Lawn: mowed.

Edging: started.

Contractor: engaged.

The contractor made great progress today, nearly completing the removal of the paneling. Viv worked on cleaning the shelves we puled from closets and cabinets throughout the house.

The washer and dryer were delivered but we hit a snag when the leads to the hoses each leaked, in the valve. We had to figure out how to turn the water to the house off (as the gate valves leading to the leads also leaked when engaged), and ended turning it off at the street, since predictably enough the in-house master valve was not only broken-handled but flat-out broken.

I also confirmed that dial-tone is in the good phone jacks, and the DSL router confirms a good circuit, so I’m just waiting on my ISP to execute the move order.

An odd issue cropped up when I noticed survey marks labeled ‘TV’ running through my yard to the house in the rear, which which we share a driveway. The survey line runs down the interior edge of my side lawn and across a set of concrete stairs which would presumably need to be jackhammered to lay the conduit. I have heard, I think, that Seattle has an ordinance against new above-ground line services, and so this must be from my neighbor (who also just bought their house) calling for cable. Of course, I haven’t heard anyone asking for permission to dig up my yard. My inclination is that the line must be laid under the driveway, and not at my expense. The driveway is an exisisting easement, and probably will be more expensive to dig and repave. The main reason I want the cable run in the driveway is to enforce the easement, I think. I really don’t want neighbors or cable goons digging up my yard whenever, and if the service is restricted to the easement, we have existing legal documents covering access.

I also don’t really want to get off on the wrong foot with my new neighbor. So. It’s a bit of a delicate situation. Viv already pointed out to me that I come off as angry and defensive when discussing this, so I will need some practice or something. At the very least I need to determine if it is in fact a city thing that new cable runs must be underground. Because I would not care at all if they strung the cable from the existing service pole in the yard.

You know, it’s really frustrating when you take the doors of your refrigerator off in order to change the way the door opens from left-to-right to right-to-left and discover that the last part exposed, the base mounting pin, is riveted in place on the carrying plate rather than removable and reconfigurable, like everything else. Which you had just removed, and now must put right back in place.

Also, someone somewhere must have explored the mystic rules or lack thereof which govern or torment the placement of light switches.

In attempting to fathom the plan, or lack thereof, behind the electrical ‘system’ installed in the new place, I begin to glimpse what I think must be the handiwork of the Old Ones.

Qwest informs me that they will be transferring phone and DSL to the new location on October 27. I forecast some dark fiber in my linkfarms. Please bear with us as we navigate the outer reaches of telco provisioning.

Today, I put my newfound knowledge to use in the service of self-pauperization, and now own one each of the appliances featured in the previous blog entry.

Also today, I found a child’s folding lace fan and the jawbone of a dog (?) in the yard. Pics to come, but I post via bluetooth from the porch. Which reminds me, Viv’s hard at work sterilizing the massive mold zone of one of the two inherited refrigerators – I should get to work!