Nothing is Ever Simple!

About two months ago, I decided to do some re-decorating. Along with some normal maintenance, here's what I had planned:
New book case custom-made for the library
Install bead board (wainscoating for you "northerners") in the family room and paint
New rug for family room
Paint the kitchen and sunroom ceilings blue
Replace 2 cabinet doors in the kitchen with glass front doors
Re-do the sun room to include paint, window treatments and new furniture
Re-do my bedroom and bathroom to include, paint, windows, bedding, new chair and ottoman
Paint my office and get new window treatments
Replace wood blinds with plantation shutters in my office and pink guest room
Paint the columns, deck and upper porch outside
Seal the patios and driveway
Re-seal the front doors
Have the windows washed---expensive job---I only do it every other year.
Finally have the pool pipes buried so we can plant grass seed over the muddy mess in the middle of the yard.

I told Christy---my decorator/friend with all the great resources---that I wanted to use pre-mades this time as I spent a fortune on my custom stuff the last time---which is now in storage for when Mindy has a 2nd bedroom that needs furnishing. All of this just seemed like fun---well except the outside stuff.

All was going well. Found a duvet at Pottery Barn that I loved---kind of a muted paisley. Found a rung also from PB---on sale---for the family room. One thing leads to another. My "fun" re-modeling job has turned into an expensive black hole with one thing after another popping up. Here's what's happening now:
One of the air conditioners has gone out. IF my buddy, Tommy can find a motor for this old unit, it will be about $900---if not---we have to replace the whole thing---cha ching...

We had a leak in our bathroom. The roofer thought it was a "quick fix" and would be free since we just replaced the roof about 3 years ago. Instead, he found this:

 These are called lead "collars" that go around the pipes that come out of your roof---about 6 inches tall where the roof meets the pipes. We have 2 of them on that side of the house. The squirrels completely ate one of them and this is what's left of the 2nd one. 

This is a close-up---you can see their teeth marks. Butch said, "I thought lead was supposed to be poisonous. Why doesn't it kill the squirrels?" My thoughts exactly. I want those suckers dead now. This is no longer a free job---cha ching...

Not to mention that the bathroom ceiling has to be torn out and re-done. I was desperate to get it done because my painters are ready to get in there. So Mike is coming tomorrow---I have no idea what that's going to cost---I was more concerned that he could come right away. When he takes the ceiling down, he needs to also remove and replace the insulation---cha-ching....

I found out that we would need to completely replace the columns, deck and porch rails on the front of the house. Everything's rotted. The first guy that was here actually said to me, "mam, this is plain neglect!" I think he thought we just moved in. He was really nice, so I don't think he was trying to be insulting. Hey, it's only been 2 years since I had everything painted and sealed. That can't be cheap---waiting on the bids---mega cha ching....

The front doors now have deep cracks and need to be replaced. Do you have any idea how much front doors cost? Major cha ching....

Now mind you, this is all the "un-fun" stuff and my money is going to be gone! I say "my" money because I was using some of the money I inherited from mom. The heck with it, I'm proceeding with everything I want to do. I set a budget and plan to count all this unexpected stuff as household expenses. Butch cha ching....

Christy found me some great fabric for the bedroom drapes---of course I had to have it. She also found some great fabric for the sunroom with an inexpensive trim. Just my luck, it was discontinued. We picked out something a little more expensive, but still reasonable. Since we need 38 yards, it had to be ordered. The guy said that there would be a price increase---the way things are going, should I be surprised? little cha ching....

Butch really has no idea what is going on. He just opens the door to a myriad of workers. He makes comments, mostly negative, but I'm used to it. Last Friday night, he mentioned that since we were painting the bar, maybe we should re-do it. What? He actually had input? I hadn't thought of changing the bar, but now I'm all over it. We're eliminating the doors and adding shelving above. I went yesterday and picked out granite, then went sink shopping. Amazing how those little things can be so much---and the faucet---it's just plain crazy. Let's just say that if Butch knew how much this was costing, he never would have suggested it. medium cha ching....

I had a happy surprise today---the only thing that turned out cheaper than I had in my head. Replacing the cabinets in the kitchen with the glass doors was very reasonable. Very little cha ching...

The painters are starting on my office tomorrow. I was only going to paint it, but now have decided to change the window treatments too. Who knows how much cha ching....

To top it all off, while emptying my office, I noticed one of the portraits on the wall has termites in it. I took it off the wall to inspect and don't see anything worrysome and the termites inside the pictures are dead, so I think I'm okay there. Even if I have termites, I'm not too concerned as I have an annual termite contract with my pest control. Thank goodness. no cha ching....

In the meantime, just about every room in the house is torn up with stuff from other rooms all over.

 Ooops, that's just my normal mess.

 And this is Butch's normal mess.

Look what I found in the kitchen? An empty cabinet over the refrigerator. I'm planning on cleaning out and getting rid of a lot of stuff. But it's nice to know that I do have some extra space.

Oh, and as it turns out---the only thing pre-made was the Pottery Barn duvet. So much for that resolve. I guess I just want what I want and I don't care what it costs. (Nancy is always ribbing me about that.)

And then we got the tax bill. I can't even go there. Maximum cha ching....