Contractor with the Devil

Despite my ambition and enthusiasm, things didn't go too well for the dock project. The contractor I thought I had so carefully vetted wasn't too keen on making me think my project was his only concern, quite the opposite, in fact, he used my deposit money to finish another job and left me in the lurch and went to Tahiti. It was my first time and he wasn't gentle. Neither was the building department or the lake "architectural" committee. Everything seemed against me.

In the end a couple of wonderful neighbors bailed me out with professional services, advice and encouragement and I ended up having to pay approximately the price of a permit to prove I didn't need a permit, jeesh! That's actually what it came down to!

I had really wanted to spend the summer next to the lake planting and decorating my new asset but it was winter before I could stand on the finished structure. As I stood there watching the sunset (finally) I looked up at my little house and realized the finished dock was a little over 700 sq. ft. and my house was 900 sq. ft.! Another example of my obsessive wanton desire winning out over the pragmatism of rational thinking.