DIY is not as easy as it looks

If you’re a fan of those DIY renovation shows where a smiling couple turns a crumbling house into a Pinterest palace in 30 minutes flat, let me offer a dose of reality—renovating your own space is a certified pain in the patootie.

The new Robertson County News headquarters is taking shape at 305 Cedar St. in downtown Hearne. As a bonus (and because I’m a fan of efficiency), Veronica and I will also be living in the building. It’s spacious enough to house both a newspaper and a pair of humans, which is exactly why I bought the place.

The building dates back to 1948 and has lived many lives. I’m not entirely sure what all it’s been, but I’m working on piecing together its history. It’s one of those classic post-WWII tract houses with about 1,800 square feet of “potential,” which is a nice way of saying “work.”

The front room—formerly known as a living room—will become our office space, with plenty of room for desks, the copier, and all the tools of the newspaper trade. The first door on the right leads to my new office. Yes, folks, I finally have a door again. Celebrate the small victories.

The rest of the house is laid out just right for a cozy home: a small TV room, bedroom, kitchen, bath, and a garage—aka my man cave. Once again, I’ve been lovingly banished to the garage, but that’s familiar territory.

Our current building on W. 4th Street, clocking in at over 3,500 square feet, is simply too much building for today’s leaner newspaper operations. We’ve had it up for sale for over a year now and are still waiting for the right buyer to give it new life.

As for our move-in date? That’s still a mystery. While the inside is finally done (thank heavens), I’ve still got some outside work to handle—like building a fence. And with three dogs eager to explore the world beyond the yard, that fence is a priority.

So that’s the next adventure. I’ve watched enough YouTube to be a “qualified” fence builder (please note the sarcasm). Roy has been roped into helping me, and while we’ve built a few things together over the years, this will be our first fence. If you’re looking for entertainment, swing by when we get started—it promises to be a comedy show in real time.

We’re close. Not quite there yet. But I’ll keep you posted.

Until next week…

P.S. for some reason I can't seem to remember to change the headline in the paper for this column. I'll get it next week but this makes two weeks in a row. I feel like an idiot.