That pesky PO

Everyone laments the "previous owner" or PO. The previous owner of your car, your motorcycle, your house, your motorhome, or even your dog, is notorious for doing the worst possible things. I however am more concerned about the "present owner." It's amazing sometimes how much damage I can do when I set out, with good intentions, to make a repair or an improvement. Ruining something or making matters worse seems to be almost a prerequisite. My rule of thumb is that I need to fix something three times in rapid succession or even slow succession to get it right. Even spelling the word succession in that last sentence took me three attempts. Of course all this is accompanied by several trips to Lowes or Mother Honda or O'Reiley's Auto Parts. I think I am the mother and father of all botched jobs.

I realize though that I am not the only one to fall into this loathsome mold of the "present owner." Sometimes I witness others doing the same thing. What is really discouraging is when I give into the illusion that I can pay someone else to do the job and then discover that they aren't much better. "And I'm paying for him to do this?" I don't like to see someone "learning as they go" on my dime. I don't like to see them reading a book on home repair. No, I want you to fix it now, in 30 minutes like an episode on the HG channel. How many "takes" do the TV people get I wonder.

So I guess the cycle of home/car/motorcycle moanership must continue. I will also continue to practice my cliches. If at first you don't succeed.....the third time is a charm...if you're going to do it, do it right....there is no try, do or not do... Thanks Yoda for that last one. Or my personal favorite, the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third year it leaps. Maybe that only applies to the plants in your landscaping but I like that first part about sleeping. Yawn. the repairs can wait.