2023, Business, Family, home

Home Project Lessons

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I learned a couple of things during the course of our bathroom project.

First… do everything in your power to get a good contractor.  Hugo was highly recommended (by my next-door neighbor, who is the head of construction, maintenance project and capital planning for the Minneapolis schools.  Hugo communicated well through-out, was easy going, delivered bad news gently and, of course, did a nice job at a good price.

Second… also do everything in your power to have a handy person living in your house with you – especially someone who is invested in the outcome of your project.  I have YA for this.  She is MUCH handier than I am, as she is more patient as she goes about whatever she is working on.  She installed the toilet paper holder and the towel racks.  She un-installed the new light sconces because she thought there was a “ridge” along the edge, spackled and sanded and then re-painted.  She also installed two slider baskets on the bottom shelves of the vanity so it would be easy to get at our stuff.  And she also took a teeny paintbrush from my studio to “straighten” a couple of the paint seams. 

And she gets credit for most of the decisions in the bathroom.  She picked the tile, the flooring, the wainscotting design, the medicine cabinet and the light sconces.  I had final approval but most of the time, her choice was OK with me.

So between Hugo and YA, I don’t really get any credit for the bathroom, unless you count having to arrange all the financing!

Any lessons you’ve learned this week?

35 thoughts on “Home Project Lessons”

  1. I have been battling for three weeks all the big powers in my life: the corporation that owns most of the assisted living places in MN it seems. Lose that battle every time. The huge rental corporation that owns this apartment complex. They are trying to force us to do business with a sleazy bigger corporation despite what federal law says. Three health insurance companies. Long story. Amazon. Lesson Learned: I cannot win the battles so illegitimus non carborundum.

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    1. sorry clyde
      assisted living is a bitch
      health care is impossible
      amazon owns the world and is getting worse every day
      your apt … how about buying a lot and building a container home on it
      savings would allow you to hire everything done task wise

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  2. I’ve learned that I really don’t want to be handy. I’m much too lazy, and that’s the truth. I’m grateful to those who are handy. I appreciate them when they around.

    Usually if something gets worn out or dysfunctional around here it has to stay that way until I can get someone handier than me to help me with it. I get drill bits stuck in walls. I smear paint on my clothes then on things it’s not supposed to be on. I buy parts that don’t fit then I have to make multiple trips to hardware stores. I’m just not good at it.

    I’ve also learned that sometimes silence is the best reply.

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  6. I learned today that I can stay home from work when I wake up really exhausted, and everything will still run smoothly. I must have slept in a weird position since I woke up with what feels like a strained muscle below my right shoulder blade.

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        5. I wish I could work every other week, but they need me to do so many evaluations that I am often booked 3-4 months ahead. Right now I am booked out through mid February with 2-3 evaluations a week.

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  7. Rise and Shine, Baboons,

    This week has been the week of dog stress, meaning I am doing things that stress out my dog. And this is all in addition to learning that for some weird reason opening the garage door caused the dog containment system to link to the collar. We decided to obtain a robot-vacuum after Costco listed one at an excellent price. It arrived last Friday and I spent the weekend getting acquainted with “Dizzy” the robot vacuum. I thought at the time, “I will set this to run in the night time when we are all asleep and the floor is picked up so the vacuum can do its job. So I set it that way and forgot about it.

    The scene changes to midnight or Monday morning. I awaken to the dog barking. Obviously she hears something. I hear something. (Lou hears nothing. Nada). It must be a home invader!!!! I get up with the dog and we go investigate. Of course it is Dizzy. And I think, “Jacque reason this out–nighttime will not work. Phoebe the dog will wake you up every time.”

    So I run it in the morning. And discontinued a preset schedule. Lesson Learned.

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  8. I’m slowly learning that certain people make poor coffee shop owners and managers because they don’t get it. A good coffee shop should be welcoming, friendly, cheery, with pleasant music on in the backgrounds and incentives for customers to return regularly–like loyalty cards meal and drink specials, or fun events.

    I say that because one of my mainstay haunts has dropped the ball after a good start earlier this year. Absentee owner started off being there every day, now I haven’t seen him in weeks. Managers and baristas are robotic and cheerless. Business seems to be falling off based on the times I go there. I’m hoping for a new owner sooner than later. I’d hate for it to close after 20+ years (and three previously excellent owners).

    Chris in Owatonna (who was smart enough to realize HE wouldn’t make a good coffee shop owner.)

    **BSP** Just found out I’m in at the Carleton College Craft Fair and Custodial Bake Sale this Friday from 8 am to 2 pm! Never attended before, so I have no idea what to expect, but a colleague tells me its a Carleton tradition and a pretty big deal. At the least, they have coffee, doughnuts, and other goodies for me to munch on during the day. 🙂

    Also, I’ll be in Faribault on Saturday at Corks & Pints/10,000 Drops Distillery for their Holiday Bazaar. Time is 11-4. Last year there were at least 20 vendors of all sorts. And if you don’t find any gift ideas, you can drown your sorrows in local beer, wine, and/or spirits. **End BSP**

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  9. I’ve learned the importance of punctuation.
    In his book, Mike Pence quotes himself as saying to 45, “You know, I don’t think I have the authority to change the outcome” of the election on January 6. However, Pence says the comma after “You know” should NOT have been placed there which changes the entire tone of the conversation from casual to admonishing.
    “You know” is such a throw away phrase!
    “You know” I detest it!

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    1. I have two friends, one in his early 80ies, the other in her late 70ies, who have learned that same lesson within this past year. They have both since fully recovered, but both needed extensive rehab afterwards.

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