Home Repair 101

It's been a banner week for home repair in the good down of Do-well.

First, I discovered that the sump pump had issues. Actually because the hose clamp failed and the hose had become disconnected causing the water in the crawl space to spurt up like a fountain and circulated continuously, I was damn lucky that the sump pump didn't burn out. But, I got a new hose clamp and it seems to be working well. Cost of repair: $1.38.

Then my brakes went out and I had to have new brake pads and rotors. Ouch. But, I have to maintain the pimpalicious ride. $182.50.

Cutting the grass today (which is sky high thanks to days and days and days of consecutive rain), I noticed one of the wheels was wobbly. Thinking it just needed to be tightened, I took a closer look and noticed that the entire wheel was cracked. Cost to replace? $15.50. Part will be coming directly to the house in 10 days. Hope the existing wheel hangs on that long.

I guess I shouldn't complain. I just put 5300 miles on my car on my research trip, and the sump pump has been getting a workout with all the rain we've had, and one can hardly blame the lawn mower for my being hard on corners. However, I can't afford many more weeks like this one, either from a time perspective or a pocketbook perspective.

Oh, and did I mention that the doorknob on the back door came off in my hand Monday morning? And the Argentine ants are back.

Homeowners Log, 12:20 am

So I was in the bathroom before bed and I heard something. Something faint. The sound of running water.

That is never a good sound. Unless, of course, you are actually standing in the shower.

So it sounds like it's coming from the laundry room. Nope. Nothing wrong in there, but from there is sounds like it is coming from under the house.

Oh shit.

Broken water pipe? How long has that been running? Fantasies of unpayable water bills begin to fill my mind. So on go the clothes and out comes the flashlight and into the yard I go to investigate. I round the house and stick my ear down toward one of the grates. Oh yeah. That's running water all right.

I go over to the access to the crawl space, pull back the hacked piece of aluminum siding and the warped plywood board that serve as my crawlspace blockade. I move aside the cement block that hold the contraption in place, I squeemishly point my mag light inside. And what to my wondering eyes does appear? A sump pump fountain.

After returning to the house to unplug the sump pump, I go back out, haul it out, only to find that the discharge hose has come loose. The hose clamp has rust through and with nowhere to discharge the water, the sump pump was running continuously.

Thankfully, it was simply a matter of re-attaching the hose. I'll have to pick up a hose clamp tomorrow.

Along with a new chain lock and door handle for the back door. Oh, did I fail to mention that on my way out of the house this morning, the back door handle simply came off in my hand?

My house is falling apart. I need a man. Or at least more money to hire this stuff fixed. Or more time to fix it myself.

The lawn needs mowed, but thankfully it's too wet out there. At least I have THAT excuse.

Home Sweet Home

I officially have been in my house 5 years now. Only 10 more years and it's mine, all mine I tell ya.

*rubs hands together devilishly*

But I've made some big changes. I guess I should have added "a good house project" to that list of things that make me happy. And now, for a blast from the past.


Fall 2005, I began the landscaping (right). Oh what a difference two years make (left is 2007).


The mint green in the kitchen made me feel like I was in an ice cream shop. So I added a splash of yellow rain coat.


More mint green in the living/dining area. Not that I'm opposed to green, just that I think a darker shade is better.

The bathroom was a disaster. 1960s wallboard: white with gold stars. The medicine cabinet was an eye sore. So I took things in my own hands.


Half way through this project, I began to regret it. There were surprise holes in the walls under that wallboard. The plaster walls were completely unfinished. The plaster beneath the window had rotted, I assume by years of water leakage. And atop it all, eight (!!!) layers of wallpaper. I kid you not. Peeling off that wallpaper was like taking a blast through the past. The simple geometric paper. The swans on blue water wallpaper. The tropical fish on black background wallpaper. And the bright yellow daisys on a striped yellow and green background. In fact, it was a stroll down tacky lane.


But I got a little help....


Two years later, voila!



Next project? Front porch.