{ A+ }

...as we check items off our list, final inspections become inevitable.  and at this point, the patio doors, garage door, and air conditioning system were ready to undergo the scrutiny of city inspectors.  so, we scheduled our first three inspections and the inspectors came in…  as they examined the work, I found myself rooting for inanimate objects.  holding my breath till I heard “this looks good” or “you got your money’s worth.” 

…and finally, we—the doors, A/C system, and us—passed inspection!  what a great feeling.  I imagine it’s similar to what parents feel when their children ace a test.  I want to walk up to the house, high-five it, and say “Way to go kid!  Great job!”  oh, and of course, they are totally getting displayed on the fridge!

{ PUEBLO CHICO, INFIERNO GRANDE? }

*small town, big hell?

…at 3.7 square miles—1.3 of which is water—Miami Shores is a very small town.  according to Wikepedia and a ten-year-old census, there are 3,631 households; and according to our appraisal, a mere 2% of the “village” is commercial.  all this boils down to one thing:  when  you stand on your sidewalk to contemplate your house’s potential, everyone notices—including the Building Department. 

as we quickly learned, everything requires a permit.  ok, almost everything.  so, after countless visits to City Hall, getting to know everyone by name, having them say “hi leslie!” while they type in our address from memory, and a few more gray hairs (attributed for the most part to the mechanical permit), we have all our permits!!!

...bothered by the unreliable data listed above, I’m tempted to test the accuracy of the available GIS data.  but that would be a bit psycho wouldn’t it?  a tad perhaps.  but then again, who reads the city’s zoning code before buying a house? ummm…