Lien On Me.

That title is terrible. My apologies.

So. I got a call from John McCann, Realtor yesterday letting me know that the house can't be sold yet. Sweet. He told me that the city still has a lien on the house because of 'basement issues'. I was delighted...

I gave the city inspectors office a call this morning and arranged to meet with an inspector at the house around noon. That wasn't so bad, since I was meeting the pest sprayer fellow there as well. I rolled up the driveway and let the inspector in. We walked into the basement, he pantsed (this looks terrible, but I assume that how it's spelled) me, asked me to close my eyes and got to work.

He decided that instead of clearing the house, as his office had done on two separate occasions, he was going to make me angry. He told me to tear down yet another wall (I already tore down one) down there and told me I needed to vent the bathroom. The first thing isn't a big deal; it's a pain the the bottom, but not too bad. The second thing is terrible.

Here's the first thing:

Not a big deal. Just cut out the wall that is currently enclosing the oil tank. He said that you need three feet around it to service the tank, so the doorway wall needs to go.

The second thing, as noted above, is terrible. Not only was there no mention of the problem in the 75 thousand inspections, but no one, not one worker, inspector or otherwise, had ever even looked at it. Here's the problem:

In the bathroom, there is a shower. Since there's a shower, there is also an exhaust fan. That exhaust fan is connected to a little bit of ducting. That ducting currently leads to nowhere. See?

This is an obvious code violation. You can't have an exhaust fan just kind of dumping out to nowhere. The inspectors solution? More code violations! Here's what I have to do to pass inspection:

1. Break out some bricks in the basement (seen below.)

2. Cut through the houses firewall system (bad. code violation)
3. Cut through the exterior of the house
4. Install an exterior vent
5. Connect the current ducting to the vent

Step number 2 there is illegal. Also illegal? Putting a vent to the exterior within three feet of a window. The nearest window? 4 inches away. They just make this crap up as they go. Ugh.

I gave the sterling Al Medina, General Contractor a call and he came over to take a look. He'll fix it all up tomorrow for $300. The inspector is scheduled to come back on Wednesday to probably bend me over again. Hooray.

On an unrelated front, that crazy woman featured last Friday never showed up. I was both disappointed and relieved. Amanda was only relieved, as she is scared. Here's the nice, unsolicited email I got from her:

Received December 11th at 9:50pm:

I had every intention of going there for 5 but there was an emergency with my brother whom is at a hospital in Boston, that is where I was at 5. I know ur going to have a hard time believing being you thought I was a hoax to begin with. again I apologize but Family before furniture..... if you would allow me to still view ur items I would love to. But that is 100% ur decision. Monday at 5 is good u mentioned in a previous email. sincerly sorry Christina...

There's still a glimmer of hope that she will show up tonight.

In yet other news, the movers are scheduled to show up on Wednesday, I have been calling all over the place to switch/cancel utilities and other crap, and the pest guy finished up today. As long as the inspector gives me the passing grade he owes me, we're still closing on Friday.