Fences and Concrete and Doors, oh my!

The sun is shining and most of the fence - back and left - is done. Presumably the right will be done on Monday, although they might be waiting for some of the material that is piled against the fence to be removed. I'm trying to entice one of our friends, who has just started a remodel, to take our used redwood siding, which is apparently quite valuable and in pretty good shape. Site Supervisor II says that if he had anywhere to put it himself, he'd take it.

The concrete has been poured in the side yard and looks pretty sinuous and interesting. Now we have to resist walking on it till Monday.

SS2 has been working around the house all day picking up small jobs on the punch list. Most of what we have left is for the electrician and plumber.




A man came from a local garage door supplier today to fix our garage door. He changed our motor unit, including the chains and what nots that make the door physically open; tightened all the springs; installed the sensors that prevent the door closing on someone's head; and programmed two remotes and an exterior keypad. All this for $371, which seems a bargain. SS2 installed the light bulb for me, and that was another job done.

We also had a visit from the local BeamCo representative - that's the central vacuuming system. We've never used our whole house vacuum, as we've lacked a hose and the inclination; but as we made the effort to have the vacuum extended into the new parts of the house, I thought this would be the moment to find out how it works. Anyway, the rep came and had a look round at our floors. He recommended a hose and brush attachment and said he'd mail them to me. I asked him to show me how to empty the unit. We went into the garage and he began to demonstrate - and the unit basically blew up. He then spent almost an hour repairing it! After that, he decided to walk through the house with a stethoscope, listening to the walls to see if we had decent suction everywhere. The upshot of that was that there is a leak in the pipes somewhere in the extension...and he'll be back next week to crawl through the attic looking for it.

In other news, I think I've found a bed that I'd like to buy. We're planning to move our 12 year old gothic wonder into the new bedroom and have a new bed for ourselves.

Tree Murder

The sun has been shining since yesterday morning and we are experiencing a burst of progress. The hardscaping guy has been here laying stone in the front yard; and he is now out back supervising the rebars and concrete pouring for the dining room patio, side yard path and the famous pergola stand. The pipe is pooping out concrete as I write.

The back fence is almost complete - except for one panel, which the fencers are saying they can't do because our old garden furniture is in the way - and they are currently at work on the fence to our left, replacing some rotten panels and putting the trellis on the top. While doing this, they have cut down one of our trees. To say I am not happy about this would be an understatement.

Nice Weather for Ducks

More rain today, just a light shower this morning, but looks like it will be settling in this afternoon.

Site Supervisor II and Azmir have been cleaning up debris from the back yard; the hardscaper was also here this morning cleaning up his palettes and so on. The Landscape Designer is keen to lay out (with paint) the side yard path so we can decide how sinuous it should be; and it's hard to do that with piles of stuff everywhere.

The fence guys returned today and are bravely working through the rain. The back fence is coming on quite nicely: see photo. I spoke to our neighbor - owner of the vacant house - this morning and got his okay to let them go into his yard, and also to cut back any of the trees/bushes that might impede their work. Since he's planning to take out the two trees against the fence (an exceptionally ugly and messy lo-quat and a sadly neglected olive) he was perfectly fine with that.

No action on the patio stone today. It's really too wet. As you walk across the stones in the back yard, you can actually feel them squelch. I presume this is normal.

Also posting a photo here of flowers sent to us for our wedding anniversary from my mom and dad. Thanks!

Rain Rain Go Away Redux

Hard to believe that there is still rain, but there is. Today it is pouring. Bah. The fence contractors and the stone mason arrived, watched the rain for a bit and left again. Site Supervisor II is picking up a few odds and ends around the house, but since most of the remaining action is on the exterior, it is extremely quiet here today. The forecast is for rain through Thursday. This will impact the schedule for the pool plaster - which can only be applied when the pool surface is bone dry - and the stone grouting - which also requires a bone dry surface. Double bah.

Interior photos: The Guest Bathroom

Hubby and I are rapidly coming to the conclusion that, having made the house much bigger, we're going to be spending all our time in the new office. Indeed, over the weekend, all four members of our family crammed into the office for various reasons for extended periods of time! The only issue we have is that it gets a bit hot in the later afternoon - so I shall be heading out to a window coverings provider very soon to fix that.

The thing that might tempt us out of the office is the new bathroom. Wow, so glitzy. Azmir installed the fixtures I purchased at Restoration Hardware, and it looks fab. See the photos, including the close up of the Vetrazzo. We can't get enough of that, it looks so stylish.

Exterior photos: The Landscaping

Today we have the fencing subcontractors here. Weather permitting, they'll be repairing, replacing and adding to our back yard fences between now and Wednesday. I think they're also supposed to be providing the six foot gate at the front into the side yard.

Photos here of the prep work for the pergola; the pittosporums after they had been pruned back (to encourage more growth lower down); the back yard stonework finished except for the final grouting; and a hitherto unseen view into the San Francisquito Creek, which runs behind our house. It has a fair bit of water in it, also unusual.

Exterior photos: The House

Photos here showing the brown coat of stucco, and also the framing for the concrete to be poured for the patio outside the dining room.