We concluded Week Thirty Two with a photo of the moving van, and the statement that "sadly, there are no more pictures." After I took that picture, I turned the Kodak DX 3500 digital camera off. A few minutes later, I tried to take more pictures. Unfortunately, the on/off switch on the camera failed to function. It just slid back and forth, no longer opening the shutter or turning the camera on or off. Jim Croce once said "a picture paints a thousand words." Accordingly, since I no longer have a camera, this site is going to be extremely text-driven.

We picked up the van about nine thirty on Sunday morning, then came back to Leisa's house and started loading it at about ten. We carried all of the boxes and stuff out of the house, then started on the garage, which you've seen elsewhere. We finished loading the van around two or two thirty, then drove the van over to the new place. We left it there and went over to Del Taco to grab a bite. Finally, we could put it off no longer and we headed back to the new place and began unloading the van. By about seven that evening we had it unloaded and all of our stuff stashed in Brittany's room and the office. We headed back to L's house.

Once we got to Leisa's house, we began loading Justin's stuff, as well as the stuff we were giving to Brandon and Jennifer. As previously mentioned, Justin has opted to move in with Brandon. We loaded, then unloaded, then came back here and collapsed. I was so sore that I didn't make it to work the next day. Everything hurt. And to make matters worse, I had to get up early in the morning and hoist my corpulence into the van and drive it back to Budget. I came home and relaxed for a long time, then went to Moon Valley Nursery and put money down on landscaping.

Mark is working hard to get the place ready for occupancy by the time we're forced out of Leisa's house. I was reviewing our contract earlier this evening, and noted with interest the clause that says we get to move in with Mark--at his house--until our house is habitable if it's not done by the date we close escrow on Leisa's place. Just kidding! The contract actually states that any expenses we occur at the Arizona Biltmore are a charge-back to the contractor. I think I'd look really good in the Governor's Suite at the Biltmore. And the contract is kind of fuzzy about temporary lodging expenses. I think I can sneak a round or three of golf in there, too!

Leisa and I stopped by the house on Monday evening. The block guys had been there and had dug and poured the footers for the block fence. Unfortunately, they'd done it wrong. The fence was off by one foot on both the east and west sides. When the surveyor came out, he marked the corners of the lot with pins. Unfortunately, he couldn't put the pins on the exact southeast and southwest corners of the lot, as there were already fenceposts located there. He pulled them into my property by one foot on each side. He clearly explained this to me, and I've explained it to everyone since that time.

While they were tearing down the shed last week, a guy in a hat with a clipboard wandered onto the site. I was worried that he was from the City, asking questions about the demolition of the shed.

He wasn't. He was the owner of the fence company, come to measure the lot so he could give Mark a cost for the block wall. As the property owner, I showed him where the fence was going to run. I took him to the corners of the property and showed him the survey pins and told him they were one foot in towards my property. He made a note of it. I have Jim as my witness. When I got to the house Monday evening, I was dismayed to note that they had dug and poured the footers exactly to the pins. I was losing a foot on both sides of the property. Fortunately, I had Mark's phone number programmed into my phone, and I was immediately on the blower to him. Apparently, fence company owner didn't communicate the pin location to non-english-speaking crew, who built exactly to the pins. Mark said he'd take care of it.

Here's the pin on Roberta's side (it's the thing with the little fluorescent flag on top of it). The actual location of the pin should be one foot to the right, where her fence ends.

The rebar is in all around the footing. It's going to be about 115 degrees later in the week. I'd sure hate to be pouring new footers, but even more, I'd hate to be busting the old ones out, pulling that rebar out with them.

Here's the pin on Georgia's side. The actual location of both the fence and the pin should be one foot to the left, where her fence is.

What is really upsetting, though, is the planter area, just to the east of the cute, little brick patio where the patio set is going to be placed. The fence guys assumed that the fence was to go on the inside of the planter area on the dining patio, and invaded it with a vengeance. With the fence in this location, it only leaves a few inches to plant anything. By the next morning--following my Monday evening call to Mark--this was all busted out of here. Unfortunately, they dumped the big chunks of concrete directly on the exposed aggregate patio, for which we paid handsomely. I hope the fence company guys didn't mess up the concrete on the patio when they busted out the footings and dumped them on the patio. That'll be a charge-back.

On a better note, the electricians were out and started the finish electric. Here's the fan in the office. The boxes to the left are the patio set we bought at Target about a month ago. They were running a 15% off sale and we picked up this nice set. Much to our dismay, they ran another sale a few weeks later for 30% off. Leisa marched back to Target with her receipt, only to be told that they only price-matched themselves for fourteen days, and we bought the set sixteen days ago. Leisa left the "customer service" counter fuming, and called me. I told her to get the manager. She has a Target Visa card, and told me she would cut it up in front of the manager if he didn't give her another 15% off. He did. Grudgingly. The furniture is now sitting in the office (formerly Justin's room) awaiting deployment. The black duffle bag contains camping equipment, such as tents and sleeping bags.

Downstairs, the master bath is taking shape. The floor tile is in, as is the glass block shower wall. We're still waiting for our toilet, shower head, handle, and sink faucet.

The cabinet is also in place. Mark and Chris set the tile for the countertop and installed the sink. The mirror is in, as is the lightbar above it. As you can see, we still don't have carpet in the bedroom. That'll be installed after the plumber finishes in the bathroom. We don't want him wandering over the carpet.

The appliances--stove and dishwasher--were delivered at the beginning of the week. The stove is almost positioned in the opening, but it won't be installed until the countertops are in. I can't wait to get back to cooking on a gas stove. We got the microwave free as part of a cabinet installation promotion through Home Depot.

Wednesday saw the delivery of the concrete block for the fence. The fence guys are going to be cursing the Home Depot delivery driver for dropping the block in the front yard. They'll have to hump this stuff to the back of the yard. Notice that the fence is down on the west side of the house, and the mound of dirt remaining. The demo guy hasn't been back to clean this stuff up. On the positive side, though, the ugly tree that used to be there is gone!

Much to our dismay on Wednesday, though, is that it appears that nothing else was done. No one was on site when I was there around one. We're moving in on Saturday, but we still don't have electricity or plumbing.

And since no week is complete without Leisa scowling at something, here she is looking at the footings for the block fence.

When she scowls like that, her brow wrinkles up like a cute, little, shar pei puppy.

I bought a camera on eBay for Brittany. It's a Minolta Maxxum, and she's been learning how to use it. She took a picture of her mom, but unfortunately, the film hasn't yet been developed. Here's the image she thinks she captured.

Leisa's hair is doing "that separatey thing." And does this pantsuit make me look fat?

We still have Thursday and Friday before we move in on Saturday. Check back soon.

And reach under the furniture cushions and donate to the camera repair fund.

Camera repair fund!