Repair,Reuse,Recycle

Well I just learned a life lesson, I am not really good at implementing or fixing things. Three farm houses and an old building later.  I thought I could not afford good help, as we had many other expenses.  What I did not take into consideration is the time I spend researching, talking about it, thinking about it, then forcing myself to take the plunge and just do it.   I never valued my time near enough.  Now it is very hard to find people willing to take on those little but big to me jobs. Old farmhouses need help with old "ways and materials" to fix them.   So here I am again, filling in cracks in walls, floors, and jacking up this or that.  I refinished 100 year old 10 ft front double doors, so scary. It takes me way too long, and it is tiring getting up and down ladders, my feet and bum get sore now.  The walls are 11 ft high on both floors, I have painted every room.  Lord, just the spring cleaning I got half done, made my arms sore for days.  Spring chicken soup I say.

I have reupholstered four chairs, made all the curtains in my house, because the windows are tall, and non-standard.  No I don't sew, I can only do straight lines and maybe some Halloween costumes that's it.   I glued two rocking chairs, that did not work out real well.  I finally gave away much of the furniture that needs fixing, to those who will use it for something, after 20 odd years.  Beautiful wood, which is why I wanted to "save" it anyway!

It is sad to say, but country life does not lend itself to convenient recycling curbside pick up.  You haul your bags to some bin miles away, so you always have cans and plastic rumbling around your back seat or trunk.  I stopped for about a year after they took away the closer bin, I was fed up, but then the planet spoke to me and I apologized.

The junkin craze is awesome.  I have been a purging princess, readying for a some day retirement move to a much smaller, easy to maintain place to call home, now that the off spring are almost really gone.  However, I still s find old but new to me items call my name, sometimes the deals are so good, I can't resist.

So this just happened for example on my fixer upper prowess....one piece of cement board slid down off the middle of one outdoor wall.  I got two shimmy's and ladder, stuck them in to hold it till we could get a nail gun.  Well two weeks later the siding piece fell down and broke.  Special order two 12 ft pieces (just in case, needed 10 ft) a week later, it's so windy I can't just put in the truck, have to get help to trailer them home from the city, our trailer is busy.  My nail gun got loaned out, so now need special screws.   Also a saw with special blade to cut it.  Lovely neighbor comes over to bring some screws and saw to help, then says  I painted the board before we put up, two coats, but I did the wrong flipping side of it.   Hubby has to step in now. I don't have vulcum caulk and I see yet another trouble spot..... Hours of my life, one piece of siding (to date), I have never wanted a shot and cigarette so badly in my life.

AND Someone can come and kill all these blooming ants with napalm at this point, the peppermint essential oil mixture did not work, nor the syrup on cardboard, and some bug spray I found in the basement.  Deep, deep breaths, ok, they are just little ol ants and have every right to be here.  I do now know in the big scheme of things, I never want to tackle a fix it project again, I am toast.  Dearest universe, I love you, please make it be so.  I swear to do my best to leave a small carbon footprint.