Tuesday

I'm always amazed at how quickly time goes by now that I'm working at home at a job I love.  School starts again in a three weeks and so far our summer has been mild, which makes me a happy girl.

I'm wrapping up Shade of the Wolf and sending 4 chapters at a time to my editor, because it needs to go into production.  I like the books.  It's been a fun story to write.

So I'm busy, but happy.

This year has been the year of expensive home repairs for us.  It started in January when we decided it was time to totally redo our pool.  The pool is 19 years old.  We had it gutted, new tile, coping and plaster put in. That was supposed to be our only home improvement project this year.  We like to do one a year.  We can afford one a year.

And then spring came and our lawn died.  We had dirt.  With rain and dogs, that equals mud.  Lonnie had the old lawn scraped off, new dirt brought in, and the yard entirely re-sodded.  Ka-ching. $$$

Ok, that's cool.  In May, once my long term foster dog Katniss got adopted, we decided to finally head out to our lake place and our camper.  It had been over a year since we'd been there.  If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know what happened next.  Yes, the camper had a leak and we had mold and mushrooms inside.  Said camper is now at at repair place for extensive - and expensive work.

And yes, I'd put a deposit down on a cruise in November with my Boxer rescue friends.

Then I needed two fillings and - gasp - a root canal.  I don't have dental insurance.  I was quite shocked to learn how much a root canal - and a crown - cost, never mind two fillings.  That little escapade left me $2500 poorer.

Then - yes, it continues - our master bath shower got invaded with ants.  Lonnie sprayed, and since we had some mold issues, decided to regrout the entire shower.  Tiles fell off, there's dry rot and mold (and ants) and we need a complete shower overhaul.  I am STUNNED at how much this is going to cost.  Estimates are still coming in.

The pool chlorinator went.  We have a salt water pool.  We ordered a new one (nearly $900) and NOW... NOW.... the damn POOL PUMP is spewing water.  Lonnie is working on it to see if he can fix it.

I cancelled the cruise.  Then decided not to.  We deserve a cruise after all this.

There are still 4.5 months left this year.  Pray for me that nothing else happens.