Tough Week And I Really Should Not Complain

It's been one.

We found out Tuesday that the city of Cupertino is going to charge us $800 to amend our plans. These are the changes mostly due to the fact that our architect (who we really like) wasn't paying too much attention to some things having to do with holding up the walls, and our structural engineer (who we are not happy with, do not love, will never forgive) screwed things up, and then didn't fix what the city told him to fix, and then forgot more things, and then told the building crew to do things differently than what had been designed... So, that's more money to the city and more rent because we have been significantly delayed. Yes, I know it's supposed to happen this way, everyone tells you, but it's still no fun no fun.

We found out Wednesday that the architect (who we still like) and the structural engineer, and the city, and the builder all managed to overlook the fact that we are required to have two furnace (HVAC) air-conditioner units for the two different zone in our house -- both because the house is large and because the furnaces are small and because the city requires it (fire safety or some such nonsense). This means that we have to spend an additional $5,000 for the second furnace, and all its attendant furnace-things. Also, our architect (who Bob still likes) managed to overlook designing space in the walls and ceilings for any (any) of the heating ducts -- which means I am losing space in two closets to allow for up and down ducts, the new furnace, and a bit of loft in the upstairs ceilings and half of a skylight to make room for more ducts (I think they are technically called conduits, but I am mad). I have been avoiding thinking about this, but in order to complain loud and long to all my blog readers (who are you??) I had to think of it again today.

The good news (we are really so lucky, so why am I griping?) is that we have space in the closets, a very smart HVAC contractor, more money than 95% of the people on the planet (can that really be true?) and we will survive this -- and the house is shaping up beautifully and I'm really excited.

Okay, gripe session over. Go to Picasa to see the latest photos. My cousin Phil was here from Massachusetts this week and experienced Wednesday morning at the house with us. We had fun with him. He eats his cereal without milk, but he's still a lot of fun.