Home Improvements (Part Two) 254

I'm becoming more and more anxious/nervous/whatever about making these improvements. I feel as if I'm standing still on something urgent. Maybe I've just been home too long and need to get my mind on something else. I didn't get anything from Dr. Goodheart today, and I'm beginning to wonder if he sent the letter I need (to get my job back) directly to Dr. Flagman in Dothan.

Back to home improvements. I still haven't gotten an estimate on what the shed itself will cost.

I mentioned yesterday that an engineer from AL Power was coming out to advise me about moving our utility service pole. He suggested putting it on the east end on the house - by my bedroom. He rambled off some other stuff I didn't understand, but one thing's clear; I'm gonna have to hire a high priced electrician to do the work so the AL Power inspector will approve it. And I learned that a buried power line would run from the big utility pole by the road to the house - an expense I'm sure I can't afford. I wouldn't want to have to dig it up later.

The only thing AL Power will physically do is move the power line. But their list of requirements and specifications covers everything I'm responsible for. Which is ... what?

I learned that I have to buy and set the pole. I don't want us to be without power any longer than necessary, so I'll get another pole and have everything ready for a one hour swap. Maybe. But what kind of pole does it have to be?

I went over to the AL Power office in Hueytown this morning and picked up 'Spec Sheets'. This is what they say about the pole itself:



Ok, so it's got to be treated wood. It's got to be 18' long. 4' of that 18 has to be in the ground, so I've got to dig a hole 4' deep. If the pole is round, it's got to be 5" in diameter. If the pole is aquare, it's got to be 6"x6", which is what we have now. And once you put it up, if the thing's not stable in AL Power's eyes, they won't connect the power.

I'm getting a headache. Just for the record, here are the spec sheets in full:

Home Improvements (Part One) 253

(Part Two will follow as things progress.)

I've already mentioned the shed I want to put over the trailer. Just for the record, here are more details on that subject. To find people to call for an estimate, I just searched the internet. Several places do commercial work, but few are interested in a project this small.

Anyway, one of the places gave me a number for a guy that does a lot of their work, Paul. Paul gave me his email address, and he was able to tell what I wanted to do just by looking at the link I sent him. He asked me to measure from the ground to the roof - it's 11.5' at the tallest point. We've talked a couple of times, but I haven't heard back from him since then.

I also called Southern Home Remodeling. These people have shown more interest, actually coming to the house to take measurements. And yesterday they called me back to say they were waiting on a price from somebody else.

Apparently it takes a while for a contractor/builder/whatever to get an estimate together. I thought they could just quote a price based on footage - quick and easy like. Obviously, I've never had any experience with this kind of thing, but my sense of urgency has become more intense since the last rain.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida came through a couple of days ago, dumping about 4.5 inches of blowing rain in about 36 hours. It was coming through the back door somehow. Not around the edges, but through it, I think. The door is a typical cheap trailer door. It needs to be replaced, but trailer doors don't conform to standard specs. I'd have to order one online, then hire somebody to hang it (to be sure it's a snug fit.) The rain was also blowing through the kitchen window where the air conditioner is; (Long story about how Disabro didn't fix it back right.)

This shed would solve a lot of problems, including a roof over the front porch and general aesthetics for the neighborhood.

An engineer from AL Power is coming out this morning to give me advice about moving the power line. I'm considering putting it underground, but to simply move it over might be the cheapest way. I don't know.

In other, sort-of related news: There aren't any kind of handholds in the bathroom for Mother when she's taking a shower. Because she's almost 80 yo it scares me to death that she might trip/slip stepping out of the shower. So I bought one of these from Target Online:



It's heavy and well made for the price, but it won't fit our tub. Our tub has two 'lips' at the top at exactly the wrong places, and the rail can't screw onto the side evenly. I took it back to the local Target yesterday.

Our tub is also narrow compared to standard tubs, so I ordered one of these from Target Online too:



Just to remind everybody, the only reason I can even consider improvements to the house is because I got all that money back from BCBS. It won't be anywhere near enough for the shed, but it's a start. Hopefully I'll be able to get that financed somehow - possibly with E.F. Hutton and Abbie.

Finally, I've had a cold or something since 11/04/09. Bad! headaches and stuffy nose, but not many other symptoms. I called Cinderella 3 days ago and asked if Dr. Feelgood would phone in some antibiotics for me. Yesterday I picked up 14 tablets of Sulfamethoxazole-TMP DS, "...a combination of two antibiotics used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections (e.g., middle ear, urine, respiratory and intestinal infections). I think I'm on the mend.

I still haven't gotten the letter I need to get by job back, but I'm not real concerned - yet.