Work Begins Again

Finally, yesterday we had workmen at the house again. I don't think I mentioned it but we've had a break in construction and almost nothing has happened since we moved in at the beginning of the month. The problem was with Prospect Mortgage - even after we finally got through closing, they held us up again. They were selling our mortgage but I guess needed a full month to dress it up nice and pretty so that Bank of America would take it. Then, Prospect doesn't service FHA 203k Renovation loans like ours, only make them, so we weren't able to get any money for our contractor until after the sale and the two weeks processing time for B of A. But last Thursday we received the check for the nearly $30,000 our contractor was waiting for and we are all happy again.

On Monday, the men started work on the new porch for the front. Here's a picture of what we've had for the past month.

And here we are this morning.

They'll be pouring concrete into the forms today, I think, and according to Abel, we may even have stairs and a platform in front of our door by the weekend. Other work they did yesterday included moving some electrical switches to above-counter positions for when we have a proper kitchen and refitting the bathroom door. And, yes, it was awkward when family visited one afternoon two weekends ago. But we have the door now. I tried taking a shower with it shut and the fan on yesterday for the first time and I've seen much steamier rooms after a shower. The mirror was even usable.

Then, as for the garden - I have finally found my camera charger so I'll give you some updates. I'm not sure what day it was exactly but just before we moved into the house, I'll just say on 7/25, I planted a flat of new seeds. I kept forgetting to take pictures so you get to see them a month into growing. The seeds I ordered are all fast growing perennials so hopefully I can have them all flowering throughout the yard next spring. First, a picture of the little sprout, then the advertised plant:

Gazania Daybreak

I don't "love" Gazania but I'm giving them a chance. They're supposed to grow like crazy but not spread much so I think they'll be a good first stage plant even if I don't keep them. My parents have two of them so I know they're fast and very tough.

Lavender Lady

My third type of Lavender, hopefully they turn out as pretty as the pictures. I only have one type of lavender blooming right now and it's not the type I like, I'll probably get rid of it once the others start blooming.

Catmint Blue Carpet

Oh I can't wait for the blooms on these, such a beautiful blue. Stiggy might even like them, I get so many conflicting descriptions - some say Catmint isn't actually attractive to cats and some say it is. Regardless, this one I'll be carefully splitting into tons of plants, I want them all over the garden.

Festuca Glauca

These are one of my favorites - they need very little water, have a beautiful color, and very pretty seedheads. I planted one in my father's yard four years ago and we split it this summer into about 15 little ones.

Lambs' Ears
Ever since Patrick first saw this plant at the UC Botanical Garden, he's loved it. I can't think of another plant that he has really said he loved so I had to grow these for him. I love them too, they have the softest velvety leaves and they take almost no water.

Roman Chamomile

I just love the smell of chamomile and apparently ants do to, as they were swarming all over my hands when I split one of the pots last week.

I have all the little seedlings in little 3 or 4 inch pots in large rectangular flats out on the patio. They get pretty much full sun so they're all growing so much faster and looking much more healthy than the seeds I started at the condo. I just add water to the flat every two or three days and they don't seem to need anything. I'll just have to split them up soon into more pots so they don't strangle each other.

And now, I know the post has had too many pictures, but I have to add a couple very pretty shots of new roses we have in the garden. We're neither of us rose people but we bought so many established ones with the house that I'm trying to rehabilitate them. Everything else is weeds so these roses make me quite happy.