9/25/10

Woke up this morning with a sore throat and stuffy nose, not good. The pups let me sleep in until 6:30am today! Got up, made some coffee and took the dogs out for our walk. Sad day, usually every saturday we walk to the Farmer's market. Cheryl goes in and I take the dogs across the pond and sit in the park. Then Cheryl comes over with some Applecrest donuts and we relax... well not today. Today we went to Market Square and did a long loop instead. The dogs continue to improve their vacuum skills, especially outside Joe's pizza.

When we got home, I had a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast, then started digging for the foundation for the staircase out the west side door if the house. Currently the door is taped off so no one can make the mishap of taking a long first step. After two hours of excavating to the proper depth I was ready. I had to over excavate because of the quantity of rocks the sitework guy put right up against the foundation, arghhh. At this time I stopped in to talk to Paul and Kristin next door, we talked a bit about the re-assessing that our neighborhood is hit with. Appareantly our neighborhood was incorrectly assessed in 2006 (at the height of the real estate costs), we were assessed lower. So here in 2010, with real estate at a low, our neighborhood assessments increased on average around 18%!

So at 12:30pm, I went down to the library to discuss with the assessor. I made my case simple, I asked him to produce comparable properties that have sold in the area with one bedroom and 1500 sq.ft. The only thing he can compare to are condos or townhouses (usually with at least 2 bedrooms). Long story short, not much was resolved on the spot, I made an appointment for him to see the house (he doesn't believe me that it is a one bedroom), and I should hear back in 2 or 3 weeks as to any adjustment.

After that meeting, I went over to Lowes to get concrete for the stair foundation. I found the steel brackets that anchor into the concrete that 4x4 posts sit on... $11 ea!, I need 4... what a rip-off. So instead, I changed the whole design. I purchase the precast concrete piers ($5ea.) and plastic pieces that sit between the concrete and the wood post. Off I went. I got home and installed them in about 30 minutes. Decided to head back to Lowes to get lumber since I was ready. Next came finding Trex. Lowes only carries redwood color ($26 for 12'), they will order the grey color at $42 for a 12' and will take 17 days. I don't know how they justify this. Anyway, bought the correct deck material in grey they had in stock ($21 for 12') and went on my way. I got the four posts up and the perimeter beams for the landing constructed before all energy left me.

I went inside to relax and watch the Red Sox game. Heard a knock on the door, it was Dexter asking for some help. A young man (18 or 19?) had his car break down at the corner 3 or 4 days ago and it had been racking up parking tickets. The guy was trying to push the car across Middle St. from Lawrence to Mendum... up hill by himself. We got me Dexter, Pat and Pat's brother to help push. Just as we were crossing Middle St., a cop came by. Very nice guy, he turned on his blue's and let us cross. Very exciting action in the neighborhood. I took this as an opportunity to talk to Pat, Meg, Dexter, and Ellen for a few minutes.

Afterwords, came back in the house and relaxed a bit more until the end of the Red Sox game, then it was time for the dog walk. I cut the walk short because the dogs were out all day and I didn't have the energy, only a 1 mile loop. Got home, had a yogurt and a chicken patty for dinner. If you were wondering what I had for lunch... I grazed on sunflower seeds all day and forgot to eat lunch. Watched a little tv and went to bed.