Septic system approval........finally!

Tom had been thinking of calling the Septic System Engineer since summer, he tried him twice, there was no answer, it wasn't a top priority so...... September rolls around....we need to get a hold of the engineer for another property also for final approval. Tom still can't get in contact with him......"so let's look him up on the internet"; says the smart wife, same address & phone # Tom has. Uh-Oh......Problem.....need the systems approved & another engineer won't approve what's already in the ground. Tried facebook-BINGO-only problem is he's leaving for Costa Rica on a one way trip! Sent him a message via FB, hoping he's still in business.......got a response from him the next day. Explained the situation...he's on his way to Costa Rica for two weeks then he'll be back, can schedule them both in then before he & his wife leave for good October 1st! Cutting this one close..... He was able to sign off on the house no problem, the other property was another issue. Tom went to meet him, waited an hour, he didn't show, it was pouring when he went & the site was a mud hole. Tom came home & of course the Engineer called then, he was at the site....luckily Tom was able to trouble shoot from home & explain it all. He signed off on the property & he's off to Costa Rica! (The engineer...not Tom-he's not going anywhere until the house is done:)

Changing Landscape

The tree we tried so hard to save, to the point of creating a curved retaining wall, is not going to make it. So it had to come down. Not an easy decision.
(Hello.....But if it has to come down doesn't it make sense to do it before Martha has to rake all the leaves that fall off it's branches????)

The guys really did a great job with it being so close to the power lines & the house, there were a couple of moments where I got a little nervous, OK, maybe more than a little...when one of the guys yelled to the other to send him up a smoke-how exactly do you tie that to a tree rope? Ummm, I'm thinking gas chainsaw-2 hands should be on the chainsaw & rope...open flame to light the cig... not to mention they got a little later start than planned.....Dusk was falling .......and the moon was starting to rise....Of course Tom had to get in on the act, a little extra umph from his pick-up to bring down the last fat section....But hey-tree's down & all is well that ends well. No one blew up, the neighbors new vehicle is fine other than a coating of sawdust...

Over the next 2 days the clean up continued, the stump was ground and now I'm going to have to come up with something "cutesy" to do where the curved retaining wall was......any ideas???