A wordle of this blog :)

Keep It Simple Stupid ~Kiss

    Why is that the jobs we put off the most always end up having the most simple solutions?????  Tackled my maintenance issues this week and it cost me very little time and money to fix them.  To replace the front door knob cost $7.00 and less than 5 minutes.  To fix the back door cost about $4 and also less than 5 minutes.  I knew that I didn't want to install another metal spring because the kids keep breaking them so instead I put an eye hook into the jam and hooked a mini bungie cord between the frame and door. Now it closes itself as the kids run in and out all day.  I had another problem in that my 4 year old could not open the screen by himself so i wrapped a hair elastic around the locking mechanism ( yes anything can be used as a tool in the hands of a single mom).  So the screen shuts every time but is also easy to open.

    The problem of the electricity was a little trickier...or so at least so it appeared.  After I blogged last,  I immediately found a work around so I could get power to my house phone. It worked for the week but today I was actually able to fix it. I had bought a new circuit breaker  at Home Depot (hint if you think you need a new breaker bring one of the old ones with you, or at least the brand of your circuit box. I did not do this)  I watched every YouTube video on installing a new breaker and even though I was wisely nervous, I was prepared to give it a try. While I was at the store I also picked up a non-contact voltage tester, you know that thing that beeps and light up if a wire is hot. (pictured) Well is was the best $20 I could have spent!  I tested the line going into and out of the broken outlet and found that there was power on line.  I figured from this that the breaker was probably good and so I tried a little harder to reset the outlet ( you know that little button that says reset) I had tried before but it didn't seem to make any difference this time I got it in far enough to reset the outlet and BAM problem solved!!!!!  

    I can't believe that I had thought I might have to call an electrician to fix this problem.  Wonder how much that would have cost me???

    Tomorrow I am going tackle the plumbing and move my washing machine from the kitchen to the basement.  But I am not to worried about it due to PEX ...God's plumbing gift to single mom DIYers....more on that tomorrow.

Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance keeps the ferocious beast away.

I love building and fixing and working with my hands around the house..... however when it comes to maintenance I wish a knight in a shining tool belt would just come in and do it all for me.  Since that hasn't happened maintenance has taken a back seat and now a few projects have turned into pseudo-emergancies. 

Last night I came home and the back screen door was wide open. As we walked towards it a very scary, furry monster of unknown type greeted us and sent us screaming like little girls for the car, I tried the front door but the inside door, which has had a broken knob since I moved in, finally broke all the way off.  Scared of all our screaming, the animal ran into the cellar so I trapped it in. The whole situation would have never happened if the back screen door wasn't broke.  My father-in-law has replaced the spring once but the kids broke it again within a day. So I am going to have to come up with a new solution.  Luckily this morning we found out the the ferocious beast was only a big fluffy cat, but I am still left with two doors to fix.

The next maintenance emergency is that my house phone is not working.  For some reason I have not had power in my cellar since my dryer was installed and unfortunately the cable/phone modem is plugged in down there.  I know that this has been a problem for a while but I have been hoping that it would spontaneously repair itself. ( I do that for most my maintenance/repair problems)  Then this weekend I jumped into a pool with my cell phone and killed it.  Without the money to get a new cell, I have no choice but to figure out the power problem so I can at least have a house phone.

My grandfather was the king of maintenance he would have never let these problems go on so long.  I guess I need to remember to think WWPD (What would Pepere' do?) next time I see a maintenance problem and look the other way.

While I am doing all these other dreadful maintenance tasks I might as well do the worst one of them all and clean out the gutters.....For you Pepere' :') 

Painting tips

I have been working on repainting my daughters room and will be unveiling it slowly over the next few weeks.  But right now I wanted to talk about a great brush I found.

You know that as a single mom I have to do my projects as cheaply as possible.  I get the cheap rollers but there are a few place you can't skimp like with the paint and a good cut-in brush.

I have tried every possible trick to get a nice clean edge around the trim but nothing can beat going slow and cutting in with a good brush.  I have been so lucky that with this project I have my mother-in-law helping me and she introduced me to this brush.  It is great because the handle is soft and flexible and since I tend to tense up when concentrating this brush saves my hand. They also clean up so easily.  Of course I spent way to much at Home Depot.  I am going to buy some extras on Amazon.com to keep on hand you should too.  It will save you time and help me buy paint so I can start the boys room.

The kids and I rock it out!

My morning started with a simple task....bring the dog outside. That lead to me seeing the wood behind the garage which the neighbor had asked for. After I pulled out his wood I decided to dig out the compost that was beginning to rot the garage.  That in turn lead to needing somewhere to put the dirt I had dug out.  After I filled a few holes in the backyard I decided to make some more holes by digging up the rock path on the side of the house that was pretty useless.

 This created a pile of stones that were much larger than I thought they would be. At this time I enlisted the kids to fill in the holes and decided to make a rock wall for the front flower beds which were plain......

BEFORE

AFTER

Of course all of this work has only made the steps look more shabby.....but that story is for another day.

Garden Guilt

My neighbor cut me head or lettuce out of his garden today.  It was great but it does give me some garden guilt. It is not enough pressure that my yard has to look good but it has to be fruitful too. Well I did plant a tomato plant.  I also had three strawberries on our 1 strawberry plant but they sat on the ground and got moldy.  I inherited a rhubarb plant with the house but I had to cut it back because it was limp. I also bought a blueberry bush but I am told that it won't produce because I only have one.  The neighbor told me he has some bushes so I wonder if mine is close enough to pollinate with his???  So alright I don't  have lettuce but I am not doing too bad for myself considering this is my first year with a yard.

Lawnmower 2 - Single Mom 1

To catch you up... I finally got a lawnmower for my birthday (thanks mom!) I took the time read (almost) all the instructions...got it set up...mowed the first row of foot high grass and promptly hit a huge rock and broke it.

No, I didn't just dent it or scratch the blade...The lawnmower was spitting sparks like an angry dragon!

I thought about bringing it back and saying that it came that way.  But didn't. Not because my morals got the best of me... as usual it was impatience that did.

I still don't know if I did the most damage to the shaft or the blade but either way I couldn't bend or hammer or wrench it back into place.   The blade was scraping on the housing pretty bad, so I did the most logical thing and bent the housing out of the way.  I am not sure what purpose that bent edge on the housing has but I hope it is not too important because mine is pretty much straight now. I am a little concerned that it seems to be shaking more then it should... but what should I expect from an off balanced mower??? :)  It got the job done and maybe shook a few extra calories out of me.... hey a girl can dream.

I would call it a victory of brain over brawn but even I can acknowledge that it was a pretty dumb fix... As usual Do Not Try This in Your Home!



The lawnmower put up quite a fight and took its share of blood, sweat and tears from me (literally) It may have gotten me twice but I still won in the end.

Repairing Your Outdoor Power Equipment (Trade)
Handbook of Lawnmower Repair
Repair Maintain and Store Lawnmowers and Garden Equipment
The Complete Handbook Of Lawnmower Repair
Final product: Its not glamorous... but it is neat