passed

well, it looks like i have passed the final inspection, with only one minor change requested. i need more smoke alarms. 

right now, i have two, one in each bedroom area.  the funny thing is, they want one more, placed in the hallway leading to the bedrooms. so now, within one 6 foot span, i will have three alarms. 

but  wait, there's more! ordinances do not require you to have a smoke alarm in the kitchen any longer. why? because they keep going off!

i am not quite sure the logic is totally figured out on this one, but i will comply with whatever they request, and maybe more. 

i am considering one for near the kitchen, so if it goes off, it would probably be for good reason; for instance if i let the veal prince orlaf with baked pears alicia cook a little too long, having been distracted by the wonder of the twinkie-town train making its deliveries in grand style.  events like that could be a problem, so i think i will go the extra mile and install one more. 

safety first!

don't let this happen to you!

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getting closer

we are getting closer, gentle reader. the chimney is complete. as you can see, the problem was nicely resolved, and, really, i should just blot out the whole episode of panic that overcame me several weeks back about this thing. please go back and do not read it. my new motto should be, "easy schmeezy!" 

new cover, nicely cut by mr. mork. imagine the size scissors he must have used! incredible, the technology these days! clearly, he did not use the ones with the rounded ends like i do. 

this other john-fellow  has been very helpful, making sure everything is all taken care of before inspection. here we have the smoke alarm ready for action. you can't hear it going off , which means i am safe — for now. let's hope you never hear it. 

and lastly, for the moment, we have new weather stripping. berkeley requires it, requiring that i finally get my act together and do something about the rather shameful state of my old weather stripping. it feels good to get it all spruced up. i am now a respectable member of the community, upgraded to the max. people will sense it in my walk. i will have a whole new lease on life, thanks to city ordinances demanding that i improve no matter what. maybe laws aren't so bad after all. 

now it is a waiting game. will the inspector show up? will he notice how nice and new my kitchen is? will he be quietly thinking to himself, "i liked the old one better." i should video tape his face during the review and carefully analyze every frame to interpret even his most subtle changes in demeanor and expression. i must know if this kitchen is okay with him. i hope it is. if not, i will have to start all over again, regardless of what he writes on the permit. one wrong blink and it will be back to the drawing board.

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surprise!

a warning to all you later sleepers: get a nice pair of pj's or sleep fully clothed. you should feel comfortable and attractive when contractors show up unexpectedly first thing in the morning. you both will be really getting to know each other through the process, so i advise planning ahead for this by not wearing rollers to bed and for pete sake, don't use those crazy cucumber  masks.

i woke up to a call this morning, 8 am, jim stopping by to pick up some remaining equipment. sure, no problem.  imagine my surprise. no one was scheduled until wednesday...

I mean Click Here!

of course, it was no big deal, and i was able to pull my thoughts together enough to go through my little punch list of remaining things to do or ask about. it is really almost done. so prepare yourself for the end of the kitchen  blog. only a few more posts, and then it will be on to 
Berkeley-something-or-other.com stay tuned.

in the meantime, i obsess over silly little things at 3 am, like spice racks:

i find it more fun than cooking. i sit there and admire the beautiful colors. 

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