http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com <-- one of the most powerful docs I've ever seen. I was so gob-smcked by the sheer horribleness of it that I actually had to go and dig some holes in my yard and justbreathe through the nauseating truth of it, in the light of the street lamp.
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I have finally been able to spend some time weeding out the horse herb. Turns out to be a very aggressive bugger indeed. Amazing in the right spot, but it has suffocated some blue grama grass and attempted to take over a salvia.
And most importantly, I have purchased some lovely plants to integrate the new fence. Because the fence has to go to trial in 2 months, and I want it to look smashing.
This is truly a Halloween homeowner story. ANd perhaps more.
The deal is, I decided that I would get a fence if I could do it for under $2500. It seemed like a decent investment. My dog tends to wander into the neighbor's yard to crap, which is annoying and uncool. This wpuld address that. There's a future likelihood of chickens. So, fence would be good. And there;s the recent local crime wave (ranging from burglary to gas-siphoning to
To address all these needs, I decided on ornamental wire fencing http://www.hutchison-inc.com/html/fence_wire/fence/ornamental.php, the old school kind. Period appropriate and all. It could be put up with t-posts driven a foot into the ground. Long lasting, semi-permanent.
Wade, our local go to 'no job too small' jack of all things, recommended I check the city code and make sure the plans were all ok. So I did. Googled up a bunch of FtWorth pages on fences and rules. Called city code people, utility people. Talked to neighbors. It was all good and settled. The code lady and I laughed at my attempt to describe something or other. She asked if the fence was 50% open, if it was less than 48in. not chain linkk, etc etc.' 'Yep, Yep, Nope. Its an ornamental wire fence.' She asks: 'So its intended to be used as fencing?' 'Yep! Right there in the name. ' Ok then you're good. Check! check! All systems go! And I order the fencing. Which has to come via pallet from someplace in Colorado.
So, finally Wade has finished the bathroom remodel and the emergency door repair and it's my turn. He works his ass off, pounding in the T-posts with this pounder thing. Fence goes up.
And it is weird and awesome. Suddenly I feel safer. A totally disproportional amount of stress-reduction, especially given the thing was only 1/16 'finished' with the wires tightened, plus no gates.
Then MuniCode Man pulls up and begans photgraphing and measuring and poking and prodding at my fence. He explains that it is an illegal fence. Say what? I explain the nice code lady and the whole thing with the utilities etc. He goes away shaking his head. Only to call later that afternoon. He has confirmed it with his supervisor. The fence is made out of chain link.
to be continued...
