We've kept up with them Joneses! Tuesday, July 21st

I think the entire Hansen Bros crew from yesterday showed up around 7 this morning, but we may have been one guy short ... I didn't count.  Again, coffee cups in hand, Jimmy and I were ready.  In five hours yesterday, they finished repairing and replacing and filling cracks.  Today would be asphalt sealing, and this only took approx one hour.  Sealing protects from weather-related damage.  From start to finish, we liked the work these guys did -- professional, courteous, and hard workers.  Day One is directly below this post, or click here.

Day Two:

I didn't know that sealant wasn't applied to concrete, like the pad directly in front of our garage.  The fellow above is taping between asphalt and concrete, kind of like taping the ceiling when you don't want paint on it. Similarly, he used a brush to apply asphalt sealant to the areas abutting the tape.

Gotta clean near the edges!  Jimmy thinks he needs one of these power brush cleaners.  I don't think so!

Power brushing, taping, and blowing debris off the driveway ... lots involved.

Here comes the "black gunk."

I asked if this was a petroleum-based product.  The worker I asked didn't know exactly what was in this thick, gooey gunk, tho sand was one ingredient.  He did say petroleum is no longer used in asphalt sealant, at least not in California.  Thank goodness.  I wouldn't want to step in it, not one bit ... bet those shoes aren't allowed in the house!  Stuff looks like what washes up on beaches in an "oil spill."

The stuff didn't smell too bad, altho after a while, I decided it didn't smell too good, either.

You know, there is an art to everything.  He took great care with his work.

Quite a difference between before and after.

Oh my gosh, a man is trapped on an island!  Pretty, isn't it, in an asphalt sort of way?

Right up to the road, and straight as a razor.

The job is complete, right up to yellow caution tape across the driveway entrance (don't tread on me).  We can drive on it in 24 hours.  So, we'll be ready if/when rains begin.  El Niño is forecast to rule our weather this winter, meaning wet months, which will help stick a sock in the West's ongoing, destructive drought.  Our rain diverter isn't easy to spot anymore, now that our drive is all one color. I'm still wishing for a fluorescent pink or green or yellow stripe across the top of it.  IF that happens, I'll be sure to post a photo, but don't hold your breath!

Keeping up with the Joneses? Monday, July 20th

Our house and driveway are situated on a slope, with the road higher than the house.  That means any rain (what's rain?) or snow that falls washes down the driveway toward the house.  Drains that the previous owner put in years ago no longer worked, in spite of our efforts to update.  A rain diverter at the top of the driveway would keep water that's sheeting down the street from rolling down our driveway.  We looked into doing it ourselves and couldn't find what we wanted.  A neighboring house has a diagonal asphalt strip from one side of the drive to another (like a speed bump).  We thought that would work for us.  Also, one of our BIG Cedar trees sent an equally BIG root out and up, up, up thru the existing asphalt ... directing rain toward our garage instead of toward the grass.   And drainage right in front of the house?  It didn't.  In short, we needed help.

Earlier this year, we contacted several paving companies and one responded.  In April, we signed with Hansen Bros to repair several areas, followed by re-coating.  They said they were booked till July (Wow!). It's July! Monday morning about 7:30, whole crew of workers and machines showed up, ready to rock 'n roll.

Day One:

Oh, good, I closed all the windows.  The little saw (below) blew "dust" everywhere.

Amazing how much noise this saw makes.

Digging out old asphalt in front of the house and beginning to cut asphalt where the root is (guy on left)

Lots of huge pieces of root came out and rock fill is going in.

Out with the old.  Jimmy checks the drawing.

Another root that the Cat had to break and pull out.

It was decided at the last minute to cut out and replace this section (where it's broken).

It didn't smell as bad as I thought it would.

Spreading asphalt.  They knew what they were doing!

Carefully packing the new drain.  3° grade.

Yeah, it's loud ... scared me half to death when he fired it up.

He's fixin' to roll where the tree root was.

Tree root - done; drain by house - done.

Next - add asphalt to this small section to widen drive.

I want them to come back and paint this diagonal rain diverter fluorescent pink or yellow.  Yes?

Tomorrow:  Day Two.

Constructing the Wilkinson "RV Park!!" 7/16-7/19

We had the room to make a proper parking area for our Tergel (and any visiting RV's), but the area needed assistance! We hired Earth and Road Works to help us.  But first, Jimmy and I had to remove the short rock wall - heavy stones! - and pull out the encroaching (and entrenched) St John's Wort from the driveway.  We gained several feet on each side of the driveway near the street by yanking that invasive stuff out.  And it was an all-day's hard work for the two of us on Monday.

Click on any picture to enlarge.

This is where the RV parking will be. Jimmy lifts another heavy one. I helped, honest!

Here come the machines on Wednesday with Josh and Noel.  Yeehaw, I'm riding the roller! This entire area has to be cleared and leveled.

Piling the St John's Wort out of the way. After working hard, it's good to be a supervisor!

Excavator ripping out a large stump, and pulling dirt from the upside toward the downside of the property.

Flattening the cleared land (not me on the NOISY roller, haha). Ready for gravel.

New packed gravel widens our driveway. (see the rock pile?). These two photos show the guys filling the empty gravel truck with yard debris.

Finishing up on Thursday, leveling and spreading another load of gravel. Rolling it LEVEL.

We parked Tergel down the mountain while the work was being done. And now, doesn't she look fine parked in her new digs!  I don't think the CAT is going to stick around, so there will be room to host another RV. 30 amp electric, water and a sewer hookup are within easy reach. I told the guys if the CAT is here tomorrow, I'll probably take it for a spin around the block!

We're pleased with the job done. Glad it's finished. The men took care not to disturb the native dogwood (behind Tergel) and a lilac bush to the right of the CAT, my only stipulations. I guess we'll eventually move those rock piles and maybe make a new driveway border. No hurry, tho.

How does it look?