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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The Joys (And Heartaches) of Homeownership

Despite all the wonderful things that come along with owning a home (decorating, parties, tax deductions, etc.), it seems that when you own a home, there is always something needing attention. 

Exhibit A:

DSC01759  Termite damage in our entryway, January 2007.

DSC01761Result: Replaced threshold and door frame, yearly contract with Terminix.  $

Exhibit B:  IMG_2481 IMG_2482 IMG_2483 IMG_2484 IMG_2485

IMG_2499

Fallen Elm Tree, August 2009

Yes, this past week half of the giant Elm tree in our backyard fell into the yard, nearly missing the house and the fence.  The tree had a split down the middle, and it was in our plans this fall to have the tree trimmed down a great deal to reduce some of the weight on one side.  Well, apparently the tree didn’t want to wait and came crashing down just as my hubby was walking up to the back door.  We are so lucky that it didn’t do any damage to the house or the fences.

Result:

IMG_2534 IMG_2531 IMG_2532 IMG_2533 

I was tempted to salvage one or two of those stumps (DIY table or stool, anyone?!?), but they were so heavy, hubby was not having it!  All of the debris got chipped up and was taken to a recycling center and will eventually be used as fuel somehow or another.  Apparently elm is not a good wood for firewood. $$

Also a result, these two baby squirrels lost their momma and their nest.  They were so tiny their eyes weren’t even open yet:

IMG_2539

The momma came running out from underneath a branch (supposedly from her nest?) when the chainsaws started going, and these little babies were revealed when the branch was moved.  I kept them warm and fed them some Pedialyte from an eye dropper.  Since I know nothing of how to care for a baby squirrel (and there is plenty of conflicting info on the web), I contacted our local Wildlife Rehab Center and they are now in more capable hands. 

Here’s a video of them (and me trying not to talk in a wittle bitty baby vwoice):

 *for more cutie-pie baby animal rescues, visit The Lettered Cottage

We’ve been lucky not to have experienced any major home-related catastrophes (knock on wood), unless you count our (former) home surviving Hurricane Katrina in NOLA  with minimal roof/fence damage and no flooding!  But there are always little things to worry about, such as a leaky toilet, broken garbage disposal, and wobbly ceiling fans, to name a few.  It’s always a good idea to have some money set aside  or earmarked for unforeseen home emergencies, luckily we’ve done just that.

What are some of the Home Ownership Heartaches you’ve experienced?

12 comments:

  1. hi christy!
    oh! i am so glad the tree did not hit your fence, house or hurt anyone!

    from your photo, the tree now looks like a great chair. :)

    the baby squirrels are so lucky you found them!

    have a wonderful day!

    melissa

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  2. Oh wow! Glad it didn't hit the house! Good luck w/ the baby squirrels!

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  3. The Joys of Home Ownership! That's what I always say when something needs to be repaired, and something always does! I've had part of my garden ripped apart, because I had no idea that's where the cleanout pipe was. My husband just had to do the back and front porch floors, because they were rotted. I windy day always scares me, because we have alot of old trees. We got a new roof a couple years ago, and the guys threw all of the old shingles down onto my gardens. The horror! It's always something, but I wouldn't change it for the world!
    I'm glad your house and fence didn't get damaged, and bless you for taking those baby squirrels in! I have a love/hate relationship with them, but I would've done the same thing!

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  4. wow lucky that tree didnt hurt anything or anyone! my home ownership woes? 2 replaced AC units.. oh and that thing called Hurricane Ike destroying half our house the reason I started my blog hahahaha. Finally finished rebuilding from Ike in June.. just in time for another Hurricane season! Woo!!

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  5. I am always in such a frantic "must buy a house" sort of mood, and posts like this remind me of what a huge responsibility we'd be taking on! I love squirrels, and I am happy you took good care of them.

    What is your favorite part of owning a home?

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  6. oh my goodness, they are SO cute.

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  7. Ohh, how precious! & they are safe. Trees have a mind of there own ... we lost one this year also. Gratefully you didn't have any major damages. TTFN ~Marydon

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  8. I am glad that you were able to find a wildlife rescue for the squirrels. They remind me of the gophers that Murphy Grace brings me. Yeah, I could live without those presents.

    It is such a bummer that people won't burn Elm and you had to pay to have it taken away. At least it didn't demolish the fence or the house!

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  9. Christy,
    We seem to have a lot in common...downed trees and saving baby squirrels, but mine didn't occur at the same time. :)
    Cindy

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  10. Oh, I'm so pleased you escaped with no major damage, or, worse, injuries to people. Hope the baby squirrels make it.
    You're right, with a home, there's ALWAYS something needed. The sooner I can come to terms with that, the happier I'll be I think.

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  11. Ugh, that's no fun!! So glad you rescued the squirrels though!!

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  12. oh those baby squirrels are so adorable! I once rescued a baby hare from my dogs jaws who was also hairless and hadn't even opened his eyes yet. I had to syringe feed him every 4 hours with kitten formula. When he was nearly full grown I set him free into the woods surrounding our property.

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