When Mother Nature Lends a Helping Hand

I was originally going to call this post, "New Bedroom Accessory" but settled on the Mother Nature title as I felt it was more fitting, but I digress...

As anyone who has ever purchased an older home understands, the projects and home improvements never stop. When we purchased our home eleven years ago, the house which had been built in the 60s (while not very old) had 40+ years on her and she needed some work. I had a long list which grew with time, emergencies moved some things up on the list, other expenses moved things down the list. Obviously based on my previous post regarding my kitchen, the kitchen was top on the list but not the first thing completed. The bathrooms were close to the top as they had rusted sinks, rotting cabinets and I won't talk about the bathtub or the shower stall. The guest bathroom had sky blue colored fixtures and those babies were pulled and updated with new fixtures and fresh paint a few years ago. One by one each room has been redecorated and now that time has passed, the living room is in need of an overhaul and the two offices need repainting, but those will have to wait. The one room that has been on list and for eleven years and has seen zero improvement is the master bedroom and bath. I have to laugh at the word master, as the room really only holds a bed, TV and dresser, no room for anything else. The bathroom is, I don't know how to describe except that the sink area opens to bedroom and then off to the side is a tiny (very tiny) room that barely holds the toilet and shower stall.

A few years ago when the roof leaked and water poured into our bedroom, it damaged the knockdown that the previous owner had used to cover up previous leaks on the ceiling. There is also a hairline crack that has been snaking across the ceiling with each passing year. So for years (6 or 7?), I have been looking at the damaged ceiling, with a dark brown spot of about 3' x 4' in size over the doorway and asking DH when we were going to redo the bedroom. "Soon honey." A few years ago when I was repainting the hall way, I painted, (satin paint on flat paint) over the spot so now it looks like a shiny dirty beige spot...I digress. The roof was finally replaced about 4-5 years ago, but late last year I came home during a rainy afternoon and noticed a new wet spot on the ceiling over the bed. DH went up on the roof to find the leak and patch it, but was not able locate the leak, so I have been living with two ugly beige spots on my white ceiling. Last October when we amassed the funds to redo the bedroom, DH said we would remodel the bedroom in the winter, when it was cooler. We even looked at bedroom furniture but were not successful in finding a new set. With time, new items were added to the remodel concept such as new windows, french doors inside to separate the bath area, and tearing out the ceiling to add extra insulation and find and repair the leak. Well, Winter turned to Spring and still no remodel.

So, last weekend all the weather forecast predicted that the upcoming week would be the start of the rainy season...hence Summer in Florida, but with a twist, that we were going to experience some type of tropical system for the remainder of the week. As predicted the rain started last Monday and has remained over South Florida, causing flooding, tropical storm winds, strong rains accompanied by lighting and thunder. On Tuesday night I was already in bed when I heard the drip, in the beginning I thought that it was the water dripping in the space between the roof and the ceiling, but after a few minutes it dawned on me that the sound was no longer muffled and when I turned on the light, water was dripping from the ceiling onto DH's side of the bed, over the duvet, pillow and sheets. When I told my sister the story the next day, she asked me why I had not just moved the bed...but, one can not just move a water bed. Oh yes, it's 2009 and who still has a water bed you ask? As DH stood there watching the water collect in the container on his side of the bed, (did I mention that the leak is right over his head on his side of the bed?), he did not comment on my remark that I guessed we would be remodeling soon. And Mother Nature has not let up with her continuous heavy downpours for days, therefore when I make the bed in the morning, instead of pillows along his side of the bed, I place a beach towel and container on the bed.

Well I am going to sign off now, I am sitting outside on the patio getting some fresh air even though it's cloudy, but another round of rain is coming as I hear the thunder in the distance. I guess I'll go browse for bedroom ideas on the HGTV website.