I'm Goin' In!

Home improvement shows, books, and magazines provide great information for the do-it-yourselfer on a wide range of topics. From plumbing and electric systems, to landscaping and roofing, you can read about how to accomplish just about any construction or other home improvement project you are willing to attempt. Attempt may be a key word as there are TV shows about botched home construction projects that make someone even slightly handy cringe.

If you're serious about home projects and doing them right, the most important skill I've learned over the years is patience. I'm not a home improvement craftsman like some of you probably are, but I'm patient and know my limitations. I've figured out that the statements "haste makes waste", and "measure twice, cut once" are actually gross understatements when it comes to my taking on some projects around the place. Good thing Al Gore invented the internet (sorry, I still love that story!) because I can learn the how-to of about any project I'm willing to attack.

Being retired is a big advantage around the farm. If we had to work for a living, I'm not sure we could ever get the place the way we want it . With the barn needing repair and our desire to make some major changes in the house, we're having no trouble at all finding things to do, it's more a matter of... since I'm slow about getting things done, the house projects have to line up so our daily living isn't impacted too much, and I can work on outside projects this summer until it gets too warm later in the day.

So with all that preface, I'm goin' in. I'm starting the first renovation project in the house by turning what had been a dining room into an office/guest bedroom. My sanding disks arrived UPS yesterday, and though I could be working outside full time still, I'm ready for change of pace so the old hardwood floor is my first victim. I've pulled the old peel and stick vinyl tile off, the baseboards are history, and I've got my safety equipment.

Since I'm slow and foolish, I'll be attacking the floor with an electric hand sander. The room is quite small, and as I mentioned above, I've got patience to work on it a little at a time. The good part of all this is we have our plan on how the place will come together and progress is being made, even if it is at a snails pace.