We're Only Making Plans...for Jeanne (and Bill)

(click picture to enlarge)

If you haven't been to the Gilchrist homestead in a while, the sight above may be a bit shocking. The picture here (compliments of GoogleEarth) was taken sometime last year, after the Great Felling of 2005, and shows the area that used to be covered by lush forest is now open to the elements, thanks to pressures from Metro and Measure 37. But, soapbox sermons aside, the reason I bring this up is that I want everyone to get a visual idea of the work ahead.

The picture below is a close-up of the house itself and the area directly in front that needs the most work.

(click picture to enlarge)

The crudely-drawn red loop is what was intended to be a circular driveway, but thanks to the mustard-colored shapes (which represent cars in various states of decomposition), that dream has never quite come to be. So my vision in the weeks ahead is to get those mustard shapes removed, pave at least half the red loop, and construct the lengthy ramp (depicted here in lime green).

Hopefully this gives everyone a good idea of the work that lies ahead, and thanks to input from friends, neighbors and family (thanks Gary, John and Chris), a murky work plan and timeline is forming in my brain. I hope to call a meeting soon somewhere relatively central to everyone so we can meet in person and draw up some plans, then I'll run them by the 'rents before we break ground. But ideas are still most welcome, so by all means share your wisdom.

Still waiting for a call back from Stephen to arrange that face to face meeting, as it's still anyone's guess when Mom and Dad will be sprung free. That meeting will be key in arranging the whole thing, but next week for either of them appears optimistic. Mom and Dad both looked well but tired from therapy when I saw them yesterday; Mom is dressing herself and performing other Occupational Therapy tests in record time, which is impressing the staff to no end, and Dad's right foot is now making him fully capable of using a walker and standing while washing dishes (who knew they'd put them to work while at Maryville?). Dad's scheduled to cook a dinner for one of the staff members as a sort of test of skills (though it sounds like a scam to me), and based on how that goes, he may be released earlier than originally projected. But like I said, it's anyone's guess.


Also, Chris went to town on the Hawthorne tree in front of the house (see above...thanks, Chris!), and it is now no longer laying on and obscuring the Dodge truck. Should make it a more attractive commodity to potential buyers, though the raccooons living in it might be a hard bonus to sell.