Thanks everyone! I'm keeping tabs on the schedule and the manager has said he'll see what they can do with respect to deck access. The next 10 days will be to identify what needs to be repaired on our building, and then they anticipate repairs to take up to 2 months if it is anything like the first building with known issues. The building they had previously identified issues on, and are already working on, has their back deck door boarded shut with a lovely piece of plywood... Policy with the SO is once plants go out, they can't come back in... due to the plethora of bugs I've managed to accumulate in said buckets. So this weekend we're packing the car was as much as will fit of that balcony and driving it home to WA.
They came up this morning onto the balcony, laid sheets of plastic down and removed the soffits from the unit above for stage one of inspections. The guys were respectful of the plants and did their best not to damage them. Can't say any damage was done at all, just a bit dusty. Poor guys who have to do the work only had a bit wider than their ladder foot width to work in. Unfortunately, the materials and designs that work for southern California developments DO NOT work at ALL when put into the PNW or Willamete area... where rain happens 8-10 months of the year and humidity is always around.
Check on the progress of the project. Share your gardening ideas with him. Have him taste any produce you may have or share alittle if you can. Once you get to know him, take him some coffee or soda and chat with him for a couple of minutes. Sometimes kindness and being friendly with someone goes a long way. I find that people are more accepting of your wishes if they get to know you. He may be willing to work alittle harder because of having to work around your garden but may be willing to do so because he likes you. Good luck.
