Cosmetic Surgery

After looking at the newly poured edge we realize it isn't exactly what we want.  We paid a lot of extra money for this look.  We will have to have some cosmetic surgery done on it to get it to our standards.  The concrete guy is coming tomorrow to look at what is done and plan the changes.

The pool now has about 4 inches of water in the shallow end.  We have turned off the water and now the pool guy will return to make sure the liner has no wrinkles and is lined up correctly.

Tide Gal

H two O

Well, the coping concrete got poured.  Then the forms were removed.  After some issues with the bands used for the forms, the pool-crete was put on the bottom.  The concrete guys returned Saturday morning to remove the bands.  The pool guy now has the liner in and water is going in!!  Sounds good, right?  Except when the bands were removed, the underneath of the edge of the concrete coping which overhangs the pool are now very pitty, uneven, crumbling, and has big holes in it.  The concrete guys says he can repair it by filling it.  Of course, the fill won't be exactly the same color.  So, I am not sure how that is going to look. 

So, yes.  We now have water.  The pool guys told us we have low water pressure.  The water has been running just over 12 hours and the hole isn't even half full.  Tide Guy just put a second hose in the pool to see if that would help. 

Yesterday, I went to a funeral of our tailgate friend, Terry.  He was 87 and the first one of our group I meet.  What a great man.  He was a high school football coach and some members of his teams were there.  They loved him so. 

Tide Gal

Straightened Out

The pool guy came yesterday afternoon and dug down into several spots in the gravel.  He turned some things which straightened the walls.  The gravel was pushed back into place.  Now, the coping forms can be placed on the walls and they will be straight when the concrete is poured into them.  The guys are coming to install the forms this morning and should pour the concrete tomorrow.

Freak out over.

Tide Gal

Uh Oh!!

So, the concrete guys show to install the coping of the pool.  Turns out the edge of the pools shifted with the installation of the gravel.  After a fairly major freak out, they left and now I am waiting on the pool guy to show.  He can do some adjustments to straighten the walls and we will be ready for the concrete guys again.

Agh!!
Tide Gal

I-600 Paperwork Mailed for the Last Time

Well, I mailed our China adoption paperwork for our last renewal.  Well, the I-600 renewal.  Once approved, it will be valid for 18 months and we will get an appointment for fingerprinting.  After the 18 months, if we are not matched things will change.  At the current rate of approvals, 18 months will be a few years short!!  So, we will then have to begin approvals in a different way called the I-800.  This process is much more invasive.  We will have to provide more referrals and information on every single place we have lived since birth.  Tide Guy was in the military for 20 years and I was a military spouse for 10 years.  We have no idea how difficult it will be to complete the paperwork with all the moves.  We will have to have contacts for all these places.  Really?  Come on.  In many cases, any contacts have moved on long ago.  I think we also have to confirm through the local sheriff's office that we do not have a criminal record there.  So, I don't know how that will work out.  Luckily, once the 18 months are over, we do not have to renew our paperwork immediately.  This new process only has to be completed just before our referral.  We also will not have to renew fingerprints until that time, too.

So, there we are.

More Things Done....

The gravel was delivered yesterday. The truck's back wheels kept spinning in the mud trying to get out of the lot. Ugh. There are mud tire tracks all the way to the end of our road. I know the neighbors love driving through our red mud tracks. Today the pool guy is coming with his bobcat to spread this last load of gravel. He will prepare part of the surface for the concrete. I think the concrete will be here on Monday. We are supposed to get a lot of rain tomorrow and Saturday, so we'll see how that turns out.

Well, I have to go buy some hay to put on the tracks in the lot and temporary drive which now is muddy.

Tide Gal

Rain

Well, the gravel was never delivered on Monday....or Tuesday. It is supposed to be delivered today before noon. Okay....we'll see. Oh, and we have had rain for two days. The delivery truck should really tear up our lot. Lovely. The electrician did come on Monday and ground the pool. The bobcat is supposed to be here tomorrow to spread the last load of gravel. Due to the gravel disaster we had to put off the concrete guy a few days. Hopefully he can come and get that done before the rain returns on Friday.

I have all the paperwork complete for our extension for the China adoption. I just need to get Tide Guy to sign the papers and mail them. This will be the first time we got them in the mail without having to do some kind of express mailing due to waiting until the last minute.

Tide Gal

5-6-7

Well, the backhoe guy came Saturday. Tide Guy estimated we needed 5 loads of gravel for back fill, so we ordered 6. Turns out we needed 7!! Ugh. Waiting today for another load. However, just before finishing on Saturday one of the bobcat's hoses broke. Now, we have to wait on spreading the gravel until that is repaired. Of course, it is now pouring rain and should rain into tomorrow. Our temporary drive and lot will be muddy and torn to pieces with the gravel delivery and heavy trucks entering.

The concrete guy is planning to come Wednesday and begin the concrete around the pool. We are still planning the layout and we are hoping the concrete guy can provide some help with ideas.

The retaining wall is done and so is the planter. The pipes are run for the pump and the electrician is supposed to come today to ground the wiring. Not sure how that will work with the rain.

Oh, and we will not be getting water in the pool tomorrow. I don't know where I got that, but we might get water next week. Maybe.

Tide Gal

Pool Update

Well, the retaining wall and new (huge) planter would be done if the bobcat didn't have a flat tire. TWICE! Yep. Had one early in the day. Got replaced. Then another goes down a few hours later. They tried to fill with air, but it didn't work. They should complete their job today and be gone. All the walls look good, but I'll be glad when I don't have to think about the huge retaining wall that costs an arm and a leg.

The plumbing has been installed on the pool and the lights were put in yesterday. The backhoe guy is coming Saturday to do some back fill and we may have water in 5 days.

Tide Gal

Egg Hunting Party

The pool guys showed up late Easter Sunday morning and put in the plumbing for the pool. I didn't know they were coming, but they came while we were gone to church and lunch at Mom's. They will be back today to do more work.

The hardscape guy is here today to begin the retaining wall and the planter/seating wall around the hot tub deck.

Yesterday after church, we had lunch and then colored eggs. What fun The Niece had. She colored the eggs her own chicken and guinea laid. After evening services, we had an egg hunt at her house. I think there were well over 25 kids and about 20 adults. After the hunt we had burgers and hotdogs. It was a lot of fun, but The Niece had had a long day and was just worn out. In fact, she was just too tired to go to bed after I dried her hair so I scooped her up and put her in bed.

On with Spring!!

Tide Gal

Frame In.......

We didn't get any rain so the pool guy delivered the pool kit on Friday morning. They got the frame up and leveled. The leveling process took a very long time. When it was finally done, they stabilized the frame with huge, black plastic pins, re bar, block and some brick from the house. Saturday morning the concrete truck arrived and poured the footing. The pool guy will be back Monday to do more work.

Also on Friday, the electrician came and got a lot of wiring run for lights and fans under the deck. We went to Lowe's yesterday to buy materials for him to finish on Tuesday. We also looked at some vinyl for the under decking. We found some with small holes in it for ventilation. We talked with a Lowe's employee and I think we may go that route rather than the lattice look. We will make the decision soon. Should we do the vinyl we are planning to let the vinyl guy install it. Holding up a huge sheet of flimsy vinyl over our heads while trying to nail it straight may be too hard for us.

Today is Easter, so I have to get hopping!!

Happy Spring.
Tide Gal

Dig....Dug

The pool guy called Tide Guy Monday evening and said the backhoe guy would not be able to bring the backhoe until Tuesday morning. He did show up Tuesday around 10 am and worked until 6 pm. He almost finished. He came back this morning and was able to finish digging. The pool guy said he would be back on Friday to bring the pool kit. Now we are supposed to have rain the next two days so I don't know if he will be able to work on Friday.


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Gas prices at the local Race Trac is $3.79 a gallon. Yukko!!

Here We Go!!

Well, the pool guy is coming this afternoon with the backhoe guy to bring the backhoe. Digging is to begin tomorrow!! Oh....and it is supposed to rain the following three days. Yuk.

The vinyl guy came Saturday and put up the gutters. This makes that area look so much more finished. It is just the beginning.

We got everything cleared out under the deck. Now we are ready for the electrician, concrete guy, and vinyl guy (he has to wrap some areas). Unfortunately we have discovered a small problem that changes something. Saturday we were outside under the deck working in the rain and I fixed us a sandwich. As we sat under deck eating and we noticed water dripping. Tide Guy almost flipped out. It was only a few places, but we paid A LOT!!! of money to dry that in. It made me sick!! We should have done an nterlocking decking material instead. Anyway, even though it is only a few places we are worried about putting vinyl as the ceiling. It would look like the ceiling of a porch. Once it goes up water can collect there causing problems with the electrical and possibly fall in from the weight of the water. Plus mold and mildew. Even the vinyl guy advised us not to do it. Now we are going to put up white vinyl lattice. I hate lattice, but we can't do anything solid. But it will allow any water to come through.

Lots to do today!

Tide Gal

Rain!

Of course it is time to begin digging for the pool and we get rain. Not just rain, but rain from severe thunderstorm warnings rain. Maybe it will dry up a bit so the backhoe guy can continue to work.

We noticed some wetness and drips underneath the deck. Unfortunately we spent a lot of money and a lot of time drying-in the space under the deck. There are only a few places dripping, but that should not be happening. So, we have had to change our plan for vinyl as the ceiling in case water collects there and collapses. Now we are going to do vinyl lattice.

The electrician will run wiring for lighting and outlets this week. Afterwards we can put up the lattice and the vinyl guy can wrap some areas.

Tide Guy hauled off a truckload of boards and other burnables. Now it is easier to work underneath the deck. We have a much smaller task of moving things for the electrician, vinyl guys, and concrete guys.

So, things are moving and somethings are moving fast.

In gas price news, we are VERY close to $4.00/gallon. It's a good thing we are getting a pool because soon we won't be able to afford to drive anywhere.

Tide Gal