Sorry!

*perk* Concrete? Driveway? Did I ever tell you about my second driveway? The son of a really good contractor took over his dad's business, and when I called for dad, son answered and said he could put in the driveway I wanted to the side yard. He went off for the permit, then came back and had a backhoe dig out the place - I had to post a bond with the city because they repaved the streets and gutters a couple of years ago. Then the building department came out and looked at the site preparation and said, "Oh no, you can't have this driveway here. It's too close to the other one, which you neglected to show on the permit application."

Everything came to a halt.

I got DH to talk to someone at the city hall, and he came back with a copy of the regulations for driveways. I studied them and figured out that the only way we could have a driveway at the side and be within the distance regulations would be if we were to build it on one edge. This would require a new set of driving skills. Not to mention being hard on the tires.

Many telephone calls ensued. Many photos were taken, cropped, and put in my web space, followed by more telephone calls and emails with URLs.

Finally, a sympathetic woman at city hall, with the clout to do it, gave us a variance, and we got our driveway. We even got the bond back for not damaging the street and gutter.

The contractor stuck to his bid, and I learned the the city permit department does not like him at all, at all, and that he frequently tries to "cheat" on his permit applications.

But, it only took about eight months all told, and the driveway is very useful. Let me buy you a virtual drink. I'm sure you need one.

Aaack, then you *know* what's going on here. The contractor tore up the concrete Saturday and Sunday, said he had to work on another job Monday, and would return Tuesday. Yesterday he was a no show. I called last night to ask him for the time line, as I'm also having pipes laid for a sprinkler system, and that guy needed to know when the concrete was scheduled to be poured so he could schedule trenching under where the driveway was/will be. No call back. And he (the concrete guy) didn't show today, either. But the sprinkler guy did, and he has laid a 4" pipe under the "driveway", so he'll be able to do his thing later.

Sad, because I took a chance on a man who has done fabulous work in the past for some of the upscale contractors, but has gone through a rough patch, with a divorce, and problems with his sons. He is trying to get his business up and running again. I knew about his history, but I checked references (and got rave reviews), and he just finished a beautiful job for my sister.

Now I'm sitting here, unable to get my car in the garage, and with a real mess in my front yard, and I have no idea when/if he's coming back to finish up. Dang!

Sorry about your problems, Beverly. BTW, what about your sewing machine. Did it finally get repaired? Emily

Thanks!

ITYM my Singer Quantum XL5000 embroidery machine? Yes, so far as I know it's repaired, I picked it up from the local shop last week, but so much is going on I haven't tested it out yet. I'm trying to put together several entries for the Oregon State Fair (deadline August 16), as well as supervising concrete and sprinkler-system contractors.

Plus, it's 98° here today, and will be in the 90s for the next several days! I'm going to try to get the XL5000 hooked up this weekend for a test run.

It could be worse. Your car could be _in_ the garage. ;-) Good luck!

I knew once things got underway it was going to be a couple of weeks before I could get the car back in the garage. The first thing I did when the crew showed up was move my car out. I have permission from a neighbor to park in their driveway during construction.

Thanks for the luck! I just heard from the contractor, he was stranded in the mountains with his boys, car broke down, no cell reception. He promises to be here first thing tomorrow. Yeah!!!

Doing a "slow" but happy dance for you. If it is that hot up there, it is no wonder the contractor took his kids to the mountains for the weekend. It was 95 today with high humidity, but DS, who is working in Dallas this week, said it was 107 in the truck when he got off work yesterday and 106 today. Thank goodness, the a/c in the hotel is working because elevator was broken for 2 days, and he is on the 3rd floor. He said it was finally repaired this afternoon. Emily

Thanks, that must have been the "get-the-contractors-to-Beverly's-house-dance. They showed up nice and early this AM, things are progressing apace.

Yabut, he missed work on the two coolest days of the week so far, and forecast is for HOT the next several days.

Aaack, I feel for him. climbing three sets of stairs in 95° weather is enough to make me swoon. :-\

Dear Beverly, We'll have to toughen you up a bit so you can get use to the heat. Those of you who live in the PNW arejust not acclimated to the hot weather. I'm thinking you don't have any air conditioning in you house. If you don't have it here in the NE you can melt away very quickly. Yesterday it was 108 on my deck. Today is much more comfortable, it's only

Which is why we choose to live in the PNW! ;-)

Actually, I do. In '91 when my son-in-law and I were re-roofing this house in July and the temps were in the 90s and 100s for several days at a stretch, I put my foot down, and we had a new furnace and central AC installed. I'm nice and comfortable while I'm in the house, but I feel for the workers outside. Yesterday I mowed the lawns and came in drenched in sweat, and very over-heated. Took a long cool shower and stood over one of the registers...

My car thermometer showed 106° when I started off yesterday to go to the post office. It's parked outside in direct sun for the duration. Thanks goodness it has a very efficient AC, and cools down right away.

Oh, dear. Well, I guess it's a couple of days later by now LOL, but I understand frustration. I wasn't upset -- I just figured we assigned different connotations to the words.

Happily, the concrete contracting crew showed up soon after that post, and today I'm babysitting (hosing down every two hours) a gorgeous new driveway. Next week he begins installing brick pavers to the edges. As soon as the concrete cures for a couple of weeks, he's coming back to apply stain and sealer.

And just to steer us back on-topic, between sessions with the garden-hose, I'm pressing and primping 35 garments to send off to the state fair next week.

;-)