A Band Aid Tourniquet
Have I mentioned I hate old houses?
It's true.
When I don't love them, I hate them.
Unfortunately I represent 50% ownership in a 95 year old house. This is where the love/hate relationship comes from. I love the feel, comfort and solid construction of the house. But it is also the solid construction (accompanied by the age) that makes doing anything in the name of home improvement a challenge, shall we say.
Take our bathroom for example. (Take it please!) What it really needs is to be gutted and redone entirely. Plumbing, drywall, flooring, electrical, shower, tub. All of it. Since this is probably a $15,000-20,000 undertaking we continue to put Band Aids on the spurting artery.
Our latest attempt is to repaint, install a new light and reconfigure our medicine cabinet/mirror. It has been probably 18 years since I last undertook similar upgrades, so I know it wont be easy.
I took off the old light to remind myself what lay behind the scenes. As feared, it was non-code wires sticking out of a wall. The installation of 18 years ago began to come back to me. So, after searching for a video on YouTube on how to install an electrical box, I went out to buy one as well as some floor trim.
On my way to Home Depot I thought I would give Menards a try. You know, save big money. This is an ongoing dilemma with me because I feel Menards is cheaper, but Home Depot has more help and is a much easier store to navigate.
Well, in Menards I took the slowest moving escalator on the planet to the second floor and started looking around the lighting department. I found what I thought would be the right box and then asked a woman clerk where I might find vinyl trim for flooring. She said it was in the flooring department. I took the slow escalator past the classical pianist playing Tom Petty's song, "Learning to Fly" back down to the first floor.
And, ya know, I go to a home supply store to buy nails and caulk, not tip a pianist while I sip on a martini. I'm not sure who made that call on the Menards Business Team, but I'd like to have a few words with them.
Anyways, after searching for ten minutes in flooring and finding neither trim nor a clerk with a clue, I put down the electrical box and walked out.
I went across the street to Home Depot found both of my items and was in and out in about seven minutes. Next time I work on my house, remind me that I hate Menards for a multitude of reasons
So, today I am about to embark on my projects. I know not what mysteries and challenges await, but I know they're there.
I just hoping Home Depot is open late.
Blogging off...
It's true.
When I don't love them, I hate them.
Unfortunately I represent 50% ownership in a 95 year old house. This is where the love/hate relationship comes from. I love the feel, comfort and solid construction of the house. But it is also the solid construction (accompanied by the age) that makes doing anything in the name of home improvement a challenge, shall we say.
Take our bathroom for example. (Take it please!) What it really needs is to be gutted and redone entirely. Plumbing, drywall, flooring, electrical, shower, tub. All of it. Since this is probably a $15,000-20,000 undertaking we continue to put Band Aids on the spurting artery.
Our latest attempt is to repaint, install a new light and reconfigure our medicine cabinet/mirror. It has been probably 18 years since I last undertook similar upgrades, so I know it wont be easy.
I took off the old light to remind myself what lay behind the scenes. As feared, it was non-code wires sticking out of a wall. The installation of 18 years ago began to come back to me. So, after searching for a video on YouTube on how to install an electrical box, I went out to buy one as well as some floor trim.
 |
| My house. Don't be jealous. |
On my way to Home Depot I thought I would give Menards a try. You know, save big money. This is an ongoing dilemma with me because I feel Menards is cheaper, but Home Depot has more help and is a much easier store to navigate.
Well, in Menards I took the slowest moving escalator on the planet to the second floor and started looking around the lighting department. I found what I thought would be the right box and then asked a woman clerk where I might find vinyl trim for flooring. She said it was in the flooring department. I took the slow escalator past the classical pianist playing Tom Petty's song, "Learning to Fly" back down to the first floor.
And, ya know, I go to a home supply store to buy nails and caulk, not tip a pianist while I sip on a martini. I'm not sure who made that call on the Menards Business Team, but I'd like to have a few words with them.
Anyways, after searching for ten minutes in flooring and finding neither trim nor a clerk with a clue, I put down the electrical box and walked out.
I went across the street to Home Depot found both of my items and was in and out in about seven minutes. Next time I work on my house, remind me that I hate Menards for a multitude of reasons
So, today I am about to embark on my projects. I know not what mysteries and challenges await, but I know they're there.
I just hoping Home Depot is open late.
Blogging off...
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