The Illusionist

Gone for a little over a week and the world falls apart.

I spent the morning updating details of everything from a swath of e-mails that I received while I was gone. Everything from vacation times to report verification to design meetings. Bleah.

I suppose it's good warmup though. My brain really isn't here yet-- it's still up in Minneapolis, at home.

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On another note, it seems that the company management last week decided to put a two week limit on "vacation" time for contract employees, and is being a PITA about the time that I have scheduled for Omegacon and my niece's wedding.

Um, hello... I've had that time scheduled for a couple of months now. And really, since I am a contractor and not an employee, you don't get to schedule my time off. I do.

The management really doesn't seem to realize the troubles they can get into by doing some of this stuff. They very nearly tried to withhold Rakesh's pay and hold him hostage until he finished a task, until someone reminded them that the lawsuit would be expensive.

Dur.

I have to throw out many many thanks to the folks that helped with my excruciating work-on-the-house week, particularly saveau who did a bunch of digging, hauling, crawling, and physical labor as well as keeping me in roast beef; Bryan who is a master of destruction; the lovely Jessica who made my bedroom a thing of beauty in more ways than one; Monte for beating the crap out of the crappy footings and good company; and the others who helped me keep my sanity (or what was left of it) during a particularly stressful time.

I didn't get accomplished nearly what I had planned to. What did get accomplished is still an amazing amount. I am beat to a pulp, and there will be more beating as I go, but it's a definite course.

The boiler is installed and operational. Aside from minor adjustments, that task is complete. It works, and it works well.

The back porch/deck is at least not leaking. There is still work to do, but it was intended to be finished in the spring/summer.

The shed needs siding, the back doors cut and taped from the housewrap, and access doors for the attic space. Again, next year.

The front porch needs the remaining foundation work done, a foundation poured, framing, siding, windows... a buttload of work remains. Must wait until spring.

The kitchen needs to have the inside back wall repaired. Sheetrock, probably this winter.

The dining room ceiling needs to be repaired. Again sheetrock, but I'd like to do some electrical/lighting work to make it more appealing.

General cleaning... oy, there is still a whopping amount to do. There are several rooms that have yet to be even touched, including the now-famous Room Where No One Walks (pictures yet to come).

And there is more to do in the home-improvement vein. I should make a list of all the tasks planned.

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