Mission accomplished...sort of.

[Tobin S.]

I posted the other day about some brush I have growing along side our house that I have dubbed "The Jungle." I was going to get estimates on clearing it out. It included tearing down a big vine mass growing up the side of the house and cleaning out the gutters. I got a local guy to do it for $200. That includes hauling the stuff away. It's getting hot here and I've been putting in overtime at my job. That's going to be worth every penny to me.

I also got a deal on seal coating the driveway today. A guy is coming by to do it tomorrow. He said $100. That includes tearing out the weeds and filling in the cracks. I thought it was a hell of a deal. Our driveway is 600 square feet.

So $300 and my outside projects will be done. All that I'll have to do is mow the lawn the rest of the summer.

Now for the inside of the house. That is my domain mainly because I have a/c.

I have to repair some water damage to the wall above our fireplace. I have some experience with that kind of work so I feel confident doing it myself. And we are going to shampoo the carpet. I'm doing that myself as well.

[madinmaryland]

1. The weather looks like it is going to be really f-ing hot the next couple of weeks.

The last couple of summers have been quite cool as I remember Ohio summers. After spending ten years in Maryland where the temps staying in the upper 80's to mid 90's for three months, it was nice to come to a place where you could still have cool evening in mid summer where you could open the windows or sit outside with a small fire going!

[Tobin S.]

2. Yeah, it's going to be hot and humid in this area of the country.

I have to work outside for most of the afternoon and evening as it is. I didn't want to spend my free time toiling outdoors right now more than I had to.

The guy started last night on The Jungle and he has just about got it wrapped up. It's going to end up being about eight hours of labor to get it cleared out. Like I said, worth every penny on that deal. He's loading up the truck now to haul that stuff away.

[lunatica]

3. In times of great changes I used to dream of cluttered rooms

In my dreams I had to fix everything. I would dream of having to do something but then having to climb over stacked furniture endlessly and never be able to do the actual 'chore' I started out to do.

I knew it was my subconscious telling me that I had to 'clean house' in order to move on.

I think that's what you're doing Tobin. Basically fixing your 'foundation' so it's good and solid and strong and clean so you can use it to move forward in your life.

[Tobin S.]

4. Maybe so.

I've heard that it's been suggested by scientific studies that a clean and orderly room makes for a calmer and more satisfied state of mind.

We haven't been able to do a lot of the things we've done around here lately because we lacked the money to do them. We are doing better financially now and it has allowed me to clean house in both the literal and metaphorical sense.

[rurallib]

5. still a bit eafrly to ask but

do you own the house or does the house own you?

[Tobin S.]

6. We're just doing stuff that you have to do preiodically if you own a house.

My wife bought the house in 2005 and she and I have basically lived here without doing anything to the place as far as upgrades and repairs. Eleven years isn't bad for not having to do much aside from making a house payment. We're going to end up putting about $3500 into it after we are done doing the recent upgrades and repairs. Then we should be good for another ten years.