Bamboo is gone for $19.50 thanks to either the carelessness of the solid waste dept. or the indignant responses from council members.
While Harris was talking to Solid Waste about the problem on Friday, the caller suggested that Harris take it up with City Council if he had a problem with it. After I got back from lunch on Friday, that's exactly what I did and it seems city council was not amused.
By 3:30 Friday afternoon Harris had an apology from the director of solid waste who had pulled the tape of the call and listened to it and confirmation that they would pick up all of the bamboo for no additional charge by the end of the day.
It's all gone.
We also anticipate having our first estimate for the shell rennovation delivered to us this week. This would entail a licensed general contractor fixing the foundation and rebuilding the roofline. Additioanlly, they would put in the new replacement windows where the current broken replacement windows are, rebuild the porch, and replace rotten exterior wood.
We're thinking colors along the lines of ... HEX: #F70586RGB:
Showing posts with label bamboo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bamboo. Show all posts
Monday, April 11, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Bamboo removal
Harris signed up for yard waste service for the remainder of the year. The cart rental plus service agreement set us back $19.50. This also entitles us to two free bulky brush pick ups. We have requested one for the bamboo that the city tells us will be complete by Saturday. We'll see on that one.
It also enables us to fill 10 lawn and leaf bags a week with bamboo leaves to be picked up for free at the curb by the city.
You might wonder why there are so many posts about bamboo and so few about...you know...the house.
First, the bamboo is something we can actively work on and make progress, ergo it is satisfying to do this work. Additionally, it is realtively inexpensive to go and hack/haul/curse the bamboo.
Second, the bamboo lot had previously obsured the sidewalk, making it impossible to see the connections between this section of Elizabeth St and the hill. Now that we've cleared it, from the sidewalk you can see straight on to Dowd St. It is also less likely that the lot will be cited by NIS for code enforcement.
Third, the overgrown and trash filled lot makes the place feel abandoned and un loved. We want to instead make it seem a little loved.
Fourth, Natalie is tragically afraid of snakes. As it gets warmer, there is less of a chance that she will go anywhere that she cannot see the ground...so we better get it clean before the critters emerge.
Fifth, we're still planning the interior of the house. This isn't our full time job by any means. Since we don't have the loans lined up yet to do the work or the tax credit application submitted, there's not much we can do inside of Lizzy other than clean.
We've set up a meeting with Sara of 4 over 1 to chat about the house next week and are excited to hear her thoughts!
It also enables us to fill 10 lawn and leaf bags a week with bamboo leaves to be picked up for free at the curb by the city.
You might wonder why there are so many posts about bamboo and so few about...you know...the house.
First, the bamboo is something we can actively work on and make progress, ergo it is satisfying to do this work. Additionally, it is realtively inexpensive to go and hack/haul/curse the bamboo.
Second, the bamboo lot had previously obsured the sidewalk, making it impossible to see the connections between this section of Elizabeth St and the hill. Now that we've cleared it, from the sidewalk you can see straight on to Dowd St. It is also less likely that the lot will be cited by NIS for code enforcement.
Third, the overgrown and trash filled lot makes the place feel abandoned and un loved. We want to instead make it seem a little loved.
Fourth, Natalie is tragically afraid of snakes. As it gets warmer, there is less of a chance that she will go anywhere that she cannot see the ground...so we better get it clean before the critters emerge.
Fifth, we're still planning the interior of the house. This isn't our full time job by any means. Since we don't have the loans lined up yet to do the work or the tax credit application submitted, there's not much we can do inside of Lizzy other than clean.
We've set up a meeting with Sara of 4 over 1 to chat about the house next week and are excited to hear her thoughts!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Bamboo v.5
Today was much majesty.
I decided, you know, bamboo is just grass. How hard could it be to move it to the street?
I found out four hours later (with the help of Bill) that it is that damn hard to move bamboo after it's dry and there are thousands of shafts.
Paid Bill $80 for the 4 hours of work today. The lot is nasty, there are stakes everywhere, and he's great company. We got to gossip and at least one person stopped by after hearing Bill from the street. Harris and Madeline brought us pizza and real soda and Madeline got to look for bugs with her PopPop.
While we were moving bamboo to pile at the street, we also started moving bottles. First count coming soon!
I decided, you know, bamboo is just grass. How hard could it be to move it to the street?
I found out four hours later (with the help of Bill) that it is that damn hard to move bamboo after it's dry and there are thousands of shafts.
Paid Bill $80 for the 4 hours of work today. The lot is nasty, there are stakes everywhere, and he's great company. We got to gossip and at least one person stopped by after hearing Bill from the street. Harris and Madeline brought us pizza and real soda and Madeline got to look for bugs with her PopPop.
While we were moving bamboo to pile at the street, we also started moving bottles. First count coming soon!
Friday, February 4, 2011
whoops
***I looked and it seemed that a couple of things were drafted then never posted.
We had TROSA come to haul away all of the bamboo and such that I have lopped, only to discover that we are heartless and thoughtless. It was quite an eye-opening experience for me.
The estimate they gave was great, their lawn shop supervisor visited the site and thought it would be a quick job. We were happy that all of the bamboo would be hauled off and we could focus on cleaning the lot. When the crew arrived, several of the workers freaked out. They saw bottles. They saw needles. They couldn't work in those conditions.
We found this out when we called TROSA to find out what time they would be there so we could pay, sign the paperwork, and generally cheer them on and thank them. TROSA amazed us that day. If you have any experience with day laborers or the general state of workers who are paid off the books in Durham, you know that it is a sad place with no work place protections, pay under the table, and wages less than minimum wage. Workers are treated at chattle.
When you combine non-profit status to that, often people are exploited beyond belief. In the name of recovering, someone else benefits from their labor entirely.
TROSA is the exact opposite of this. We knew this before hiring them, but had it confirmed in numerous ways that day.
When their workers came to the supervisor and said they were uncomfortable TROSA listened. They DID NOT tell their community members to suck it up. They did not tell them to get back in there and finish the damn job. They LISTENED. They responded with respect.
TROSA pulled the crew out of the lot immediately. They called and explained that while they did provide services, it was a treatment facility and therapuetic community. They could not put their residents in a place or position that would be detrimental to their recovery from addiction. They were very sorry and they would love to finish the job, but since there were bottles (and someone saw needles) they just couldn't put their workers in that situation. Thank you for the business, but they would have to turn the job down until the situation changed.
Trosa is amazing.
When you consider the amount of power someone at month 6 has in a 2 year residential treatment facility generally, to be able to say, I spoke up and people listened and respected what I had to say. People were concerned not about the bottom line, but about my well being and opinions. This says so much about the people who run TROSA at every level. I was humbled by both the fact that I had not considered how a recovering addict would respond to a lot with the detritus of addiction strewn about and then releived by the response of TROSA that showered their members with honest respect.
This still leaves us with a bamboo lot strewn with bottles...but we're working on that.
This is the email I sent to them...
To the crew who came to 503 N. Elizabeth St this am,
We are so sorry. We did not consider the fact that the lot would be personally disturbing. We have not suffered under addiction, and had blocked out the suffering and misery that the vacant lot represented in our minds. We knew there were 40 ounce bottles scattered about, but we had seen no needles. Frankly, we wouldn't know what a crack pipe looked like to know if we had seen those. If we had seen the needles or crack pipes we would never have asked for you to enter that situation. I imagine it would be much like thinking your going to the grocery store and really entering a haunted house.
We have the utmost respect for TROSA and the PINNACLE of respect for all of the brave men and women who enter and complete the program. You are amazing and brave souls and we are so truly sorry we caused any of you any pain this morning.
Please let us know if there is any way we can make this up to you.
Natalie Spring & J. Harris Carpenter
We had TROSA come to haul away all of the bamboo and such that I have lopped, only to discover that we are heartless and thoughtless. It was quite an eye-opening experience for me.
The estimate they gave was great, their lawn shop supervisor visited the site and thought it would be a quick job. We were happy that all of the bamboo would be hauled off and we could focus on cleaning the lot. When the crew arrived, several of the workers freaked out. They saw bottles. They saw needles. They couldn't work in those conditions.
We found this out when we called TROSA to find out what time they would be there so we could pay, sign the paperwork, and generally cheer them on and thank them. TROSA amazed us that day. If you have any experience with day laborers or the general state of workers who are paid off the books in Durham, you know that it is a sad place with no work place protections, pay under the table, and wages less than minimum wage. Workers are treated at chattle.
When you combine non-profit status to that, often people are exploited beyond belief. In the name of recovering, someone else benefits from their labor entirely.
TROSA is the exact opposite of this. We knew this before hiring them, but had it confirmed in numerous ways that day.
When their workers came to the supervisor and said they were uncomfortable TROSA listened. They DID NOT tell their community members to suck it up. They did not tell them to get back in there and finish the damn job. They LISTENED. They responded with respect.
TROSA pulled the crew out of the lot immediately. They called and explained that while they did provide services, it was a treatment facility and therapuetic community. They could not put their residents in a place or position that would be detrimental to their recovery from addiction. They were very sorry and they would love to finish the job, but since there were bottles (and someone saw needles) they just couldn't put their workers in that situation. Thank you for the business, but they would have to turn the job down until the situation changed.
Trosa is amazing.
When you consider the amount of power someone at month 6 has in a 2 year residential treatment facility generally, to be able to say, I spoke up and people listened and respected what I had to say. People were concerned not about the bottom line, but about my well being and opinions. This says so much about the people who run TROSA at every level. I was humbled by both the fact that I had not considered how a recovering addict would respond to a lot with the detritus of addiction strewn about and then releived by the response of TROSA that showered their members with honest respect.
This still leaves us with a bamboo lot strewn with bottles...but we're working on that.
This is the email I sent to them...
To the crew who came to 503 N. Elizabeth St this am,
We are so sorry. We did not consider the fact that the lot would be personally disturbing. We have not suffered under addiction, and had blocked out the suffering and misery that the vacant lot represented in our minds. We knew there were 40 ounce bottles scattered about, but we had seen no needles. Frankly, we wouldn't know what a crack pipe looked like to know if we had seen those. If we had seen the needles or crack pipes we would never have asked for you to enter that situation. I imagine it would be much like thinking your going to the grocery store and really entering a haunted house.
We have the utmost respect for TROSA and the PINNACLE of respect for all of the brave men and women who enter and complete the program. You are amazing and brave souls and we are so truly sorry we caused any of you any pain this morning.
Please let us know if there is any way we can make this up to you.
Natalie Spring & J. Harris Carpenter
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Friggin bamboo
We ordered the lawn mower (173cc 21" Kohler Rear Bag Rear Propelled Lawn Mower ) today and the end of the bamboo is sooooo very close. After we cut it down and then clean out the bottles, tires, and trash, we basically have to mow it every week for three years. Other effective methods involve a mattock or backhoe. One of those is ruled out by laziness and the other by the slope of the yard.
We were debating tonight if we had clumping bamboo or running bamboo. After mindlessly staring at pictures tonight I have found the answer. If you look in this picture from the State Preservation Office, it is clear that this stand of Bamboo is older than Harris and I are.
If it were running bamboo, the entire neighborhood would be covered by now. While extensive on the lot it by no means covers the entire surface, so it is clumping bamboo. However, we're pretty sure it was added after the period of significance and can be killed.
We hope that we will have it all cut (but not yet dead) after Madeline's nap on Monday.
Before taken from the back corner of the house.
Todayish taken on a spot near the original that was previously covered.
We were debating tonight if we had clumping bamboo or running bamboo. After mindlessly staring at pictures tonight I have found the answer. If you look in this picture from the State Preservation Office, it is clear that this stand of Bamboo is older than Harris and I are.
If it were running bamboo, the entire neighborhood would be covered by now. While extensive on the lot it by no means covers the entire surface, so it is clumping bamboo. However, we're pretty sure it was added after the period of significance and can be killed.
We hope that we will have it all cut (but not yet dead) after Madeline's nap on Monday.
Before taken from the back corner of the house.
Todayish taken on a spot near the original that was previously covered.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Hack and Slash IRL
Harris and I took advantage of Madeline's nap and the warmer weather today to get some hacking and slashing of bamboo. We also put an advertisement on Craigslist and another on Freecycle to encourage folks to come and get bamboo on their own.
Here's the progress as of today. While there is a slope, it's not THAT much of a slope. The pile is that majestic.
We spent about an hour and a half each over there, so we'll clock this at 3 hours total. We're estimating we have about 3 more total hours of hack and slash remaining. We're then going to rent or borrow a leaf blower once it's dryer and blow all of the leaves into the corner. Hopefully at that point we'll have hauled off all of the bamboo and will be able to mow the hell out of it.
Interesting things found today:
Tires
Bottles
Cups (that strangely match the ones used at the group home next door...)
An eddie bauer bag
another part of the toilet.
Here's the progress as of today. While there is a slope, it's not THAT much of a slope. The pile is that majestic.
We spent about an hour and a half each over there, so we'll clock this at 3 hours total. We're estimating we have about 3 more total hours of hack and slash remaining. We're then going to rent or borrow a leaf blower once it's dryer and blow all of the leaves into the corner. Hopefully at that point we'll have hauled off all of the bamboo and will be able to mow the hell out of it.
Interesting things found today:
Tires
Bottles
Cups (that strangely match the ones used at the group home next door...)
An eddie bauer bag
another part of the toilet.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Bottles
Guess how many bottles we will find on The Twin of Lizzy !!
Specs:
Lot is .088 acres with a front dimensions of 67.50 feet on Elizabeth St.
Last time NIS cited it was : 8-12-2010 ((Weedy/Junked lot closed by compliance)...right...)
Rules:
Closest without going over wins*
No dumping of new bottles
Guesses must be submitted here in the next little while.
Winner will receive bragging rights re: mad math skillz!! and a surprise!
Bonus points if you correctly identify which bottle (king cobra, budweiser, wild irish rose, etc) is the most common.
Specs:
Lot is .088 acres with a front dimensions of 67.50 feet on Elizabeth St.
Last time NIS cited it was : 8-12-2010 ((Weedy/Junked lot closed by compliance)...right...)
Rules:
Closest without going over wins*
No dumping of new bottles
Guesses must be submitted here in the next little while.
Winner will receive bragging rights re: mad math skillz!! and a surprise!
Bonus points if you correctly identify which bottle (king cobra, budweiser, wild irish rose, etc) is the most common.
Land! Take two!
We signed the papers this AM and if the snowpocalypse stays at bay a little longer they will be filed at the courthouse this pm.
We paid $3,520.65 for the bamboo jungle next door (inclusive of fees). It is formally known at 503 N. Elizabeth St and clocks in at .088 acres. It is unbuildable without permission from the board of adjustment and then, you could only put a very small single family house on it. We purchased it because we were concerned that the yard for lizzy was very small and did not want to have a rental house or for sale house next door to an overgrown bamboo jungle next to the former shooting gallery.
It is currently covered with bamboo, ivy, and empty King Cobra and Budwiser bottles.
We will be clearing the lot and using it as a side yard for Lizzy. There are some beautiful trees waiting to be liberated from this jungle. Pics to follow shortly.
Plans :
Clear sidewalk in front of bamboo forrest
Hack Bamboo
Count bottles
Clear trash
We paid $3,520.65 for the bamboo jungle next door (inclusive of fees). It is formally known at 503 N. Elizabeth St and clocks in at .088 acres. It is unbuildable without permission from the board of adjustment and then, you could only put a very small single family house on it. We purchased it because we were concerned that the yard for lizzy was very small and did not want to have a rental house or for sale house next door to an overgrown bamboo jungle next to the former shooting gallery.
It is currently covered with bamboo, ivy, and empty King Cobra and Budwiser bottles.
We will be clearing the lot and using it as a side yard for Lizzy. There are some beautiful trees waiting to be liberated from this jungle. Pics to follow shortly.
Plans :
Clear sidewalk in front of bamboo forrest
Hack Bamboo
Count bottles
Clear trash
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Ramblings
Our heat at Oakwood broke this morning and after a 3am freak out (WHAT IN THE FUCK IS THAT MELTING PLASTIC SMELL) in which we all got dressed, told Madeline she needed to be a brave and cooperative child and wear many layers, and made multiple trips to the crawl space, Harris discovered that the breaker/switch/fuse whatever thing that powers our heat pump was literally melted.
The irony that we own three houses, two of which have no heat, and none of which we could stay in was not lost on me. We have high hopes that our HVAC crew will show up by 9am and will fix the heat.
Harris and Madeline are asleep upstairs which leaves me to stay awake downstairs and await their arrival. I've made brownies, cleaned the kitchen, and will probably finish the laundry before they do.
Anyway, I also realized I needed to update the totals section here and on the separate spreadsheet we keep. We had to renew our vacant house insurance policy. Because the housing market is crap (which makes no sense to me) vacant house policies are hard to get and the only one we've found so far is a company in Arizona who will give us 3 month renewals. Great right??? As soon as we start construction we can get a construction policy or something. However, we're waiting for tax credit application approval before starting construction so here's hoping...
Again. Anyway.
We bought a pair of these today on sale at Sears for $15.88. FISKARS!
Being me, on our way home we stopped by Lizzy to try them out. I had to cut several strands of bamboo before I realized that yes, it was cutting that smoothly. We might be looking at fewer hours now.
We've gone back and forth about the best way to get rid of the bamboo. Chainsaw or loppers, and loppers has finally won out. Elena Chainsaw Turner came over to scout the lot today and agreed that the level of trash, bottles, junk, undergrowth, and slope meant that the chainsawing would probably be...not fun. Add to that her theory that as a grass it would gum up the blades often enough that you'd rather just hack it and Harris finally agreed to let me lop it all out.
Our new plan for the yard is to
1. Cut down bamboo, vines, and small shrubs.
2. Haul trash, bamboo, and logs to curb.
3. Dispose (trash/recycle) all of the crap.
4. MOW baby MOW!
5. Find land pin.
The irony that we own three houses, two of which have no heat, and none of which we could stay in was not lost on me. We have high hopes that our HVAC crew will show up by 9am and will fix the heat.
Harris and Madeline are asleep upstairs which leaves me to stay awake downstairs and await their arrival. I've made brownies, cleaned the kitchen, and will probably finish the laundry before they do.
Anyway, I also realized I needed to update the totals section here and on the separate spreadsheet we keep. We had to renew our vacant house insurance policy. Because the housing market is crap (which makes no sense to me) vacant house policies are hard to get and the only one we've found so far is a company in Arizona who will give us 3 month renewals. Great right??? As soon as we start construction we can get a construction policy or something. However, we're waiting for tax credit application approval before starting construction so here's hoping...
Again. Anyway.
We bought a pair of these today on sale at Sears for $15.88. FISKARS!
Being me, on our way home we stopped by Lizzy to try them out. I had to cut several strands of bamboo before I realized that yes, it was cutting that smoothly. We might be looking at fewer hours now.
We've gone back and forth about the best way to get rid of the bamboo. Chainsaw or loppers, and loppers has finally won out. Elena Chainsaw Turner came over to scout the lot today and agreed that the level of trash, bottles, junk, undergrowth, and slope meant that the chainsawing would probably be...not fun. Add to that her theory that as a grass it would gum up the blades often enough that you'd rather just hack it and Harris finally agreed to let me lop it all out.
Our new plan for the yard is to
1. Cut down bamboo, vines, and small shrubs.
2. Haul trash, bamboo, and logs to curb.
3. Dispose (trash/recycle) all of the crap.
4. MOW baby MOW!
5. Find land pin.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Bamboo take 2
Madeline woke me up around 5am and we all decided to get up around 6:22. She of course then decided to nap at 10am when I was full of the energy.
So I tried a new approach to bamboo removal. I took a pair of loppers over to the house and individually cut each piece of bamboo. At the beginning it went really fast and I was quite accurate, however, about an hour in to the process, I noticed it was taking much, much longer. I then started moving bamboo to the pile until Harris called me home for lunch.
We're estimating there is about three more hours of bamboo cutting to be done. Then there will probably be 5-10 hours of junk picking, raking, recycling glass, and hauling stuff to the curb.
There are several trees that I was able to see today up close. Once the bamboo is gone, the yard is going to be beautiful.
So I tried a new approach to bamboo removal. I took a pair of loppers over to the house and individually cut each piece of bamboo. At the beginning it went really fast and I was quite accurate, however, about an hour in to the process, I noticed it was taking much, much longer. I then started moving bamboo to the pile until Harris called me home for lunch.
We're estimating there is about three more hours of bamboo cutting to be done. Then there will probably be 5-10 hours of junk picking, raking, recycling glass, and hauling stuff to the curb.
There are several trees that I was able to see today up close. Once the bamboo is gone, the yard is going to be beautiful.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Bamboo
The vacant lot next door is currently overgrown with Bamboo.
This invasive is incredibly hard to kill and LURVES North Carolina. Our side yard provided the most perfect growing conditions evAr and is currently covered in the stuff.
Hats off to Danny Hunt at Hunt Surveying for getting in there and finding that damn property line, marked with orange surveyors tape. You, good sir, are brave.
Here you can see the jungle and our various game faces that we employ to scare the bamboo.
Using the pictured orange machete we spent about two hours hacking at bamboo. Yes, there are probably more expedient methods to initially remove bamboo stalks, but how often do either of us have the opportunity to wear ourselves out hacking at stuff with a machete?
Our destruction- a pile of bamboo stalks about four and a half feet tall and as many feet wide. Sun is shining on parts of the side yard that have probably not seen light in years. We were also able to pull a contractor bag of junk out of the bamboo.
Little known facts about slumlords:
1. They will go around their ass to reuse anything that has not been utterly destroyed yet.
2. Nothing is ever hauled off site- yards that are covered in ivy, or in this case, bamboo, make the perfect dumping ground for any materials that have been utterly destroyed.
It's not because they particularly care about craftsmanship or recycling or their impact on the environment;they are just cheap.
This invasive is incredibly hard to kill and LURVES North Carolina. Our side yard provided the most perfect growing conditions evAr and is currently covered in the stuff.
Hats off to Danny Hunt at Hunt Surveying for getting in there and finding that damn property line, marked with orange surveyors tape. You, good sir, are brave.
Here you can see the jungle and our various game faces that we employ to scare the bamboo.
Using the pictured orange machete we spent about two hours hacking at bamboo. Yes, there are probably more expedient methods to initially remove bamboo stalks, but how often do either of us have the opportunity to wear ourselves out hacking at stuff with a machete?
Our destruction- a pile of bamboo stalks about four and a half feet tall and as many feet wide. Sun is shining on parts of the side yard that have probably not seen light in years. We were also able to pull a contractor bag of junk out of the bamboo.
Little known facts about slumlords:
1. They will go around their ass to reuse anything that has not been utterly destroyed yet.
2. Nothing is ever hauled off site- yards that are covered in ivy, or in this case, bamboo, make the perfect dumping ground for any materials that have been utterly destroyed.
It's not because they particularly care about craftsmanship or recycling or their impact on the environment;they are just cheap.
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