Money Pit

So we bought this sweet little bungalow several years ago.  Unmarried, giddy like school girls and totally unaware of the happiness AND torture we would go through in the next coming years.  DIY 101... never underestimate the power of a potential disaster.  We've put everything into this house and have been through amazing things.  We love it, we hate it, we've laughed, we've cried...we try to do everything ourselves and end up with crazy outcomes.  It may take 100 posts to go through our stories.  So stick with me, K?

Here is how it began.  1920's home, bought by two. young. eager. helpless. teenagers....well, that was how I felt the night we moved in.  Cute cute house, with lots of character, small, but large enough for us, up and coming neighborhood, fixer upper projects to be done...we were so excited!  Floors were in excellent shape, archways, original built ins and windows, bathroom redone (HUGE bonus), freshly painted, kitchen needed updates (but was still nice),  invisible fence for Finn dog, new air conditioner, newly painted basement floors and walls with waterproofing protection...was perfect! 

Move in day had arrived!  Spent the entire day packing, unpacking, driving, moving from rental to NEW DIGS.  My parents were helping.  Score!  Though, we've come to realize every time they give us a hand something disastrous happens.  Maybe they should stop offering or we should stop asking?   By 8 p.m. everything was in the house.  We were exhausted, starving and ready to go out for food.  Literally opened the door to go out and it started to downpour.  Like the kind where everyone stares out the window in awe almost as if it's something new to site.  So we waited. 

Still raining and blowing like mad, the gutters started to overflow.  Klint stepped out to unclog some of the mess.  Obviously he was drenched.  Our back door leads to our kitchen and down the basement steps as well, so he ran down there to undress and get dry clothes.  "ALIiiieeeeeeee", he's YELLING.  We run to the basement, water is shooting through the drain like a geyser!  What the... we are now running everything we just plopped in the basement back up the stairs.  Back and forth as fast as we can, trying not to slip and fall on the stairs.  Water was coming in fast.  Streets were flooding, cars were floating.  Holy cow!  Now what?  There was nothing we could do but watch.  Water was up to our ankles.  The floor started to crack. Yes, but THEN it raised from all of the pressure underneath.  I was so shocked I started to laugh.  I was being lifted up by the floor.  It was like a scary movie and something was coming to get me.  We all looked at each other, "um....????."  Our new neighbor was running around town looking for a pump.  People were buying them left and right.  He was having a similar issue along with the entire Broad Ripple area, so he and Klint took off through the floods in search of a water pump that could possibly work.  Will that even help?  We had no clue.

In the time they were gone, rain stopped and the water started to go down as we swept it back towards the drain.  OMG, I could not believe what just happened.  Klint came home, $200 less in his pocket, pump in arms.  This was the beginning of our new beginning.  Yikes!  The pump still sits in our basement unused.  Thank god that never happened again; although, we have had our share of water issues...waterproofing paint my arse!  It's an old house, I know, I know.  My dad doesn't drink.  We all had a beer or two that night! 

So, this is what the house looked like when we bought it.  Well, from our first winter there.  I couldn't find the summer pics when we first took possession.  (I'll have to dig for the original flyer from our sellers).  It has come a long way since.  I will share pics as the stories come... lots of DIY projects!  We just finished our kitchen!  FINALLY!  YAY

These rainy days made me think of our crazy move and all that we've endured in our little bungalow off 52nd Street.  Yes, we've outgrown you, but we're not giving up on you just yet.

    cheers