Happy New Year!

We started the new year of with a bang. . . or several bangs actually.  First, the upper trim of our guest room window, on the second floor, fell off.  We knew this would need to be repaired, but weren't really planning to do so right now.  This is not something we can DIY.  The people who owned this house prior to us did extensive work inside the house.  And essentially none outside.  Clearly the outside is where we'll be focusing some attention in 2011 when the weather gets warmer.

Next, I woke up on New Year's morning to find several leaks in our breakfast room.  We have a metal roof, and we had a drip in one small area when it rains hard.  One small area.  When I woke Saturday morning the greater portion of the room was wet.  And there were probably seven leaks.  (Please note, we did have extensive heavy rain for probably a 12 hour period, which is not normal for this time of year.)  This we will try to DIY.  Thankfully this part of the roof is not thirty feet in the air.  Chris is not excited about climbing onto the roof.  I'm more excited about him doing it than paying someone else to do it.

 On New Year's Eve, the kids were jumping on their newly constructed trampoline.  The dogs were in the house.  David went into the house for something and, when he came back out, Max escaped out the back door.  He ran through the neighbors yard.  Where he was cornered by at least two other dogs who consistently roam the neighborhood without an owner in sight.  Apparently the dogs attacked Max, and had him up against a chain link fence.  Max had an eye injury and looked like this later that night.

When we woke up Saturday, his eye was completely swollen shut and leaking puss.  Awesome.  Of course it was a holiday.  What does that mean?  Our vet wasn't open.  One trip to the emergency vet and $217 later, Max has four prescriptions.  And can see.  And I'm seriously contemplating bringing the owners of the dog that did it the bill.  I did call animal control, for what it's worth.  And I think I'll continue to do so whenever that dog is in our yard.  I cannot wait until we get a fence up.

Here's hoping that 2011 only gets better from here!