Please Allow Me to Complain
On the positive side, we may finally have our yard retaining wall fixed, after a year or two of being jilted by engineers, being turned down by the city, and a delay even at each successful stage. Today the engineer, the construction/landscaper guy, and the city inspector convened. That's good. Some things were surprises since the last time I talked to the engineer, all annoying or even upsetting:

1) The entire side wall may need to be replaced, rather than part of it. Since part of it costs about $20,000, you can imagine that I am not eager for the new estimate. We maybe could do it the other way, which the city has actually approved, but it would look ugly and maybe be vulnerable at the join.

2) The 3' is not how far back they have to dig, but the depth of the wall at its base. Legally, for the safety of the men, they have to dig 5' to 6' back. Basically, all the landscaping I've done on that hill over the years has to be transplanted or gets crushed.

3) Because of 2), our decades-old, lovely, over-two-stories-tall magnolia and arbor-vita trees may actually die, due to root damage. I have some hopes: the person leading the construction is also a landscaper, great with plants, and almost an old friend; he says they'll prepare the trees with transplant chemicals beforehand and try to keep major roots intact. Also, since it's a matter of shock rather than actually falling over, maybe even if there is damage, only part will die. But. Yipes. At least they can ball the azalea and replant it afterwards. And of course, all this is more money.

I repeat twenty times: I love owning a home. I love having a yard. I love gardening. I love owning a home. I love owning a home.

Mood: feelin' adult