Ahh, progress. What you’re looking at is the Day Castle Moat, the two-inch-deep ring of water around my side porch as a result of my grading job. The grading was supposed to “improve drainage.”
Oh, it improved it, all right. It routed all the water to my porch. The childish side of my anger wants to make it clear that I didn’t like this plan from the start, and I brought it up before the process, during the process, and after the process. But all I knew was that it didn’t “look right” – that doesn’t get much credibility with guys on Bobcats; in fact, the landscaper’s response was “I think you’re overanalyzing.” And besides, this was the “easier” way. (When I’m writing a check with four digits, the word “easier” does not fall pleasantly on the ears).
Today I will spend the day remembering the way I do things. Instead of paying someone (who is trained and experienced) to tell ME how to improve my drainage, I will be pounding wooden stakes into the ground, stretching out strings and line levels, determing exactly how many inches of slope I can get (guess what? none of those things were a part of the “professional” job), then pointing to the contractor and saying “I want you to fill it to HERE and slope it to HERE” and then watching until it is done. At least, that’s the plan. Currently there’s a slight problem with getting phone calls returned, which is posing the teensiest threat to my cheerful goodwill with the landscaper, who up until now has been very nice, showed concern, and has showed up on schedule (which does earn points, if you’ve ever worked with subcontractors before).
All ye who rolled their eyes at me when I said, “I think I might rent a Bobcat and do this myself,” look closely at the Day Castle Moat and reconsider your reaction!
