A House is Not a Home

WITHOUT A ROOF

As some of my readers of this blog know, we want to sell the house we are currently living in right now.

There are so many reasons why we want to move:

Our present LOCATION i.e. backing on to a busy and noisy highway
Thieving Eco-friendly and nosey inquisitive NEIGHBOURS
Moving CLOSER to our children and grandsons
The cracked and leaking BASEMENT that we have had repaired four times
And now the ROOF we have to have replaced ASAP!

This is BearNaked's own version of The Money Pit movie.
Insert sobbing, sound effects here.
Exit stage right:
The sight of the roofing contactor we just hired yesterday, gleefully skipping back to his truck.

We had this house built specifically for us, moved in on NEW YEARS EVE 1996 and had the unpleasant surprise, three days later, of ***4 inches of muddy water*** fill the basement.
That is yet another horror story that I still have not been able to write about; without breaking into uncontrollable laughter (which hides the sound of our screams and gnashing of the teeth.)

In the first 12 months after moving in we had to have all this done:

Repair the hole in the basement wall where the builder FORGOT to place a plug, when the foundation walls were poured.
Move the sump pump location to the lowest level of the basement floor from the highest level where it originally was located. ***Remember-- 4 inches of muddy water***
Replace throughout the house, all the wall to wall carpet that was installed incorrectly with half inch gaps at every seam.
Sand and repaint the baseboards because the incorrectly installed carpet was laid 2 hours after the house had been painted. We are talking serious FUZZY baseboards here people.
Repair the 4 outside corners of the house, cracking at the foundation.
(The New Home Warranty paid for all of this.)

Since then we have not had a 6 month run of something not breaking down, cracking and/or leaking.
And now we need a new ROOF!
Which is no longer covered by the Home Warranty.
Is it any wonder why we can't wait to sell this sow’s ear silk purse of a house.


Does anyone remember?
Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.



This is the big one!
You hear that, Elizabeth?
I'm coming to join ya, honey!
Redd Foxx

AND


Bear((( )))

Dusting

I used to spend at least 8 hours every week making sure things were just perfect, in case someone came over.

Finally I realized one day that no-one came over.
They were all out living life and having fun.

Now, when people visit, I don't have to explain the *condition* of my home.
They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun.

If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice. Life is short. Enjoy it!

Dust if you must,
but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake some biscuits or a cake and lick the spoon or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need.

Dust if you must,

but there's not much time with wine to drink ,

rivers to swim and mountains to climb,

music to hear and books to read,

friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must,

but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes,

the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.

This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must,

but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go - and go you must -

you, yourself will make more dust!

A house becomes a home when you can write “I love you” on the furniture.

Remember...a layer of dust protects the wood beneath it.