As a property owner, I'm constantly on the defense. I feel like if I don't watch the walls, carpet, water heater, outlets, etc., the whole place will fall down around me. While in the shower this evening, I noticed just such a thing, as the paint close to the ceiling was bulging with a load of water behind it. I slit the bubble and out poured the water. I moved the curtain rod and the paint behind it mushed away too.I start trouble shooting about what needs to be done (put a fan on it, dry it out, use a putty knife to peel/scrape away the damaged area, put the fan on it some more, make sure it is super dry, apply new mud (hopefully the drywall doesn't need to be replaced), sand it down, re paint, re caulk the seams, call it a day) and think that this won't be a bid deal (I am still enjoying my shower, mind you.) I go and let D know that the shower curtain will now be hanging about five inches lower so the steam can escape to the exhaust fan in a timely manner, and there will be a small DiY project on Wednesday (the day I'm off from my NEW JOB! more on that some other time) and he looks at me like I'm crazy. I tell him he can go look at the bathroom if he's confused.
He takes one look at it and says,"Why don't we hire someone?" In my head I start my rebuttal: "But this is so simple!", "I don't have money to hire someone!" ,"Hiring someone is such a waste of money!", "Don't you want to do this with me to learn for next time?", "Are you SERIOUS?"
My mom would be so proud of me. I didn't say any of those things. What I said was, "I just figured out what the problem is. I don't know what I want to do yet."
I forget sometimes that I enjoy the fixing process way more than D. Car head light is out? I buy the bulb, pop the hood and do the work. Plug on the dryer blows? I call my dad for the 411 on electrical DiY and go to Lowe's for the part, 10 minutes, and it's done. I want shelves. I put them up. I want a dimmer switch...(ok, my dad did that one, but he was here and he showed me, and I swear I'll do the next one!) Carpet cleaning, tile grouting, light fixture fixing...I like figuring it out. I shouldn't get exasperated or irritated when D helps by offering what any sane person would do - pay someone to make the problem disappear. I'm lucky that he isn't trying to rip it down himself, only to leave a huge hole and a broken pipe!
I will think this through, this hiring of a professional.
Even though I can do it myself, I have such a hard time admitting that someone else would probably be a better choice. Because I'm awesome. At a lot of stuff. Especially stuff in my house that I then get to look at all the time and feel proud that I fixed it. Myself.
You are the bestest at nearly everything. (I get to be better at buying shoes and skiing, okay?) I love that you are woman and you can do it. You own the house, and you OWN that house (as in own the basketball court).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great posting.
It feels good to be able to fix stuff! And yes, I will concede in all areas related to skiing and shoes. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of basketball I think of chasing the ball down the hill after it ricocheted off a dirt clod or rock. Maybe that's why we four never considered in high school.