The last installment of the building process revolved around the permitting process.  After spending all afternoon Monday in Canton at the Cherokee County Building Department I finally have all three permits done.  Praise the Lord and pass the potato salad!

To the right, I introduce you to Mr. Erosion Control Permit.  That allows me to knock over trees and move dirt.  Really cool stuff, being done by a fella named Brandon who drives a big “loader”.

To the right, I introduce you to Mr. Building Permit.  This allows me to build a house.  Also really cool stuff that really couldn’t be pulled off without a monumental amount of assistance from my friend Pat Dirrim.

Now on to some photos…

Here’s a before photo…. facing the front of the future house.

 A similar view -  little bit to the right of the above photo.

Here’s some stumps, brush, and other mess.

The tree in the middle (it’s not in the foreground) is a nice, big oak tree - that we hope to keep in the front yard.  It’s kind of hard to see.

Here’s a view looking up the hill at Tim and Laury’s home.  You can see the brush and stumps piled up on the left side of the gravel drive.

Finally…. all of this is brought to you by Brandon Waters Grading.  That’s his “loader”.  Cool huh?

I’ll snap some more pictures for you tomorrow.

Don’t be strangers.

It is done.

So, before I left Canton Friday a.m., I filled out the application for the Erosion Control permit.  All I needed to have completed was my Double-Row Type C DOT Silt Fence along the creek, my septic permit, and my permit box.  I got all of those - and the inspection is Monday a.m.  I hope it goes smoothly.

If it does, then I will drive back to Canton and apply for my building permit.  I went over all my paper work with the building department on Friday.  There should be no hitches, they say.

Famous last words, right?

That being the case - I have learned more about septic systems than I ever really would want to learn.  I have a large lot (2.65 acres), but a tiny buildable space - constrained by 50 foot county setbacks for the agricultural zoning - and 50 foot buffers from the creek to protect the “state waters”. 

Then there is Cherokee County.  Them buggers over there at the County Environmental Health Department are rascally folks.  First, they lop on an additional 25 foot buffer zone (just for Cherokee County) so I have to stay 75 feet away from the creek. 

Just to make sure I knew what was going on I went to the EHD on July 16th to get the scoop on all my land requirements for my septic absorption field.  This is where all the effluent absorbs into the soil.  That’s enough info for you.  Anyway, I have limited are with good enough soil to hold the field.  So, what I heard was that I needed 290 feet for a primary field - and 400 feet for a repair field, if the primary failed.  The result was this drawing by the Landman:

 Notice in the upper left, the 290 LF (linear feet) of septic lines.    So, I turned this in with my septic application a week ago and waited for the fine folks at Cherokee County to give me my permit.  This permit is the first domino in the house building process. 

Well, they called today - and they said that even though they are not going to require me to install 400 feet of primary line, they are going to require that I show that I have room for the line.  Yikes!

The inspector told me that I must move my house.  Now, if you really could see the nitty gritty on this map - you’d realize, their ain’t no where to move the house.  So…. I called up the Landman - and he fixed me up with this:

Notice the nice 400 LF of septic lines in the upper left.  This is what I need.  Hopefully, the County instpectors will see this as satisfactory and give me the permit.  I’ve seen people put together far less convincing evidence and get a permit, so - pray for a favorable disposition to my application.  I should know something by Thursday A.M.

It occurred to me that many of you may have never seen the dirt that we purchased over a year ago.  So - I offer you these photos - and hopefully a periodic update as to the progress of the new home.

What you see here to the right is the entrance to the property from the road.  In true Bulldawgy fashion, our neighbors, the Richardsons, have chosen a fine black mailbox.  This works nicely with the Red mailbox of the Lee family - all giving the entrance a true Bulldog motif.

Here we have the view from our neighbor’s home.  You are looking toward the south, down the hill.  Our house will be to the right of the gravel drive in this picture.

This is the view of the house.  But, the house isn’t there yet.  I have been assured that it will be done by Christmas!  That’s amazing to me.

Needless to say, quite a few of these trees are going to be felled.  If you look closely, there is a tree in the front left of the picture with a green ribbon on it.  That green ribbon is the ribbon of survival…. this tree won’t be chopped down.

Two of the three requirements necessary for the erosion control permit are in place.  The first, is this sign (procured from my neighborhood Home Depot).  It will hold my permits.

The second of these requirements is the double row, Type C DOT silt fence you see to the right here.   This will protect the "creek" (future pictures to com) from runoff when we fell all those trees and dig the hole for the basement.  I say "creek" because that is what the Georgia EPA calls it.  It’s really a ditch that has puddles in it when it rains.  Occasional puddles, that is.

The final step before we can knock over trees and move dirt is the septic permit.  We are waiting from word from Cherokee County.

More to come.  Don’t be strangers.

What strikes me is that the reason they don’t rank the Dogs #1 is the strength of schedule. Their logic is that there is no way the Dogs can be undefeated, so they can’t rank them #1. What? Huh? Did I miss something? I thought the idea of being #1 was that you were the best. So… if Southern California goes undefeated by playing a cream puff (comparatively) schedule, does that make them better than the Dogs who might lose one or two against the toughest teams in the land?

This is why we need a playoff in college football. Otherwise, the “best” is up to the whims and the fancies of a bunch of sportswriters - who obviously failed logic while getting their journalism or english degrees.

Go Dogs!

For the first time in the history of college football (or at least the coaches poll, the Georgia Bulldogs are ranked as a preseason #1.  If you want to read some more about it, and I am sure that you do, you can get some keen insight here.

Don’t get me wrong.  Normally - I only recommend the USA Today for wrapping fish, lining a puppy’s cage, or for use as kindling for a campfire.  But in this case, since they sponsor the coaches poll - I am making an exception.

Saturday, August 30th, is just 29 short days away.  Be excited, Dawg Fans! 

And if you have trouble thinking, enjoy this fine analysis from Fox Business News.

Ultimately, I am much better off keeping the almost paid for Suburban - than ponying up for a new Prius. Who am I kidding, I’d need two Priuses. Priuses…. is that right? Just sounds kinda sick.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has done.

When you pray today, remember this family in your prayers - and remember that we have blessings beyond measure. The only good thing we have to hope in and cling to - is our great, merciful God.

Come, Lord Jesus. Come soon.