dtel's wife
-
Posts
7155 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
46
Content Type
Forums
Events
Gallery
Posts posted by dtel's wife
-
-
Finally, a thread about my favorite subject, landscaping. I love my job. As most of you know dtel and I own a landscaping company and we do all the work ourselves. No helpers. We primarily landscape custom built homes.
Most contractors building custom houses in our area do not include sod or landscaping.
If the rough grade is satisfactory, consider the above mentioned wheelbarrow technique. If wheelbarrowing is not a preferred option consider hiring someone with a small tractor has a front end loader to put riversand/topsoil and spread.
Riversand is perfect for grass. It allows the roots of the grass to spread easily. Riversand is also loaded with minerals. Generally speaking, topsoil is "loaded" with weed seeds. "Topsoil" is literally scraped from the top of the ground.
Sod is always better than seed when it comes to grass. Make sure the sod you purchase is healthy and relatively weed free.(25% or less weed content)
If you have not already done so, consider having an irrigation system installed. If you can afford an irrigation system now is the time to do it.
Be careful. A lot of landscapers base thier price on the neighborhood you live in. If you want some additional pointers feel free to send an us an email.
-
I personally hope the hurricanes head in a different direction this year. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida need a break. Not that I wish a "hurricane" upon anyone else.
Max, hang in there, the pink stuff does get better. Maybe she will change her mind and begin to favor purple.
When our girls were young we picked everything up from the coffee table. When the grandkids came along we changed our way of thinking.
The grandkids all "pulled up" on the coffee table when they first started learning to walk. Whenever they reached for an item on the coffee table, they were led to their "toys". We never had to remove anything from the coffee table when it came to the grandkids.
-
Pythagore,
I have been telling dtel for years this is the way things work. Thank you for showing him with "mathmatical certainty" that I was correct all along.[
] -
Doug,
We already have two pair of Forte II's and Mr. dtel wanted to pick up a third pair. He will probably read this and tell you what he has in mind.
-
Dtel and I went to our irrigation supply wholesaler the other day. We have made numerous "in store" purchases from this company. While standing at the counter Dtel looked up and starting poking my shoulder saying "look at that, look at that". He was so excited.
I looked up to see what he was so excited about. It was a pair of Klipsch speakers! They appeared to be Fortes or Forte II's.
Dtel asked our sales rep if the speakers were for sale. The rep informed us they belonged to the manager. Dtel then asked the manager if he wanted to sell them. The manager told us no because one of his customers gave him those speakers and a reciever. Dtel told him he would give him $500.00 if they were the kind we were looking for.(Forte II's) The manager immediately said, "For $500.00, they are for sale." It was really funny.
Dtel, who is 6'3", drags the 12' foot ladder up to the speakers. He could barely reach them. He tried to see the sticker on the back of the speaker, but manuevering the speaker on the 12" ladder proved to be a little difficult. Dtel believes they may be Fortes and not Forte II's.
We are considering telling the manager they are not the exact speakers we were looking for and offering a lower price.
The last thing either of us expected to see in the wholesalers Klipsch speakers in the irrigation supply wholesaler's establishment.
-
Nice truck Scooter. Congratulations.
Did you ever make a decision on the camper? I may have missed the answer in another thread.
Elden and I pulled a "bumper pull" camper from Louisiana to the Smoky Mountains. That was more like work than a vacation.
I would like to say...I also drive our truck. I have pulled our 20' "fifth wheel", as well as our 16' "bumper pull". I have pulled each trailer on numerous occasions. My vote, the "fifth wheel", hands down. There is no comparison. The ability to maneuver when pulling a "fifth wheel" is unbeatable. I can turn the "fifth wheel" around in a relatively small space compared to the "bumper pull".
The weight distribution provides much more stability. Usually, whichever trailer I pull is fully loaded, upon my return with balled and burlapped trees and plants. This plant material is usually stacked about three foot high and covers the length of the trailer. (We have 2' treated plywood sides on each trailer, with a tarp). These trips for plant material usually take about eight to ten hours round trip. The difference between the two trailers is unbelievable.
They also have a "fold out version" of the fifth wheel ball available.
Again, congratulations and I hope you enjoy "pulling those stumps".[
] -
How much you gonna charge Damon? Cash, check or credit?...or some other means of renumeration?
-
First post...
from the new place. I will post pics after all our stuff is here on Friday.
HELL NO!!! We wanna see some photos showing all the moving chaos!! LOL........
Seriously though, I'm glad your ordeal has come to an end and here's wishing you & your family the best of times ahead and turning that house into a home.
Of course....not sure what all of us are gonna do for entertainment now that you'll no longer be posting "war stories". [
] []Tom
Tom, as far as entertainment goes. Damon said something about "no curtains for awhile". If we get desperate for entertainment we could "drive by the new place". I am sure he and the lady of the house will be "experimenting" in each room of the house.
Seriously, Damon, congratulations. You deserve all the best, you have put up with a lot just to be able to "sleep" in your new home.
Good job, "grabbing the bull by the horns" with the inspectors.
-
Okay, Michael this is the deal. If you disappear again, we are going to petition Amy to remove your 7000 and something posts and you will be a newbie.[
] -
Okay Michael, what's up?
I think you disappear every now and then so you can hear us all say how much we have missed you![
] Well, we have missed you. Glad to see you're back. Try and stick around a little while this time. We hope you can make it to Hope also.
-
Now if you want to see a pic of a REAL sweetie, try my 8 week old daughter. We've called her Grace..
Edwin,
She is a sweetie. Our youngest granddaughter's name is Gracie Noel.
You daughter is beautiful. Congratulations.
-
I decided to blow my tax refund this year by starting on a home theater system.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o />
Where does it all end?
1. If you bought Klipsch, your $ is not blown, it is an investment and if my wife ask anyone here, that is the ONLY ACCEPTABLE response.
Funny rlr, I remember hearing the same exact thing from dtel a couple of years ago. After researching his comments on my own, I totally agreed with him. It is an investment. I think my own "addiction" began at that point.
-
As punishment, Klipshdude should have to be Kathy Mason from this point on.
I agree. That is good prospect for standard sentencing guidelines for this particular offense.
I think he/she/it is confused enough. IMO we should just give he/she/it time to figure out whether or not they want to participate in this forum in an honest fashion.
-
Yep, that's it!
Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are VERY touristy....lots of trinket shops, lot of small "carnival" like places for kids......if you go during the height of summer, beware of traffic. We were stuck for what seemed like an eternity on the highway leading into Gatlinburg from the interstate. I forget which highway...
I didn't get the opportunity to check out Dollywood, so no opinions there. I'm sure kids love it. The only good part of the area (to me) is Smoky Mountain National Park. Once you get into the park, it's back to nature, and all the annoying shops and attractions go away--and it's just beautiful. Still can be fairly crowded, though, but not nearly as bad as the streets of town.
Ditto, everything Amy says.
Great Smoky Mountains...my favorite vacation spot. Amy, its 441 you were stuck on. Traffic for miles and miles and miles.
Never been to Dollywood...don't think I am missing too much.
Cades Cove, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Gatlinburg to Cherokee...all must sees. Plan a full day for Cades Cove and a full day for trip to Cherokee. It is awesome. I couldn't pick one over the other so be sure you have time to do all three.
We visit those areas every time we go to GSM (at least once a year, sometimes two or three times a year). Cades Cove, deer will walk right up to your car. Almost guaranteed to see black bears in summer. Turkeys, too.
It is miserable in summer so be sure to bring very light clothing.
Fini, I hope you guys will have a few days in that area to take in the sights. Try to get out of town as much as you can.
-
Thank you DrWho. What was the 4? about? Are you confused about whether all four of us are actually women?
Max, maybe Klipsdude was pretending to be Kathy?
BTW, I can assure all of you that I have only one personality, although it does change ocassionally based on which one of dtel's personalities is present.
-
I would suggest you consider working very closely with the builder's association once the project is complete. The state licensing agency responsible for contractors could prove very helpful. I would recommend you work on getting any documentation you may have in order. Documentation, witnesses and a time line will prove invaluable in your quest to "expose" these guys.
I would also suggest you consult with an attorney (maybe you have a friend/attorney that would help you out). You could have the attorney review any actions you wish to take. Especially those in writing. Even the truth, if not absolutely backed up by witnesses or documentation could prove costly to you.
In any event, I would take the "risk" and expose these guys. If you let them get away with this others will suffer the horrors that you have. I am really surprised there is no criminal element to everything that has happened with your house.
Since Hurricane Katrina a common criminal charge being pursued in this area is "theft by misrepresentation". Because you have a written contract this could be considered entirely civil. I would recommend consulting with your local authorities. If I understand all this correctly you have been paying the mortgage on this house for over a year now? This situation may be considered "theft by misrepresentation" because of the money you have spent and conversations etc. you may have had with the builder regarding completion.
A demand letter for extra expenses you have incurred may be an appropriate course of action. In any event, see if you can "rustle up" an attorney for advice and make your move(s) as soon as construction is final.
With all due respect.....did you not read the post where Damon said that he is TAPPED OUT with regards to available funds? So if Damon can't come up with the bucks for a deck, how's he gonna retain an attorney? And how much of Damon's future funds is he willing to part with?? I mean, if Damon took the moola he'd spend on this and put it in a college trust fund, he'd have his kids education covered by the time they hit 18. All this get a lawyer stuff is all well & good, but not every place in the U.S. is suffering the same kind of swindling that the Katrina disaster folks are.
And here's a possibility no one seems to be considering (which BTW has nothing to do with my support of Damon). What if Damon is that one in 100+ homes anomoly where everything that could go wrong does? It's kinda tough to portray the builder in a bad light if he's got plenty of satisfied customers.
3 sides to every story: yours, their's, and the truth.
Tom
The example of Katrina cases was simply to point out there is a possibility that "theft by misrepresentation" could have ocurred on Damon's project. If I am correct, he was given a "firm" price to complete construction on his house. That "firm" price has increased considerably. In addition, the "completion date" has been postponed numerous times for various reasons.
There are contractors who will "low ball" bids in order to secure the contract (usually the contract is severely flawed). Once the dotted line is signed all the loop holes in the contract are utilized by the contractor to continue the deception and fraud.
Some attorneys offer free consultations, or at least reasonable consult fees.
I am not a "sue happy" person, but Damon's house project seems "out of sorts" with normal construction practices. Dtel and I have landscaped a lot of custom built homes and we have never heard of anyone having as many problems as Damon is experiencing.
Being the last contractor on the job we hear every complaint a homeowner has about their contractor and I can assure you, all of the complaints combined don't equal to Damon's problems.
The builder should have known that a deck would be required. I would also be real surprised if this contractor doesn't have a few other dissatisfied customers.
Displaying of appliance manuals are a requirement to protect the homeowner. The inspector can then assume the homeowner will be in possession of the manuals.
-
I would suggest you consider working very closely with the builder's association once the project is complete. The state licensing agency responsible for contractors could prove very helpful. I would recommend you work on getting any documentation you may have in order. Documentation, witnesses and a time line will prove invaluable in your quest to "expose" these guys.
I would also suggest you consult with an attorney (maybe you have a friend/attorney that would help you out). You could have the attorney review any actions you wish to take. Especially those in writing. Even the truth, if not absolutely backed up by witnesses or documentation could prove costly to you.
In any event, I would take the "risk" and expose these guys. If you let them get away with this others will suffer the horrors that you have. I am really surprised there is no criminal element to everything that has happened with your house.
Since Hurricane Katrina a common criminal charge being pursued in this area is "theft by misrepresentation". Because you have a written contract this could be considered entirely civil. I would recommend consulting with your local authorities. If I understand all this correctly you have been paying the mortgage on this house for over a year now? This situation may be considered "theft by misrepresentation" because of the money you have spent and conversations etc. you may have had with the builder regarding completion.
A demand letter for extra expenses you have incurred may be an appropriate course of action. In any event, see if you can "rustle up" an attorney for advice and make your move(s) as soon as construction is final.
-
I was going to suggest contacting the local and state builder's association, as well as any other associations the contractor may hold membership in.
I was also going to recommend that you contact the contractor's licensing board for your state. This is generally the quickest way to get something resolved.
The third option, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. At least your complaint will be documented and the builder will have to satisfy your complaints, or the complaint will remain as "unsatisfactorily resolved".
I hope the builder has accepted responsibility for the deck and the cost of the deck. I would at least consider a 4x4 deck. 3x3 is extremely small and could actually be dangerous, especially if you have small children.
Last but not least, if you have "taken title" to the property, you should be able to "pull a building permit" for a deck yourself. I am not sure about the laws in your particular state. Most laws heavily favor the homeowner. The trim carpenter that worked on your house may be able to the job for you.
-
We got home late last night.
What a treat, it snowed all day Saturday, but cleared up for us to be able to drive home on Sunday.
Had a great trip, two of our daughters, three of our grandchildren, our niece, and "dtel's daughter's" fiance went with us. The grandchildren love the mountains, this is the third trip to the Smokies for the 4 and 5 year old and the second trip for the 3 year old. It is so wonderful to hear their reactions.
The snow in the higher elevations was loose powder about a foot and half deep. We actually had to pack the snow to be able to use the sleds. We found one area that we could slide down without sleds. A steep short slope. Talk about fun. The four year old granddaughter is a dare devil. She jumped right on the hill, slid down spinning, ended up sliding face first for about thirty feet. She climbed right back up the hill and went again.
We played in the snow for three days and on the way home took the kids on a cave tour. Racoon Mountain Cave in Chattanooga, TN. We have toured a few caves, but this by far was one of the best. The live formations in this cave are superb. It is one of the top rated caves in the United States. Our five year old grandson really liked the tour guide, she was only sixteen years old and related very well to the kids.
All in all, a wonderful trip to my favorite place to visit.
-
Gary,
All the weather reports indicated 3 feet + in the upper most elevations? The area we usually sled is a hill right beside a vehicle pullover about 1/4 mile from Newfoundland Gap in the Smokies.
One report said 41" at Mounte Leconte!!!![H] Stays lots colder at the top as much as 10 to 15 cooler. And our hill is under the trees!!![
] So the snow melts a little slower.You are right, we are going to head out about 6:00p.m. tomorrow evening.[*]
-
I was so excited when I saw this thread. No snow here, so what are we gonna do...drive almost eleven hours to play in the snow. We are leaving Wednesday, heading to the Smokies to play with the grandkids and our "grown" kids in the snow.
Dtel thinks I am crazy. The first thing you see when you open our attic...snow disks...they stay close at hand... I LOVE the snow and try to go to the Smokies every chance I can. I usually have to drag Dtel screaming. He says we have a picture of every overlook in TN [
] And his point is....Imagine snow disks in South Mississippi[
] Will take some pics, suppose to be almost four feet of snow at Mt. LeConte.Moon, catch a plane and meet us....[
] -
Dtel might fight Seti over the flamethrower suit. Dtel is known as the "Neighborhood Pyro".[
] -
Very interested. Why couldn't he also do high quality t-shirts? Would love to see pics.
-
For any of you that are not familiar with fire ants I would strongly recommend that you bring some Benadyrl along for the trip. Most "yankees" and maybe some others have not developed a tolerance for fire ants and they can cause a serious allergic reaction.
Another suggestion Trey, there are some granular fire ant treatments available that work very well. A local feed store would be able to assist in that area, if you care to check it out.
]
]
] And his point is....
Still trying to pin down flight...
in Forum Meetup Planning + Past Klipsch Pilgrimages
Posted
We have stayed in Memphis before. No offense to anyone who may be from that area...personally, I would choose Nashville. That is unless you want to visit "Graceland".[
]
If you have never seen Graceland, it is worth seeing at least once.