Waiting... and possible lead poisoning

Fun hasn't begun yet...

We've been sitting around on our thumbs for a while waiting for the permits to clear and for our contractor to free up some time to get started (he's working on a big remodel for Keen's store in the Pearl).

And the permits just came through today!  Here's the latest from www.portlandmaps.com:

Activities	Must Check	Activity Status
2nd Screen App Set-Up	Y	Approved
P & Z - Property Check	Y	Approved
Life Safety - Application Check	Y	Approved
Intake - DSC	Y	Intake
Corrections Received - RS	N	Completed
Point of Contact	N	Completed
Planning and Zoning Review	Y	Approved
Life Safety Plan Review	Y	Approved
Structural Review	Y	Approved
Urban Forestry Review	Y	Approved
Pre-Issuance Check	Y	Completed

Evidently the urban forestry review went well... whatever that is.  [I was just told by the contractor that it's the city's prerogative to make you plant trees in the strip of grass on the street when you remodel your house.    Fortunately, we've already got a couple of trees there.]

These permits were more expensive than I thought. As in, price-of-a-nice-new-refrigerator-expensive (major appliances are going to be my unit of measurement for cost from now on).  I'm a little surprised permits cost anything, frankly -- they seem to be a giant neon sign that reads "RAISE MY TAXES" so you'd think they'd comp you the cost of the paperwork...  I guess not.

In the mean time since our Black Friday credit spree, we've been doing a few little things to keep busy on the house:
 - we sold that ridiculous stove the jerkhole appraiser made us buy.  for $15 profit - savings.
 - we borrowed some tools from friend Bob for demo (chisel, sledgehammer, crowbar) and have taken out most of the kitchen cabinets with it.  We wore NEPH-rated respirators, but I wouldn't be surprised if we got a little lead in our brains from all the paint chips and dust.  It'll help in the long run.  We think too much as it is.

Next up: Chimney demolition and talking with the masons about new fireplaces.  Hopefully they're free masons.  Probably not.  And they probably get that joke a lot.  I'll still ask.