Well, we had a pipe spring a leak down in the basement Easter morning.  Fortuanately it was a drain pipe, so we just had to shut off the washer and not flush the toilets.  When the landlord showed up, I pointed out that it was an iron pipe and that I might be able to weld it back together, so I did.  Worked like a charm.  Boy, was he impressed, and it's always good to have the landlord on your side.  I figure I saved him either $100 bucks and an afternoon, or $400 for a pro to replace the pipe.  In fact, it worked so good that it didn't leak even when it backed water up a good 8 feet above that leak.  That's right, it sprang the leak because there was a root growing through the pipe somewhere in the front yard.  I talked him into renting a snake from the rental shop for $40 instead of calling out a $200 plumber, then taught him how to snake a drain.  I was surprised to see the root, and then I got a lot of slop out from around it, but now the drains running clear.

Leanne has mentioned before maybe buying the place, but I'm still not sure.  I mean, most of the houses in this neighborhood are overvalued, in my opinion.  And to make this house comfortable would require a bit of construction.  Maybe a garage in the back, finishing the basement, an extra room over the new garage, and a deck next to that.  Leveling out the backyard hill that drops a good 5 feet over 10 feet, never mind tearing out the kitchen and replacing it all with new counters, cabinets and a Grohe faucet.  Don't get me wrong, the place has a lot of charm, but I don't know where I'd come up with the money for all that work.