We have several plans to update our home, and are unfortunately slow to move on all of them. This is exacerbated by our ability to add new things to do to The List without actually working on things already there.
A few weekends ago while I was procrastinating a project for work, we found ourselves at Home Depot, checking out exterior doors since replacing the front door is on The List. Also among the things we’d talked about in the past (but not on The List) was our deteriorating side entrance, so when we passed the storm doors we decided it would be an easy fix to update the side of the house. Then bought a new storm door.
As soon as we got home I unpacked it and started gathering tools for the replacement, determined to actually move forward on a project. All the pieces were accounted for and I had the necessary tools. Removing the old broken door was a simple job thanks to a power screwdriver. Based on the way everything else often goes, it shouldn’t have been too surprising, but the simple task had complications: the wood I had just exposed was is in dire need of replacement. I pried off one length of the brick trim to get a better measurement, and headed back to Home Depot to find replacements. Turns out the previous installers cut their own brick trim to size, and since I lack a table saw (it wasn’t on the list of recommended tools), and the employees there didn’t have a helpful solution, I left to find a better one.
But then I got distracted with other things, so no home project got attention. For weeks. But yesterday Kelly and I went downtown and joined the housing tour of the loft spaces available. While it made me want to change residency to enjoy the downtown living, it also reminded me that even if that was an option, finishing existing home plans, especially ones left incomplete, would first have to be addressed.
Today I bought some new wood, borrowed a circular saw from Dad, and carved my own damn brick trim. Worked our rather nicely, actually, although I can clearly see my own work flaws. Regardless, it was cut to fit, installed, and Kelly painted. The door installation is still not complete, but we’ve gone as far as possible today since paint must dry first. After another coat tomorrow, I can install the door Tuesday.
I’ve measured countless times in OCD fashion, to make sure I’m not going to have to tear my work down and start over, but I still get the feeling that something else is left that won’t work, requiring additional work. Then I get to feeling that I don’t want to have to bother with any of this, and just want someone else to take care of it for me; I want them to have to deal with the surprises.
Sometimes I don’t want a house anymore.