Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Everything needs maintenance

The Sunday morning shows are so full of helpful knowledge to help one work around your currant abode or to buy your next home. Although fairly schooled in the arts of home maintenance I can find snippets of things to occasionally help me in tasks. I am sure as well there are torrents of repair information for the less knowledgeable. Sometimes these shows can cause problems for the weekend warriors as projects and solutions are not shown step by step. That can cause a disaster for those fixing something they witnessed on a repair/remodel show.

Sunday morning as I shuttled about the family room a house hunting show was on. I wasn't paying particular attention until a phrase cause my ear and turned my head. The prospective homeowner mentioned passing up this house due to the maintenance of a hot tub. Really? Maintenance on a hot tub? I have owned tubs/spa for years and believe me, there is generally very little one needs to do to maintain one, add a few chemicals now and then and drain the water a few times a year. If that's what is stopping you from buying a house you better stick to renting.

The problem today is very few people know how to do anything for themselves. They can't paint, put up wallpaper, fix a leaky faucet or nail two boards together. Have we become such a pampered society we have to hire specialists to do everything for us? Does that need to include helping us walk our dog because we are too busy or can't be bothered? I live in a neighborhood with fairly nice homes, some well-kept, some downtrodden. I have never understood why someone would sink their hard earned money into a respectable home and let it to go pot. I have a neighbor whose lawn often resembles a field of wild flowers. Last week I was tempted to take a bottle of Round-Up and spray a message in his lawn. Fortunately, respect for others and a nasty look from My Beloved led to cooler heads.

Houses, cars, tools, spas, pools and nearly every mechanical device needs some sort of maintenance. If you haven't figured that one out, ditch the car and take a bus. That's why your engine blew up; you need to change the oil more than once every fifty thousand miles.

1 comment:

  1. Unfortunately, unlike our parents, most parents don't show their kids how to do anything. Dad let anybody who wanted help (except me for painting, go figure!). Besides, anything you want to know can be found in detail either in a book or on the net, although magazines can be helpful also. Even sadder, kids like to be needed, so it would help them as much as helping get things done!

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