We led a far more stable life in the past, before we became full-time RVers. We owned two stick homes, one for nine years, one for over 30. During those years, we went through a few home improvement projects. (Actually, I can almost hear our kids falling to the floor with laughter at the words "a few.") But this is a blog and it's better to keep your posts short, so I'll just leave it at that. For now anyway.
We frequented home-improvement stores back then. Unless we were buying light fixtures or something else that I might possibly have some opinion on, my part usually involved going to the store with a list of incomprehensible (to me) items. What is all that stuff over there anyway?) Not my favorite kind of shopping.
So, when we sold the second house, I thought we'd never have to go to the big block Home Depot or Lowe's ever again. But I was wrong. It shouldn't have surprised me how often an RV needs repairs or fixes. After all, we pull it down the road, subjecting it to bumpy, winding roads, and city start and stop traffic, and then, when we pull in and hook up, we expect everything to work just as if we had a regular condo, instead of one on wheels. So repairs and fixes are often needed. I'm glad Bill can do most of those. We save money and frustration. (It's very hard to find repairmen when we're on the road.)
But I've pretty much had enough of those stores. And since we're never buying anything that I have any remote knowledge of, I don't even go into those stores anymore.
Unless it's this one. Jerry's is a local Eugene store that's been here for years and this room is in the middle of it.
There are all kinds of good magazines there too, not just home repair ones.
This is what I call a good shopping experience.
Every once in awhile I go with my husband to those stores. But usually I wait in the car and catch up on my phone calls. When we took the trailer in for repair, I sat in the truck with the windows down, and had my book to read. I like it to be quiet (even though I heard the traffic going by, there was nobody talking like there would be in the waiting area.)
The repair to the trailer had to do with the bedroom slideout. The bar or something underneath had bent, so it wasn't sliding in easily. We thought that it might have been covered under the 10 year warranty plan. The man told Jim that it wasn't covered and said something about the weight on the bed. I asked Jim if the repair man gave him a meaningful look when he said that. I was glad I was waiting in the truck, for fear he'd ask our combined weights! LOL!
Posted by: pat | November 08, 2009 at 05:55 PM
Good Morning!
Posted by: Chatty Crone | November 07, 2009 at 06:56 AM
Since my husband is a remodler I know the aisles at the big box stores better than the aisles in my favorite grocery store. While we were full-timing my husband used to go visit relatives and do projects for them. I think it is in their blood.
Posted by: Stella | November 07, 2009 at 05:37 AM
Carletta, I *always* have a book and a crossword puzzle with me for big box store emergencies!
Chatty, Eugene has both of those big boxes too -- and they look just like every other HD and L everywhere. They don't seem to be too worried about the local competition. We always hope the local stores make it.
Margot, Bill kept his tools. They are stored at our daughter's, because they have the space and the kids here can use them when we're traveling. But he keeps his hand in a little bit when we're here.
Bill S: Those benches and bookshelves do look very homelike don't they?
Posted by: Sallie (FullTime-Life) | November 06, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Looks kind of like some of my woodworking shops. Home is where the hobbies are!!!
Posted by: Bill S. | November 06, 2009 at 11:35 AM
I would definitely visit the big boxes more if they had a space like the one in your picture. Someone was clever to think of that. I thought we would never do home improvements ever again and then our kids started buying houses. My husband also discovered he missed that part of his former life. So now when we visit our kids the handyman gets to play around and fix things to his heart's delight. And they look forward to the handyman coming.
Posted by: Margot at Joyfully Retired | November 06, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Let me see if I have this right - this is a house parts store and it has magazines and chairs in the middle of it? I LOVE IT!
You ought to send this to Home Depot and Lowe's - I'm sure it would be a winner.
Posted by: Chatty Crone | November 06, 2009 at 07:36 AM
I'm always sitting in the Jeep waiting for my Hubs to get out of Lowe's. :)
Posted by: Carletta | November 05, 2009 at 09:18 PM