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Over my head in Sauerkraut Bend.

133,699 Views | 685 Replies | Last: 21 days ago by p_bubel
p_bubel
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aggie appraiser said:

4 years...you are a trooper
I'm too stupid to know when to quit.
p_bubel
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I'm blanking on other grievances currently. I shall get back to progress I guess.

So, the apartment next door has started doing work on their siding and paint issues.
(That last remaining tall stump has grown into the metal roof causing problems for removal)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iKq9Vh][/url]
Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

The last of the trash trees are gone from the side of the house (AKA the "squirrel highway). Sod has been ordered and should be in this week. Weather permitting.

He also painted and resided the garage apartment which is a huge win in my book.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iKuvr8][/url]
Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

But perhaps you can spot the issue here.

If this ain't the biggest residential **** YOU I don't know what is...

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iKuri3][/url]
Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iKq5wH][/url]
Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Who does that? Now I guess green is out of the available options I have. Back to drawing board.
p_bubel
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So, yeah, something else. Finally met the new neighbor behind me. The guy I gave approval for the garage to be built near the fence line. Nice guy, be goes on to tell me he intends to put a fence back up on the fence line creating a 2 foot DMZ where he intends to let the bamboo grow back as a privacy barrier.


****. ME.

I'm very easy to get along with, but I almost lost my ***** It's his property. But damn. I've spent stupid amounts of time to try and get rid of it already.

His privacy would cause significant long term ****ery for me and he needed to rethink his options. Some nice red tip bushes would solve his issues, I'll even water it on my side of the fence if he wants. Even clumping bamboo. But to let that crap fester out of touch will be a constant source of problems for both of us for as long as it's there.

It's his property, I have no say, but I hope some goodwill for his garage will sway him to not be a dick. If not, I'm open to options to make sure the soil is 100% totally, perpetually, sterile. Do people still salt the earth?

This is two stalks after a week and half (taken today):
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iLBKPf][/url]
Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr
p_bubel
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Then came Coronavirus. I'm not spending any real money right now and haven't wanted to since mid-February. Plus, my carpenter is a respiratory therapist. He wouldn't have time anyway.

Fiesta has been moved to November. So I and 3 million other visitors will have one hell of Fall. (Plus King William Fair is now on my birthday weekend)

Halloween (on a Saturday no less), 2 weeks of Fiesta, Thanksgiving, Christmas break and New Years. All during football season. (Fingers crossed)

If I don't survive, avenge my death.
p_bubel
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So as a parting post, my backyard after all that effort.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HeBg92][/url]2016-05-20_11-55-46 by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iLz6iy][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

The Blue Oak is doing well and the Big Tooth Maple is going gangbusters in case anyone cares. Great trees.

{Fin}
P.H. Dexippus
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AG
I fought a similar battle with bamboo on a fence line that was invading from a neighbor. I hand painted thousands of cut shoots with Tordon RTU. Took two treatments a couple months apart. Then tilled up/raked out all bamboo matter. Getting every last rhizome out was a PITA. I then installed a new privacy fence and sodded.

I sold the house soon after, but in hindsight, I should have installed a root barrier. That may help your situation with the "DMZ".
p_bubel
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Quote:

I fought a similar battle with bamboo on a fence line that was invading from a neighbor. I hand painted thousands of cut shoots with Tordon RTU. Took two treatments a couple months apart. Then tilled up/raked out all bamboo matter. Getting every last rhizome out was a PITA
I poured concentrated round up in the stumps a while back and it knocked it back a bit. But it will take several attempts to get this under control

The 2 story with the remaining grove behind my place is under contract and I hope the new owner hates the plant as much as I do so we can make a coordinated effort to get this out once and for all.

(The current owner didn't even respond to my email offering to take care of it for him while putting up a new fence on my dime)
p_bubel
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So, on Sunday during the rain:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iM65gg][/url]
Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iM65EH][/url]
Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Not quite enough. Oh well.
p_bubel
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I'm going to have to do something about this mud hole soon too.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iMZG9p][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Maybe throw down some gravel in the wheel tracks for now. Concrete is still months if not a year away. But the mud is getting old.
P.H. Dexippus
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AG
Out of curiosity, does you crawl space have ventilation?
p_bubel
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Mr. AGSPRT04 said:

Out of curiosity, does you crawl space have ventilation?


Currently, not really.
P.H. Dexippus
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AG
I'm not an expert, just pose as one on the internet. But I've dealt with a handful subfloor/crawl space moisture cases. It looks like the house didn't have proper ventilation when you bought it, which may have contributed to the rot. Then again, if you are keeping the floors original, most of the moisture will probably vent up through the floor into the living space and be handled by the HVAC.
https://www.thespruce.com/crawlspace-ventilation-requirements-1821946

You may already have a plan for this. The picture of the standing water between the houses just got me thinking.
AgCWby90CS
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AG
what about this for your drive?


https://eaglebaypavers.com/products/turfstone/
CWby '90
p_bubel
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AgCWby90CS said:

what about this for your drive?


https://eaglebaypavers.com/products/turfstone/
Dig it. Thanks.
p_bubel
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Mr. AGSPRT04 said:

I'm not an expert, just pose as one on the internet. But I've dealt with a handful subfloor/crawl space moisture cases. It looks like the house didn't have proper ventilation when you bought it, which may have contributed to the rot. Then again, if you are keeping the floors original, most of the moisture will probably vent up through the floor into the living space and be handled by the HVAC.
https://www.thespruce.com/crawlspace-ventilation-requirements-1821946

You may already have a plan for this. The picture of the standing water between the houses just got me thinking.
Yeah, I've been trying to regrade a bit at the foundation. Right now the crawl space is basically air-conditioned and heated which you can feel when you pass by the scuttles. It's nuts.

Gutters are on the list as well.
Rice and Fries
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p_bubel said:

Mr. AGSPRT04 said:

I'm not an expert, just pose as one on the internet. But I've dealt with a handful subfloor/crawl space moisture cases. It looks like the house didn't have proper ventilation when you bought it, which may have contributed to the rot. Then again, if you are keeping the floors original, most of the moisture will probably vent up through the floor into the living space and be handled by the HVAC.
https://www.thespruce.com/crawlspace-ventilation-requirements-1821946

You may already have a plan for this. The picture of the standing water between the houses just got me thinking.
Yeah, I've been trying to regrade a bit at the foundation. Right now the crawl space is basically air-conditioned and heated which you can feel when you pass by the scuttles. It's nuts.

Gutters are on the list as well.
I just guttered my 2500sf house for $2700 in DFW. Included guards for the leaves. Ended up about $5/ft in cost.

Hoping to alleviate my foundation problems.
txag2008
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AG
You have 540 ft worth of gutters for a 2500sf home??
AgCWby90CS
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AG
Probably counting all downspouts in total length.
CWby '90
AgCWby90CS
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AG
Or check this one out.



https://www.homedepot.com/p/Techno-Earth-19-7-in-x-19-7-in-x-1-9-in-Black-Permeable-Plastic-Grass-Pavers-for-Parking-Lots-Driveways-4-Pieces-11-sq-ft-PAVER00/304583216
CWby '90
p_bubel
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Back from the dead.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1r67K][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1r1Xh][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1mzdL][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr



I'll post more tonight, but I'm geeking out and had to share this.
dubi
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AG
Paul,

Painting and wood restoration?
p_bubel
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New paint job and wood repair, yep.
dubi
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AG
p_bubel said:

New paint job and wood repair, yep.
I assume you are tackling this yourself?
p_bubel
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Hells no.

I started it, but at the rate I was moving it was going to be another 6 months. I'm still VERY busy with paying work right now. All of the professional painters who I had over, and they all work in this hood, weren't interested. It's going to be a PITA.

The guy who did my trim work (and did a very good job with it) is leaving his full time gig and starting a contracting business. Out of the blue he calls me up looking for work to start with.
dubi
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AG
I'm so happy you are getting it done. That looked really difficult!

Remind me: Is the inside done?
p_bubel
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dubi said:

I'm so happy you are getting it done. That looked really difficult!

Remind me: Is the inside done?
There's levels of "done" I'm willing to live with. I still don't have a proper kitchen. The floors need to be refinished and there's still some trim work to be done. And interior paint.

And the windows need to be finished, attic insulated.... blech

There's a list still. But the kitchen I just need a couple more cabinets, some uppers and stove. The paint job is the last of the big bill items. (I hope)

Oh, and I'm getting a full time employee next week. We're officing out of the house. I can always find a way to make things more difficult.
ABATTBQ11
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AG
What kind of contracting?
p_bubel
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I'll ask them on Monday.
The Fife
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Looks good! Stripping all that paint looks like a nightmare... not sure if even I've got that in me any more.
p_bubel
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So, not much got done over the summer. I've been slammed with work, COVID has made life interesting and I've been buying outdoor toys. My priorities, like a lot of people, changed there for a while.

But there are a couple of minor updates.

I finally got a shed

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1q4fu][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

It's hacked-wired up with lights, fans and charger strips:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1iWhV][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

It's still not big enough. The new kayak for one does not fit. D'oh!
p_bubel
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I put down some blue limestone gravel for the "driveway" and honestly, it was the best $100 I've spent this year.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1q3Wi][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr



And halleluiah, the new neighbor got rid of their bamboo. There might be light at the end of the tunnel.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1qQTe][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr
p_bubel
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Put some Bermuda seed down with middling success. We'll see how it goes next spring.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1exCA][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr


My lawn maintenance supervisor at 15:


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1igHe][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr
p_bubel
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During the first weeks of Covid, while all the barge traffic was shut down and the Riverwalk was a ghost town we pulled a guerilla kayak trip along the river.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1q57p][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1q73P][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

The best ideas can be spawned over beers. Wait staff were more than happy to sell us drinks on the kayaks and the river cops didn't know what to do with us.

A buddy told his reporter friend about the idea, a story was written, and now there are kayak rentals available Saturday and Sundays on this stretch. For October at least. We'll see if it's permanent.
p_bubel
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Anything worth doing is worth overdoing:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1ii1K][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1eyaN][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

"Bob" is very popular in the neighborhood but also very susceptible to mild breezes. I had to crawl back up there and reinforce all the tabs with fishing line and a sewing needle.

The things I do...
p_bubel
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So that's about it for now other than some ceiling fan installs.

I did pick a house color though, minus the red:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1iZRP][/url]Untitled by Paul Bubel, on Flickr

Still San Antonio appropriate and not too serious.
 
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