Home ownership?

It's that age old question, do you own your home or does your home own you?  Currently we are locked in a death grip with each other.  Neither one really having the advantage over the other.  The plumbing is currently the problem.  Right now, all the toilets have trouble flushing and the water pressure just isn't what it once was.  When I first bought the house, the water pressure was awesome, a shower felt like you were being sandblasted.  Now, it does the job but there is definetly a difference.  So what are my options I ask?  For the toilets one would think to replace the workings in the tank, but I've done that with no difference.  So I can only assume there is a blockage somewhere in the pipes.  I'm going to rent one of these roto rooters and see if I can fix the problem.  My bigger concern is the water pressure.  I've called a couple of plumbers and they all say I need to have my pressure regulator replaced.  Problem is, I've already done that and it didn't fix it.  When I explain that to the plumbers, their answer has been.."Well, I just don't know then."  Awesome.  The next step is to put in a call to the local water company and have them test the water pressure coming into the house.  I'm in that process now.  But as everyone knows dealing with a utility is about the same as dealing with the government.  It's going to be a slow process.

However, all in all, I love owning a home.  Especially now that I have someone to share it with.  Ever since The Fiance has moved in, my "honey-do list" has grown exponentially.  In all honesty, it was stuff that I knew needed to get done or I wanted to get done, but I didn't have someone to nudge me along and actually do them.  But back to home ownership.  I'm lucky in that I bought it cheap enough where the current housing market hasn't made me upside down.  And I think I bought a pretty good home.  I've lived here for 8 1/2 years and haven't had to dump too much money into it.  A new furnace and a/c unit, new roof, and new hot water heater.  But over a almost 9 year time span really that's not so bad.  I have friends who have had to replace all those things and more, a couple of times with their newer homes.

I find joy in doing the little chores around the house. Hanging up curtains, planting flowers, powerwashing the siding and deck.  I enjoy having people come over for cook outs and such.  Yes, I could still entertain if I rented, but there is something satisfiying about someone saying they like your house.

I've found I'm taking more pride in the outside of my house now as well.  It used to be all about setting up the ultimate "man cave" but now it's about owning a home.  Some place that feels warm and welcoming when you walk inside.  I used to think of my home as a good long term fiancial investment.  Now I think of it as a place to build memories and a good life in.

So I pose the question to myself again.  Home ownership?  Yes, I own my home!  It's our place to grow together in, to laugh, cry, yell, and love each other in.  Now, if I could just get the plumbing fixed.