And for now my next stage of the little project will be stakes and strings to level the sand more perfectly. Since I want to put table and chairs out there I want the bricks to be level.

The other I eyeballed it so that in a few month when it all settles in better it will look as if it had been there all along. the house was built in the 1890's. though it has been updated and in some case had massive makovers the last makeover occured in the 60's, when they removed the elevator that used to be next to the fireplace in the main dining room.

My mother attempted to restore the house but was far short of the funds needed and lacked the expertise or experience to recognize that some of the contractors were not being forthright with her(they ripped her off in that)and the house became a money pit whence her income could not overcome before the foolishness of her ways finally ended the project. She had recieved a further 145,000 dollars from various sources. Had she of fully vested that money she could of finished. Here in lay her error. She gambled thousands away trying to allay her emotional pain of which I believe she is the main culprit of. In other word she hurt herself and is the only one at fault for it.

I estimate that if all of the labor was free then the cost of materials would be no less than 50,000 dollars to refurbish the house and 10,000 more to redo the garage apartment. My mother however would have had to fork over another 100,000 to finish just the house.