So we might be buying a place...

Doesn't see the big deal. He's got places everywhere.

 

My mother turns 68 in January, and she religiously cuts her own grass. She won't let anyone touch it. Not my dad. Not me or her 3 grandkids.
That's her yard, and that's it.

 

We must have the same mother. Have to remind her that when it's 97 degrees outside that she's not 18 anymore.

 

We had these two visitors a couple of years ago.

My first payment: $763 principal, $525 interest.

[/10yearmortgagesrule]

 

I loved mowing my lawn, but had surgery and couldn't do it, or rake etc., for at least six weeks. My wife did the mowing it but hated it. So I started with a service. She's happy, and I won't have to mow or rake when I heal up. Win-win.

 

You'll find yourself window shopping at Home Depot. Tools are expensive, and you'll need all kinds. You'll also find yourself buying obscure tools because if you buy one you'll have it next time. You might lobby for Lowes/Home Depot gift cards for house warming gifts, Christmas, Birthdays, Anniversaries...

Estate sales are a great place to get shop tools and lawn and garden stuff on the cheap.

 

Yeah, but when you walk out in the yard and look up at the stars, you do it from your very own patch of land.

Yours and the bank's, anyhow.

 

Get a nice BBQ if you can; love grilling in my own backyard with the lawn and the trees and the sun setting.

 

A friend of mine told me when this started that I’d become the guy spending every weekend at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I haven’t because I’ve been punting on a lot of stuff. At first because of the holidays, now out of laziness. But she’s about to be correct.

The first project we have is repainting the half bath. I didn’t want to feel too defeated after the first job. It’d be fine if the damn thing hadn’t been wallpapered. Most of the junk is off, except the stuff behind the toilet. I’m not looking forward to removing the tank. (There is absolutely no space there to remove said paper and wash wall without tank removal.) I’m starting to feel a touch defeated after all.

 

Removing a toilet is easy. But first, turn off the water to it and then flush unless you want a floor full of water.

 

And painting is easy. Just do the prep work. You're not a pro, tape up. If you tape up correctly, the painting and clean up is easy. For my money, painting is the most cost effective, easiest way to make a positive change in your home.