What Bourbon Are You Drinking Summer 2025?

[flahute]

12 hours ago, MM818 said:

 The intention was to remodel the outside 360 degrees. We brought in a landscape designer and hardscape guy. The main purpose was fire abatement, plant drought tolerant plants, remodel the backyard, and better drain system for the heavy rains we get in the hills. The people we decided to work with were recommended by close friends. They ended up having a war on our property that I was having to referee weekly. In addition, we took out 94 feet of mature plants that provided privacy for us and our neighbor. We put up a green screen while the work was being done but they got mad we took out our plants. On day 70ish we had to bring a fence guy in to build a 94 foot fence to keep the peace. Lawyers got involved. We were able to offset that cost a little by mostly only using 1g and 5g plants instead of 15g plants because the new fence provides privacy. 
We also built a new wall on the other side of the house and I was planning on building a decorative fence on top of the wall to  provide privacy. The city came in and stopped us because the fence would bring it out of code. Still in limbo there. I would leave town and things we agreed upon would change. We have more work to complete but I had enough and sent everyone home. There were other oversights that cost us money. 

Oh wow that is just brutal. Sorry you went through that! Curious about the second fence - was it going to be too tall?

Sounds like you are doing the right thing to create more defensible space. Have you heard of Frontline? It's a roof mounted sprinkler protection system.

 

I'll pour another GTS for you tonight.

[Anwalt]

Regular KC9 at Orlando airport. Never disappoints. 

[MM818]

32 minutes ago, Anwalt said:

Regular KC9 at Orlando airport. Never disappoints. 

KC never disappoints but MCO almost always disappoints. 

Edited 3 hours ago by MM818

[MM818]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

Oh wow that is just brutal. Sorry you went through that! Curious about the second fence - was it going to be too tall?

Sounds like you are doing the right thing to create more defensible space. Have you heard of Frontline? It's a roof mounted sprinkler protection system.

 

I'll pour another GTS for you tonight.

Yes, the stucco wall where it meets the sidewalk is 3 feet tall. (That’s the maximum height allowed). As the wall runs back toward the house it’s over 6 feet tall. I wanted to step down a horizon metal slatted fence to add just a little privacy and safety for us and the neighbor. The city said it’s not a walkable space so we don’t need a fence, but also can’t have a fence! We have a three foot planter on our side of that wall so we are going to plant some hedges that will have to do. 
 

We have a new fire resistant roof and our vents are protected.

 

We took out Apple, fig, lemon, pomegranate trees, but kept the avocado tree even though it’s close to the house. It’s a producer and I just couldn’t. We ended up planting 35 different varieties of plants (148 total, even put in some Kentucky Bluegrass fescue hybrid) with several repeating a pattern halfway around the house. But much more room to defend if we need it. 

 

I’ve seen sprinkler systems but probably won’t get one. The recent fires the wind is usually favorable to us. It blows across us. The danger for us would be wind coming off the ocean but those are typically wet winter storms. So while there is risk I think it’s acceptable. We have hose bibs on all corners of the property and we can pump water out of the pool. 
 

GTS… I might join ya tonight.