Jan 19, 2010
Ten-Word Tuesday. The Slacker Edition
Did you ever move into a house and there are certain things that bug you and you think you’re going to have those things taken care of before the moving van backs out of the driveway? And then a decade passes?
Well that would be Bossy in the house she currently calls home. Don’t get Bossy wrong, she and her husband have done a lot of work on their house and they do it all themselves — they’re not afraid to knock down walls and build fireplaces and put windows where there were once impenetrable layers of stucco — but sometimes it’s the small stuff that goes overlooked. Case in point:
And before you ask, no, this is not about the decorative stencil Bossy applied to her walls because she couldn’t afford the Scandinavian wallpaper she coveted — the stencil Bossy applied to every inch of her living room and dining room walls, from floor to ceiling, until she lost all feeling in her arm brain.
No, this photo represents the little thingy stuck on the door frame like a barnacle. See it?
The previous owners of Bossy’s house were also friends, and Bossy forgets the story about this thing, but Bossy thinks it was some sort of lock, and then a key broke off in this some sort of lock, and, oh yeah, then the previous owner friends hung the remnants of the broken key on this lock thing and — well what do you know, eleven years later and it’s still here.
Case two:
In the case of this photo, look past the stove and the one-inch layer of fire extinguisher chemical that was recently cleaned off the stove — and no Bossy’s son it isn’t funny yet — and check out the tiles on Bossy’s backsplash.
Bossy isn’t saying there’s something really wrong with her spice-themed tile backsplash in a disturbing off-white which always looks as though it’s covered with kitchen grease because it is — at least nothing wrong with it besides the spice-theme part and the off-white part and the fact that it’s a backsplash and it lives in Bossy’s kitchen. It’s just that Bossy thought she’d have those suckers ripped out and sitting curbside before her kids selected their bedrooms.
Bossy isn’t really complaining, she’s simply pointing it out — after all, Bossy has made the best of her kitchen, and in fact you can hardly notice this backsplash detail these days, what with the hair salon in the way:
And for the final exhibit:
This towel bar was painted white at some point in it’s Pre-Bossy life and the paint is flecking off. And so the first day in Bossy’s house, Bossy’s mom hung this grey washcloth over the bar until such time Bossy could Anyway it’s still there. Along with the paint flecks.
Bossy can summarize these particular avoided projects and more in this way: Why deny the next owners the privilege of doing it?
Which is what today’s Ten-Word Challenge is all about. In exactly ten words, can you tell Bossy about a few quirks around your house — projects you can’t believe you’ve managed to avoid for this long?
And be sure to check back later today for the most avoided house projects on the web.
If you missed last week’s Ten-Word Challenge, click here to read what kind of tattoos the Bossy readers would get, and where.
And don’t forget to sign up for Bossy’s latest stunt, her (No) Book Tour. Click here for more information.
‘96 fire gutted house. installed cable before windows. still unfinished.
Long gravel driveway – HUGE potholes -12 years never re-grated. Unfortunate
Got bored stripping varnish off dining chair. Seven years ago.
Fully de-brassify that 80’s look
Pipe near kitchen ceiling has lacked concealment for five years.
Livingroom ceiling waits two years for “second” coat of paint!
Bathroom towel bar pulled out leaving hole. 3 years now.
Mismatched door hardware throughout. Replacements are in hand, yet uninstalled.
Hole in staircase wall where husband fished electrical wire.
Area around skylights never spackled and panted. BOSSY’S A PAINTER!
Oh Bossy. Where do I even start with Blackrock’s imperfections?
I rent. I couldn’t care less about the decorative details.
Let’s just gut it and then move to the Bahamas!
Carol Brady orange countertops circa 1975. Uh, it’s 2010 now.
Awful kitchen still awful… brown/orange countertops… please send money!
Daughter’s nursery walls half painted. She’s a sophomore at university.
Repaint the kitchen and bathroom coz sorry J but meh
The hunks of dry wall gnawed off by giant Malamute….
My what an ugly storm door for such a diorama!
Fuse box on master bedroom wall…12 years uncovered…ugh!
Never clean the gutters. Sunflowers one year, maple sapling the next.
Really? Still with the small-scale concrete back porch steps?
My kitchen desparatley needs new cabinets and countertops. Need cash
We are preparing to attack Chateau Travolta again. Country roses, be damned.
32yr old, too narrow doorway, too narrow even for Stella!
yes, i have two stoves in my kitchen. neither work.
Ceiling lighting in living room, too dark, the living room…
BH
“Temporary” kitchen subfloor painted high-gloss ’til floorboard replacement. Still waiting.
Bathroom vanity in youngest daughter’s room. Was stylish in 1973.
The entire house – ceiling, walls, trim, doors – is vanilla white.
Different bathrooms’ faucets match; none turn in the right direction.
Built new house. Ambition fail. Many nail holes no putty.
Paint purchased for son’s room still sits, one year later.
Can’t afford to replace the pink carpet that is EVERYWHERE!
Paint touch up in various rooms…almost seven years later.
Toilets can’t take too much poo. Plunge often, boo-hoo.
Curling linoleum in bathroom has passed decade mark. Mocks me.
my bathroom needs regrouting. it may be a health hazzard
Downstairs Bath, demildewfy, regrout, recaulk, repaint, replace nasty towel bars.
BH
finished over 10 words worth when sold to travel fulltime.
Cowbowys & indians border-guest room. Down after 8 years, but took drywall too. Two years ago.
That’s more than 10 words. I’m pretending it’s Twitter instead.
Rip out whitewashed barn wood walls? Oy vey, scotch please!
The darn popcorn ceiling which I want to have removed.
We built a new house inorderto avoid projects like those.
pink brick planter now black, where’s the wire brush again?
Staining the deck before it rots.
Hate wallpaper in bathroom. Started stripping it. Two years ago.
Painted every door but one, paint can there for 3 years.
Dining room temporary storage after moving in. Five years ago.
another one
cement board on shower wall instead of tiles. industrial look?
Replace front door. Replace rotting porch columns, rails. New siding.
Bossy’s No-Book Tour = unfinished home project avoidance therapy?
!
Replace interior brown doors for white contemporary waiting 20 years.
Son fell through carport ceiling six years ago. Fixed? Naah!
Thought of replacing ugly dropped ceiling just wears me out.
Carpenter bees will finish eating deck eventually. I can wait.
stripped paint from stair post – 8 years on now unpainted
Moving in a few more years so why bother now?
Did BOSSY say ten THOUSAND words? Sorry; still not enough.
Our little old farmhouse needs to be gutted and redone.
Dishwasher – new – 2003 still sitting in Sunroom uninstalled. Need hole.
Too many: I wear blinders inside house to avoid responsibilities.
Hideous peeling wallpaper and un-refinished wood floors in our bedroom.
Cheapo TEMPORARY unpainted bi-fold closet doors 20 yrs later, still here.
Chipped paint on hallway ceiling? Perfect solution: low wattage bulb.
Stove hood. Bacon scented everything sounds better than it is.
So charming, still stepping on holly leaves near trash can.
Never repainted doors in family room, because white? Off-white? What?
Builder forgot to install personality. Oh well, just a rental.
Bossy, I’ve been so out of it lately, I just haven’t been able to bring myself out of my shell and come up with a creative ten-worder that I was willing to share. But today I made myself do it only because you put Heather Hobbie in your post. I used to have Heather Hobbie too, because I’m a Heather and all. I even have an older sister named Holly. (Coincidence? I think not!) I loved that doll to death, to the point that her hat and hair were completely coming unglued off her head. I may never have remembered that if you hadn’t put a photo of her here. Thank you!
And now for my 10-worder:
“What’s up with candy cane stenciling all over the walls?”
Fully mirrored dining wall. Spinal curvature from always looking down.
can’t sit on front bathroom toilet…husband will fix it (future owner’s husband that is).
*applying rule of words in parentheses don’t count*
I mean WTF? Who likes to watch themselves while eating?
The missing door frame between downstairs music room and garage
After 10 years, there are baseboards in almost every room.
or the other way round:
Only a few baseboards are still stored behind the sofa.
(not sure baseboards is the correct word, had to look it up – I refer to those small wooden bars placed between floor and wall)
Lived in house for 3 years, artwork still on floor.
Mirrored walls, dog-scratched front door, 3 layers of kitchen linoleum
I’ve been here 10 years and .. PINK countertops in kitchen!
Gave up and moved to a new house last fall.
Dogs ate sheetrock in family room and along the stairs.
Oh, I can’t possibly narrow it down to 10 words. 10 words PER PROJECT, maybe:
Both bathrooms have non-waterproof paint, showers walled with porous tile.
Baseboards have flaking paint and old phone cord running along.
Upgrade electrical outlets, radiator covers, overhead lighting fixtures; optimize closets.
Did I mention that I have PINK countertops in kitchen?
Rather then do multiple posts like Bossy……
* Leaves wetter now the 21″ of snow has melted
* Does Thompson’s water seal work if left out all winter?
* Why replace outside lights, just go have Arthriscopic knee surgery
I almost forgot: if I had to pick, I’d keep the doorway barnacle, get a bigger towel for the rack, and work on the backsplash.
Love Bossy’s stencil.
I can’t tell you, because then you might not visit.
Okay, okay… not really. Ummm… I would like to build a massive master suite complete with its own laundry room and library above our garage and sunroom and expand the garage to a three-car version (you know, so we would have room for two cars and our shit). Sound like a project you and your husband might be up for? Because my husband and I had to pay someone to remove the dog porn wallpaper in the guest bathroom. We’re that incompetent.
Don’t worry, that enormous tree limb isn’t going anywhere RUN!
Dog scratched big hole in porch screen– now bug paradise.
Many many projects. No sheetrock in two rooms. 8 years.
I feel better after having read some of these posts–I am not alone!!!!
The list would take 10 blog posts and then some.
Might storm kindly sweep away butt ugly storm door?
Perhaps wooden floors will be redone before college, maybe grad school?
Indoor Tball practice and Star War battles- unintentional distressed woodwork
Garage roof leaks 10 years family room windows too – SEATTLE
Sugarpie, better than fully mirrored bathroom wall facing toilet, Rolls unattractive from every angle.
“Front door must be stripped of ugly peeling paint and stained.” -1997
DG and Bossy have the same Holly Hobby Backsplash. Oy.
Move out and buy, still rent house after 10 years.
Too many, including half-painted hallway, uninstalled dishwasher, and window trim.
oh gosh … I like someone’s idea up there … 10 words PER PROJECT. Okay, let me pick one …..
Broken window in basement for 15 years. Tape and cardboard.
I really need to countersink the nails on the baseboards.
Master bedroom walls need to be repainted–boring off-white now.
Hang photos on walls . . . 13 years long enough to wait!
Take your mother on road trip, she’ll fix it all!!!!!
Moldings? What moldings? Hey! That hole is NOT a closet!
All things rolling end up under piano..Baaaad foundation over there..–11 words, damnit..
Trial patch of wrong yellow on bedroom wall six years.
Peach colored carpeting in master bedroom – keep our door closed.
Bathroom walls are mint green, but my husband is colorblind.
Light switch for breakfast area light enclosed in new pantry. (No light fixture over table anyway. Dark.)
Eight years later, I still need a new front door.
Preparing to sell. Finally painted pink bathroom. Why’d we wait?
Growing cracks in wall corners due to quarry blasting nearby.
the things
i hate
husband finds
he
can live with
Kitchen Back Splash Tile. Bought In 2007. Still In Boxes.
I’m afraid ten words isn’t enough to cover one thing.
redo floors, landscaping, basement -oh-my-gah – it sucks, attic.
Towel bar fell off 1999. Gaping hole. Crappy spackle job.
Mauve floral carpeting in family room and hallway. Funeral Home-ish.
Third Floor bathroom-water can shoot out side of house
Shower head drips when in cozy bath making bath uncozy.
Maybe bats in attic. Duck tape keeps them out!
That’s why you do not wanna sleep here, Bossy!!
Oh, and the batman says it’ll be 5,000 dollars to bat-proof the house.
Did you just say guano????
Dog hair in weird places. Dog’s been dead two years.
Painting over the spackled hole where there a bannister was.
Removed wallpaper in stairwell – 1995. Still not painted years later.
Want NEW house, have since we moved into OLD house.
So much to do it overwhelms me. Old character homes are great, if you want to make a hobby out of it.
The hall bathroom is still a model of ’80s splendor.
my bathroom is 54″ wide. can’t swing a cat in there.
Blue: vinyl floors, marble shower, giant bathtub. Disturbing. Ugly. Sigh.
Red linoleum. $10,000 removal estimate. Loving red linoleum? Completely. Unsuccessful.
Front door = cardboard. Burglars? Please wipe feet.
My house is constructed of the finest quirks and mortar.
Last room to paint in new house. Four years now.
Moved into updated Brady Bunch home but inside closets- paneling!
Laundry room floor split open for nine years, finnally replaced
Thought I couldn’t live without granite countertops…eight years ago.
Ten years – phone numbers, notes written all over bedroom wallpaper.
Ten years-not one cupbord, not one counter in kitchen.
Ten years – let’s move out of town and forget it
holes in kitchen, bathroom walls from plumbing 5 years ago.
Selling house after 22 years; finally now fixing ‘move-in’ problems!
My answer is way over the assigned 10-word limit, but you can read it here at amycates.wordpress.com. Wear your sunglasses.
Light fixtures too high to reach so I’m in darkness!
Cece
Shag brown carpet – probably a health hazard at this point.,
White ceiling fan with GOLD stenciling and godawful glass globe.
Window pane broken by dog and covered with garbage bag…
…for four months. Husband just replaced in December. Trashy chic!
Painters tape remains on kitchen walls – lived here five years.
Replace carpet where cat peed. Cat died 1.5 years ago.
Hang 7 year old’s baby pictures.
Calk jacuzzi tub we got 12 years ago.
Finish basement promissed before baby. He is 7.
Assemble entertainment center purchased in 1999.
Hang wallpaper border purchased in 1997. Never mind, comforter needs replacing.
Fix the jetski in the garage that doesn’t work. 5+ years & counting…
Fix the riding lawnmower in the garage. 5+ years & counting…
Previous owners painted over the peeling wallpaper. The lazy bums.
Built-in planter, nothing grows, covered with table runner eleven years.
Remove painter’s tape that’s been on livingroom ceiling 3 years…
Hole in hallway wall…been there for three plus years.
missing cabinet door and pots and pans always fall out
glaring unpainted baseboard twenty yrs pretend we don’t see it
Pipe wrench instead of faucet handle looks hip and edgy.
One day before 2080 I’ll finish my stairwell frame idea
All 3 bathroom faucets turn on/off in *!different*! directions.
Fake stone wall in two rooms, count ‘em two! Pickaxe???
hate tile. Want wood floors and travertine on the FP
Last house: gyp board cavity in wall from bored dog.
This house: chewed-up carpet at door by separation anxiety dog.
(See a theme here. Last house fixed just before selling.)
A WONDERFUL ten word Tuesday! I feel so much better!!
(reading that everybody else has slacker house woes too.)
I am missing 9 out of 14 ceiling tiles. Mazeltov!