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:

  Termite damage in our entryway, January 2007.

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

Exhibit B: 

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:

   

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:

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?