After a season of illness, fatigue and fear, I came back in full force tackling home improvement challenges. Well, maybe not full force, but I tried.
First, was the porch. The paint job was worn and peeling. I figured painting was the least exhausting and demanding of all my projects so the first to be tackled. I initially thought I'd do one color, no design, and no effort until I realized I didn't have enough of one color. A pattern usually doesn't show every spot of dirt or muddy footprint so I opted for a simple checkerboard. It was anything BUT simple! The precision was exasperating. But it's done. Does the pattern camouflage every footprint and speck of dirt? No. It shows every spec of dirt, every footprint. I should have done something wild, but I didn't think I would have the energy. I like that it looks like FUDGE!!
Next was the annual fence repair. The constant issues with this fence are relentless and never-ending. Every year parts of it fall down, break or need to be replaced. This year two posts broke and I replaced almost twenty boards. This was a challenge because supplies are difficult to find. Home Depot was constantly out of everything. I had to make several trips. Then I had a moment of doubt. Do I have enough energy to be able to dismantle twenty feet of fencing AND dig out the cement plug AND put it all back together.
I received some quotes at the beginning of the summer that were outrageous. Then at the last minute feeling like the summer was almost over, I ended up hiring gardeners who claimed to also do things like porch construction and fence building to just replace the two posts. They quoted almost as much as the construction workers, and it was still an ENORMOUS amount of money. When did prices get so high? I said, "No." They tried to tell me it would take them all day. I should NOT have hired them. I hate liars. I know perfectly well how long it takes. They came down and I agreed only because I had to get it done and didn't trust my energy level. I had second thoughts. Once I dismantled the fence myself, I figured I already did most of the work.
If my phone hadn't died, I would have called them back and cancelled. They arrived on time, but did the cheapest, quickest job possible. It took two hours. Granted it would have taken me all day, but two hours would be normal. As long as I am able, never again will I hire someone! Then I stained all the boards and reconstructed the fence leaving it very tall to save myself some work. It's not a fence...it's a wall. It celebrates the distain I have for my neighbors and made me wish I would have replaced all the boards on that side so they were all six feet high! I love the extra privacy. By doing most of the work I saved myself nearly $1,000.
Next, the deck is rotting. Unfortunately, it also had a hornet's nest under it and before I even started the project I got stung. I poisoned the nasty little beasts and waited. I replaced seventeen rotting boards along with steps and handrails.
Whoever constructed the original deck used the wrong kind of screws and they were rusty and disintegrating. I was worried I wouldn't be able to get the screws out of the wood and it was a challenge forcing me to hacksaw, hammer or break the boards to dislodge them., but I did it. I saved myself hundreds of dollars in labor. Supplies were still scarce and expensive. Next year I'll replace another dozen boards and I'll have nearly a whole new deck!
I felt very accomplished.
Then I got a little crazy....to be continued.
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