Week 4 - The Hedge

This week destruction of the driveway continued in earnest and proceeded fairly quickly, when work was actually being done. Unfortunately for me the subcontractor seems to be juggling more than one job, since he was only here in the afternoons. However, the driveway was peeled up and carted away by dump truck in just a couple of them.

Then the removal of the hedge started. It's amazing what a big tool can accomplish. When I moved in there was a similar laurel hedge across the back of the lot. Over the course of three years, I removed all of those laurels one at a time by hand. This week they uprooted half again as many laurels that were the same size or larger, in a single afternoon, and carted them off the next day, along with (finally) the pitiful remains of my elm tree.

By the end there were leaves, sticks and branches littering the landscape in all directions. I now have a visible chain link fence with a variety of wood chunks embedded in it. Maybe I'll just call it a natural mural.

Unfortunately, I also now have an excellent view of the parking lot which was always hidden by the hedge and (surprize) a mercury vapor light I never knew existed, which shines into my bedroom at night. Eventually there will be a taller fence, but for now it is a very disconcerting new view.

The driveway before and now.

On the positive end, the driveway side of my house has gained about three and a half feet in width, and a much more open feel, which is really nice. And at least half the former driveway shown her will become part of my back yard.

So, things are being removed fast and furiously, but it still looks like a war zone out front. Even the cats find it all confusing, although still worthy of exploration.

By the end of the week, excavation was started on the foundations and the garage. This means more BIG holes everywhere. And it means I must find a place in my increasingly diminished yard for them to store the dirt I will want to use later when the carport and patio come up. eventually I selected the former driveway area BEHIND where the garage will be for my primary pile.

It also caused an interesting dilemma. For about 20 hours on Thursday/Friday I was effectively trapped in my house because it rained. The had removed my plywood path so they could work in that area and the big holes between me and the street turned into wet, clayey mud pits - the kind where you get taller with every step -- if you manage to remain upright. The only way around them was to jump the fence into my neighbor's driveway.

The temporary walkway was put back in, but it was obviously not going to work as a long time solution, especially when the foundation work started.

After considering the problem, I talked to my neighbor and asked if they would mind if I put a temporary hole in our property line fence. They said OK, I marked off the area, and Larry came out and made an opening where none was before. He also laid another plywood path here to prevent it from a mud pit as well. So now I have clear access around the whole mess. Yeah!

Week 5 - Excavation