So last night at 3:45 am, I am awakened by the sound of a loud car revving in the alley followed by the breaking of glass bottles. I quickly got up and looked out the window and down into the alley below. There was a large black sports car (I thought it was probably a Monte Carlo) parked in the alley next to the house. From it, ethnic music was heard and I also heard the driver talking loudly, either to a passenger or to his cell phone. The car sat idle for a few moments before peeling away down the end of the alley. I wondered if the driver noticed me, since he took off pretty quickly. I ran down the stairs and peered out the dining room window to see if I could spot what had broken, and through the darkness noticed some bottles at the side of the house. As groggy and dizzy as I was from the rush of activity so soon after waking up, the last thing I wanted to do was to go out and clean it up.
The next morning, Aimee and I went out there and saw that there were indeed some bottles, some broken and some intact. Some Polish beer I guess. We cleaned it up, and in my mind hoped it wouldn't happen a third time.
The first time someone dumped their crap at our house (in the exact same spot, mind you) was about one week ago. We had just had our cable and Internet installed and I noticed two swollen garbage bags near the spot where the installer had parked his work truck. At first, I thought the cable guy left his mess for us to clean, but when I looked inside a bag, I saw that it was full of drywall- chunks of drywall and lots of powder. Each bag weighed a ton. Annoyed by the thought that someone would actually dump this stuff for a stranger to clean up, I grabbed the bags and started my long journey to the garbage cans. It was one of those situations where if these bags had weighed just one more pound each, I would not have been able to lift them. This was definitely the extreme upper limits of what I was capable of carrying. When I arrived at the garbage cans, I was very relieved to put them down to shake out my hands and give my arms a rest. Now, it was time to finish the show, time to plop these heavy sacks of crap into my own garbage can (because I'm nice like that and wouldn't want to fill up anyone else's can). I lifted the heavier of the two bags with both hands so I could get it up and over the garbage can opening. All of a sudden, I heard a loud "poof" and the bag became very light. I looked up to the sky and let out a long, frustrated sigh.
So there at and on my feet was a big white powdery mess. All because some idiot was too lazy to dispose of his own waste. Who would put this much material in these cheap, weak bags? Now, I had to clean up this big mess. Ironically, I had just spent several hours the day before cleaning up the same area, since it was full of debris and compost from years of neglect.
Lou Piniella retired from baseball today after managing for 28 years. Today officially marks the end of an era that I definitely won't forget. Despite the fact the Cubs have played terribly this year, I have fond memories of watching the Cubs games headed by Lou over the last four years, with family and friends, at home, in the car, at school, at work, and at the ballpark. Lou surely was a character. It's been fun.
Joe
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Sticks
Sticks and stones might break my bones.
Well, sticks, mainly...they are everywhere. Every day, there are new sticks on the ground like mean little deliveries. Some sticks are small. These ones are the worst, because they are the most numerous kind. Little twigs that, when left to collect on the ground, dirty up the sidewalk, embed in the grass, and clog up the gutters. Some sticks are big. These are easily spotted and also easier to clean up, but are a pain nonetheless. And, some sticks are huge. Big dead branches that fall during storms or sometimes for no apparent reason at all. No matter how big or small, sticks are a daily issue.
It is great to be living under and around large, mature trees. I think it's beautiful. The view from the front porch is spectacular. From the steps, I can look straight up into the crown of a very large, gangly deciduous tree (I'm not sure what species it is yet...gotta break out the ID guide sometime). And there is also a decent-size maple out front as well. Both of these trees add to the character of both the house and the neighborhood. But picking up the "castings" from these trees is a real chore. I could easily ignore the issue, but then the stuff accumulates and then it makes us look like slobs. Besides, I love being outdoors and don't mind the stick cleanup so much, but it does get a little old after awhile. Like, why can't they just stay on the trees where they belong?
Yeah, just wait until October...
Joe
Well, sticks, mainly...they are everywhere. Every day, there are new sticks on the ground like mean little deliveries. Some sticks are small. These ones are the worst, because they are the most numerous kind. Little twigs that, when left to collect on the ground, dirty up the sidewalk, embed in the grass, and clog up the gutters. Some sticks are big. These are easily spotted and also easier to clean up, but are a pain nonetheless. And, some sticks are huge. Big dead branches that fall during storms or sometimes for no apparent reason at all. No matter how big or small, sticks are a daily issue.
It is great to be living under and around large, mature trees. I think it's beautiful. The view from the front porch is spectacular. From the steps, I can look straight up into the crown of a very large, gangly deciduous tree (I'm not sure what species it is yet...gotta break out the ID guide sometime). And there is also a decent-size maple out front as well. Both of these trees add to the character of both the house and the neighborhood. But picking up the "castings" from these trees is a real chore. I could easily ignore the issue, but then the stuff accumulates and then it makes us look like slobs. Besides, I love being outdoors and don't mind the stick cleanup so much, but it does get a little old after awhile. Like, why can't they just stay on the trees where they belong?
Yeah, just wait until October...
Joe
Sunday, August 15, 2010
For those that know me, indeed I like the flow.
We knew what we had on our plate when we bought the house. The plate, however, turned out to be a deep dish.
The first major obstacle we had to overcome was the water situation. Prior to buying the house, the water had been shut off due to the winterization process. In fact, we never really got to test the water until after we had signed our lives away. It soon became evident that we had water backing up in every sink and bathtub. The toilets flushed OK, no problems there, but we were unable to wash our hands or in any way expect water to flow down the drain.
Another issue was the hookup for the washer and dryer. The previous owners placed the washer and dryer side by side, but a good distance from the utility sink. The waste water from the washer was channeled through a long length of cheap plastic pipe which was hidden behind the drywall. Nearing the sink, it appeared through the wall and then up and over the sink. The placement of the washer was not ideal, and it soon occurred to us that we'd have to either move the sink closer to the washer- or move the washer next to the sink.
The only appliance abandoned by the former tenants was an older dishwasher. Everything else- the refrigerator, the oven, washer, dryer- was gone. I found that a little suspicious, and confirming my belief that the dishwasher was non-functional was the fact that the wood floor surrounding the dishwasher was damp and warped. Somewhere there was a leak, and it was bad enough to where whoever moved out last wanted nothing to do with it. So, we bought a new one and had the old one removed. And then we tested it...before we realized just how much all the pipes in the wall were related to each other.
And then there was the dreaded leaky roof night. 1:45 in the AM and I am awaken by the sound of DRIP. DRIP. DRIP. DRIP. Over and over. It was more like someone tapping a pencil on the back of a pot. That couldn't be good. To make matters worse, I went to check the basement minutes later, and that trip down the stairs was the beginning of a long wet night.
SO- The clogged drains needed to be fixed, and fast. Mark was gracious enough (like always) to come over with his auger and try to remedy the problem. We spent hours trying to clear out the pipes, starting in the kitchen and then working our way through the bathrooms and then the utility sink in the basement. Each time we'd test out the water, there was no progress. It was like the stuff wasn't budging. As a last resort, Mark tried once more in the basement while I was there, and we had Aimee test the water in the sink upstairs. A lot of "No, it's still coming up!!" was heard. Then, when it seemed like all was impossible, we heard the sweet sound of water rushing and gushing through the pipes. It worked!! We ran upstairs and ran all the water in the house and it all went down flawlessly. Never was I so happy about water going down a drain. The likely culprits in this mess were the contractors hired by the bank to "flip" the house- who carelessly dumped grout and all kinds of crap down the drains.
For the washer, we decided that the most practical arrangement meant moving the washer next to the sink, which meant rerouting the piping behind the wall, and ultimately segregating the washer and dryer. Hours were spent removing yards of old copper piping, repiping, and then situating the valves adjacent to the washer's new location next to the sink. All said and done, it was totally worth the hard work, even if the washer and dryer aren't side by side. It was a necessary sacrifice.
When Abt came over to deliver and install our new appliances, the only problem encountered was during the installation of the dishwasher. It is important to remember that this was done before Mark cleared away the drains. We didn't expect the dishwasher to back up during its test run due to the pipe being clogged from the sinks. When the technician fired up the inaugural wash cycle, I noticed water spraying out from behind the dishwasher. Ahhh...crap. Not only was there water, but a burst gasket. It wasn't until Mark rodded out the pipes when we were able to use our new dishwasher.
The Great Overnight Storm of the Summer of '10 (I just made that name up in case you weren't sure) caused a lot of headache for a lot of people, including us, though from what I gather, it was a lot worse for some others. The dripping noise I was alluding to was water dripping from the roof, behind the wall in the bathroom, and onto the top of the ventilation duct, hence the heavy, metallic quality of tone. The water in the basement was merely minor seepage, nothing to cry about...until I decided to open one of the little windows at ground level. In doing so, I discovered that the water had been pouring down the side of the house (courtesy of congested gutters) and pooling at window level. When I shut the window, I totally lost the seal, and the water was coming in fast. All I could do was drive back to the apartment in some of the heaviest rain I've ever seen, pick up an old tube of clear aquarium silicone, come back, and gob the stuff all over the window seam to stop the water from coming in. And it worked, but it could not have been done without Aimee's involvement (standing in place and holding the window in so that it wouldn't pop back in). If I never had to open that window again, so be it, I just wanted a dry basement. I don't even care that it looked sloppy.
The very next day, I was up on my roof for three hours with two pails of black roof patch, in 100 degree weather and with absolute pain in my lower back. At the same time, my father and Mark were working on adding an additional downspout and clearing away dead leaves and debris in the gutters to allow for better water flow. Now, the gutters run fast and clear (for now) and don't leak water over the windows. Again, I cannot express just how thankful I am to have family that can not only help me with repairs, but also teach me so that I can do these things myself the next time they happen (God forbid).
There's more watery stories that I can tell, but it is late and I've got to get to sleep now.
Joe
The first major obstacle we had to overcome was the water situation. Prior to buying the house, the water had been shut off due to the winterization process. In fact, we never really got to test the water until after we had signed our lives away. It soon became evident that we had water backing up in every sink and bathtub. The toilets flushed OK, no problems there, but we were unable to wash our hands or in any way expect water to flow down the drain.
Another issue was the hookup for the washer and dryer. The previous owners placed the washer and dryer side by side, but a good distance from the utility sink. The waste water from the washer was channeled through a long length of cheap plastic pipe which was hidden behind the drywall. Nearing the sink, it appeared through the wall and then up and over the sink. The placement of the washer was not ideal, and it soon occurred to us that we'd have to either move the sink closer to the washer- or move the washer next to the sink.
The only appliance abandoned by the former tenants was an older dishwasher. Everything else- the refrigerator, the oven, washer, dryer- was gone. I found that a little suspicious, and confirming my belief that the dishwasher was non-functional was the fact that the wood floor surrounding the dishwasher was damp and warped. Somewhere there was a leak, and it was bad enough to where whoever moved out last wanted nothing to do with it. So, we bought a new one and had the old one removed. And then we tested it...before we realized just how much all the pipes in the wall were related to each other.
And then there was the dreaded leaky roof night. 1:45 in the AM and I am awaken by the sound of DRIP. DRIP. DRIP. DRIP. Over and over. It was more like someone tapping a pencil on the back of a pot. That couldn't be good. To make matters worse, I went to check the basement minutes later, and that trip down the stairs was the beginning of a long wet night.
SO- The clogged drains needed to be fixed, and fast. Mark was gracious enough (like always) to come over with his auger and try to remedy the problem. We spent hours trying to clear out the pipes, starting in the kitchen and then working our way through the bathrooms and then the utility sink in the basement. Each time we'd test out the water, there was no progress. It was like the stuff wasn't budging. As a last resort, Mark tried once more in the basement while I was there, and we had Aimee test the water in the sink upstairs. A lot of "No, it's still coming up!!" was heard. Then, when it seemed like all was impossible, we heard the sweet sound of water rushing and gushing through the pipes. It worked!! We ran upstairs and ran all the water in the house and it all went down flawlessly. Never was I so happy about water going down a drain. The likely culprits in this mess were the contractors hired by the bank to "flip" the house- who carelessly dumped grout and all kinds of crap down the drains.
For the washer, we decided that the most practical arrangement meant moving the washer next to the sink, which meant rerouting the piping behind the wall, and ultimately segregating the washer and dryer. Hours were spent removing yards of old copper piping, repiping, and then situating the valves adjacent to the washer's new location next to the sink. All said and done, it was totally worth the hard work, even if the washer and dryer aren't side by side. It was a necessary sacrifice.
When Abt came over to deliver and install our new appliances, the only problem encountered was during the installation of the dishwasher. It is important to remember that this was done before Mark cleared away the drains. We didn't expect the dishwasher to back up during its test run due to the pipe being clogged from the sinks. When the technician fired up the inaugural wash cycle, I noticed water spraying out from behind the dishwasher. Ahhh...crap. Not only was there water, but a burst gasket. It wasn't until Mark rodded out the pipes when we were able to use our new dishwasher.
The Great Overnight Storm of the Summer of '10 (I just made that name up in case you weren't sure) caused a lot of headache for a lot of people, including us, though from what I gather, it was a lot worse for some others. The dripping noise I was alluding to was water dripping from the roof, behind the wall in the bathroom, and onto the top of the ventilation duct, hence the heavy, metallic quality of tone. The water in the basement was merely minor seepage, nothing to cry about...until I decided to open one of the little windows at ground level. In doing so, I discovered that the water had been pouring down the side of the house (courtesy of congested gutters) and pooling at window level. When I shut the window, I totally lost the seal, and the water was coming in fast. All I could do was drive back to the apartment in some of the heaviest rain I've ever seen, pick up an old tube of clear aquarium silicone, come back, and gob the stuff all over the window seam to stop the water from coming in. And it worked, but it could not have been done without Aimee's involvement (standing in place and holding the window in so that it wouldn't pop back in). If I never had to open that window again, so be it, I just wanted a dry basement. I don't even care that it looked sloppy.
The very next day, I was up on my roof for three hours with two pails of black roof patch, in 100 degree weather and with absolute pain in my lower back. At the same time, my father and Mark were working on adding an additional downspout and clearing away dead leaves and debris in the gutters to allow for better water flow. Now, the gutters run fast and clear (for now) and don't leak water over the windows. Again, I cannot express just how thankful I am to have family that can not only help me with repairs, but also teach me so that I can do these things myself the next time they happen (God forbid).
There's more watery stories that I can tell, but it is late and I've got to get to sleep now.
Joe
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Y'all tucked in? Here we go.
So I'm at this point in my life where I feel like I've got to document much of what takes place on a regular basis, if not for others, then at least for myself. Two years ago, I created a blog in which I assumed the identity of a critic of society for fun. Though I have been known to exhibit sarcastic wit from time to time, I felt like the whole scene had been said and done and that nothing I was saying hadn't been seen or heard before. I myself became tired of ranting on solely about stupid commercials or useless garden tools, and eventually discontinued contributing to the blog.
A lot has changed over the last couple years, mainly, my proposal to my girlfriend of nearly eight years last October, and the subsequent purchase of our first home together. Our experiences with our new home has become the catalyst for the resurrection of this blog. The way I see it, is that buying your first home only happens once, so the experiences following the purchase are like life lessons. As I typed that last line, it occured to me just how old I sound, but I assure all you out there who haven't yet owned a home, the experience does put things into perspective. No longer can you simply depend on your parents to repair damaged gutters or to replace faulty dishwashers or even landscape a front yard. When you are awakened at 1:45 in the morning during a downpour because you hear a steady leak in the ceiling behind a wall, there is no one but you to save the day. When you discover that your neighbor allows his dog to defecate all over the shared grass parkway-and lets it simmer-it's up to you to put up, or...
The one issue I would have never even fathomed being an issue is squirrels. What I once thought of as small, harmless rodents with low-key existences are now the targets of a kind of inner rage I never thought I had in me. I shame myself for thinking about various ways of "displacing" these little beasts. My feelings of squirrels have changed drastically over the last few months, really, only since we've moved. It's just a minuscule example of how things once thought of as irrelevant now are, well, not.
All dark clouds aside, the experince has been one that I would never take back. The last few months have been the most exciting and challenging of my life. I understood that I'd have my plate full going into this ruckus and expected the worst (but, as Aimee says, hoped for the best). And as always, I have no regrets at all. As I look forward to the coming years in this new home, I plan tentatively and embrace each day here. In many ways, I feel fortunate to be partaking in what many would consider being part of the "American Dream" at a young age. The sooner we learn the skills necessary to maintain a comfortable home, the better. Of course, a huge thank you to my family and friends for lending us a hand when it came to jobs I was inexperienced in. They, along with lucky personal experience, are the foundation of this endeavor.
As I continue updating this blog, I will try to add some photos of the home and of the surroundings. I am a very inclined to being outdoors-especially during pleasant weather-and, combining that trait with my love for neighborhood structure, local history, and culture, will try to kind of paint a picture of the overall atmosphere that we are now part of.
Joe
A lot has changed over the last couple years, mainly, my proposal to my girlfriend of nearly eight years last October, and the subsequent purchase of our first home together. Our experiences with our new home has become the catalyst for the resurrection of this blog. The way I see it, is that buying your first home only happens once, so the experiences following the purchase are like life lessons. As I typed that last line, it occured to me just how old I sound, but I assure all you out there who haven't yet owned a home, the experience does put things into perspective. No longer can you simply depend on your parents to repair damaged gutters or to replace faulty dishwashers or even landscape a front yard. When you are awakened at 1:45 in the morning during a downpour because you hear a steady leak in the ceiling behind a wall, there is no one but you to save the day. When you discover that your neighbor allows his dog to defecate all over the shared grass parkway-and lets it simmer-it's up to you to put up, or...
The one issue I would have never even fathomed being an issue is squirrels. What I once thought of as small, harmless rodents with low-key existences are now the targets of a kind of inner rage I never thought I had in me. I shame myself for thinking about various ways of "displacing" these little beasts. My feelings of squirrels have changed drastically over the last few months, really, only since we've moved. It's just a minuscule example of how things once thought of as irrelevant now are, well, not.
All dark clouds aside, the experince has been one that I would never take back. The last few months have been the most exciting and challenging of my life. I understood that I'd have my plate full going into this ruckus and expected the worst (but, as Aimee says, hoped for the best). And as always, I have no regrets at all. As I look forward to the coming years in this new home, I plan tentatively and embrace each day here. In many ways, I feel fortunate to be partaking in what many would consider being part of the "American Dream" at a young age. The sooner we learn the skills necessary to maintain a comfortable home, the better. Of course, a huge thank you to my family and friends for lending us a hand when it came to jobs I was inexperienced in. They, along with lucky personal experience, are the foundation of this endeavor.
As I continue updating this blog, I will try to add some photos of the home and of the surroundings. I am a very inclined to being outdoors-especially during pleasant weather-and, combining that trait with my love for neighborhood structure, local history, and culture, will try to kind of paint a picture of the overall atmosphere that we are now part of.
Joe
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