Kai Pond

Speaking of Koi ponds... I came across this inspirational img.  Grooving on the hardwood floor/seating, the unexpected rock ground cover, the framed moss box, the pots standing in the water, and the bar counter potential of the fountain. In short, pretty much all of it except the gauche back lit fountain and the shallow splash tray's limitations on wildlife.

MacGyver built this awesome adaptation earlier this year. This rocks because it is right outside the bedroom and cool night air combined with the sound of water is a really relaxing way to crash. Plus it keeps Kai out of the herb-filled window boxes which she'd root around in for garlic.

1. Acquire pond frame
2. Frame with pine wood [redwood if directly exposed to weather -M.G.] (cut to approximately right length at Home Depot) stained in cherry and sealed.
3. Acquire water pump, ensconce in filter bag, run tubing between plastic pond frame and wooden frame. Cap with a nondescript plastic planter container that will elevate your plant pot and create a fish lair. You may need to cut an access slit down the side and expect it to bow a bit.
4. Repurpose bamboo retaining fence into spigot using drill (expect lots of testing in a partially filled pond). Stain in cherry. Run tubing through. Wrap unsightly joints with stained rope.
5. Fill bottom and sides with sand (hopefully washed). Epic points for runestones.
6. Fill side pockets with ground cover (we started with baby tears, but they dried out too much, so now we use succulents).
7. Fully fill and de-chlorinate when satisfied with water visibility
7. Install plants. Horsetail in water, iris-lily-baby tears combo in the planter, tiny palm and bromeliad in planters off to the side.
8. Add wildlife. 3 koi (diamond scales, one of them butterfly), 1 albino catfish, a dozen golden minnows "mosquito fish", 6 golden snails. Attempted a Pleco as supplemental algae eater, but he died quickly.
9. Maintenance. Feed fish 2x daily (summer). Catfish got supplemental dog treats (Zuke's PB) when the minnows started to, ahem, "thin out." Top off the planters with pond "tea" daily using the watering can. Top off the pond itself weekly using a 5 gallon bucket of de-chlorinated temperature acclimated water. Clean entire thing by pump draining and scrubbing the sides with an algae sponge while the wildlife waits in another bucket (only necessary when parents come to visit).

Love Affair, Part Deux

Purchasing a haunted house wasn't part of the 5 year plan.  As with most Epic™ decisions, things came together so neatly, it was hard to believe it was not Written.  

The lease was coming due and Stepford had not been kind to Kai.   Several houseplant successes behind me and a compost bin that runneth over, I had been threatening my now live-in bf, MacGyver, with vermiculture and chicken husbandry "adventures."  Not conducive to apartment living.  

Two co-workers who couldn't agree on anything both strongly recommended Redfin.  So I took to browsing listings over morning coffee. SoCal doesn't have much architectural appeal for a city girl.  Basements and attics were verboten.  I did a lot of grimacing at hardscapes and googling alarming phrases like "swimming pool koi pond retrofit."  Heh.

Last week, I nearly tipped over the french press when I came across a listing in Santa Ana with my "huge lot, cut rate price" search filter on.  Normally I have to zoom out 5 clicks until I'm peering into Nevada to get any hits.  I speculate this will be a comfortably close commute  to Valhalla (employer's mythical proposed office park).  Legit Victorian architecture built at the turn of the century; before they got the memo about basements and attics.  Epic hardwood staircase!  Tear-jerking romantic backstory about a couple who had bought the place 40 years ago.  Now the widower wants to retire to their cabin.  Huh, the ask was $100K lower than I had idly budgeted for... Granted, it needs work,  methinks grass wasn't the only element photoshopped in the MLS images.  Fortunately MacGyver and his dad are as game as they are handy.    

So that's where we are.  Redfin has been rocking awesome.  Within a week, we had toured this property and 3 more "back ups" to put MaEpic at ease.  In similarly leet fashion, USAA pre-approved us online in less than 24 hours.  Now Katrina whose super hero power is Realty has volleyed an offer into their court to see what they'll come back with.  Meanwhile, MacGyver and I are getting MTM quotes on Stepford and googling alarming phrases like "steampunk decor," "antique replica light bulbs," and "Santa Ana landfill fees."  


[7/13 update:  Holy cow, is foundation work pricey!]