Runaway Greed

We've made no firm decision yet, but we're leaning toward accepting one of the less expensive foundation repair bids. With the addition of leak detection before and after the repairs, fixes to the sheetrock, painting, replacing cracked tiles, the the like, I'm guessing it's going to be an $8-10K hit. If we have plumbing leaks of one kind or another, it will go up from there.

Such is life. If we tried to sell the place, we'd have to incur the costs of "fix-up" anyway, so we're probably going to stay here awhile. There are plenty of other "fixes" we need to pursue, such as re-rat-proofing the attic, replacing rodent-infested insulation, repairing or replacing rotted exposed wood columns in the front, repainting the exterior that is peeling in sheets, fixing the leaking master bath and guest bath faucets, etc., etc. (the list is literally endless). So, we're probably going to invest in this place as if we were buying another home. Assuming we do that, it will be like having a new home, albeit with lots of evidence it's really not new at all.

All of this puts a huge crimp in our wishes (I won't call them plans) for vacation time and such niceties associated with getting away from work, but I suppose I must pay for whatever evils I have done.

I won't bitch any more than absolutely necessary. I know I'm better off than 90% or more of the earth's population, so I have no legitimate room to complain. But if I could become a sovereign nation and nationalize BP and Halliburton, I'd be better off financially, and I'd have an enormous sense of satisfaction that I'd done my part to protect the world from runaway greed.