front, but may wait until Spring for that project. For now, the lawn needs some help getting over the construction, etc. Thanksgiving is around the corner so some projects will just have to wait.
