WILMA!!!!! Stinks

Hey guys! We're OK but Wilma packed more of a punch than we expected. We had no power for five days. We were so thankful when we got it back. Everytime I open the refrigerator or turn on a light, I'm thankful.

If you watched the weather loop, you saw that Wilma entered down by Marco Island. We knew that we'd be OK when we saw that. The front side of the hurricane wasn't bad, just some wind and rain. But then, as she went across the state, we got the top and back side of the storm. We got hit by the northwestern eyewall and it packed quite a punch. Apparently, the cold front that was supposed to sheer the storm, made it worse. It just rushed in!

Every storm, I worry about the neighbor's huge palm trees because during Charley, one leaned over 45 degrees across my front lawn. They're about 60 feet high. So during the storm, I watched the neighbor's trees carefully. At first, they leaned over their house, then when the storm got worse, they started coming our way. I got my boys out of bed (It was 5:00 AM or so)because that's the side the trees are on. My older son complained (he's 14...enough said). I made them come to the back side of the house. Then we heard it. One of the trees had snapped in half, hit a smaller tree, sort of catapaulted our way, and hit the roof by my son's room. It crushed the overhangs and buckled the roof, but thankfully did not go through. If it hadn't snapped and hit the other tree and had just fell, it would have been worse. The other tree in their yard then slowly leaned and then fell across their driveway into our yard. I must add that my son's eyes told the whole story of, "Maybe Mom actually knows best sometimes!"

We also have lots of leaks, soffit, and fascia damage. Our computer also got fried. This really stinks!

I told you that they wouldn't be coming for my pool on Tuesday. The pile of dirt was shielded by the house. The wind came the other way. The only thing that landed in the pool was our aerator lid and some mud and rain.

I called our supervisor and he explained that they're on damage control right now. He told me that they'd be here on Monday or Tuesday (Oct. 31 or Nov. 1st) and that he'd call me by the end of the day to let me know. He didn't. I wonder what happens next?????

Hurricane On The Way?

Well Tuesday I called to see what time that they would be here, and I was told Thursday, "Come hell or high water". Well hell may be on the way, as well as high water for many areas. A hurricane named Wilma's projected path is, well, aimed at us! So, the gunite guys needed to finish already dug pools before they did my repair work. Oh well, I do understand. That doesn't mean that I'm not diappointed. I did ask them to please make sure that we are first on the list after the storm. They said definitely on Tuesday.

Well Wilma is just sitting out there, mocking us, because right now she isn't expected until late Monday into Tuesday. OK. I guess we'll just have to hope for the best for the storm and then later the pool. I hope that after the storm, all I have to worry about is whether the pool guys are coming!

We've boarding up and getting supplies to get ready. I guess we'll see how this lovely pile of dirt that sits next to my pool holds up in a hurricane. Yes, those are some of the outer bands of the hurricane in the pictures.

Patiently Waiting

OK. It looks like we're going to have our gunite problems fixed on Wednesday. We've been waiting for the gunite crew to have another pool to do in this town so that they don't have to make a special trip. It's been hard to be patient, but I do understand. I just want it done right.

Our supervisor said that our brick and tile are in and ready to be installed after the gunite corrections. It looks like we should be back on schedule soon!

Tile, Coping, and Pebble Choices

I thought that you might like to see what I finally chose for my tile, coping, and pebble.

Tile - Continental Slate-Asian Black from Daltile
Coping - Clay Brick - Birch - Classic Pool Coping
Pebble - Sandy Beach
Spraycrete - Oyster

The pictures look really dark without the flash...and really light with it. The real look is somewhere in between.

I was driving around looking at model home pools, when I saw a paint color on a new house that I loved. We're going to be painting our house a new color, too. I drove by and there was a pool in the back. When I got out and looked, the brick was the perfect color, too! I was so worried about my decisions with these small pieces and there it was...right there in front of me. I felt so much better. I think it's going to look really nice.

More Plumbing, Electrical, and Fill Dirt Done

It has been quite a week. My dear Grandmother passed away and we needed to leave for the funeral. On the day that we returned, they were finishing up our in-wall plumbing and filling in the area around the pool with dirt. You can really see what the pool will look like now.

We felt bad for the workers when we noticed that the pool equipment area was placed in the wrong area. The plan that they had was wrong. We had paid to have it on the side of the house and 8 ft. back to cut down on noise. We called and they said it would be no problem to move it. We have a shed that goes in the first 8 ft. and we hope that will also block our pool area from noise.

Gunite Fix

Well, I talked to our supervisor and pointed out our problems with the spa and the steps. He was very nice about it and said that it would be fixed. I talked to him the next day and he wasn't quite as nice saying that the gunite guys said that they did what I had wanted.

It' s true that they straightened the steps for me because they were very crooked and the bottom one wouldn't have ended anywhere near the end of the spa. I guess I should have gotten out the tape measure and boots! I also had pointed out during the gunite that the steps were not even, and they said that's how they always do it. Because they're coming back for their mix up on the spa, they agreed to fix my steps' height and make the shape like the plan.

I don't want to upset any of the workers, because I depend on them and their work. What I don't want to do is settle for work that is different than what was promised in our contract. I'm glad that our company is going to work to help make this right.