Martha Wells -


marthawells

(no subject)

January 30th, 9:48: We're having our house foundation looked at today, because of some new scary cracking around the upstairs windows. This area specializes in wet clay soil, so scary cracking is normal, but this cracking is a little too scary. But he's already been reassuring about the dip in the middle of the second floor, which is actually caused by a badly installed piece of subfloor, and not the house sinking.

If you missed it, I added another old story to my web site. It's Archeology 101, a short SG-1 story which was written for Stargate Magazine #8, in 2006.

***

New Statesman: Take Back The Net: it's time to end the culture of online misogyny

Peerbackers: The World SF Travel Fund To bring over Csilla Kleinheincz, from Hungary; and Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, from The Netherlands, to the 2013 World Fantasy Convention.

ALA: American Library Association announces 2013 youth media award winners

Cracked: Six Harsh Truths That Will Make You a Better Person

2013-01-30 03:52 pm (UTC)

I hope there's nothing too scary about the foundation. My house is also on clay soil, and actually had foundation repair done on the front of the house last summer. I'm planning to get a drip system installed around the perimeter of my house and run it during the summer so I can hopefully head off needing foundation work. I also need to get the back yard regraded, since it has a negative slope (I knew that from the inspection and got a credit at closing), and I need to get that done first before I can put in the drip system.

marthawells

2013-01-30 04:24 pm (UTC)

It wasn't too bad at all. It does need shoring up, but only around the outside. The middle part is fine. They won't have to disturb anything inside the house, just insert piers along the outer edges.

renegade500

2013-01-30 04:33 pm (UTC)

That's still a big job, though. But at least it's not too bad. Luckily for me, the work done on my house was also just on the outside, and only the front 1/3 of the house. Still, I am motivated to do what I can to prevent the need for further repairs.

j_cheney

2013-01-30 05:03 pm (UTC)

I hate that you still have to get the subfloor fixed.... but that's better than the foundation!

marthawells

2013-01-30 05:40 pm (UTC)

No, we still have to have the foundation fixed, it's just not going to be nearly as disruptive or expensive as it would be if the problem was in the middle of the house.

j_cheney

2013-01-30 06:20 pm (UTC)

Meh. I hate having work done!

marycatelli

2013-01-31 12:58 am (UTC)

Hope all goes well. I once had a leak in my basement, and what we found was that the house must have settled or something, and a pipe had cracked entirely in two. (Astounded me afterwards how little it had leaked.)

marthawells

2013-02-01 02:16 pm (UTC)

This is why I'm kind of glad we don't have basements down here.

( 8 comments — Leave a comment )

marthawells

Martha Wells

The Invisible Woman

(no subject)