How long does it take to hang 10 blinds? If you were thinking a few hours, you’re off by an order of magnitude. It’s been weeks and half my windows are covered with shabbily taped up paper while blinds sit rolled up in a chair, waiting to be hung. Something else always comes up. Or just the daily routine of work, home, food, child, stories, snuggles, bedtime kisses always seems to lead to crushing exhaustion instead of unfettered free hours to renovate the unit we’re living in.

No one asked me before I bought a house how I liked sleep and that if I valued it, I probably shouldn’t buy a house. I didn’t realize that constant sleep deprivation was going to be my life post-fixer-upper purchase. I envisioned some tough, dirty repairs, but not constant beat down drag out tired from EVERYTHING being a new learning experience. I’ve never hung blinds before. I’ve never bought blinds before. I’ve never contemplated once blinds are up, that they really should have curtains paired with them. Metal or wood curtain rod? How far overhang from the trim? What type of curtain panels? What color? What pattern? What budget?

It’s endless. The questions, the thinking, the planning. And the surprises. We’ve now fixed a broken dryer and discovered drain pipes someone put near each other, but failed to seal together. Yup. You never know what lurks behind your pedestal sink base until you look.

I’m sure one day I’l look back and be excited and feel it was all worth it. But for now, I need to go nurse my poison ivy from weeding the hedges and think about the list of 100s of other small bits and bobs and projects I need to get to.