Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Bitching and Moaning - The Home Repair Edition

For those readers who haven't figured things out between the lines, I haven't gotten much writing done lately because we're trying to get the Houston house ready to put on the market. There were cosmetic things that needed to be done, of course. Tree trimming. Flower planting. Room painting. Tiling the baths and kitchen

Our original target was February 1. That came and went, so we picked another deadline. And another. And another. Why? Starting with the week after the moving truck pulled out of the driveway last August, more and more shit hit the fan as each month passed.

- Master bedroom /light fan died
- Bottom dropped out of the hot water heater
- Garbage disposal developed a leak
- Toilet in master bathroom developed a leak, subfloor needed to be replaced
- Kitchen faucet broke
- Hot water faucet in master bathroom tub leaked
- Honey bee invasion
- Electric ignition on gas range stopped working, cheaper to replace unit than to fix
- Downstairs A/C unit died
- Cold water faucet for washing machine leaked

None of these have been cheap, easy, DIY fixes. I can paint and tile and lay hardwood and plant petunias in large pots, but I know when to bring in the experts. And every month I managed to save money for the painting and tiling and flowers, whichever disaster happened that month chewed up the cash, sometimes putting us back more than that particular month.

These are the reasons I'm still dealing with this stupid-ass house. These are the reasons my blood pressure has skyrocketed despite my seven years of keeping it under control. These are the reasons I haven't had time to write, other than working on Book 7 of Bloodlines on my iPhone while standing in line at stores. These are the reasons why I understand home owners walking away from their property and letting the bank foreclose.

When I mentioned the last one, DH pointed out we'd done too much and come too far. Then I started crying, but he's right.

My perspective would be a little better if I could get more than four hours of sleep a night.

And if the blister on my thumb from scrapping linoleum glue off the bathroom floor didn't hurt so damn bad.

6 comments:

  1. You've done a lot so far, and I'm sorry that you've cried. What you're doing is not easy. I wish we lived closer, I'd come help. Or at the very least, cook and bake things you could safely eat.

    Cheers. Boogie boogie. And hugs.

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  2. Thanks for the thoughts, Whisk. I just need to vent. The last three things happen within the last two weeks, just when DH and I put together the financing to knock out the last of the cosmetic things on the list. Needless to say, that's when we had the abandon ship talk. As my friend Ro said, it's been a comedy of catastrophes.

    Between your back and my blood pressure, we may not get far, but we'd have fun doing it. LOL

    All will be better if I could get more sleep.

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  3. Oh yeah, I'd be worthless. But I could cook and bake you a mean but healthy meal. And yeah, we'd laugh and have fun. Hopefully hit Barnes and probably get nothing done.

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  4. Another bod worthless for useful labor here, but I could be baking with Whisk, I guess. I'll add a batch of chocolate-chocolate-chocolate chip muffins to Whisk's healthy meal, 'cause meals are supposed to be balanced, right? ;D

    Seriously, though, you have to be due some good luck by now. There are only so many things on that place that can break, fall off, or be invaded by wildlife, right? :/

    Best of luck, hon. [hugz]

    Angie

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  5. Or we could combine Whisk's trip to Barnes and your chocolate, and get Godiva cheesecake at the Copperfield B&N, Angie.

    Yeah, I think we're overdue for some good luck. When the contractor was here Tuesday, one of the light fixtures shattered when he tried to change the light bulb for me. Then this morning, the bulb went out in the other fixture. *facepalm*

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  6. Ugh. My gosh. We gotta do some kind of good luck spell for you. Or at the very least, have some chocolate.

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