No wonder home-repair stores are so successful: it’s a great feeling completing that do-it-yourself project and stepping back to admire your work. On the other hand, nothing is as infuriating as a DIY job gone bad.

I’ve been on both sides of this lately.For instance, putting up the new smoke detectors was a breeze. I used drywall inserts to make the install sanitary and strong, and everything worked the first time. The screen door … not so much. I doubt that I will ever buy a vinyl model again, but Jenna liked the way it looked. With no rigidity in the frame, and only two hinges preinstalled, it’s not exactly the perfect fit I had envisioned. Add to that a doorframe that -- through 55 years of settling and a few seismic events -- wouldn’t qualify as plumb on it’s best day, and all I could do was “split the difference” and cuss under my breath. Jenna likes it (the screen, not my cursing).

Jack the optimist put up the new porch lights, and they look dandy. They work fine, even though the front unit was a floor model that was inoperable. Knowing that when we bought it, receiving a sizable discount and the necessary parts to repair it, and amortizing the savings over the repair time put a big smile on my face. The frown appeared when I decided to “improve” the weather seal on the bottom of the front door. (I should have known I was in for trouble simply due to the proximity to the screen door).

Removing the door and prying off the old metal scraper was easy. I even cleaned the hinge pins and greased them. By now I was actually feeling fairly confident that this would be a snap … or not! The new “universal” unit … wasn’t quite. After some cutting, filing, and bending I thought I was good. I wasn’t. The threshold under the door wasn’t square. Or plumb. Or cooperative. Tightening it only cracked the hardwood floor, the same hardwood floor we recently had redone and looked so beautiful. Except for the big crack I just added.

Four times the threshold came out to be “massaged,” beaten, cussed at, prayed over, and altered in an attempt to improve the fit. Removing all of the sealing strips on the door weatherstrip seal with a razor blade allowed the door to actually close, and four new, longer screws replaced the stripped units that help the threshold down. I should have left it alone!

Jack the optimist repainted the front shutters (again) in our search for the perfect shade. This time I used my new Wagner Power Painter. Mind you, I didn’t buy the cheap unit. I got the top-of-the-line handheld gun that’s supposed to make you paint like a pro. I painted my watch, my right hand, the Wagner, and other things that really didn’t need to be red, and the coat it left on the shutters required working out with a paint brush to eliminate the orange peel. Boy, did that save me a lot of time. Obviously I just need to use the “thick” spray nozzle (sold separately) for that professional job. If it doesn’t spray the fence stain like a Picasso painting, it’s return for refund time. The upside is the shutters are done, and the color is right!

My next project was to redo the roof-mounted AC drain so it doesn’t drip onto our new porch. Made of PVC, this is right up my alley and shouldn’t take more than an hour. Unless, of course, that further inspection reveals a cracked fitting at the unit. I’ll just call Rheem, the makers of the Ruud units, and order the right part. “Ruud” would be embellishing, but “Rheem” is how I felt after getting ZERO help on their customer service hotline. Fortunately a local dealer sent me an exploded parts diagram so I could locate the fitting and order it. Oops, the fitting is actually a part of the drain pan. You know, the part that requires removal of the access covers, loosening and raising the condenser unit, removal and reinstallation of said drain pan, and … you get the picture. It’s done, it looks fine, I did it myself, and it doesn’t leak. It took a bit longer than an hour.

Topeka didn’t go like we wanted, but I do see light at the end of the tunnel. We made it down the track on four of five runs, and now we can work on speeding up the Valvoline/MTS Charger. After having Sunday off at the past two races, it was awesome just to be in the show. It also was a relief not to wait until the last session to get into the show. Some other good stuff made the weekend memorable.

Thursday I participated in an autograph session at Jeremiah Bullfrogs near the track. I joined Alan Bradshaw, Hillary Will, Antron Brown, Alan Johnson, Dave Connolly.

Hillary had a good weekend, and I think it was because she sat near me at the signing!  Krisher won Pro Stock, and I think it was because his hero cards were sent to me by mistake for the signing.  Force had a good weekend, and I think ... hell, he’s John Force!

I met up again with some of my favorite people on the planet at the track.  The Ragsdale family is amazing.  Carrie and Mike adopted three “high-need”  (not to be confused with “high-maintenance”, sweetheart!) children who joined us last year at this race.  This year five year old Dakota was waiting for me, and the hugs that I got from his brother, sister, and Dakota would make anyone’s problems disappear.  I just love those kids, and their parents are possibly the biggest heroes that I have ever met.  The Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services guys welcomed all, and Dakota rode in our tow car on our first run.  Spending time with these people just puts your heart right. 

My dad made it out for another race, though I am sure he’s doubting his magical powers lately.  For awhile it seemed I won every race he attended, but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case lately.  He also went in the chase vehicle for the first time, and really liked the change of perspective watching the car roar past just before the finish line.  We usually spot the Durango about a ten second head start, and seldom does the Funny Car lose! 

Sunday I signed autographs over at the Army interactive area and hung out with some of the soldiers.  Though they always treat me warmly and professionally, I am told they could kill me in dozens of different ways.  So could Jenna!  The Army does a first-rate job with their recruitment at the races, and we also have our Mail From Home kiosks located there for fans to send postcards to our troops.  My time there was a win-win.

Back on the home front, I tried to squeeze as much into three days as possible.  Since my motorcycle hadn’t been started for about a month, I charged the battery and fired it up.  Jason went wild once it was running-he just loves motorcycles!  I putted around in the driveway with him sitting in front of me, and you’d have thought that he won the lotto.  He just goes nuts over bikes.  And firetrucks.  And peaches.  And balloons.  And racecars.  And waitresses.  What a man!  I just need to remember that his little legs aren’t very long, and that his barefoot toes could get uncomfortable touching the cylinder head once the engine warms up.  I also am now keenly aware that mom can get pretty hot, too.

I made it back out in the surf with friend Rich.  The hour and a half drive in traffic to Redondo sucks, but the therapy surfing provides more than offsets it.  Besides, I told Jenna I had to road test the new clutch in the pickup, and it could take awhile.  Especially when I stalled it three times.  A lot more sensitive now. (The clutch, not me).  Though the surf looked weak when we paddled out, it actually turned into one of the more fun days in recent memory.  Candida Benson from National DRAGSTER wants to come out this summer, try surfing, and do a write-up similar to what she did with Eric Medlen (calf roping) and what Phil Burgess did with Robert Hight (shooting).  We just won’t have any guns or rope that day.  Or horses.    

We took Jason to the local park for his first visit, and he dug the swings and jungle-gyms.  (Not to be confused with “Jungle Jim”)  I love watching him observe, learn, grow, and show emotions.  I just am not a big fan of cleaning up his poop. 

We made a trek out to Andy Montgomery’s to pick up the RV.  Monaco sent us a new leveling valve to correct a ride-height issue, and we dropped it off nearby at a diesel repair shop to have it changed.  I almost feel guilty having someone else work on my stuff, but that thing is too big and heavy to bring home anymore. 

Today it was time for the smog check on the pickup.  Longtime friend Tony Dodge of Dodge Brothers’ Repair Shop had the check done, and he even adjusted the clutch for me so I would stop stalling in parking lots!  Those guys have one heck of a business going, and their shop is packed every time I go in.  I have known Tony since I was about 14, and he’s always been a Ford guy.  Go figure. 

Jenna was getting pretty short on rest, so Jason and I headed out in his Radio Flyer wagon for a journey.  (Actually, only he was IN the wagon, I had to tow).  We went all over the neighborhood and explored like guys do, giving mom a couple of hours to unwind.  Finding home was easy: our house has the beautiful shutters, tasteful porch light, and front door that drags on the threshold....oh well.

Haircut, e-mails, blog, pack for Chicago, and call it a night.  Unless I can find a small project to kill an hour … or more!

Stay tuned.