Old patio becomes new

The patio was laid 20 years ago from a variety of irregular marble slabs and rods. They are now in a stack and are to be driven to the tip.

Tip #1: Get a good wheelbarrow! A load of dirt weighs about the same as a male African elephant, so after two flat tires I learned to only fill the wheelbarrow half full.
Tip No. 2. Do 50 sit-ups every morning! Your back needs your abs.
Tip No. 3: Look over your garden and plan where to put the soil! There is so much more soil when it comes up into the air. Understand it, whoever can. I emptied cart after cart into the hedge. So the one around our house.

Realized quite soon that the roll of fiber cloth would not be enough. Went and bought another one. It was windy and the canvas flapped like a sail before I found stones to anchor it with. Started with two loads, then I loaded gravel. It was fun, even in the rain

Finally the load of stones and tiles arrived. I have been agonizing over the curbs and wondering how they will stay in place. Decided to put them there before I pad the gravel so that the gravel doesn't disappear into the flowerbed. But when I started to put the stones, it felt really good, they are heavy and will probably withstand the pressure from tiles and gravel.

Went to pick up stone flour on the gravel roof, but had borrowed a covered cart. It didn't work at all, the guy couldn't shovel gravel in it, so we had to go back home and change to an open one. Now we have stone flour and a toad and a saw. The man who rented out the toad said I should drive over six times, I drove eight. Soon it will be time to put the puzzle together!

In three days we go on holiday and now I want to get everything ready. A little pressured the first day, to be honest completely exhausted. I looked at the tiles and thought I have to cut every single one! God...they will never be enough. Put two plates and went to bed. Damn, have I put in so much time, effort and money and it sucks when I'm almost there??? The next day I stopped thinking and just started. One at a time. I didn't have to cut a single plate, the best tool was the hammer. With it I shaped uneven corners and tapped along the sides. Safety glasses were needed because the chips were flying. After a day I had put over half. It was really immersive, time flew by and I forgot to eat. Another tool I used a lot was a small dustpan. I took sand with it and smoothed under the tiles. The rubber mallet was good at first to hear if it sounded hollow under the record, but later the fist was just as good. Now it feels good, I will be ready before we leave...and I have gravel left until we get home, then I will start laying new paths around the house...and the foundation for the greenhouse.