When it Rains, it Pours

First off, I want to make it clear that this post is not me complaining. I am not having a pity party. I am not accepting financial contributions to the "Poor Me" charity fund. On the contrary, I look back on the past year in awe that somehow, some way we're still hanging in there! I'm only writing because I feel like it has to be acknowledged. We have had so many repairs and replacements this year it's unreal! I made a list the other day and if it weren't so expensive it would be funny. Here's a rough idea of what it looks like:

January - Washing machine leaving black streaks on clothes - been doing it for a while to all Todd's white dress shirts, but it wasn't until it started ruining my favorite baby clothes that I took action (sorry, white dress shirts -it's just that you're replaceable). Advice from knowledgeable people suggests we need a new washer. After a lot of research and treasure hunting on Craigslist, I was lucky to find a great refurbished one at Lowes for $330 (regular price $700, so - YAY!)

-Roof leaking, staining inside walls (weird) had Mighty Mike check it out (Mighty Mike's Handyman Services - Big or Small We do it All!). He found that the air vents from the bathrooms weren't connected or installed properly so the water leak was from that. Gross job - glad it wasn't me doing it. Cost $60

February - Roof leaking again, different spot. Called Mike again. He found some of the roof around the chimney not done properly. We tried to track down the roofers that installed it in the first place when we bought the house, but, shockingly, they were out of business. Got it fixed for around $110

March- Trees ridiculously overgrown. Been a problem for a while, but I kept expecting Todd to do something about it. Put wishful thinking back in the closet and asked Mike if he did tree trimming too. Yep, he did, and for a lot better than other companies (no, this is not an advertisement for Mighty Mike's Handyman Services - if you call him, he'll be too busy for us, and he's practically my BFF so back off and find your own.) A lot of tree trimming and landscaping later and we can see our backyard again! Of course, if we'd known what the rest of the year would bring we would've ignored it again. $700 (ouch, but thank you!)

April - It's high time to mow the lawn, but the lawn mower won't stay on for more than a couple seconds, even when it's not cutting anything. So I put on my spandex jumpsuit and call Mike again. Not working at all (the lawn mower, not the spandex - I'm working them just fine, thank you very much!) It's not even fixable so we start shopping for a lawn mower. No time to lose in choosing one since the kids keep getting lost in the backyard (like Bacio's once said when their yard was overgrown, "we send them out with a compass and flares just in case"). Home Depot has a better selection than Lowe's on lawn mowers so we get one that's not the dirt cheapest but not top of the line either. Runs us $350

May - Is it possible we had no major repairs in May? We probably did but I can't remember.

June - Dryer can't keep up with washer. Takes 3 drying cycles on average to dry one load! Getting very annoying very quickly. See dryer that matches my amazing washer at Costco. No $330 deal this time, but it's still $100+ less than a new one anywhere else. $580 later I have a dryer to match my washer. I've never enjoyed laundry so much!

July - Low tires, usually just a nail stuck in the tire and Les Schwab'll take care of it in no time. No such luck this time. Tire tread is really low on two tires, and getting close on the other two. We replace the two worst ones and make a mental note to get the other two fixed before our trip to Mt Rushmore. Two tires - $250 on sale.

-Insert trip to Mt Rushmore- (I don't want to talk about how much that cost, it'll ruin how much fun it was)

-While travelling, an old intermittent problem with the blinkers and headlights becomes a constant nuisance and safety issue. When I signal left, the car blinks right, or not at all, and vice versa. Also sometimes the headlights will turn off in the middle of driving or not turn on at all! I'm certain every car on the road behind us, from Oregon to South Dakota and back again, cursed the moron driver in the blue van. Make appointment to get it fixed promptly on arriving (miraculously) safely home. Not entirely sure the $250 check will clear...

August - Attempt to make a quick trip up to Washington for niece's baptism. Suddenly reminded that we never got those other two tires replaced when one of them suddenly peels off on I-5 near Tigard at 6:00 in the morning. Scary! You've seen strips of tire left on the side of the highway? I always wondered how that happens, now I know. We limped to the nearest Les Schwab and gave up hope on making it to Washington in time. Dang - tires not on sale anymore :( $275

-Curious mounds of dirt found in back yard. Thought maybe it was kids not fessing up to unauthorized digging, or maybe the dog, although that's not her MO. Not going away so we finally decide it must be an underground pest. Call a local company to check it out. They determine it is a mole and we set up appointments for the following week to have said mole evicted. Initial visit free, payment due at next appointment.

-Unidentified water discovered on floor between the freezer and the water heater. Maybe it's from wet towels or melted ice or a spill or whatever. It gets ignored until it too is clear that it will not go away on its own. After a little investigation we discover the hot water pipe going into the house has a leak. As Seen On TV product Mighty Putty- not effective...Mighty Mike -effective. On go the spandex, out comes the checkbook. In the process of disconnecting the leaky pipe, he discovers some major issues with the water heater itself. What!? Water heaters don't last forever? Apparently it was pretty dangerous. There was water soaking the insulation and all up near the electrical panel. Grateful that it was discovered before something much worse than a leaky pipe happened, we did some research and went with a water heater that Mike recommended. He also found some electrical work needed to be done as it had not previously been hooked up to code. Momentarily distressed by the additional costs we would accrue: water heater, electrician, Mike's bill and the dumb moles, I decided the moles would have to wait. Upon hearing about the moles, Mike suggested putting Juicy Fruit in the holes - said it worked for his father-in-law. Evidently they can't digest it, so it kills them. Or the version for the more sensitive reader: they consider it a parting gift and graciously take it and move on to greener pastures (or dirtier holes). It's worth a shot! No immediate success, but it's been slowing down and I haven't seen a mound in over a week now, so we'll see.

Cost of water heater: $460

Electrician: $120

Supplies:$40

Mighty Putty: $10

Mighty Mike: $30

Juicy Fruit: $3.00 

Alternative mole extermination: $265 less $3= savings of $262

Going without hot water for five days: priceless

-While driving home from a boating trip some idiot wasn't paying attention when the driver in front of them stopped and thus caused a nasty rear-ending accident. Fortunately idiot, passengers and other driver were all uninjured. Car not so lucky. Deductible - $500 (hiked up insurance rates - TBD)

It's September 5th today and so far this month we have not had anything break...