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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:

front-storm-door

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?

lock-broken-key

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:

new-stove-hood

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.

kitchen-tile

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:

haircut

And for the final exhibit:

towel-bathroom

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.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  41. 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.

    Reply

  70. 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?”

    Reply

  72. 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*

    Reply

  75. 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)

    Reply

  81. 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.

    Reply

  83. 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

    Reply

  84. 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.

    Reply

  85. 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.

    Reply

  88. Many many projects. No sheetrock in two rooms. 8 years.

    I feel better after having read some of these posts–I am not alone!!!!

    Reply

  99. 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.

    Reply

  120. 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????

    Reply

  124. 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.

    Reply

  166. 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.)

    Reply

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