Yes, the contractors are here! All six of them, including one guy who looks like a DUI guy who careened into the backyard on his bicycle this a.m. You know DUI guys, right?

They’ve had their drivers’ licenses taken away and have to veer around town drunk on their beat-up 10 speeds now. Usually they “customize” them by flipping the handlebars up. Well, I don’t think he was actually drunk, but he was careening somewhat.

Thank you, jeebus, for sending so many contractors! I love you jeebus! I’m sorry I was freaking out about this. And no the neighbor has not come out front to yell at them. I think it’s because I told her, subtly of course, in my own inimitable style, “DON’T SCARE OFF MY CONTRACTORS, SAVVY?” She felt bad, I think. As well she should have. I mean, damn. Don’t mess with me and my husband and really don’t mess with me and my contractors. It is a tenuous relationship at best, no? Much less stable than marriage. My marriage, at least, which is pretty dang stable. Knock wood.

They are mostly done painting — now the next crew is COMPLETELY ripping all the heinous stucco from the top half of the front of the house. Wow. Well, it’s a mess, all over the front lawn. What was left of the front lawn, shall we say. They have a big ol’ dumpster parked in front and are chucking stuff out into the street, all over the sidewalk, pell-mell. It’s kinda risky, walking out there when these guys are going at it.

They’ve set up this mondo huge cool scaffolding and told me I can climb it any dang time I want. (I declined.) Apparently you can see Mt. Hood from up there, and the coast range, probably. They gave the same offer to my husband. I declined for him. It really is looking like a barn now, I’m pretty excited by this. We keep taking pictures and freaking out.

After the tear-off we’re slapping on cedar shakes, stained a kind of reddish-purple, to match the trim. Of course. Unless we change our minds — again — between now and Wednesday.

ps — Hockey God is getting used to the pretty sexy color of the trim. The Wacky Girlfriends love it. Well, except Wacky Sister, who is A Purist and wanted a more traditional brick red.

pss — no word yet from C & R in Baton Rouge.

bye for now,

WM