Improvement Obsession

I've been ridiculously obsessed with home improvement projects lately.

The beginning of the holiday season and my love of decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving really motivated me to speed up the home stretch, not to mention how good it feels to see a room transformed. Five rooms have been completed and I think I'm addicted.

Most recent in my two month fix-it stint was the back room. This is the catch all room- laundry, shoes, dog food, and dirt storage (that was kind of a joke).

We stacked the washer and dryer, did you know that you can do this with most front load models? It's great. Saves room, looks kinda cool, and when they are both in use and get to spinning at the same time it's interesting (Yeah, maybe I have more fix-it work to do...).

Dave and Mitch got the machines stacked up and they worked fine. Then with Dave and Dexter's help I got to work on a cabinet/sink/counter addition along the same wall. This required that I buy a longer dryer cord than the manufacturer makes. No problem, the people at Menards and Home Depot (note the multiple store list) were very helpful. I've wired in a do-it-yourself plug and cord before, this would be no problem.

Well, since I'm writing about it you probably figured out by now that it was a problem.

The first attempt at flipping the breaker back on gave me a "Pop. Click."

Ew.

Try again, check the wires, had them flipped. And again no dryer.

Three tries. Each time perched on the new counter top, reaching, looking in a mirror, straining to see and work in the little half hidden space on the back of the dryer (the stacked set had already been put next to the wall and it seemed silly to move them for such an easy repair).

In the midst of this my husband was trying to help me troubleshoot the problem. He suggested a few people who I should call but I didn't want to bother anyone.

Then, we both suddenly smelled something really bad. "What is....it's a skunk." We opened the back door to find Zoey happy as can be while she smelled as bad as she ever has. It was horribly strong.

From my counter top perch, now breathing through my mouth. I was trying to figure out the dryer in extreme frustration. I happened to look over to the bathroom where I saw the toilet overflowing.

Sure, it's funny now.

The next day Trevor was kind enough to make a trip to the launder mat for me. Meanwhile In a conversation with my brother, Ray, about Thanksgiving I mentioned my fix-it projects, and the dryer issue. In less than 10 minutes he told me what he thought my problem was (he's way better at these things than I am!). In another 10 minutes the dryer was working.

WHY didn't I think to call someone wiser BEFORE I got to the frustration and failure stage?

Made me think of how many times I do this with God. He knows what I need and has given me a lot of resources to help me. I just don't ask or look in the places He gives me. He doesn't even consider me a bother. Hmmm.