Wet Paint

Inspired by the Dave Ramsey plan, we are still battling to become "debt free" and have admirably followed a written budget for many months now. We're "sick and tired of being sick and tired", and have committed to building better financial security for ourselves, our kids, and future generations. Since we're not crooked politicians or immature, irresponsible teens, we limit expenditures to "needs" rather than "wants", have been spending less than we earn, and budgeting the remainder toward paying down debt and becoming less dependent upon or susceptible to "The Man!"

When "Murphy", the namesake of "Murphy's Law" decided to camp out at our house over the last couple months, our will power was tested and our budget was strained, but we did not break. A parade of unwanted and unexpected expenses marched lines through our bank account, including a series of stupid repairs and renewal fees, capped off by hundreds of dollars spent in a losing battle to save our good puppy dog, Sweet May.

Imagine our collective groans amidst last month's turmoil as our lovely City Code Compliance Official dropped by to inform us that our peeling house paint, was in violation of code, and we had one month before a follow up inspection for compliance. Of course it was implied that non-compliance would result in fines. Oh joy. At least he was friendly and seemed to sincerely hate his job as "stooge to the Man."

I would sincerely love to "Stick it to the Man", but neither Heather nor I have the time, creativity, or commitment for such rebellious nonsense and grudgingly complied. Besides, we hated the paint as much as anybody, and we had a modest emergency fund for just such an occasion. The checkbook suggested a "Do it yourself" job, but the thermometer, calendar, clock, and weather forecast had other ideas. In other words, it was hot and humid, we were running out of days before inspection, we don't have time to do a project of that scale, and we're having unpredictable freak rainstorms in July that we can't plan around; and I'll be danged if I'm paying a fine even of one penny, just on principle alone.

So we did what any hard working, red blooded Americans would do. We got some hard working Mexican handymen to do it for us. They are far from professional, but they are cheap, fast, and they find a way to get things done. Rain? No problem. Holey, rotten beams? That's why God invented "Great Stuff" and "Bondo." Yes, spray foam insulation and auto body repair putty on the front house elevation. In the words of the great Cousin Eddie, "She's a real beaut Clark."

Do the foundation plants look incredibly irritated, roughly bent over, with splotches of Sherwin Williams "Trusty Tan" here and there? You betcha, but even a stickler would agree the paint on the house looks a thousand times better than before. Every time we pull into the garage Norah and Justin exclaim "Look at our pretty house!" We're pretty happy with it too.

Even with the setbacks, we hope to be debt free by the end of the year. Now we just have to pray the Compliance Officer doesn't look too hard at the fence, it might just fall down.