Off and on

My hot tub won’t shut off.  My washing machine won’t turn on. My “lower level” rental unit is in disarray awaiting a long overdue makeover. New floor covering, new paint, new kitchen cabinets and light fixtures.

No. I’m not bored. I like to paint and scrub and fix stuff, but I’m finding that I can’t work 8 hours at a stretch the way I once did. Grrr.

The good news is it’s fun to make something clean and new after years of neglect and mistreatment. This time I’m choosing my basement dweller with great care. I’m not a neatnik, but there is a limit to the lack of reasonable housekeeping that I can endure.

I’ve rented out my basement for almost 25 years and nearly every tenant has been a pleasure to have around. They keep to themselves and sometimes have even taken advantage of space to grow a garden.

More often than not, an undertaking becomes more challenging than first anticipated and this project is no exception. I can see that in the next few weeks I’m not going to have much time to sit around. By the time my basement comes back to life, spring will be well on the way—a good time for renewal.

And with any luck, my hot tub will behave once again and my 1982 Maytag washing machine will have another chance at life. I’d be sad to see it give up the ghost and go away for good.