Enduring the Renovation Journey...

Living in government housing comes with its share of compromises. We recently moved into one of these, and I've been updating you about it, sharing my renovation and upgrading stories. Speaking of upgrades, I can tell you that it wasn’t the upgrade we expected with a new designation, but rather a noticeable downgrade.

I'm not at all unhappy. True here are a couple of upsides. We now have a garden—a peaceful little patch of green that brings some joy—and I no longer have to climb stairs, which is a relief for my knees. But the downsides loom large: a single-story house that is unbearably hot in summer and freezing in winter, and flooring that could tell tales of neglect. The floors are chipped, the stains permanent (thanks to generous samad bonds), and the overall look is anything but pleasant. And this situation has been nagging us a big time now. Before even moving into this residence, like responsible residents, we submitted work orders and requested repairs. The answer was predictable: “Budget issues.” Four months later, after no progress, we reluctantly decided to bear the costs ourselves, with a promise from the administration that they would reimburse us.

Now the burning question: Should we invest our resources, time, and energy into this house, knowing we might only live here for a year or two? Renovations come with their own set of disruptions and inconveniences. By the time the work is complete, it might already be time to move out???

The current state of the house makes me wonder if the previous occupants faced the same dilemma. Did they decide it wasn’t worth the effort? Is that why this home looks the way it does now?

It was tough decision to make. Should we leave the house as it is or improve it, knowing it may benefit someone else more than us? Now, you know the answer...

As I have said in the beginning: Life in government housing is often about compromises, but my husband has shown me that it doesn’t have to be about complacency. This man, with a heart of gold, continues to surprise me in ways I never expect. In all the years we’ve been together, I’ve never seen him ask for favors, not once! But this time, he made an exception. He decided, or rather determined, to make this house a better place to live because it was the right thing to do.

For him, it’s not just about convenience or aesthetics; it’s about principle. He believes that sometimes, one has to endure discomfort and take pains for a bigger cause. While we could have easily settled by covering the chipped, stained flooring with vinyl sheets and moving on, he refused to take the easy way out.

Instead, he poured his resources, energy, and even his very nature into the effort. It didn’t come naturally to him to ask for help, yet he did.

If you’ve ever gone through the process of tiling a floor, you’d know it’s not just about picking tiles—it’s about making decisions that can alter the course of your sanity (and your home's future). As I’ve mentioned, the floors in our house were a nightmare: chipped, stained, and beyond saving. So, tiling was inevitable.

Now here’s the thing. There are two ways to go about it. The first is the quick fix: paste the new tiles directly onto the existing floor. It’s fast, less messy, and works perfectly well for at least five years. Then there’s the long-lasting method: strip off the old floor completely before laying down the new tiles. This approach is tedious, inconvenient, and time-consuming but promises durability.

Given that we’re not permanent residents here, I was so tempted by the shortcut. After all, winter vacations are just around the corner, my kids will be home, and two of them have dust allergies. Add the freezing cold and wide-open doors to the mix, and you can imagine how hard it was for me to even entertain the idea of a full-floor overhaul.

But my husband, this man of mine, chose the tougher road. He insisted on stripping the old floor and doing it the right way. To him, it wasn’t just about fixing something temporarily. He said, if the money is being spent, it’s better to use it wisely and aim for a better outcome. In short, it’s not just about personal convenience but also about benefiting the organization and ensuring the correct usage of resources.

The process started today, and this place has been filled with clouds of dust, cold drafts, constant drilling noise, and so much inconvenience. Is it worth the hassle? Living in a place for maybe a year or two and going all in on this?

The answer: This house may be temporary, but the values he’s instilled in this process will last far longer. And for that, I am deeply grateful.

_{It's almost 5 in the evening, and only this much area (the corridor) has been stripped off. Tomorrow will be another hassle-filled day... Not just tomorrow, maybe the rest of December and possibly January too.}