I'm not blind, yet I didn't see
 I usually wait until I have 10 loads and do them all at the same time..that or my son whines he has no clean socks.
Now it wasn't a matter of simply getting the $ to get the washing machine fixed but the previous owners had reno'd the home and converted the former laundry room into a fifth bedroom. The washer and dryer are in my garage. Yup that's right..the garage..with a bit of drywall to separate the area where the car should go. The washer and dryer are behind that. Thus it was catch 22..couldn't get washing machine fixed until I tackled cleaning the garage...a task I had been avoiding and outta sight outta mind mentality I'm thinking. Dunno never had a car in the garage!  when I moved here 10 years ago boxes were immediately stored in there and don't think they've ever moved. There may be treasures in those boxes!!! In the meantime my eldest son left a lot of furniture in the garage as did my sister and my ex left his stuff too. 10 years of accumulated junk! I made it my mission to someday clean that garage but being unable to lift most of the items to even attempt it, that feat was a daunting task. When I did the brick work over the summer (people are still asking me if I took up weight lifting..ha ha!) I could now lift more heavier items.
Earlier in the summer, I got rid of the three couches that were stored in there. Yippiii!!! Buying extra garbage tags from the city I've slowly been placing extra garbage bags out each week and could now see the garage floor! I actually was down there until midnight the other night scrubbing the floors with bleach. You see, couldn't have a serviceman come or even if I bought a new washing machine it would have been impossible for anyone to get it in there! How come I didn't notice how bad it was getting? I rarely went in that garage but it was if the light appeared in my head and I SAW it for the first time. Egads this is horrible! Thinking perhaps I've spent the last couple years doing home reno's on my own and slowly going room by room, the garage was last on the list..dunno how else to explain why I just never "noticed" the accumulated junk that was getting worse each year. So I make the call today...the woman on the phone says I see you purchased your washer/dryer/stove/fridge and lawn mower from us in 97. I'm mildly suprised that their record keeping is that good. I say, " well I'm calling about the washing machine it won't go to the spin cycle and inquiring how much a service call is?" (Still don't know if it's worth fixing as all the appliances were purchased new in 97) She mentions service call is 79 dollars. Not bad, as it could just be something minor and I'm praying it may last a few more years. (Hot water tank blew and needing replacing at the cost of 1,000 in Nov and still paying for that.) Then I inquire about the dryer door as the latch is broken but the dryer works fine as long as I propped up a stick to hold the door shut. She tells me no charge as the serviceman will be there anyway. 1/2 hour later I call back and mention that my stove only has two working burners, some melted dials (son forgot to turn off the burner once and I had a bag of Samosa's on top of the stove) it melted two of the dials. Oh yeah and the inside glass (it's double paned) is cracked (don't have a clue how that happened). Now I'm embarressed explaining all there is to fix, as I just got used to two working burners and the stove has always worked great, despite it's decrepid looks. I feel like I'm on a roll...whoo hooo might as well get that fixed too! She mentions no extra charge for the service call as the service man will be there to look at the washing machine, dryer and now stove anyway. After I hang up I shake my head and wonder how come I let things go so long? I know for the first couple years I worked several jobs to buy out my ex his share of the house would explain it. But still wonder how come I never SAW things as they were before. Could it be that now the rest of the home is fixed up I'm now concentrating on other things? It seems when I've completely reno'd one area I suddenly notice how bad things are getting in another area? It may be a weekend project for some folks but with my limited time it may take me weeks or months to complete something. I've ripped up all the carpeting in most of the house, installed laminate throughout, painted, spackled, removed wallpaper in most of the home, installed commercial tile in foster cat room, painted kitchen cupboards and installed new hardware, installed new toilet and sink, crown molding, blinds, fixed gutters, painted the porch, built extreme bunny home, did brick work, learned how to score but not in the good way but in regards to bricks..ha ha! All this while looking after my son who wasn't well, my various jobs and my 21 furballs...9 mine and the rest fosters for three different organizations. Built an elevated veggie garden, learned how to mix concrete, install post, rebuilt my fish pond and now tackling the garage (want to learn how to install drywall tape and mud and make laundry room look like a "real room". Still don't know or can't explain how come it took me so long to SEE the mess that laundry room/garage was in....(shrugs shoulders) I just wish I had another one of me to handle the load sometimes.
Marianne |
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I guess it just wasn't the right time before, thats why you see things gradually. Imagine if you had seen everything in one go-  you would have probably given up before you even started!
I'm still amazed by everything you do, I'm inspired and looking forward to moving to my new house in a few weeks which needs everything doing to it, I will be reading all your posts to keep me going |
| I hope 1997 wasn't a bad year for washing machines...... THAT is the year I bought mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's ok Marianne, between work, school and ambulance my house has fallen to new lows, I wish i couldn't see it!!!!!!!!!!! |
I'm with you, Ginny. I look around and see things I want to change or improve constantly. Sometimes, I wish I could just close my eyes and make it go away. The joys of home ownership.   |
| Isn't if funny the things we "get used to" because we
see them every day and for the sake of sanity have to put out of our minds. I am right there with you in the how-did-this-happen mind. Things just get away from us when we have so many other things, such as reno's on our minds. I have an idea - wouldn't this be great: What if those of us who have reno skills could just pool our time and talents and spend 3 months out of the year hopping to each of our houses doing all the reno work! It would go so much smoother and faster, and think of the stories we'd have to tell! And think of all we could accomplish... Shellie |
| That is a good idea, Shellie!
In fact, the guys my husband works with do something similar. They all help out when they have big jobs. That's how our pole barn got built! There was just a cement foundation from the previous structure. The guys built the whole thing from scratch. They even made their own trusses/rafters. They have cut down trees, roofed garages and houses, put in windows, baled hay and many other things. |
| Hi Everyone!
B-girl, you made an excellent point and got me thinking! You are absolutely correct that to SEE everything would have seem such a daunting and impossible task. Perhaps I did at first and became disillusioned at offers of help that fell through and slowly gained confidence to eventually do it myself. Baby steps..LOL! Thanks for your kind words too! Ginny, lets cross our fingers that 97 was a good year for washing machines or we'll be visiting Ron and swooning over his new state of the art one he recently purchased! Beu's mom, Got sheep and Shellie..funny I mentioned that to my neighbors the other day..said we should take turns and have work crew parties at each others homes every weekend to finish projects. Hate to say it but I still think the majority of renos are ole boys club and they are still iffy about inviting female members (oops did I just say that out loud?) 
Wish all you guys lived closer to me!! Marianne |
| Wowee....
I hope the service call goes smoothly! |
Quote: Hate to say it but I still think the majority of renos are ole boys club and they are still iffy about inviting female members
Man you aren't kidding! It really irritates me when I go to the home store and have to ask questions and instead of talking to ME (since I was the one asking!) they talk right past me to Vic. OH I hate that. Although right now I am more often irritated that I know more than the person at the store - and their answers are clearly guesses and totally off the mark. Shellie |
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