On of those projects I seem to constantly be involved in.

Let me take care of this up front: A) Yes, there's already a sump pump. And B) Unless you are offering to pay for it, please don't recommend costly fixes like French drains that I cannot afford. I have two children to send to college. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

During the last flood a few weeks ago, I discovered that repeat episodes of water under the rubber matting on the garage had left a disgusting-smelling mess. I mean the sort of smell that had my usually hardy son recoiling when we pulled the matting up and dragged it out to the curb. Under it was the only part of the basement I'd not already painted. In this photo, I've cleaned up the tool bench area, patched the big holes in the floor with cement, and put down a layer of clear cement primer.

The home store no longer carried the rust-colored cement paint I'd used on the rest of the basement, so I bought "battleship gray." It seemed fitting since I've felt a little embattled lately. I haven't had a chance to wear these lovely painting pants in quite some time.

I also vacuumed up roughly seventeen thousand spiders webs and egg sacks. An arachnophobe would NOT do well in my basement. As I was painting, I looked up to see this stinkbug making his way painstakingly across the floor, pausing periodically to try to wipe the paint from his legs. I vacuumed him up, too.

The finished garage floor, ready to park on. This old house has a bizarre basement that runs the length of it, with a narrow garage, a larger basement area, and two separate rooms beyond it, including a bomb shelter. When I was first looking at buying it, I called it the Cold War House.

I felt pretty good when I'd finished the second coat of paint. Until I turned around.

This past weekend my younger son and I spent a few hours cleaning up the remainder of the basement. More spider eggs to vacuum. They are absolutely everywhere. I'd pick up something, like this bird feeder, to put it away, and be confronted with several. But finally we had everything picked up and reasonably organized.

I'm glad I've become fairly handy. But on occasion, I dream of living in a small apartment with minimal possessions.