Monday, February 25, 2008

Dream Big

Life is expensive. Driving ten year-old cars and living in a 20 year-old house means that you have to expect to have busted stuff. If the busted stuff does not get fixed, then a backlog of busted stuff starts to build up. Eventually the busted stuff starts to feel a little like a tidal wave headed right for the pocketbook. We tithe, so I know we will never go without anything we actually need. It's just the process of evaluating what to do with potential "extra" that's more of a gray area... especially when the some new emergency or other is ever-present because we choose to avoid replacing anything that still has life in it.

We are getting a new roof tomorrow. The roofing will commence tomorrow morning because the contractor somehow had an opening tomorrow even though he's booked for weeks out. I wrote the check today for our deductible and the cost of adding two new turbines to increase our energy efficiency, and I didn't flinch. Don handled the details. The necessary repairs like replacing heating and cooling equipment, water heaters, and the roof are not so much fun.

Don's car passed inspection, but mine needs a new pair of shoes. Ever buy tires for a giant gas-guzzling SUV capable of hauling two big dogs, three growing kids, and a pair of adults with all their stuff on interstate drives? Me either, but I will have done so within another 24 hours because I need the truck to pass inspection, too. New roof. New gigantic truck tires. Ouch.

Some day we will have a fully functional master bathroom again. I can envision a day when I do not shower in a room where a male child pee-pees behind the toilet periodically. That day will come just as soon as we quit buying other stuff like tires and a roof. I have a dream.

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