“Are you sure you want the ‘brick red’ tint added to the concrete?” asked the landscaper.

“Sure” said Adam. “It will match the bricks to the house.”

“Are you positive?” The incredulity was starting to tell me he did not agree with our choice.

“Yes!”

“Okay then…”

The morning of the job, I had to take the kids out for the morning and left the men alone. When I got home I discovered that concretors are a breed of messy human being I have never witnessed anywhere except in the bedrooms of teenage boys. The wet, sloppy concrete trails over our driveway looked like the Saw movies had all been shot there five minutes ago. When I went to inspect the progress, my eyes were immediately burned by the brightness of our new backyard.

“Don’t worry,” said the landscaper, with a wry little smile (I swear) playing on his lips. “It will dry lighter than it looks now.”

Later I took Riley in for his afternoon nap. His room lies above the backyard; the bright red glare trimmed the edges to his curtains and then bled into the room at large. It was eerie. It was positively Martian.

Behold our Martian environment! It may be cold, but at least the humidity is right.

I looked at Riley; Riley looked at me. As I went to lay him down, he began to protest with a face much like this one:

No, mum! I don’t want to be an intrepid intergallactic explorer! Don’t leave me to fend off foreign beings alone!

Don’t worry - he slept fine, in the end. But still, it’s been a few weeks now since the job was completed and I walk into the bathroom on a sunny day and get a shock when I need to blink away the redness. I’m sure I will get used to it too…eventually.

The ‘After’ shot could’ve been staged and shot a bit better, but you get the idea. Along the side wall we’ve planted Star Jasmines and Liriopes. At the back fence (which you can’t see here but you can if you click on the bigger picture) is a Japanese Maple, which in Autumn will turn a beautiful orange colour. We’ve ordered the water tank and it will be installed behind the steps just before Christmas. The cubby house, which will go directly behind where I stood there to take the shot, is still on our ‘To-Do’ list.

Still, all in all, I’m happy with it. The kids will be able to ride their bikes or play hopscotch