For some reason, my contractor and his sub-contractors do not understand the building inspection process. I discovered this when the framing inspector showed up last Friday. The plumbing has been inspected and there is a green tag to prove it, but the framing inspector needed to see evidence that the heating and electrical inspections had passed as well. He explained that he cannot allow the drywall to be installed until those inspections have occurred because the drywall would impede said inspections. Duh.
As far as I know, the contractor has not requested heating and electrical inspections. What is up with that? They did not want to bother with building permits, which is a big fat red flag to me, the consumer. Apparently, they are also trying to circumvent the inspection process, another red flag. If they had just done things the way they should have been done in the first place, we would be past the initial inspections by now.
This is the same outfit that built the West Wing last year. That was a big project and there were very few problems, so I felt safe using the same company for this project. I think I will be satisfied with the final results, but the process is grating on my nerves. For such a simple job, they are sure making things difficult.
P.S. When I arrived home tonight, the "general" building permit posted on the garage door had been joined by two more permits. I hope that is a good sign.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
I stand corrected. I think.
The contractor, the carpenters/electricians, and the plumbers all attended a pow-wow at my house yesterday morning. The c/e's took pains to show me that the floor heights were just right, and they did not treat me like a crazy lady. At least, not while I was still there. We all went over what remains to be done, and I left for work, reassured that these guys are professionals. Denial is a good thing.
Today when I came home, I discovered that this...
... had been transformed into this.
And this...
... is now this.
The washer and dryer are not hooked up yet - they will be by this weekend, when I need to do some laundry - but I am pleased. Sort of. It's funny how a vision rarely translates perfectly into reality. The room seems smaller than I imagined, the door is not quite where I expected it to be, the area outside the new laundry room seems to have awkward dimensions (i.e. is a freezer going to fit in there?) It will take some getting used to, I guess.
The best thing, though? I will have somewhere besides the main bathroom to put the cat litter box.
Today when I came home, I discovered that this...
... had been transformed into this.
And this...
... is now this.
The washer and dryer are not hooked up yet - they will be by this weekend, when I need to do some laundry - but I am pleased. Sort of. It's funny how a vision rarely translates perfectly into reality. The room seems smaller than I imagined, the door is not quite where I expected it to be, the area outside the new laundry room seems to have awkward dimensions (i.e. is a freezer going to fit in there?) It will take some getting used to, I guess.
The best thing, though? I will have somewhere besides the main bathroom to put the cat litter box.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Signs of November
The burning bush:
Under the burning bush:
The asplenifolia:
Under the asplenifolia:
The maple tree:
Under the maple tree:
And ornamental grasses:
(Don't tell the others, but the sea oats are my favorite!)
Under the burning bush:
The asplenifolia:
Under the asplenifolia:
The maple tree:
Under the maple tree:
And ornamental grasses:
(Don't tell the others, but the sea oats are my favorite!)
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Measure once, cut twice
I have some major, MAJOR concerns about my new laundry area. Or rather, with those working on the laundry area. These concerns are beyond the question of whether a building permit was necessary (I insisted) and beyond the fact the work did not pass said building inspection. My current concerns are of the arithmetic kind.
At the beginning, the contractor suggested that the doorway from the new room to the rest of the house be cut last, to minimize the migration of dust into my living quarters. I wondered (unfortunately, not out loud) how the carpenters would verify the height of the new floor would match the height of the floor in the house, but hey, that's what tape measures are for, right?
When they first framed the floor, I thought it looked kind of high, but I measured and it seemed close enough. So again, I did not say anything. Now that they have laid the plywood on top of the joists, the floor looks really high. Again, I measured it and there is a good 1" difference, with the subflooring and Durastone yet to be added. A tripping hazard if I ever saw one, and definitely not according to plan.
Friday they also delivered the door. The door that, including the frame, measures 33" wide. There is a pipe (the stack?) going up the wall where the door is to be installed, which allows only 29" for the doorway. Seriously. Unless that pipe is part of the old plumbing and destined to be removed, the door is simply not going to fit.
I am the first one to admit that my construction skills are nil (which is why I hire people to do my home improvements), so maybe, just maybe there is some kind of magical explanation for these whacky measurements. If not, this project is a big FAIL and will require a DO OVER. Oh, and did I mention I am on Angie's List? Heh.
On a brighter note, my SO and I once again spent the afternoon in the backyard (and the weather was perfect), him finishing off the mulch pile and me continuing to put the garden to bed. Mission accomplished, on both fronts. I can't express how grateful I am for his help. He not only does the heavy lifting, but because he is helping, I work harder than I would if left to my own devices. Thanks, hon!
At the beginning, the contractor suggested that the doorway from the new room to the rest of the house be cut last, to minimize the migration of dust into my living quarters. I wondered (unfortunately, not out loud) how the carpenters would verify the height of the new floor would match the height of the floor in the house, but hey, that's what tape measures are for, right?
When they first framed the floor, I thought it looked kind of high, but I measured and it seemed close enough. So again, I did not say anything. Now that they have laid the plywood on top of the joists, the floor looks really high. Again, I measured it and there is a good 1" difference, with the subflooring and Durastone yet to be added. A tripping hazard if I ever saw one, and definitely not according to plan.
Friday they also delivered the door. The door that, including the frame, measures 33" wide. There is a pipe (the stack?) going up the wall where the door is to be installed, which allows only 29" for the doorway. Seriously. Unless that pipe is part of the old plumbing and destined to be removed, the door is simply not going to fit.
I am the first one to admit that my construction skills are nil (which is why I hire people to do my home improvements), so maybe, just maybe there is some kind of magical explanation for these whacky measurements. If not, this project is a big FAIL and will require a DO OVER. Oh, and did I mention I am on Angie's List? Heh.
On a brighter note, my SO and I once again spent the afternoon in the backyard (and the weather was perfect), him finishing off the mulch pile and me continuing to put the garden to bed. Mission accomplished, on both fronts. I can't express how grateful I am for his help. He not only does the heavy lifting, but because he is helping, I work harder than I would if left to my own devices. Thanks, hon!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Got pumpkin?
I found a recipe here at Hobby Farms Magazine website for stuffed pumpkin. I cooked this the other night (modifications below) and it was great! I think you could stuff it with just about any meat/grain/seasoning combo, like turkey, wild rice, and dried cranberries. Now I can't wait for Thanksgiving!
My Version of Stuffed Pumpkin
1 small sugar pumpkin, lid intact and seeds removed (while cooking and eating dinner, soak seeds in cool water)
1/2 pound ground pork, unseasoned
1-1/2 c. cooked brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small stalk celery, with leaves, finely chopped
4 leaves of fresh sage, chopped
fresh thyme from a few twigs
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (don't overdo!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prick top half of pumpkin shell on the outside. Place in a shallow pan and add about 1/2-inch of water to pan. Bake 20 - 30 minutes, until tender but still firm.
Meanwhile, brown pork with onion, celery, garlic, sage, and thyme. Add rice.
Stuff pumpkin with pork mixture, adding the rosemary. Top with lid and return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes. Pumpkin should be very tender.
Serve by cutting pumpkin and contents in half vertically - the pumpkin makes its own edible bowl!
After dinner, preheat oven to 325 while cleaning pulp from pumpkin seeds. Dry the seeds a bit, then toss with a bit of olive oil and salt in a shallow pan. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the seeds are a little brown and crunchy. Remove from oven and cool. Warning: these are addicting!
My Version of Stuffed Pumpkin
1 small sugar pumpkin, lid intact and seeds removed (while cooking and eating dinner, soak seeds in cool water)
1/2 pound ground pork, unseasoned
1-1/2 c. cooked brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small stalk celery, with leaves, finely chopped
4 leaves of fresh sage, chopped
fresh thyme from a few twigs
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (don't overdo!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prick top half of pumpkin shell on the outside. Place in a shallow pan and add about 1/2-inch of water to pan. Bake 20 - 30 minutes, until tender but still firm.
Meanwhile, brown pork with onion, celery, garlic, sage, and thyme. Add rice.
Stuff pumpkin with pork mixture, adding the rosemary. Top with lid and return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes. Pumpkin should be very tender.
Serve by cutting pumpkin and contents in half vertically - the pumpkin makes its own edible bowl!
After dinner, preheat oven to 325 while cleaning pulp from pumpkin seeds. Dry the seeds a bit, then toss with a bit of olive oil and salt in a shallow pan. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the seeds are a little brown and crunchy. Remove from oven and cool. Warning: these are addicting!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Homemade granola
One day a co-worker told us a story about the breakfast her daughter made herself: toast with peanut butter and chocolate chips. Mom and dad did not think that was a very good breakfast, but I said it was not that far off from a granola bar.
This recipe is based on the Almond Crunch Cereal recipe in The Rodale Cookbook (1973). I wanted something simpler than what even our health food stores sell, something I could use in my yogurt parfaits with a variety of fruit and nuts or sprinkle on salads instead of croutons.
Since this granola cools in the oven overnight, it is best made in the evening, at least two hours before bedtime.
HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Preheat oven to 225 degrees
Stir together 3 cups uncooked rolled oats, 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup wheat germ (optional), and 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds.
Whisk together 1/4 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup honey. (Edited to add: If you omit the wheat germ, you might want to cut back a bit on the oil, honey, and water.)
Mix oil-honey mixture with dry ingredients. Add 1/2 cup cold water, a little at a time. Stir until mixture is crumbly.
Pour into a shallow pan that has been lightly oiled.
Bake in oven for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until the cereal is dry and lightly browned. Turn off oven and allow cereal to cool in the oven overnight.
Keep in an air-tight container.
This recipe is based on the Almond Crunch Cereal recipe in The Rodale Cookbook (1973). I wanted something simpler than what even our health food stores sell, something I could use in my yogurt parfaits with a variety of fruit and nuts or sprinkle on salads instead of croutons.
Since this granola cools in the oven overnight, it is best made in the evening, at least two hours before bedtime.
HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Preheat oven to 225 degrees
Stir together 3 cups uncooked rolled oats, 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup wheat germ (optional), and 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds.
Whisk together 1/4 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup honey. (Edited to add: If you omit the wheat germ, you might want to cut back a bit on the oil, honey, and water.)
Mix oil-honey mixture with dry ingredients. Add 1/2 cup cold water, a little at a time. Stir until mixture is crumbly.
Pour into a shallow pan that has been lightly oiled.
Bake in oven for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until the cereal is dry and lightly browned. Turn off oven and allow cereal to cool in the oven overnight.
Keep in an air-tight container.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Before I forget
Today I planted garlic, 39 cloves of German Extra Hardy from 5 bulbs and 21 cloves of Broadleaf Czech from 2 bulbs. I've never grown garlic before, so I hope I did okay.
My lasagna beds are not very deep yet, so I spread the contents of two of my big containers over the garlic. Hopefully, the potting soil will provide enough food to get the garlic growing well in the spring. Meanwhile, those worms I saw today better get in gear!
Also planted jonquils (Giant Yellow for Naturalizing), Fondant hyacinth, and pink grape hyacinth. The hyacinth went around the smoke bush, while the jonquils wound up here, there, and everywhere.
And my SO, aka Mulch Man, spread more mulch around the shrubs.
Oh, and that tree from my previous post? Not a maple. We got up close and personal and discovered it has small purple fruit. I'm guessing flowering crab. Of course, when I try to find photos online of flowering crab trees, all I can find are spring pix, not fall ones.
Now, because I am too pooped to write anymore, here are a few pictures from around the yard.
Serviceberry (AmElanchier x Grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance'):
Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliant') (and my neighbor's sailboat, which is for sale, if anyone is interested):
Sargent viburnum (Viburnum sargentii 'Onondaga'):
Rhododendron 'PMJ':
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'):
Burning bush:
My lasagna beds are not very deep yet, so I spread the contents of two of my big containers over the garlic. Hopefully, the potting soil will provide enough food to get the garlic growing well in the spring. Meanwhile, those worms I saw today better get in gear!
Also planted jonquils (Giant Yellow for Naturalizing), Fondant hyacinth, and pink grape hyacinth. The hyacinth went around the smoke bush, while the jonquils wound up here, there, and everywhere.
And my SO, aka Mulch Man, spread more mulch around the shrubs.
Oh, and that tree from my previous post? Not a maple. We got up close and personal and discovered it has small purple fruit. I'm guessing flowering crab. Of course, when I try to find photos online of flowering crab trees, all I can find are spring pix, not fall ones.
Now, because I am too pooped to write anymore, here are a few pictures from around the yard.
Serviceberry (AmElanchier x Grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance'):
Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliant') (and my neighbor's sailboat, which is for sale, if anyone is interested):
Sargent viburnum (Viburnum sargentii 'Onondaga'):
Rhododendron 'PMJ':
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'):
Burning bush:
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