WOW!
It has been such a long time for a post from me! I keep meaning to do some catching up, but then life interferes and I go down yet another path! Seems I have been on the proverbial 'roller coaster' ride this whole year. '08 has definitely been a year of challenges---mostly to my humble home!

In all the storms we have had this year, I ended up needing a roof...so I got a roof--approx. $4500. We also have some water damage to part of our home due to poor drainage--this is a major undertaking--BUT, do-able if I get the cash needed and a really good carpenter. The roof was our 'step 1' while we had planned the water damage as 'step 2', but something happened.

As I sat in my dining room one Saturday morning paying bills, I noticed something odd on the wall. There were little piles of 'sawdust' looking stuff that had fallen to my chair railing. Upon closer inspection, I noticed a row, vertically and horizontally of tidy little 'bore' holes. A NEW 'step 2' emerges. As I pulled back the wallpaper I noticed little insects---TERMITES to be exact! OMG....I left the funniest message on the bug guys answer machine and they called me immediately on the following Monday---sprayed my home on Tuesday--let me know it didn't appear to be a lot of damage in that area. $500 added to the growing list. OH...but they discovered a water leak in 2 areas under the house that would have to be repaired---must be why my water bill has doubled this year! A new 'step 3'.

OK...then I noticed on the perpendicular wall that the wallpaper looked funny so I began peeling back some of it to reveal water damage. Seems that due to my roof problems water leaked into the sheet rock and now it is just a crumbly mess--only about a 3'x4' section but pair that up with where the termites have been I have quite a bit of sheet rock work to have done---carpenter on standby! And yet another step, but more of a 'low' priority step at this point.

OK...then the carpenter came over while I was at work this week (Fri). He was working on getting my estimate together for the water damage on the north wall and half the back of my home and on the plumbing leaks. He called. 'Step 2' has now moved to about 'step 4 or 5'. Plumbing leaks are an 'easy' fix and he will stop by the office to pick up a check--since it was threatening rain he would be over on Sat. to do the work and it shouldn't take long. $200 more added to the list. And 'step 3' is given its name.

Yikes! Within an hour of the carpenter leaving with $$ my son calls, they are home from school and a tree has fallen on my house!!! I call the carpenter...ask if he can just run by and call me to let me know what that meant! (Secretly, I had hoped it was on the end of the house with the water damage---{{smile}}--) So he calls and lets me know it is in the front yard...and the tree was struck by lightening. It fell on my new roof...but only on the edge, chipping out a small area of my new shingles just on the edges, bent a bit of the metal edging beneath them...slid down the side of the house and was propped up against the 2 bedroom windows--but they were not broken! OK...so now this moves to 'step 3', I have to have the thing cut up and removed and they will come over on Saturday, get that done then do my plumbing job---now moved to 'step 4'! $75 added. Thankfully, he and his brother decided not to go under my home that afternoon to go on and fix the plumbing. Lightening....man in water under my house.....ugh! Not a pretty thought and one they said they were thankful didn't happen!

Saturday comes. Tree now gone. Plumbing job begins with leak 1 taking all of 20 minutes, max, to repair--on to leak 2. Hmm....what a shoddy builder we had on this house--in 1978. Somehow the plumbing is 'rigged'....but with an add'l check of $40 for more supplies...it can be fixed. Hmmm.....several hours later and a few more trips to the store and a final bill of $66, the leak is fixed--we have water in the house again and NO leaks! I am glad I know my carpenter so well! LOL the poor thing, he has really 'earned' his money on my house. 'Step 4', done!

Ok....now the news. In the midst of his looking over the water damage on the house, he discovers it is not all water damage. By the way, this is looking like 'step 5' now, right??? The news? Severe termite damage.

Side note: Do you know, our lender did not require an inspection on the house before they loaned the money for it...a step that I wish had been required and one that I wish I had thought of--though it is not everyday one buys a home and 3 years ago, we were just excited to have the opportunity to buy the home we had been renting for the previous 3 years--did you hear me? No moving!

Back to the story. Ok...looks like they think it will run about $5000--and that includes a new window for my bedroom---I think! Ah...but, the supplier says it is cheaper to buy all 8 of our windows for replacing at the same time----which was our original 'step 3' on the house! Oh, I don't think I mentioned, it won't include the painting of the bedroom when done since 2 whole walls are going to be torn out completely with everything from the first piece of wood on the block foundation & up to be replaced---nor will it include the new flooring material--do I want carpet or what in there???? HEY....and lets not even think about what else can be discovered when they get to the part of that end wall that is actually the boys bedroom. This could lead to more---remember that 'quick' plumbing job???? OH and did I mention that in part of that back of the house section is my bathroom???? And did I say that I already know we need a new tub in there??? Which was on our list at about 'step 6' or so.

Are you interested in our list of to-do's on the house in their original order?
1-roof
2-water damage
3-windows
4-expand the half bath into a full bath
5-kitchen remodel
6-flooring in the main areas of the house-preferably wood or laminate

The list gets longer if I break each of the above jobs down into individual tasks, but I think you get the picture! LOL

Did I mention that I saw live termites coming out from beneath my exterior siding yesterday? Guess who is calling the bug man on Monday???

God has been so good to us, because, among other things, he has provided for us through this and we still have our bills paid on time! He gets the full glory on this whole period in our lives otherwise I wouldn't be in the condition to journal these amazing events!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV- http://www.biblegateway.com/ )

Isn't he soooo good???? Thank you Lord! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!