Blooming Plants... among other things

After over a year, maybe even two, my African Violet has decided to bloom again! I got the camera out and did a little experimenting and came up with what I think is a pretty good photo. I'm hoping the second bud opens soon so I can try it again with the two blooms.

On the home front, it continues to move slowly. I got a call last weekend from someone wanting to schedule an independent carpet inspector to come to my house and check out the carpet. I didn't know there was such a thing or that one needed to come to my house. I thought the carpet guy had already been here. It appears that the flooring company that installed the carpet filed a claim with the mill and the mill requested the carpet inspector. Takes more time away from work, but it's gotta be done. She came out Wednesday. Nice lady. Apparently it was installed wrong; it's a dye problem with the carpet. And, if you look carefully, it's also present in the master bedroom. She says it's fairly common and that she sees it a lot. In all my years, I've never seen anything like the stripe you see in my living room where the two carpet pieces were put in. So, I guess I'll take her word for it. At any rate, she said her report would be turned in by yesterday (Friday) and I should hear something within the next couple of weeks. We'll see how quick builder rep is at getting that information to me.

It's been cold and rainy and just icky today, so I've pretty much holed up in the house. However, when I looked out the window at the rain earlier today, I noticed my driveway is much worse. One side of the crack is now noticeably higher than the other. And the rain won't make it any better. Builder rep supposedly has been out to my house with the folks who are going to correct the drainage. I hope it's soon. But, according to rep guy, they are still in discussion on the best way to fix the driveway. Ummm... rebar maybe?

I had a landscaper out to the house for ideas on the front flower bed and the back yard. His first question though was what was up with the driveway. He's done home construction before and has never seen anything like that. He got down and peered into the crack. Couldn't see any steel. The rebar comment was his. But, he's like the third person to say that. I looked at the driveway across the street, which was poured recently. They put steel in the end of the driveway but not in the part above the sidewalk. Maybe that explains why they've had to replace so many. At any rate, the builder has been debating since December on the best way to fix mine and the others. I'm ready for them to make a decision.

Back to the landscaper. I gave him my budget after we talked. He didn't seem scared off. He actually suggested that we focus on the front flower bed and the back patio, which I agree with and which was my get started plan. So, hopefully, this one will follow through.