Fechner Construction, Inc. Homes

While in Milwaukee for Easter weekend, Kerry and I also visited my dad's grave and laid a lily. We also went to a Menomonee Falls subdivision my dad built model homes in back in the late 1980s and early 90s. It was kind of difficult to find since I haven't looked for the subdivision in over 15 years. But after overshooting and doubling back, I recognized the subdivision name on a decorative entrance rock. The entrance now has a set of traffic control lights at the intersection with the main roadway that didn't used to be there. That's probably what though me off on the first pass by.

Above is the Bedford Cape. This home was a 2,900 square foot 4 bedroom design. It was one of my dad's larger models. Probably the largest that he had commercial success with. It's one of my favorite models because I sold it pretty much without even trying. One Sunday afternoon, a family came up from Palatine, Illinois looking for a house because the dad had been transferred. It was almost 5:00 p.m. and I had plans for the evening so I shot them a brouchure and told them I'd be around somewhere closing up. When I got back to the kitchen they were sitting down at the table and asked me if they could right a contract for the full listing price. Easiest money I ever made.

Two doors over was the Williamsburg II, a 2,500 square foot Victorian design with a great room concept. I don't have any fun stories about this house. Interestingly, it looks a bit like the Granger model that Kerry and I are building. But that's to be expected since they're both Victorian designs. At the time, I didn't appreciate the Williamsburg II. I understood its simplicity and functionality but didn't quite get the charm of its design. Especially with the nice front porch area (again, kind of like what Kerry and I chose). I guess dad knew what he was doing, huh?


On the corner down the way is the 2,020 square foot Westminster Royale. This was one of my dad's "Step Up" ranch designs for families that had out grown the smaller "New Edition" line of 3 bedroom 1,445 square foot ranches This too was a 3 bedroom, greatroom ranch (but with larger rooms, obviously). A sunroom was attached to the rear of the kitchen. A side view showing the sunroom is also shown here. This was always one of my favorite designs and worked extremely well with a deck.








Finally, about a block away was the Kensington I model. Similar to the Williamsburg in square footage (maybe a tad larger) but with a loft over the greatroom. I always thought it was an innovative design but I don't think my dad or I sold more than a couple of them.

Brings back memories, of course. But also kind of gave us an idea what a new subdivision like the one we're buying into can look like after 15 years.

I forgot about the Arlington model. It was 2 or 3 doors north of the Kensington but I totally forgot it was there until my sister mentioned it. So I didn't get a picture. Based on a Texas design, it was a big, freaking ranch. Almost 2,700 square feet. Huge basement. Too huge, actually. It required so much masonry that it simply wasn't something that would be very marketable. It pushed its price into the area where people would be looking for customized designs. I didn't care much for it because (a) I never sold one and (b) I've never been a big fan of the hip roof design.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone. No, no bunnies or eggs here. Not that I won't be eating chocolate ones for the next week or two.

Weekend was full of fun and adventure. We signed up with a real estate broker to sell the condo on Saturday. He bemoaned the condo market right now but did like the upgrades we put into the place. We then went to see Wicked in downtown Chicago at the Ford Oriental Theater. It was a very good show. It wasn't Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, but it was very enjoyable. Some catchy tunes but probably not a soundtrack that I'll run out and get.

We then drove up to Milwaukee Saturday evening. Stopped in Kenosha at The Chancery for dinner. I had the "Friday" fish fry which they now serve all week. It used to be all you can eat fish and fries but no longer. The breading isn't as good as it used to be either but it's still very good. Kerry had a good piece of tilapia and some onion cheezy soup. She thought it was good.

Sunday, we went to my Mom's (and her husband, Gerry's) non-denominational church's Easter service. I'm still not a big fan of the informal service structure and contemporary music. I still kind of think it's a "follow the bouncing ball" service. And one song had a refrain: "What a Savior!" And I couldn't but help think of Russian comedian Yakoff Smirnoff and his catch-phrase: "What a country."

We then went back to mom and Gerry's place and had a ham sandwich and fruit plate brunch before Kerry and I went down to Miller Park to watch the Brewers take on the Cubs. After dropping the first two games of the series, the Brewers got off to an early lead and then held on despite a Cubs rally in the 6th inning. The Brewers put the game away in the 8th to win 9-4 but the game was a lot closer than it needed to be.

Speaker Pelosi Visit Illegal?

Although she claims her visit to Syria actually helped President Bush and U.S. diplomacy, Speak of the House, Nancy Pelosi's, much-ballyhooed meeting with Syrian President may have violated federal law. In an April 6, 2007 article in the Wall Street Journal, former Acting Assistant Secretary of State (1984-5) and former ABA commitee on law and national security chairman, Robert F. Turner, writes that the Logan Act makes it a felony for any American, "without authority of the United States," to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States." Presumably, since Speaker Pelosi's visit was done against the administration's wishes, this would constitute a violation of the Logan Act.

For more on the Speaker's visit and its legality under the Logan Act, click here.

Draft Time

Yahoo! Sports has determined that the Green Bay Packers have needs at running back, cornerback, tight end, wide receiver and safety. They further make the following analysis of the Packers draft strategy:

RB: The Packers' staff is making more believers in the belief that it feels comfortable entering training camp with a combination of Vernand Morency as the potential starter, and Noah Herron and a draft choice battling for playing time. If that is the case, the Packers will likely pass on a first-round back and wait until later to draft someone, possibly Kenny Irons, Brandon Jackson or Chris Henry.

Editor Commentary: Huh? Vernand Morency had some flashes of being a decent running back as Ahman Green's back up but as the primary back? There will probably be much hand wringing if the Packers pass on Marshawn Lynch of Cal should he fall this far. And I will run amok down the streets of Green Bay if Adrian Peterson of Oklaholma is available and they don't snatch him. I doubt Peterson will fall that far however. I wouldn't even mind seeing a trade up if they can make a run at him.

CB: This position needs to be addressed so that they can line up better against three- to four-wide receiver sets. They have two good starters and are hopeful that '06 fourth-rounder Will Blackmon will develop. The Packers can afford to take someone in the second or third round because they would prefer a defender along the lines of Michael Coe, Tarell Brown, David Irons or C.J. Gaddis.

Editor Commentary: Still paying the price of the Ahmad Carroll debacle.

TE: With Bubba Franks slowing down and David Martin departing via free agency, the time has come to find a pass-catching threat down the middle that can help spread the field for Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. If they do not have a chance at Greg Olsen in the first round, they could opt for players like Ben Patrick, Clark Harris or Martrez Milner between rounds 3 and 4.

Editor Commentary: If Peterson and Lynch aren't around in the 1st round and Olsen is, that might not be a bad thought. Otherwise, you have to wait a couple of rounds for the next group of TEs.

WR: Outside of Driver and Jennings, the team has no real depth at this position although former undrafted free agent Ruvell Martin shows signs of being a capable reserve when healthy. The Packers would like to find someone that is more of the physical, possession type, and could also opt to add a second receiver that could add some punch to their return game later in the draft.

Editor Commentary: Is Koren Robinson (assuming he's sober and out of trouble) still in the mix? Even Yahoo didn't seem impressed enough with the WRs after Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson to mention any of them by name. No way do the Packers have a shot at Johnson.

S: They added veteran Marquand Manuel a year ago via free agency, but he did not produce nearly enough big plays. Nick Collins continues to grow, but finding a prospect with better range, speed and ball skills to challenge Manuel for playing time would improve the pass-coverage ability of the entire secondary.

Editor Commentary: Not a huge concern at this point although Manuel was a bit of a disappointment.

Final Commentary: What, no plan for the post-Favre era yet?

Overall pick/round: 16 (1), 47 (2), 78 (3), 112 (4), 157 (5), 193 (6), 228 (7), 235 (7), 243 (7)

Drive Thru Dilemmas

Is it just me? It seems that with greater and greater frequency, when I go through the drive through of a fast food joint (usually the Mickey D's by my work), they screw up my order. Today, they forgot to give me my M & M McFlurry. Last time, they forgot to give me one of the medium fries I ordered (I also get food for others in the office). And don't even get me started on their inability to give me BBQ sauce when I order McNuggets.

So now, I have to sit and wait at the window while I carefully review each bag of food. Of course, when I do check, they might actually have the order right, then all the time I'm inspecting the bags the person in the window is staring at me like I'm some kind of ***-hole for not trusting him or her. Naturally, if I leave without checking, I'll be missing some portion of my meal or someone else's meal.

It's a very difficult life that I lead.

Romanian News

The European Commission is concerned about Romania's political instability that is slowing down judiciary and anti-corruption reforms, Brussels media said. Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu has fired government ministers who support Romanian President Traian Basescu, thus ending a center-right coalition after months of political disputes between the two men that has nearly paralyzed the country, the EU Observer said Tuesday.

On Monday, Tariceanu announced the list of his reshuffled Cabinet, made up of his Liberal party and members of an allied ethnic-Hungarian party. No member of Basescu's Democratic party or its supporters were included in the reshuffled government, which still has to be approved by parliament, where the parties are almost evenly split.

Romanian Justice Minister Monica Macovei was among those fired by Tariceanu. Brussels officials consider her as a leading reformer who helped Romania join the European Union on Jan. 1. EU officials will be visiting Romania probably later this month to check out what progress has been made in fighting organized crime and corruption. If not satisfied with results, Brussels may impose sanctions against the Romanian government, the report said.

Play Ball

As the baseball season gets ready for its first pitch, the big question is, "Will Tony LaRussa hear chants of 'D.U.I.! D.U.I.!' in every stadium in which the Cardinals play?" I mean besides Wrigley?

See the LaRussa's Smoking Gun DUI report here.