Sue's Blog - Some assembly required.

Our Eric....well one of them.

Please meet Eric.
Eric is one of the many squirrels that frequent our garden.
There are quite a few Erics.
Big Eric, Small Eric, Little Eric and Just Eric..........to name but a few.
Without having any of the other Erics nearby I really can't say which Eric this is.
He is a happy Eric though as he is enjoying the corn cob I put out for him.
It is fixed onto a small platform.
One night when we were returning from gallavanting somewhere there was a huge raccoon scrunched onto this little platform, eating the corn.
He gave us a look that said............"What you looking at?"
So we left him to it, although I still don't know how he squeezed himself on there.



Well we had a heatwave last week (air conditioning on), then thunderstorms, torrential rain and hail stones yesterday........now today it is chuffing freezing and there is snow forecast for tonight.
I was so cold when I got in from work that I needed an otter, like the one above, to give me a cuddle.
How fab would that be?

Had some brill news though, and I needed some.
Lauren is coming to stay for 5 weeks this summer. She usually stays for 3 but this time she wants to stay for the whole summer holiday.
Yipppppeeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We love it when she is here.
So, we have Alanmas just after Christmas and because Milwaukee is famous for its summer fests.... Italian Fest, German Fest, Irish Fest, Mexican Fest......etc. etc., we now have Lauren Fest.
It has given me quite a boost.

The basement saga continues.
First quote around $4000.............was from someone who was 2 and a half hours late for our appointment, who had to find out what was needed and has still not given us the estimate in writing that we requested.........hmmmmmmmmmm........doesn't fill us with confidence.
Second quote $6700......... was from a guy who really seemed to know what he was talking about, had a well known company, could do it in a couple of days and gave a 20 year warranty that, should we move, would be passed to the next owners. Very good but pricey.
Third quote $6110.........from another guy who seemed to know what he was talking about, has been doing basements for years, would also sort out the leaky window, but only had a 10 year warranty. Dilemma.
To be honest I think the 20 year warranty is worth the few hundred extra.
We do want the window done though, so I suggested we ask him if he would include the window in the price. If he will (big if really) then I think we shall go with the second bloke.
All we need to do now is find the money............sigh.
I would just love to have been able to spend this money on something that looked good. Like, a new kitchen or bathroom.
Everything we have spent on this house has been for maintenance. Even the retaining wall with the posh stones that we had to have because the other one was falling over, cannot be seen from our house. There is a fence in front of it so the neighbour sees the lovely wall and it even looks like part of his garden.
I suppose next year there will be something else that needs urgent attention so we still won't be able to make an improvement that looks like we have.........if you know what I mean.
No one is going to say......."Oh what lovely supporting struts you have in your basement".
"Yes, we paid almost $7000 for the poxy things."

posted by Sue Banks @ 12:33 PM