Archive for May, 2010

High Desert Tour

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

I want to go there. SO BAD. I’ve got a camera…and a youthful enthusiasm for architecture…

Huell Howser swim party! WOW.

Landscape Sketchup

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

By the powers of Sketchup! Make It So!

Well, I’m no landscape designer (obviously) but there are a few rules in how we need to approach this whole desert landscaping business – hopefully moving things along with the The Year of the Exterior.

1. Drought Tolerant Plantings (no grass, no horsetail reed, no Papyrus, nothing tropical…i.e. all the things I like.)

2. Simple to maintain (lots o’hardscape)

3. Modern, clean and cost effective (Use one thing and repeat repeat repeat for impact and cohesion. I’m cheap!)

The idea with the front yard is to use a combination of barrel cactus, blue fescue, mexican feathergrass, ocotillo with a palo verde tree thrown in. That big middle rectangular lump is supposed to be a lawn of mounding “blue fescue” but the stupid 2-D bush thing won’t stay put, and it’s not actually fescue at all. I’m having a hard time finding the right plants in the Sketchup 3-D warehouse.

Decomposed granite will function as most of the ground cover with insets of light gray or white pea gravel under the fescue, the palo verde tree as well as in the side yard area. Fun plans for that to come…

For the hardscape I want at least three big boulders and would like to pour rectangular concrete steps from the front door to the sidewalk. We also are planning to build a masonry wall on the right side of the house and along the neighbors property to replace all the nasty fence thing that is happening there now.

Here is plan view of the Brick House compound where you can see the insets of gravel on the DG.

I think kangaroo paw will line the side of the driveway, past the eventual “gate”, to soften up and disguise the orange fence a bit.

The “gate” I’m thinking about building is based on this gate design from Blake Dollahite.

Hog panels! I’m probably going to need to learn how to weld.

We also need to rebuild a more aesthetically pleasing mailbox.

So many big plans, so little money (and skill).

First things first. Paint the house. It’s totally going to happen! And soon.

Craigslist WTF

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Just in case you don’t want to zoom, this Craigslist ad says:

“Great MID-CENTURY MODERN DRIFTWOOD Tables!!! – $2000 (Hemet)

im selling two Mid-Century Modern Heavy Driftwood End Tables and a huge Driftwood Coffee table that are in perfect condition. The end tables are worth $1800 Or Best offer each and the coffee table is worth about $6000 or Best Offer . if you are interested, please call me at 951-658-4519 or email me at talo117@hotmail.com. The total price for them all is $10,000. Thanks, Ray.”

WHAT?

The price starts off at: $2,000.

Then goes to: $1,800 (end tables – “each” – so $3,600) and $6,000 (coffee table)

Which equals $9,600.

But somehow “the total price for them all is $10,000“.

WHAT?

So it costs $400 more dollars to buy them as a set than to buy them all separately? Is that a tip or something? Where did the initial $2,000 price come from? All are marked “or best offer” but the total for the set is not negotiable? Just so many questions…so many confusing feelings…

WTF.

Ray, we need to have a talk.

Number One: Where on earth are you getting these values for driftwood tables?

Number Two: Do you realize that you’re in Hemet and that this is Craigslist?

Number Three: What kind of crazy demented math equation are you using?

My best offer is $100 and a quick slap in the face. Craigslist is driving me bonkers!