Those who know me know that Thanksgiving is, by far, my favorite holiday. That said, the summer holidays hold a special place in my heart. Any excuse to throw on some sandals, fire up the grill (and/or smoker), and crack open a cold one and I’m a happy guy. And the patio is where the magic happens. My patio is my sanctuary. My Zen space. My happy place (well, that and Elkhart Lake, WI – but more on that in another post).
We used to have a rather large concrete patio. Over the years, the slab had begun to deteriorate and sink, making my happy place look not so happy. Three years ago, we had the old pad busted up and installed a 850+ SF paver patio with a built-in firepit. And I was happy again. But it wasn’t cheap. And the appraiser in my head was screaming at me “What in the world are you thinking?!? You’re never going to get that money back!”. But the wannabe Grillmaster and Lite beer connoisseur in me screamed back “Now that’s a patio!” Guess which voice I’m more in step with now.
People often ask me what improvements they can make to their homes that will have the highest return – most bang for your buck, if you will. The answer is almost always the same…kitchens and baths, kitchens and baths. Boring, I know. But it’s true. And it’s also not that simple. Every homeowner has different ideas and different plans for their current abode. And so much must be taken into consideration. How long are we going to live here? What do we NEED to have done versus what do we WANT to have done? How do we pay for it (that’s the big one, right?). What level of finish do we go with? The truth is you just need to temper your expectations with a healthy dose of reality. Dropping $100k on a complete kitchen remodel does not automatically increase the value of your home by $100k. If anything, you might be doing yourself a disservice. Are your neighbors doing $100k remodels of their kitchens? No? Then maybe you shouldn’t either. At least from a return of investment point of view. But if that doesn’t bother you and you want that dream kitchen no matter what, then go right ahead. As long as you keep your expectations realistic, you will be happy with the outcome. That’s how I came to love the new patio. I don’t care that we won’t get near the return of what we spent. And that’s ok. Because it’s my sanctuary. My Zen. My happy place (don’t be jealous, Elkhart Lake). And I’ll be spending much of my time on my patio this Memorial Day Weekend – grilling, smiling, imbibing. I wish you and yours a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend.
Thank you and make it a great day. My Happy Place
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Ferris Bueller
Ferris was wise beyond his years. You never know when your life will fundamentally change, do you? One minute you are the parent of a high school freshman, the next you’re preparing to be an “empty nester” at the age of 45. Literally. Let me explain.
Our daughter, bless her, is very bright. She truly enjoys learning and her interests run the gamut from cooking, to swimming, to astrophysics. While still in 8th grade, she applied to a prestigious math and science academy where the students are mandatorily boarded. She had a very slim chance of actually getting accepted as she would basically be leap-frogging her freshman year as the school is only grades 10 through 12. Yet, despite the odds, she subjected herself to the entire process. Needless to say, my wife and I had mixed emotions while waiting for “the letter”. While waiting, we spoke about the pros and cons (mostly the pros) and how everything would change. Obviously, we would be sad about not having our only child around on a regular basis, but we would be foolish to deny our child this opportunity. We found the “small envelope” in our mail right around the time we were expecting it. We were relieved. We got at least a 12 month stay. And our good-natured daughter took it in stride. Well this year, 12 months later, the “large envelope” was found in the mailbox. After the initial wave of shock and tears – from a convergence of pride and sadness – we quickly accepted the fact we had suddenly become empty nesters. Probably for the rest of our lives.
That’s how fast life moves. Are you prepared for that? Honestly, not many of us are. Downsizing. Upsizing. Phasing. Transitioning. Whatever you call it, it is emotional as it defines an entire period of your life. Nearly all of us will experience one or more of these phases during our lifetime. Have a plan. Or form one quickly. Be ready. Trust me, it can happen way sooner than you think. Listen to Ferris.
Thank you and make it a great day.