Relief

After four long years, it finally happened.

The inspectors arrived at the house, walked down into the basement, wandered around to view the carnage, and nodded their approval. Forms were signed, stickers were affixed, and it was all over.

Paperwork-wise, anyway.

So it's official. The basement is "done".

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It's been a mad scramble around here ever since we returned from Texas, trying to get everything into some semblance of order so that the Final Inspections could occur. {Here the word order conveys the idea that all the clutter and daily-living detritus is temporarily removed to the garage so that it magically appears as though no one has actually been living down in the basement over the past couple of years, because technically it has not been approved for such things.} There were still nagging little items which needed to be completed, like the lights and ceiling panels in the closets, and the covers over the electrical junction boxes, and the door which had to be created to provide access to the furnace from the little hallway, and a smoke detector which wasn't working.

Those things were finally completed by July 31st, so that's the day I made the call to the City to have the inspections scheduled. Naturally, all I got was voice mail, so I had til the next day (August 1st) to get a response back. But it was surprisingly easy to get them scheduled for the following week. Tuesday.

Meanwhile, being in the mood to get things done, I called up the tree service people about removing some extraneous vegetation (trees) in our yard, and successfully scheduled them as well, for the following Friday.

So on Tuesday, the inspectors came and, as previously mentioned, approved the basement work; and on Friday, the tree folks came by and chopped down four of our huge trees which were far too close to the house for my comfort level.

Major things have been accomplished.

And there remain so many major things to be done.

Like the front porch, still denuded of planking, skeletal 2x4s open to the weather, now even more so since the trees which formerly protected it from wind and rain and snow have been removed or trimmed back.

And the back deck, which still rots quietly in the sun, waiting to have all its planking replaced.

And the garage, stuffed to the gills with an overflow of possessions which need to be culled.

And the basement, in need of final trim.

And now the school year is upon us as well. Cheryl starts work this week, the prep work for the beginning of term. Classes begin next week. Can it be time for school already? The summer is not yet over!!

Or is it?