Monday, June 29, 2009

Monday Funny

It’s been one of those days. Already. And it’s not even noon. Thought I’d give you a laugh today at my expense.

Sometimes you have to work really hard, right? Put in long hours to finish a job and do it right. I did that last week. In Atlanta. You must appreciate the irony. Um, didn’t I just move away from there? Yep. At any rate, the job is done, and today, I need a wheelbarrow to carry my tired butt around.

First thing this morning, I get up, without coffee, and turn on my computer to start playing a little catch up on emails. And it dies. Like funny lines on the screen and making non-stop beeping, fan running constantly noises.

My partner, who knows about these things, says we must make a trip for parts. As I’m leaving the house, I lock the front door, pull it shut, and give it one last tug. The doorknob comes off in my hand. Wtf? Did I mention the building/home is old? Guess it’s older than I thought. For the moment, I just stuff it back in the hole. I’ll deal with it later.

Made it to the store, got computer parts. I slide my debit card through the payment machine and when I touch it to enter my pin, the little screen goes black. I am so not kidding here. The apologetic sales clerk cannot figure out why my partner and I are shaking our heads and laughing like loons. Between us, we have just enough cash to cover the bill. Which we simply hand her, and walk out, sans change.

When we get in the car, we look wide-eyed at each other, still giggling. He says, nearly begging, “Please, please, don’t touch anything else.”

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Renegade Renovation #1 – Demo

I did something I’ve never done before. Rented a 40 yard dumpster. They just dropped it off. These things are huge! It’s bigger than my old living room. Can’t imagine filling the sucker up.

Right now, there’s wallboard to be torn down, carpet to be pulled up, wiring to be taken out and trim to be removed. All of which must be sorted into careful piles, because I want to re-use, or recycle as much as possible.

Oh, and yep, I’m doing most of it myself. To save, well, everything it seems, except my sanity.

Better get back to work. As much as I stare at them, things aren’t moving by themselves.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

I Bought a ... House?

Well, sort of. Technically, it’s not a home. Yet.

In my usual unconventional way of life, I couldn’t just go out a buy a standard three bedroom/2 bath home in suburbia.

I came across a lovely, run-down building, sitting silently on a country road just outside Louisville, KY. Since it’s been more or less vacant for ten years, I’m sure a lot of people have applied a lot of adjectives to this particular piece of property. Not too many of them positive.

But from the first moment, the first glance, the initial look on the real estate website, my heart said, ‘Home’. A visit to the actual property confirmed my response, and made me more determined than ever.

Thanks to the bank, and the planning and zoning people, I get to have a go at making my dream a reality. Perhaps you’d like to follow along on this Renegade Renovation.

Stay tuned. There’s more to come!