Subdivision, part 12

Seattle DPD has granted conditional approval of our subdivision. The reviewer had a couple new corrections to the plans we submitted a week and a half ago, but apparently they're minor enough that we can progress to the final.

One of the changes is shrinking the new access easement so the existing fence beside the driveway won't have to be torn down and rebuilt six feet closer to the house. Sort of like the detached garage, existing conditions don't count for squat when you're doing a subdivision in Seattle.

The fence will still be inside the back neighbors' 20'-wide access easement, but since we're not doing anything with that particular easement, that condition can stay.

So now the surveyor makes their final plans per the requirements below:

• 3 complete rolled sets (not folded or creased); 1 set must be an original (No exceptions - the Recorder’s office will not accept all 3 sets as copies of an original and this will hold up your project)
• All 3 sets must be signed & notarized with Surveyor’s stamp and signature on all pages
• All finals to be recorded must measure EXACTLY 18” x 24” (otherwise we WILL reject them because the Assessor & Recorder’s office will not accept anything even slightly over these measurements and we aren’t able to cut them down for the customer as we do not have a paper cutter that size)
• Make sure that all of the pages in the set have the required 2” margin for recording and 1/2” margin on all other sides(again no exceptions, this is a recorder’s office requirement not DPD’s)
• Please do not date stamp finals or affix any labels to the documents
• The Recorder will not accept documents with any typeface smaller that 8 point, fuzzy print or faint linework

Got that?

Oh, and there's a minor issue of an extra $1100 fee for additional review time.

And Seattle City Light still hasn't looked at the drawings yet. This thing's not over, for sure.

From Here to There to Over There and Back

It rained in Aberdeen. Morton had a parade. Mt Rainier remained elusive. Yakima has good, cheap Mexican food. Sleeping in a tent with the freeway across the river isn't as bad as it sounds. Highway construction is well underway in Walla Walla, but it barely affected us. Chunlin likes the smooth Palouse while I prefer the rocky roughness of Central Washington. Gasoline is cheaper in Idaho. Chunlin liked the Chinese food in Colfax. I didn't realize how much I appreciate some sunlight till we crossed Snoqualmie Pass back into the cloudbank. Home sweet home.

Caught Up

I finally caught up on posting photos. Just in time to take a trip this weekend!

Here's one from Goat Mountain, off the Mt. Baker Highway:

The view wasn't the greatest. . .

And here's one from Highway 11, on the way to that hike:

Chunlin took this one while I steered. No photoshopping tricks required.

Last weekend's hike had a bit better weather:


We went to Mt. Forgotten Meadows, on the Mountain Loop Highway. The trail goes up Perry Creek, in the shadow (literally) of Mt. Dickerman for most of the way. Actually, we were in the sun on the way back, but that's okay.

Yay! We made it!

It's difficult to keep your eyes open when you're standing on a snowfield in sunshine.

Up on top, we had a wonderful view north, all the way to Mt. Baker.

A camprobber swooped in. Chunlin fed it a tiny bit of carrot, then I chased it away with my camera.

More photos from these two trips on flickr, flickr, and flickr.

220 mph

220 miles per hour -- work hour, that is.

A month ago, I only got 200 miles per work hour, so things are looking better. Unfortunately, two years ago, it was around 400. I wonder what changed in that time?

How many miles per work hour do you get? Take your car's miles-per-gallon, multiply by your hourly wage (after taxes), and divide by how much you pay per gallon of gasoline.

(mi/gal)*($/hr)/($/gal)

I Couldn't Do That Again if I Tried

I just dropped my pen, tried to catch it, and ended up knocking it behind my compter under my desk.

It landed on the power strip and flipped the switch, cutting power to my computer and the printer beside my desk.

Whoops.

Paris Hilton for President!

She'd certainly be better than Obama (in just about every way), and perhaps better than McCain, too (mainly because she's not worried about tarnishing her reputation or upsetting the status quo).

From the AP:

Last week, McCain launched an ad comparing Democratic rival Barack Obama to Hilton and Britney Spears, suggesting Obama was no more than a celebrity candidate unready to lead the nation.

Hilton initially shied away from the debate over the ad and its effectiveness. But she responded Tuesday with a spoof on the comedy Web site Funny or Die.

"Hey America, I'm Paris Hilton and I'm a celebrity, too. Only I'm not from the olden days and I'm not promising change like that other guy. I'm just hot," Hilton said, speaking as she reclined in a pool chair in a revealing bathing suit and a pair of pumps. "But then that wrinkly, white-haired guy used me in his campaign ad, which I guess means I'm running for president. So thanks for the endorsement white-haired dude."

"I want America to know that I'm, like, totally ready to lead," she said.

She then discusses energy policy, and suggests a hybrid of McCain's offshore oil drilling plan and Obama's incentives for new energy technology.

"Energy crisis solved! I'll see you at the debates," she said.

Subdivision, part 11

We got the revised survey in the mail yesterday, so Chunlin submitted the package of corrections this morning.

The woman at the Plans Routing desk was not particularly helpful. Even though the DPD plans reviewer had told me we only need to submit two copies of the revisions (because only two reviewers required corrections), Plans Routing really wanted to have eight copies. They also seemed a bit unsure as to why anyone would be giving them a corrections response letter, two "No Protest Agreements" (one for each new parcel in case the city wants to widen the street), and the revised surveys.

But they took the package, anyway, and stuck it in a file cabinet. I called the DPD reviewer to let her know about it, in case Plans Routing never bothered to.

The DPD reviewer had ended up mailing me the "No Protest Agreement" because she couldn't get anyone to tell her when or if it would be put back online.

The agreement was worded strangely. We had to cross out some phrases dealing with corporations and agents that didn't really apply at all. I hope they accept it.

Through dealing with City Light about trying to get a submeter, I was given the phone number for the City Light plans reviewer. I called him today. He said that they don't look at anything until after DPD completely approves the subdivision. The two agencies need to get on the same page. I hope DPD doesn't wait forever for City Light to review the drawings while City Light waits for DPD to finalize the approval.

And, oh by the way, City Light doesn't allow submeters on single-family properties.

This Month's Photo of Chunlin

I know I haven't been posting as regularly as before, but I've been busy, see?

Dealing with the mortgage company, the electric company, the gas company, the city, the tenants' neighbors, the insurance company, the garage door company, the tool repair shop, the home improvement store, the surveyor, and, of course, planning future trips and sorting through photos. You know, the usual. (Photos from July 6 to July 10, including a lovely sunset walk at the Seattle waterfront, are now uploaded!)

But you are all here to see the photo of my wonderful wife that I get to look at for the rest of August, while I'm at the office. From the last day of our New Zealand vacation, here she is:

The End of Tahoe

I finally finished uploading photos from our Tahoe trip four weeks ago. Whew.


A lovely little beach on the east side of Lake Tahoe, in a "rural area" of Carson City.


Lunch stop!


The view from our hotel room in Reno.


Proof we actually went outside the casino.


At the National Automobile Museum, a display on the 1908 around-the-world driving race showed a map of the planned and actual routes. They intended to drive across Alaska to Siberia, but ended up heading from Seattle to Japan. Who would've thought that Alaska in early spring is still kinda cold and snowy?


A Model T from before Ford switched to a choice of black or black.


Beware the slot machines!


Once you manage to find the hotel lobby in the casino, this sculpture is there to please you.


Gimme!


Sunset with forest fires over the horizon.

Head on over to flickr to see all 320 photos from our trip.

Apologies

I've been too busy tabbing old notebooks (so I can find useful information from the past for my writing), so I haven't posted anything here all week.

I uploaded some more Tahoe photos on flickr last night, though, so go look at those.

Slight Mishap

I tried to take a photo of Chunlin launching her boat, but . . .

Who Needs Donuts?

Chunlin made me promise to eat no donuts today, but that's okay. I have some cookies that Mamurd made me!

Easterbunny is Makemake

Oh, look! Another (dwarf) planet!

Makemake has been declared a dwarf planet today by the IAU.

It used to be called Easterbunny, but I guess that didn't sound respectable enough. Makemake is the creator god from the mythology of the islanders from Rapa Nui (aka Isla de Pascua (aka Easter Island)).

Easterbunny, Easter Island. Cute, huh?

Makemake's orbit is just outside Pluto, and behind Pluto and Eris (ex-Xena) in terms of dwarf-planet size.

Therefore, all you kids be sure to memorize the new list:

Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Ceres
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Makemake
Eris

Got it?