Cobbler's children

There is an old saying that the cobbler's children have no shoes.  This saying refers to the cobbler being so busy making shoes for others, that his own children go barefoot.

We can relate!  We've been so busy getting the rentals ready, that we've just put off the maintenance tasks for our own apartment.  Not that we've neglected any serious items...it's just those little annoying things...

Our story is a little bit different from other newcomers.  When we bought our apartment, we had the good luck and fortune of buying the apt from other gringos (originally from Hawaii).  The sellers shipped a container from the States when they moved here and decided to only ship some treasures back when they returned to the US. Which means we had the opportunity of both buying or being 'gifted' of many items that make an apartment a home.  From furniture, appliances, window coverings, a complete kitchen (including her fabulous spice collection!), linens, plants for the porch...  all those items that you need to find and buy when you move into an unfurnished place and start from scratch.  We are so grateful we had more than enough 'stuff' to get moved in and get settled. 

The upstairs already had beds and the office had a desk and filing cabinets.  We had towels and sheets in the linen closets...We already had a complete kitchen!  Over time, we have added or replaced some of the items...we also managed to fill the (then, empty) downstairs with comfortable furniture and treasures of our own.  We added music, too.

But, there were some jobs we just kept putting off...  just minor maintenance-type issues.  Like the burned out light bulb over the stove...the dryer that needed a good cleaning out (and seemed to take forever to dry clothes)...  bed linens that were adequate, but needed replacing...

You know how it goes...pretty soon you just adapt and work around and the tasks just get moved to the next day...

Well, happy to report, we've gotten some of those pesky little jobs DONE!  Thanks to Bob, he added a couple items to his to-do list and focused!  He found the special light bulb for the stove...he pulled out the dryer and uncrimped the hose.  What a good guy!  

Rox also added 'new pants for Rich' to her list from ours..so, Rich now has a new pair that looks great and fits just right...  What a good gal!  Bob and Rox even thought of getting and hanging a medicine cabinet for the guest bath.  Of course, they knew we needed one since they have had to struggle without one each visit.  We love it!  And, then there were all the other little chores that both just jumped right in to...  they were the perfect guests.

And...we now have beautiful bed linens!  When we ordered the linens for the rentals, we also had the 'smarts' to also order for our own place.  Gold brocade comforter/pillow shams and luxurious custom fitted sheets...heaven!

We still have that ugly ceiling upstairs to fix from the leaking roof from a few months back.  Now that our painter is winding on down with other jobs --  (including some touch-up painting in the rentals), he'll swing on by soon and get the ceiling fixed and painted, as well as painting most of the upstairs, too.

Slowly but surely, we'll get all caught up. 

Celebrate as you go!