I have been kind of quiet here. That doesn't mean that I haven't been doing anything. I have but just not a lot in the home improvement arena.
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I am in the middle of my goat kidding season here and there are many sleepless nights waiting for the little babies to arrive. I just love my goats and I wouldn't change a thing.
We had the most amazing winter with hardly no winter at all but with that and an early, warm, dry spring we started mowing grass in March. Yes, March. A job that usually doesn't need to be done until late May or early June around here. And when you are mowing around two acres it is a big job.
Now a for a little on the home improvement front. Do you remember I got a "FREE" hot tub?? When you get a "FREE" hot tub there is a certain amount of prep work to get ready for it. Like hook up 240 electricity, which I had a buddy help me with, and build a patio, which I did myself with the help of Big L.
Here is how you see articles in DIY magazines about patios:
Build A Patio! A fun and easy weekend project!
Here is what it should say:
Build A Patio! It is the most God awful DIY project you will ever do! It is back breaking! It is finger smashing! It is knee scraping! IT SUCKS!!!
I am going out on a limb and I am going to say that is worse than demo. Holy crap it was hard! But I did get it done! (Further proof that that there is a God) I love the way the patio looked when I was done. I loved it so much I wanted to build a bigger patio...............and maybe a pergola........and some lighting!!!!!!! But there is a problem. I am out of money. It is not like they are going to shut off my lights or anything but I don't have any "extra" cash laying around because my real job is seasonal and we are just getting back to work.
I haven't been doing very good on keep a running total of money I have spent on my blog for this project but here are a few checks that I have wrote lately:
Gitter Done: Moving the staircase and putting in headers for load bearing walls- $2150.00
The water softener place- Fixing the water softener and putting in 2 new hydrants. $2800.00
Windows from Menards: For my bedroom that I haven't got put in yet. $446.00
Prepping for the hot tub: Patio and electrical $550.00
Repairs on hot tub: (The guy I got it from said it needed $1500.00 in repairs I am at $715.00 so far and I still need a top which is going to cost around $500.00)
Just the stuff I listed above the grand total is $6111.00! Crap! No wonder I am broke! That is ALOT of money my friends. So I have decided to only do stuff that won't cost me anything (because I have the material already) or things that are under a hundred dollars.
I am thinking this will force me to finish up a lot up the projects that I have started but are not done. Like the following:
1) Laundry Room- Need I see more?
2) Clean gutters and bury the downspouts to help keep water out of the basement.
3) Fix the barn door.
4) Put in my bedroom windows that are sitting the garage, waiting to get broken.
I think that is enough loose ends for now.
