Team AngelaIt's Like Extreme Home Makeover: Angela Edition!

Here are some pictures of the trees that we cleared out to make room for some sun on the lot, and to keep the dead ones from squishing us when they finally fell! It took the tree guys two days and it looked like one of those logging reality shows. I can’t believe more people don’t get hurt doing that kind of work.

In the picture labeled “Pine and Hemlock” you can see a big yellow pine that Cristina and I are pointing at- it’s actually in my neighbor’s yard. He let me cut it down since it was leaning towards the lot. His lot is so huge, and his driveway so long that I couldn’t figure out which house was his when I drove around to the back of the block. Turns out it’s completely buried in the forest. I eventually walked through the woods to his backyard- he was getting something out of his car when I emerged from the underbrush, and I think I gave him a little start! He was about 70 years old, and he had wide wale corduroys, a Range Rover, and a gravel driveway snaking off through the woods; serious New Englander. Turns out he’s a long time resident whose son owns the house next door to his. He’s kind of an old-guard business baron in town, and I’d describe his greeting as “reserved”- which is probably a good idea when some grubby dude walks out of your woods into your yard.

After I’d said “Hi” and introduced myself, and told him what I was doing with the lot behind his, I pointed at his home and asked, “Is that a Deck House?!?” If you’re not familiar with them, a Deck house is a modular home from a company that delivers Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design in factory-built homes. They’re gorgeous, and rare, and I think he got a kick out of the fact that I knew what it was.

Later while we were walking his woods he tested me, “So what kind of siding was on that house you tore down?” and I said “Asbestos. We had a top flight guy do the inspection, and the remediation team was incredibly thorough- the stuff was in the floors and walls too. In the end we got it out safely and quickly.” I shut up and watched him, and he thought about that for a second, and then said ”Good”. I think I passed; the rest of the conversation was really pleasant.

At any rate we finally got the trees down, so now we’ll get a little more sun, and falling timber won’t crush the house. The last photo is of the guys removing the tarp that protected the foundation hold during the recent rains. In the next update you’ll get to see the foundation, which oddly enough is one of the most complicated parts of the whole project!