Another update.

First the hand. I guess it's healed about as much as it's going to. It's lost a fair amount of strength but is still useable. The thumb joint hurts a bit when the weather changes (good old arthritis) but the wrist doesn't bother me now so I'm still calling it a win.

And then there's the new house......it has been a looooong time since I've had such an aggravating experience. To make a long story short my property is in the county but surrounded on 3 sides by the small local town. Dealing with the county for permits and inspections wasn't too bad.

Dealing with the city was an entirely different story. After I bought the place I put it on city utilities (about 20 years ago) and I figured to do the same thing with the new house. After about the third round of going thru the city to try to get the new house hooked up to their utilities I'd had it with them and ended up putting my Well back in service and installing a big enough septic tank and leach field to handle both houses. It was a big expense I hadn't planned for but with the constant price increases the city has scheduled I figure money wise I'll hit the break-even point in about 7 years with what I'll save on the utility bill.

Anyway as of this morning after 4 months the new house is finally green tagged. The last 2 things are getting the power company out to install the meter and a final walk thru.


House GT by M Patterson, on Flickr


There is still a bunch to do. I'm waiting on the engineer plans for the carport that will go the edge of the concrete on the right side of the house. Once the county approves them I'll get the permit and get that put up then I can have gutters put up (they will drain onto the carport roof). Hopefully I'll have that done by Christmas. Early next year I'll also be putting a deck on the front of the house.

The thing that makes it worth going thru this to me is the view from my living room/front porch.

House FY by M Patterson, on Flickr


The front yard is pretty bare right now because of all work putting in the leach field but that should all turn green again next spring. The hill in the back ground has jack rabbits, deer, and even the occasional coyote passing thru.

In the meantime over the last couple of months Cade and I have installed about 1200' of Cat6 cable for internet service and the new security camera system (we have about 800' more to go). I also built some things for the new place and I'll post some pictures when I finally get then in the house and assembled.


.