There are times I’d much rather focus on goals and creative projects rather than “have-to-do’s.”

I’m discovering over time house maintenance is never ending. Once one project is done, there is always another one waiting. Usually, needing to be done sooner rather than later. It’s like they form a line, poke their head up one at a time, and each insist they are 100% vital for the survival of the house.

My ‘have-to-do’s? I have a leaky roof to fix. I asked four different roofers {each recommended to me} to come out and take a look. All of them told me my shingles were in good shape. So, what is the problem?

The roof currently has three layers of shingles. Their disapproval was palpable. Evidently the previous roofer didn’t do the job correctly. I found myself explaining and excusing, “hey, it wasn’t me, I didn’t do it or know anything about it, it was before my time.”

Then to my surprise, each roofer then pointed out completely different problems. Everything from wrong sized nails currently popping out to inadequate work around the vents and chimney.

By the time they were done, it made my head spin. A person almost needs to do a background check and become a quick expert via research and YouTube to make an informed decision.

Inside the house… I discovered a lack of insulation after bathroom tiles randomly started dropping from the shower wall. As the tiles dropped, behind them was blackened, mold covered sheetrock and behind moldy sheetrock I found myself looking straight at the siding of the house.

Once again, I had another professional come take a look. This one explained the importance of insulation between the exterior siding and the inside wall.

Why is there no insulation? Who knows. It did however provide insight and explain my constant struggle to achieve decent utility bills.

It may be awhile but I’m going to tackle this project myself. I’m going to gut the bathroom, insulate it and put it back together following the advice from my uncle and using handy dandy YouTube. At least, that’s the plan.

But wait, I’m not finished. Outlets in the kitchen stopped working. I called an electrician. He found the problem. Wires in the attic had been wrapped in black electrical tape years ago, the tape deteriorated from time and … he said it looked like the wires had laid in water and it was a fire waiting to happen. Additionally, he found another set of wires that also needed to be capped.

Upon further investigation, while outside, he said something about no grounding for the house. Equally the heating/ air-conditioner unit was not connected with the right wiring or running on the right voltage or? I don’t remember how he said it.

Before working his magic, I thought the heating/air-conditioning unit was just a lemon. It wasn’t. It hadn’t been installed properly. By the time the electrician walked away, I was out several thousand dollars and the house was a heck of a lot safer.

It’s enough to seriously raise anxiety. Sometimes, it does.

But, again, it’s about perspective.

It’s not all gloom and doom.

My home has issues, but, by golly, she’s mine. She provides a comfortable haven when I want to retreat from the world, a place that’s my very own.

The wiring was caught in time. I didn’t come home to a burnt home or wake in the middleof- the-night to a fire. That’s great. According to the electrician - practically a miracle.

Equally, I have a roof over my head. It’s not perfect, but it’s a roof and it will get fixed. It’s not going to cave in or fall apart before I can afford to fix it. And the bathroom … It can be an experience and an experiment. Trial and error. Perfect way to learn a new skill set. Even better, I’m healthy as a horse and can dive right in.

Attitude of Gratitude.