Very funny! The wren is probably considering hiring a woodpecker to drill holes in the jar (I wonder if a woodpecker could). Claire

Refinishing is a fraction of the cost of replacing. I had all the oak floors in my 1939 fixer refinished. When the old stain is removed, you'll have the same very light "like new" wood. Then, choose your stain to have applied to your floors.

Not me, but a friend from church many years ago said that she could not figure out how she ever managed to wash dishes, sweep floors, and cook without her husband's constant micromanagement. (Husband had just retired.) I think her situation did improve, but not on its own. She was very involved in a lot of neighborhood, community, and church activities. Ran the church nursery, volunteered at a nearby public elementary school, sewed for the public, and produced plays for the church! He did get involved with some of her Productions, but I think she also strongly pushed him to develop Hobbies. And no, you do not need to coddle him or be grateful to him for the sudden burst of attention. That behavior has a great deal to do with him and, I would guess, not a lot to do with you.

I told my neighbor that if he can wait to put up a fence until after I closed on my home I wouldn’t mind going half with him. Not put up the fence before I closed and not include me on the fence plans, type of wood, poles etc. After I moved in he didn’t approach me for money directly, we used to talk on the phone here and there and I offered to help pay some of it and asked him for a figure or an invoice. He never did that until this week when my new fence was put up. HIS back fence has been up since late 2017. His wife also complained to my fence guy that my top trim was on top of their top trim. I WENT AHEAD AND PAID MY NEIGHBOR $800 because it was never about the money for me. After I paid the money we had a long conversation and I told him if he had an issue he should’ve given me figure a long time ago. He thinks he’s being generous because he only asked for $800 and not more since the back side cost him $3300. Mind you he didn’t get the regular poles that most people get. His are black aluminum or material which I think costs more. It’s 150 feet of fence and $800 is a small price but IMO I’m being generous because I’m not lawfully obligated to pay anything when he decided to do the fence on his own. Could he tear it down one day? Sure. My only issue with this is why he waited so long to request money When I asked for a figure almost three years ago. He thinks I should’ve taken the initiative and brought It up to him again. If I ask someone to go half with me and they say they can’t right now and I go ahead and put up a fence I’m not going to ask for them to pitch in. It’s important to note that I recently bought a ”new” used car. Nothing fancy but it’s new to us. I’m not sure if that bothers them that I have money for a new car and a fence but never helped pay for the back fence that we share. Sorry for the long read.