prior to the "pandemic" I would make sure that a "fait accompli" was always in the works. You know, a bigger than a breadbox chore like the garage, the car, back yard. Something neglected for a long time. Now during the pandemic and lockdown(s) I kicked it up a notch! I started tackling projects that I had no idea how to accomplish. It is only now that I realize that I am part of the problem with this pandemic and want to apologize to all those businesses that I may have impacted. I'm talking about auto mechanics, refrigerator repairman, electricians, painters, builders, arborists, reel repair shops, locksmiths.The list is long.
It all started with the refrigerator. The decades old fridge decided to quit at the beginning of covid and being ancient, we decided to bust up and purchase a new one. About the time of delivery of the new, the old needed to be moved out of the way, so into the garage it went. This gave us time to debate whether to chuck it or call a repairman. The cheep bastard that I am , I decided to check out what it would take to fix it. Do you know there are "not that many parts" in a fridge. So you have the heating element that kicks on occasionaly to defrost the ice, the control unit that handles temp, defrost, etc., a thermostat to determine when to cool and when to defrost, and lastly the evaporater. Each one of these is a compelete unit and can be "easily replaced". After hours of google searches I found a thermostat, a heating element and a control unit on Ebay. And voilà a spare fridge is now in the garage. I think the the heating element is only partially working as it is icing over periodically. With the cool weather its ok but come summer time???
While power washing the driveway I noticed that the garage trim was peeling and wearing. After quickly running into the house and grabbing a tape measure, I started measuring the needed trim. I also noticed for the first time the stucco forms were about six inches short on each end of the garage. I rushed off to Home Depot to purchase the needed materials. The stucco forms I needed were unavailable and foam boards were recommended as replacements. Hmmm. I ending up using a dremmel to shape the foam board to kind of match the exisiting stucco. Plaster, screening, stucco and several hours later I was pleasently surprised. Now for the garage trim. Prying delicately, gently pulling, it came off and I nailed the new enviro friendly trim in its place, repainted, and caulked. While there I decided to replace weather stripping around the garage doors, add insulation to them, and place rubber water barriers beneath them. I still go outside on occasion and admire my work
Next the 1999 Ford F-350 powerstroke 7.3L diesel. All new LED lights, interior and exterior, new tail lights, third light, polished the headlighs, bondoed the hood and rear wheel wells and repainted, 4 new speakers and a new Sony cd/radio player (blu tooth phone connections). Rewired the trailer plug to hook up the trailer braking and and reverse lights (added reverse spot lights to the boat trailer for backing up, I'll get to this later), new Ford badges, Ford center hub caps. I know I have missed something. I'll think of it later.
Did I mention power washing the driveway? All told I must have saved thousands of dollars.
Here is a partial list that I remember:
1. Truck refurbished
2. Garage trim
3. Kitchen tile grout
4. Pantry
5. Driveway powerwashed
6. Gutters
7. Refrigerator
8. All external door fixtures (handles, locks, mechanisms)
9. Pool Cleaner (twice)
10. Broken stone pool step
11. Trimmed all dead wood off of 4 post oaks and 10 live oaks in front and back yard
12. Fenced all gardens off from the wild game
13. Fixed the A/C leak in the wifes Acura
14. Removed the broken bluetooth module from the wifes Acura (waiting to find a new one).
15. Replaced the cable in the pool umbrella
16. The boat!
17. The study!
18. Replaced the ball bearings in all reels with hybrid ceramic (3 chronarchs, 2 calcuttas, 2 calais, 1 metanium, 1 daiwa pro team, 1 stella, 1 saragossa
19. Replaced the Quick Fire clutch bar on a chronarch and the pawl on another. (I'm still not sure what a pawl? is)
20 "Magivered" a new turn key dial from spare parts for a calais (pretty proud of this!)
21. The boat! (endless)
I could go on and on and I might even write a part II for another time. Now most of these should have been done by a professional and most will probably be re-done by a professional. In the meantime my humblest apologies to those businesses that should have performed these jobs. In the future I will remember to give these jobs to the experts. Besides, that will give me more time to fish!
P.S. This was all tongue in cheek and on a serious side. Its really up to us to help and make sure small business around us succeed. Our family is making sure by frequenting our local businesses either in person or on-line and delivery, not buying from the big corp, tech, pharma (the only ones making profit during this cinema and censoring free speech), tipping generously, and anything else that will help.