The hamster wheel ...

Or the circular reasoning of my brain.

Do you know what I hate about home ownership?

Every disaster has a symbiotic relationship with the next disaster.

My water softener wasn't working. I needed to check it out. But I struggled to get the door to the basement open.

It is built into the porch and its heavy. The wood swells during the winter making it more difficult than usual. So when Jill was home, she helped me get the door open.

It was then that we discovered I had a roommate living the stairwell. “Smelly Cat”.

“Smelly cat” is still burrowed into the soft dirt in stairwell to the basement. Because of the extreme cold, she is not coming out to eat. She is not exploring the trap.

So I can not get to the basement.

My water softener was not working.

It may be turned off.

It may be out of salt.

It may be broken.

But I can't get to the basement to find out.

See above.

My toilet needs new guts. The fill tube has blown off a couple of times. And has flooded the bathroom floor three times this year.

Last night was one of those three nights.

At 10 pm.

I got the tube back on. I cleaned the floor.

I need to replace the guts. But if I can't do it … I will have to call a plumber.

And I should really just replace the toilet … a tall toilet would be wise. And my existing toilet is a 50+ year old off-brand toilet has seen much better days.

So if I am hiring a plumber, I should make sure the water softener is working. Because if it needs to be replaced … I would have the plumber here.

And I can't.

Because I can't get to the basement.

It is the curse of household repairs. The “While-we-are-at-it” syndrome.

And it is that makes me cry at 10 pm. It is that makes me dream about Plan B … which is selling the farm and moving to a Tudor Bungalow in Moline in the Villa Park neighborhood. Which I probably can't afford … but it is my imaginary Plan B so I can make it what I want.

Last night, I was firmly in the Fear Zone.

I want to be in the Comfort Zone. But I was in the Fear Zone … okay, maybe my big toe was in the Learning Zone. I was acting despite fear.

I fixed the damn toilet.

I woke up this morning to a dusting of snow and beautiful sunshine. And the coffee is hot. I am strong and solved Wordle in three tries.

And I think about the fears and tears of last night.

I fixed the toilet last night.

I fixed it.

I have not replaced the guts. I don't know what is wrong with the water softener. And “Smelly Cat” is still lives in the stairwell.

But I am trying to firmly enter the Learning Zone and creep into the Growth Zone.

Today … Helen Reddy lives in my heart.

Hear me roar.

I will talk to you later.

Cathy

www.buymeacoffee.com/misseffie