If you haven't heard, the San Clemente beach house has been a little soggy of late. Countless filling of cracks, leveling of doors and sweeping out rain and stashing of sandbags had been a telltale sign that something was amiss!

Pat got on the ball and one competent structural engineer found. . . one giant mess in the making! As Aunt Rose, rest her soul, always said, "it's going to get a helluva lot worse before it get's a helluva lot better!" No truer words!!

Pat, Taylor and I went down yesterday to inspect the mess. . . and mess we found! The fence, which was falling, officially fell. The ground was being excavated, broken sewer lines being repaired, foundation lifted and now decisions to be made. Since the area needs regrading, much that is here, soon will not be here and that means a blank slate of sorts. I love a blank slate!

Another remodeling project!


In back of the house, the "lake" is gone. The asphalt forever gone! It actually looks more spacious! The back step is gone and the entire area regraded so no step is needed, hence, no more deep pool to collect rain runoff! We'll actually have an inviting little patio!

You'll notice all that new pipe. The bath and kitchen sewers in both front and back houses are being re plumbed.


The old clay and cast iron pipes met their match of soil and corrosion and leaked into the side walkway beneath the corner foundation. Along with the gutters dumping excessive rain runoff into a gulley, the corner foundation had sunk about 2 1/2 inches. Now raised, interior doors aren't closing on their own anymore!
New sewer lines are going in. So, we had a couple of long meetings with the engineer discussing the new cement walkways, patios and driveway to come. The place will have a new face lift and color scheme.

Hopefully,kitchens and baths will be working again in a day or two! Terry, me and the boys are going down this weekend to see how the concrete pour goes in the back of the house. Once approved, everything can move forward!!