Things happen in threes, right?

When your house is nineteen years old, be prepared for anything to happen. First we noticed a water spot on the kitchen ceiling, right below the upstairs bathrooms. There was no evidence of a leak in either bathroom, such as water on the floor, so we figured something was going on inside a wall. Henry removed the toilet, cut out a large chunk of drywall, and sure enough—there was a leaking pipe. Then, while preparing dinner on a recent evening, I heard an odd sound that I first thought was the microwave—sort of a squeaky wheel sound. On closer inspection, I discovered the sound was actually coming from the basement, from the furnace fan motor to be exact. The same fan motor which decided to quit and leave us without heat that weekend. One plumber and one furnace repairman later, I walked into an upstairs bedroom, hit the light switch and nothing. Two rooms were without electricity. After replacing the circuit breaker and still no juice, it was time to call an electrician. So, we’ve had a lot of unexpected company recently. They were all very nice and they all left with their wallets a little fatter.

Random household repairs aren’t the only things you’re faced with when your house is nearly twenty. As a single mom, busy raising two boys with limited financial resources, there just wasn’t money, time or know-how to keep the house repaired and up-to-date. My house has a lot of character but it also has old appliances, worn carpeting, shabby flooring, outdated kitchen and bathrooms, a deck and porch that desperately need refurbishing, and walls that are begging for a fresh coat of paint. Where to begin?

Now that Corey and Kimberly are winding down their college careers, Henry and I are thinking about the next step—retirement from our current jobs, relocating and finding new endeavors to keep us engaged. So for the next two to three years before Henry can retire, our goal will be to update my house for our own use and enjoyment, but also to make it more marketable, all without investing a fortune. (Sounds like a topic for another blog.)

Step one: a new kitchen floor.